Sunderland company behind bringing some of world's biggest movies to region reacts to Donald Trump's plans to impose 100% movie tariff
The Sunderland based film company which brought blockbuster movies including Indiana Jones and Dial of Destiny, 1917, and Dungeons and Dragons to the North East has been reacting to Donald Trump’s proposed plan to put a 100% tariff on movies made outside the USA.
The US president said in a post on his Truth Social platform that he has authorised government departments to impose the tariff “on any and all movies coming into our country that are produced in foreign lands”.
President Trump said that the US film industry was “dying a very fast death" and added “we want to make movies in America again”.
With preparatory works having already started on the new Crown Works Studios - which is set to make Sunderland one of the biggest movie making locations in Europe - President Trump’s comments will inevitably be of concern to those involved in the North East film industry.
North East Screen Screen, which is based at the Beam in Sunderland city centre, has laid the groundwork for some of the biggest movies in recent years to be filmed in the region and has also worked closely with the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky on the production of popular programmes including Vera, Angels of the North, 24/7 Pet Hospital and Charlotte in Sunderland.
The company is hoping to play a pivotal role in providing a workforce, sourcing locations and creating sets at the Crown Works development.
Responding to President Trump’s tariff threat, North East Screen chief executive Alison Gwynn said: “We will continue to work with industry partners, such as the British Film Institute, British Film Commission, and the Government, whilst we determine the implications of the proposed tariffs.
“Working collectively is a strength of the North East and the UK screen sector and we want to ensure we remain a welcoming destination for productions across the globe.”
The USA’s movie tariff plan has already raised concerns nationally.
Philippa Childs, head of the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union said: “The UK is a world leader in film and TV production, employing thousands of talented workers, and this is a key growth sector in the Government’s industrial strategy.
“These tariffs, coming after Covid and the recent slowdown, could deal a knock-out blow to an industry that is only just recovering and will be really worrying news for tens of thousands of skilled freelancers who make films in the UK.
“The Government must move swiftly to defend this vital sector, and support the freelancers who power it, as a matter of essential national economic interest.”
Tariffs are taxes charged on goods imported from other countries and President Trump has not yet released details of how the external movie tariffs would be implemented.