Ireland Production Spending: Record Highs as U.S. Studios Flee

Los Angeles production spending sits at historic lows while Ireland absorbs a surge of American studio activity. This shift has transformed the island into a primary destination for U.S. scripted and unscripted television.

Ireland’s production spending reached a record $632.7 million in 2025, according to Screen Ireland, the national agency for film and television. This figure represents a 26 percent increase over the previous year. The growth reflects a sustained exodus of Hollywood projects from the West Coast to locations offering more favorable financial terms and stable infrastructure.

Tax incentives form the core of this attraction. Ireland offers a 32 percent refundable tax credit on eligible expenditures, including cast and crew salaries. The per-project cap for this credit rose from $81 million to $145 million. This year, the government added value added tax credits for visual effects and post-production work. The country also became the first European nation to support dedicated unscripted content with a 20 percent refundable credit, capped at $16.8 million per project.

Major American productions have already moved to Irish facilities. Apple TV+ filmed the science fiction series Foundation at Troy Studios in Limerick. Netflix shot the third season of Wednesday around Dublin and Wicklow. The A24 film The Riders, starring Brad Pitt, filmed across the country over the summer. Blumhouse Productions has shot multiple projects in the region, including the horror film Other Mommy and the upcoming Amazon MGM Studios movie Seasons.

Game shows, traditionally a Los Angeles staple, have also relocated. The Floor, hosted by Rob Lowe, moved to Troy Studios for its sixth and seventh seasons. Lowe stated on his podcast that it is cheaper to bring 100 American people to Ireland than to walk across the lot at Fox. His comment captured the cost disparity that has driven international filming. Last year, 45 percent of all U.S. films and scripted television shows were shot internationally, up from about 33 percent in 2022.

The influx of productions has strained local resources. Filmmakers report frequent shortages of lenses, edit bays, and left-driving cars. Ruth Treacy, co-founder of Dublin-based production company Tailored Films, described the situation as a green wave. She noted that projects are not necessarily set in Ireland but are shooting the United States within Ireland, a practice that has proven effective for producers.

The infrastructure supporting this growth includes Troy Studios, the country’s largest soundstage complex. Opened nine years ago in a former Dell Computer factory in Limerick, the facility now hosts multiple major productions. Screen Ireland invested nearly $170 million across film, television, animation, and game design in the last five years. The agency also opened an office in the same building as Ireland’s Los Angeles consulate in 2021 to strengthen ties with the U.S. entertainment industry.

Local businesses have expanded to meet the demand. Odyssey Studios in Limerick supplies miniatures and props to projects like Foundation and Wednesday. The country’s animation sector now includes nearly 50 studios employing about 2,500 staff members. Many of these firms partner with major streaming platforms such as Disney, Netflix, and Nickelodeon.