Hollywood star Tom Cruise was in the Alamo City last month to promote his new Mission: Impossible movie. Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Gage Skidmore

City officials said San Antonio could be poised to attract more TV and movie productions after Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday signed Senate Bill 22, which opens the gate for bigger state subsidies for filmmakers.

The new state subsidies, combined with existing incentives offered by the San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture, make the city one of the nation’s most competitive film incentive destinations, local officials added.

“With the passage of this new state law, San Antonio is poised for a major leap forward in our local film industry,” San Antonio Department of Arts & Culture Director Krystal Jones said in a statement.

Under SB 22, the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program will receive an additional $50 million every two years to flow to qualifying movie producers. Guaranteed through 2035, the program is expected to invest $1.5 billion into the state’s film industry over the next decade.

That historic investment also coincides with the existing San Antonio Supplemental Film Inventive (SSAI), which is funded using a portion of the city’s hotel occupancy tax. The SSAI offers a rebate of up to 7.5% on eligible local expenditures.

“The City of San Antonio continues to champion filmmaking through sustained investment in the local film incentive program,” Jones said. “With screen-worthy locations, free film permits, talented crew and incentives for projects of all sizes, this momentum signals an exciting new era for San Antonio’s media production industry.”

However, there are significant caveats.

To qualify for the San Antonio incentive, at least 60% of production must take place within the city’s metro area. The filmmakers also must spend at least $100,000 in San Antonio, and at least 10% of the crew and cast must be from the area. In addition, the primary production office also must be located here.

Fort Worth has become a significant film destination in recent years. However, that city’s film incentives mostly include perks, including free airfare and hotel stays for film crews, and they come with fewer restrictions than the San Antonio incentive package.

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This article appears in Jun 12-25, 2025.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...