American Idol Moves Production to Georgia for Season 25 as ABC Series Leaves California

American Idol is packing up and heading south. The ABC singing competition is moving production from Los Angeles to the Atlanta area in Georgia for its upcoming Season 25, which premieres in the new year. Fremantle, which produces the show alongside Sony Pictures Television-backed 19 Entertainment, confirmed the move to Deadline.

The relocation marks one of the most significant shifts in the show's long history and lands as another blow to reality television production in Los Angeles, a sector that has been steadily shrinking over the past five years.

Why Georgia?

According to Deadline, Fremantle is in final talks with a studio complex in the Atlanta area, though the deal has not yet been signed. The primary driver is financial: Georgia offers up to a 30% tax credit for unscripted and reality television productions that spend at least $500,000 in the state.

The move mirrors a broader trend. Fox recently shifted production of The Masked Singer from California to New Jersey for its 15th season, drawn by the Garden State's production incentives of 30% on qualified expenses, with up to 40% available on certain studio projects. Unlike California, New Jersey allows all types of unscripted shows to qualify for its program.

Georgia has become one of the main shooting locations outside of Los Angeles and New York, hosting major film and television productions including Marvel titles such as Captain America: Brave New World and WandaVision, as well as unscripted series like Fox's The 1% Club and ABC's Press Your Luck, hosted by Elizabeth Banks.

California's Incentive Problem

California attempted to address its declining production volume last year by expanding its film and television tax credit through AB 1138. The expanded system introduced tax credits for certain unscripted productions for the first time, but only for "large-scale competition shows" with a minimum budget of $1 million per episode.

On paper, American Idol would appear to meet those requirements. However, Deadline reports that the show did not qualify for the California tax credit. A number of other shows have reportedly also failed to qualify, frustrating producers who are additionally unhappy that the bill excludes "traditional reality, game shows, talk shows, or docufollow television programming."

The numbers paint a stark picture. FilmLA data for the second quarter showed that while television production rose overall compared to the previous year, unscripted productions in Los Angeles had 40% fewer shoot days. Over the last five years, unscripted production in the city has dropped 62.7%, according to the organization.

A Season of Change for Idol

The move to Georgia is the latest in a series of shakeups for American Idol, which was renewed for Season 25 — its tenth on ABC — in July. The show has recently filmed at Red Studios in Hollywood.

Last season brought several format changes. The show introduced social voting for the first time, moved Hollywood Week to Nashville, Tennessee, premiered on a new night (Monday rather than Sunday), and began streaming live on Disney+.

The most recent season featured Ryan Seacrest as host alongside judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood. Deadline understands that this trio is expected to return for Season 25, though their deals are still being worked out. Megan Michaels Wolflick serves as showrunner.

Idol's Long History as a Star-Making Machine

American Idol first premiered on Fox in June 2002, created by Simon Fuller and based on the British format Pop Idol. The show ran for 15 seasons on Fox before going on hiatus in 2016, then returned on ABC in March 2018.

Throughout its run, the series has been hosted by Ryan Seacrest, with comedian Brian Dunkleman co-hosting during the inaugural season. The original judging panel featured Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell. Later Fox seasons saw Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, and Harry Connick Jr. at the judges' table, while the ABC revival launched with Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie. Beginning with the 23rd season, Underwood replaced Perry alongside returning judges Bryan and Richie.

The show's track record as a career springboard is unmatched in television. According to Billboard, in its first ten years, Idol produced 345 Billboard chart-toppers and launched the careers of artists including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Fantasia, Ruben Studdard, Jennifer Hudson, Clay Aiken, Adam Lambert, and Jordin Sparks. For eight consecutive years, from the 2003–04 season through 2010–11, either its performance or results show ranked number one in U.S. television ratings.

Underwood herself is a testament to that legacy. The Season 4 winner has since become one of the most successful artists in country music, and her return to the show as a judge — replacing Katy Perry — brought the franchise full circle. If she returns for Season 25 as expected, she will do so from a new home base in Georgia.

What It Means for Los Angeles

The departure of American Idol and The Masked Singer from Los Angeles within the same twelve-month period represents a significant setback for the city's unscripted production ecosystem. While California's expanded tax credit program was designed to stem the tide, the exclusion of many unscripted formats and the apparent failure of even qualifying shows to secure credits suggests the remedy may not be working as intended.

For Georgia, the arrival of one of television's most recognizable brands adds another high-profile title to an already robust production slate. For American Idol, it signals a new chapter — one that will see the show's next generation of hopefuls audition and compete far from the Hollywood stages that defined its first two decades.

Season 25 of American Idol premieres in the new year on ABC.