British film industry at risk from US tariffs

Donald Trump's threat to impose 100% tariffs on movies made outside the US could wipe out the British film industry, ministers have been warned, as they came under immediate pressure to prioritise the issue in trade talks with the White House.

- Michael Savage Edward Helmore

UK government officials and senior figures from Britain's multi-billion-pound production industry are to meet to discuss Trump's threat, which he made after months of promising to restore Hollywood to its "golden age".

In an extraordinary intervention, Trump announced his intention to impose the levy on all movies "produced in foreign lands", stating that the US film industry was facing a "very fast death" as a result of incentives being offered overseas. The UK is among the countries offering filmmakers generous tax incentives.

The US president said he had already ordered the commerce department and the US trade representative to begin instituting such a tariff. He said on his Truth Social platform that the issue was a "national security threat" because of the "concerted effort by other nations" to attract productions.

"Hollywood is being destroyed," he later told reporters. "Other nations have stolen our movie industry." His outburst caused immediate concern in the UK, a location for some of Hollywood's biggest movie productions, including Barbie, parts of the Mission: Impossible franchise and Disney's Star Wars productions.

More big movies are scheduled to be shot in the UK soon, including Star Wars: Starfighter.

Philippa Childs, the head of the creative industries union Bectu, said: "These tariffs, coming after Covid and the recent slowdown, could deal a knockout blow to an industry that is only just recovering, and will be 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 powerit, as a matter of essential national economic interest."

One senior figure in the UK's creative sector said: "If it becomes real, it will be huge. It could possibly wipe out the British film industry and its crews."