Back in May, Donald Trump came up with a plan that was completely unrealistic. He claimed Hollywood was “dying fast” and suggested a full-on solution that made almost no sense. He said other countries were giving incentives to make movies there. He called it a “national security threat” and “propaganda.” His answer was to put a 100 percent tariff on all movies made outside the U.S.
The movie industry immediately said this was insane. It would make filming abroad too expensive. Big franchises like Fast and the Furious or James Bond would have to stay in the United States. That idea seemed so bad it disappeared quickly. Everyone thought Trump had dropped it. But now he’s brought it up again.
Trump argued that the U.S. has had its movie-making stolen by other countries, comparing it to “stealing candy from a baby.” He blamed California and its leadership for making things worse. His “solution” was the same 100 percent tariff on movies made outside the country.
Most people think this will never actually happen. But if it did, it could cause huge problems. For example, Avengers: Doomsday recently finished filming in the UK. Under Trump’s plan, it would be taxed. But movies aren’t physical goods. You can’t exactly slap a tariff on them like imported cars or electronics. The only ways would be to tax tickets or even box office revenue, which would be chaotic.
If a tariff really went into effect, it could threaten movies themselves. Studios might stop making films and focus on TV shows or streaming instead. This idea could kill Hollywood as we know it, all because someone thinks tariffs are the answer to a problem that doesn’t exist.