‘The Walking Dead’ Will Walk Out Of Georgia If Anti-LGBT Law Passes

[RandySF]

f Georgia passes an anti-gay “religious liberty” bill on May 3, the state stands to lose billions of dollars in revenue. Not just because of the loss of extravagant, amazing gay weddings — although, that too — but because a fleet of major Hollywood players have joined the Walt Disney Co. and its Marvel Studios film unit in threatening to boycott Georgia should the bill be signed into law.

As of Friday, all of the following companies have spoken out against the bill: Viacom, 21st Century Fox, Lionsgate, CBS, Starz, AMC Networks (megahit The Walking Dead is currently filmed in Georgia), Netflix, Time Warner, CBS, The Weinstein Company, Sony, Comcast/NBCUniversal, MGM, STX Entertainment, and Open Road Films.

The legislation before Gov. Nathan Deal (R) is House Bill 757. It would prevent individuals from being forced to perform or attend same-sex weddings (if you’re curious, yes, that is a right already guaranteed by the First Amendment; no one can make you attend a wedding, be it gay, straight, or dog); allow faith-based groups, including churches and religious schools, to refuse employment and service to anyone who violates the group’s religious beliefs; and permit those groups to deny employment to anyone “whose religious beliefs or practices or lack of either are not in accord with the faith-based organization’s sincerely held religious belief.”

Most of the statements released by these companies leave some wiggle room as far as follow-through is concerned; it's the rare company in Hollywood that will actually use the word "boycott" when such phenomenal tax incentives are on the table. Disney said they "will plan to take their business elsewhere should any legislation allowing discriminatory practices be signed into state law," though, and on Thursday, Netflix announced that, though the company just shot two films and a series (The Do-Over, True Memoirs of an International Assassin, and Stranger Things) in the state of Georgia "and had planned on filming two series there in the coming months, should any legislation allowing discriminatory practice be signed into state law, we will move our productions elsewhere."


http://thinkprogress.org/culture/2016/03/25/3763575/netflix-time-warner-sony-and-others-speak-out-against-georgias-anti-lgbt-bill/

[Hoyt]

1. Will be interesting to see what Gubnor Deal does, hope he doesn't listen to the bigots

that roam the Capitol halls, physically and spiritually.

[Ilsa]

2. Nathan Deal will veto.

He's not running again, so he doesn't have to please the religious extremists protesting and trying to make him sign it. My guess is that he'll wait until after Easter.

Georgia would lose too much in tourism dollars and film industry if he signs it or allows it to become law.

[Jnclr89]

3. I think Disney and others will too

Pressure, apply pressure

[RandySF]

4. Disney made it clear they will leave

Even though they are in the middle of filming two huge Marvel movies.

[n2doc]

5. This will really hit Savannah hard

We get a lot of weddings here, and a significant number of films too. Not good. (and not right, either).

I do think the Gov will veto it. He is RW, but old school, more of a crook than a nut job. But I could be surprised.

[awoke_in_2003]

7. "He is RW, but old school, more of a crook than a nut job"

Ok, that made me laugh

[sofa king]

6. (psst--they already did)

They have a lot of clout and can censor this thread if it comes to their attention, but they're in the Valley of Virginia right now.