U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed threat to impose a 100% tariff on all movies produced outside of the country could upend the global industry — and deliver a heavy blow to Britain’s already fragile sector.
The White House leader first announced duties on movies produced outside the U.S. in May this year. He than reiterated the issue in September, writing in a post on social media that other countries have “stolen” the movie-making business from the U.S.
The U.K.’s film industry has already faced multiple challenges in recent years from Box Office sales struggling to recover their pre-pandemic levels to rising competition from streaming platforms, the SAG AFTRA strikes and now the threat of film tariffs.
Gurinder Chadha, director of blockbuster movies “Bend it Like Beckham” and “Bride & Prejudice,” is set to release a new film this Winter called “Christmas Karma,” based on Charles Dickens’ classic, “A Christmas Carol.” The director told CNBC it’s a “miracle” that she’s been able to make the film, given the challenges faced by the industry.
“I’m not sure that tariffs are practical, but I think we have to look at the message behind that, which is that every country is trying to protect its own film industry,” she said.
