American Idol will film its upcoming 25th season in the Atlanta area after years of production in Los Angeles. Fremantle, which produces the show with Sony Pictures Television-backed 19 Entertainment, confirmed the relocation. The new season will premiere in 2027.
American Idol will produce Season 25 in the Atlanta area after years of declining LA reality TV production
According to Deadline, the relocation comes as Georgia continues to offer significant tax incentives for television productions. Unscripted and reality shows that spend at least $500,000 in the state can qualify for a tax credit of up to 30 percent. Meanwhile, a FilmLA report showed that such productions had a 40 percent decline in shoot days in Los Angeles during the second quarter of 2026. Over five years, unscripted production in Los Angeles has declined by 62.7 percent.
California has expanded its film and TV tax credit to cover unscripted shows. A competition series must have a budget exceeding $1 million per episode to qualify. The requirement makes it harder for shows such as American Idol to benefit.
The long-running singing competition is now among the latest studio-based reality shows to leave California amid efforts to lower production costs, reports Variety. Several other shows have also moved production out of California. The Masked Singer moved to New Jersey after filming at the Fox lot in Century City. Shark Tank, Lego Masters, Family Feud, and Celebrity Family Feud have also moved their productions to Atlanta.
American Idol, which helped launch the careers of Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Scotty McCreery, and many others, debuted in 2002. The show originally aired on Fox, with Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson serving as its first judges. After leaving Fox in 2016, the show moved to ABC in 2018.
The judging panel for the upcoming season is expected to include Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood, though their agreements are still being finalized. Megan Michaels Wolflick will be the showrunner for the series.
