Croatia’s role in Hollywood films at risk after Trump’s movie tariff

Donald Trump (Photo: Gage Skidmore/CC BY-SA 2.0)

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a 100% tariff on all movies produced outside the United States, sparking concern across the international film industry – including in Croatia.

Posting on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump stated the move is a response to what he described as the “very fast death” of the American movie industry, blaming foreign nations for luring away U.S. productions through generous incentives.

“The Movie Industry in America is DYING. Very fast death,” he wrote. “Other Countries are offering all sorts of Incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States…

Therefore, I am authorising the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to immediately begin the process of instituting a 100% Tariff on any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands. WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!”

Croatia’s Strong Track Record

Croatia has long been a magnet for international productions, thanks to its natural beauty, historical architecture, and government-backed incentive programme offering cash rebates for filming in less-developed regions.

Between 2012 and 2019, Croatia earned around €134.3 million from foreign film productions, while film tourism tied to Game of Thrones alone brought an estimated €180.7 million into the Croatian economy from 2013 to 2018.

Major U.S. productions that have taken advantage of Croatia’s filming locations and incentives include:

• Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), filmed in Dubrovnik

• Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018), filmed on the island of Vis

• The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022), starring Nicolas Cage, filmed in and around Dubrovnik

• HBO’s Succession and Game of Thrones, extensively filmed in Dubrovnik, Split, and Šibenik

Other notable titles include Robin Hood (2018), The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard (2021), The Weekend Away (2022), and Bliss (2021), all U.S.-backed and filmed in Croatia.

What Could the Tariff Mean?

If enforced, Trump’s proposed 100% tariff could mean higher costs for distributing films made in Croatia to U.S. audiences, potentially discouraging American studios from shooting overseas – including in Croatia.

Colin Firth on Vis in Mamma Mia 2 (Screenshot)

This could directly impact Croatia’s production service providers, local crews, and tourism businesses that benefit from film-related travel.

The country’s film tourism sector, especially popular among fans of Game of Thrones, may also face challenges if fewer international blockbusters choose Croatia as their backdrop.

Owen Wilson at the Game of Thrones museum in Split (Photo: Luka Galić)

While it remains to be seen how and when the tariff would be implemented – or whether it might face legal challenges – the announcement has already sent ripples through the global film community.

For now, industry professionals in Croatia and elsewhere will be watching closely to see how U.S. trade policy under Trump could reshape the international filmmaking landscape.