THE MOVIE INDUSTRY IN NEW ORLEANS: A TIMELINE
Vitascope Hall, which opened in 1896
New Orleans Cinema: A timeline
130 years ago, cinema in America got its start. Vitascope Hall opened in New Orleans, the country's first permanent picture house. 20 years later, the first movie to be shot on location in Louisiana takes place, and the rest, as they say, is history. Here's a brief timeline of the major milestones in New Orleans' cinematic timeline.
1896: Vitascope Hall opens on Canal Street
1898: Film production in Louisiana begins with the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company; a short documentary about the torpedo boat "Dupont", considered the first film shot on location in New Orleans.
1918: Tarzan of the Apes becomes the first major film production to shoot in Louisiana, and one of the first movies anywhere to shoot on location outside of California or New York (filmed largely in Morgan City, just outside New Orleans).
1938–1957: The Studio Era. New Orleans becomes a favorite setting for Hollywood, but location shooting is rare. Films like Jezebel (1938), Gone with the Wind (1939), and Band of Angels (1957) recreate the French Quarter on California soundstages.
1950: Panic in the Streets, directed by Elia Kazan, is shot almost entirely on location in New Orleans, a turning point for location filming.
1951: A Streetcar Named Desire is released. Despite being the quintessential 'New Orleans movie', only its opening and closing scenes were shot in the city, with the rest filmed on a soundstage.
1958: Elvis Presley stars in King Creole, with some scenes shot on location in the city.
1969: Easy Rider films in New Orleans (notably damaging a local cemetery landmark during production) and goes on to earn two Oscar nominations.
1973: Live and Let Die brings James Bond to New Orleans.
1991: Oliver Stone's JFK shoots in the historic 1909 Louisiana State Supreme Courthouse on Royal Street.
1992: Louisiana becomes the first U.S. state to adopt a film tax incentive.
2002: The Louisiana Motion Picture Tax Incentive Act passes (a 30% tax credit with no cap), officially launching the 'Hollywood South' era. Runaway Jury is the first production to take advantage of the new breaks.
2004: Ray shoots on location in the city; Jamie Foxx wins the Best Actor Oscar for his performance as Ray Charles, and the film earns Best Picture and Best Director nominations.
2008: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett) earns 13 Oscar nominations, putting Louisiana's film industry firmly on the national map.
2009: Disney sets its animated film The Princess and the Frog in New Orleans, with Princess Tiana partly inspired by New Orleans culture.
2010–2011: Louisiana's film crew base grows over 400% ; more than 300 films have now been shot in the state, with $1.3 billion in production spending in 2011 alone.
2013: Louisiana film/TV production reportedly outpaces California for the first time.12 Years a Slave wins Best Picture at the Oscars, the first film shot predominantly in New Orleans to do so.
2015: Facing a state budget crisis, Louisiana caps its film tax credit program at $180 million, slowing the boom.
2018: Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire universe returns to the city as AMC develops a new TV adaptation (premiering 2022), continuing the city's long vampire-film legacy.
2024: Louisiana lawmakers cut the tax credit cap to $125 million, even as industry groups lobby to preserve it.
2025–2026: The industry faces headwinds nationwide, but New Orleans remains an active filming hub. Recent productions include Mayfair Witches Season 2, with various features and TV shows still choosing the city for its irreplaceable look and atmosphere.
BACK TO THE OUT ALL DAY MOVIE AWARDS, 2026
1896: Vitascope Hall opens on Canal Street
1898: Film production in Louisiana begins with the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company; a short documentary about the torpedo boat "Dupont", considered the first film shot on location in New Orleans.
1918: Tarzan of the Apes becomes the first major film production to shoot in Louisiana, and one of the first movies anywhere to shoot on location outside of California or New York (filmed largely in Morgan City, just outside New Orleans).
1938–1957: The Studio Era. New Orleans becomes a favorite setting for Hollywood, but location shooting is rare. Films like Jezebel (1938), Gone with the Wind (1939), and Band of Angels (1957) recreate the French Quarter on California soundstages.
1950: Panic in the Streets, directed by Elia Kazan, is shot almost entirely on location in New Orleans, a turning point for location filming.
1951: A Streetcar Named Desire is released. Despite being the quintessential 'New Orleans movie', only its opening and closing scenes were shot in the city, with the rest filmed on a soundstage.
1958: Elvis Presley stars in King Creole, with some scenes shot on location in the city.
1969: Easy Rider films in New Orleans (notably damaging a local cemetery landmark during production) and goes on to earn two Oscar nominations.
1973: Live and Let Die brings James Bond to New Orleans.
1991: Oliver Stone's JFK shoots in the historic 1909 Louisiana State Supreme Courthouse on Royal Street.
1992: Louisiana becomes the first U.S. state to adopt a film tax incentive.
2002: The Louisiana Motion Picture Tax Incentive Act passes (a 30% tax credit with no cap), officially launching the 'Hollywood South' era. Runaway Jury is the first production to take advantage of the new breaks.
2004: Ray shoots on location in the city; Jamie Foxx wins the Best Actor Oscar for his performance as Ray Charles, and the film earns Best Picture and Best Director nominations.
2008: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett) earns 13 Oscar nominations, putting Louisiana's film industry firmly on the national map.
2009: Disney sets its animated film The Princess and the Frog in New Orleans, with Princess Tiana partly inspired by New Orleans culture.
2010–2011: Louisiana's film crew base grows over 400% ; more than 300 films have now been shot in the state, with $1.3 billion in production spending in 2011 alone.
2013: Louisiana film/TV production reportedly outpaces California for the first time.12 Years a Slave wins Best Picture at the Oscars, the first film shot predominantly in New Orleans to do so.
2015: Facing a state budget crisis, Louisiana caps its film tax credit program at $180 million, slowing the boom.
2018: Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire universe returns to the city as AMC develops a new TV adaptation (premiering 2022), continuing the city's long vampire-film legacy.
2024: Louisiana lawmakers cut the tax credit cap to $125 million, even as industry groups lobby to preserve it.
2025–2026: The industry faces headwinds nationwide, but New Orleans remains an active filming hub. Recent productions include Mayfair Witches Season 2, with various features and TV shows still choosing the city for its irreplaceable look and atmosphere.
BACK TO THE OUT ALL DAY MOVIE AWARDS, 2026