American Idol is moving production of Season 25 from Los Angeles to the Atlanta area, producer Fremantle confirmed, making the ABC singing competition the latest major unscripted series to leave California.
The show, produced by Fremantle with Sony Pictures Television-backed 19 Entertainment, will film its upcoming season in Georgia after more than two decades based in Hollywood. The new season is expected to premiere in early 2027. Fremantle is in final talks with an Atlanta-area studio complex, though a deal has not yet been signed. Georgia’s tax incentive is a central reason for the move.
The relocation is another blow to Los Angeles reality production, which has fallen sharply. FilmLA has reported that unscripted production in the city dropped about 63% over five years and that local television production was down 27% compared with 2025. The Masked Singer earlier left California for New Jersey, another state that extends incentives to unscripted programming. American Idol most recently originated from Red Studios in Hollywood.
Last season, its post-audition “Hollywood Week” round moved to Nashville, though the live shows remained in Los Angeles. Auditions for Season 25 are already underway, including stops in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The show was renewed in July.
Negotiations over the return of judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Carrie Underwood were still unresolved when the move was announced.
Georgia has long marketed itself as a production hub, hosting Marvel films and unscripted series such as Fox’s The 1% Club and ABC’s Press Your Luck. The Idol shift follows that pattern: productions chasing lower costs and transferable tax credits rather than remaining in the traditional Hollywood base.