Pinewood Atlanta Studios' first production, "Ant-Man" debuts in theaters today.
Rolling Stone reviewer Peter Travers describes "Ant-Man" as a "ton of fun" and it's generated mostly positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Governor Deal is also giving "Ant-Man" a thumbs-up as he touts the economic impact of film and TV production in the state.
The Fayette Citizen reports "Ant-Man" employed more than 35 hundred Georgians and spent more than $106 million in Georgia during filming at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Fayetteville. "Ant-Man" also shot scenes in Atlanta, including the Bank of America building and the Georgia Archives Building.
Overall, Governor Deal says movie and television production in Georgia generates $1.7 billion in spending in the state.
Marvel Studios is currently working on "Captain America: Civil War" at Pinewood Atlanta Studios. Next year, another Marvel film, "Guardians of the Galaxy 2" begins filming in Fayetteville.
"I am committed to building a strong film-ready workforce in Georgia to ensure that the industry continues to flourish here," Deal states in an announcement released earlier this month.
To that end, he's established the Georgia Film Academy to create a program to provide students with degrees or certification to meet the demands of the entertainment industry.
The location of the academy will be announced this summer. One possible site is the former Rivers Elementary School property, now known as the Pinewood Production Centre.