‘Comeback King’ and Superman sequel bring Hollywood back to Macon

The number of movies and TV shows shot in the Peach State bottomed out in 2025, but two projects in Macon could help boost Georgia’s declining presence in the film industry.

Production crews, actors and set designers are bringing movie magic back to Macon for the filming of “The Comeback King,” which premieres in theaters next February. Filming, led by Tap Out Productions, took place on and near College Street Wednesday and Thursday and is scheduled to resume next week on parts of Cherry, Second and Third streets.

“The Comeback King,” directed by Judd Apatow, follows the story of a country western star who must regain his footing after his career takes a tailspin. It stars Glen Powell.

Downtown Macon is a popular location for productions because of its wide streets and historic buildings, said Aaron Buzza, senior vice president and chief operating officer at Visit Macon.

“It allows film productions to come into town and utilize downtown streets and buildings to be a variety of different places. It doesn’t have just a look of one particular community,” Buzza said.

The area benefits from the cast and crews staying in hotels, eating at local restaurants and, as time allows, taking in some of Macon’s attractions or going to any events that may be happening, he said. The locations that are used can later be showcased for visitors who are interested in a particular film.

Georgia has been an attractive state for productions since the 1970s, but filming really accelerated after legislators approved enhanced tax incentives for filmmakers in 2008.

In 2022, productions reportedly spent $4.4 billion in the state, an economic impact that was an industry record, according to a press release from Governor Brian Kemp. In 2025, however, the state ranked second — surpassed by California — with 245 productions filmed in Georgia last year compared to 412 productions in 2022.

Before the pandemic, Macon saw about five to six major studio productions yearly, not including independent films, locally produced films or student films. But the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the writers’ and actors’ strikes that occurred in 2023 slowed things down nationwide. 

Currently, there are 26 productions filming in Georgia. Macon is getting back to a place where it’s seeing between three and five films in a year, Buzza said, which he describes as a “sweet spot.”

“It allows us to be a participant in the industry, be a participant in the making of film and television production without it being a major inconvenience to residents and businesses,” he said.

Macon’s latest star-studded production comes after the filming of the 2025 “Superman” movie, which prominently featured Macon’s Grand Terminal Station as the iconic Daily Planet newsroom. The local train station will return to the silver screen in mid-June for the filming of the sequel “Man of Tomorrow.”

“What we have on deck for this year — the production that’s filming right now and then we have one coming in summer — I’m very optimistic that we’re going to see Macon presented really nicely in film,” Buzza said.