US threatens 100% tariff on movies and shows made in South Africa and other countries

United States President Donald Trump has threatened to impose “a 100% Tariff on any and all” movies made outside the US’s borders, including those made in South Africa.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, 4 May 2025, Trump said other nations offer incentives to draw American filmmakers and studios away from the US.

“The movie industry in America is dying a very fast death,” he said.

“Other countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States. Hollywood, and many other areas within the USA, are being devastated.”

He said the phenomenon is a concerted effort by other countries and poses “a National Security threat.”

Trump added that he has authorised the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to immediately begin the process of instituting a 100% tariff on all movies coming into the US if they are “produced in foreign lands”.

“We want movies made in America, AGAIN!” he said.

According to The Numbers, 1,151 movies were produced in the United States in 2024, comprising 69.9% of all titles created in the year.

Combined, the total worldwide box office revenue generated from US-made movies was $18 billion (R329 billion).

If implemented, the tariffs on movies coming into the US could severely damage South Africa’s local movie industry.

According to veteran broadcasting journalist Thinus Ferreira, various foreign films are shot locally, with South Africa becoming a global film destination.

Recent examples include Prime Video’s G20 with Viola Davis, and Canal+’s Huntington, starring Glen Powell, Ed Harris, and Margaret Qualley.

Parts of Prime Video’s hit show The Wheel of Time were also filmed on location in South Africa.

Other US streaming giants like Netflix and Hollywood Studios also produce films on South African shores.

While the US president hasn’t announced firm plans for tariffs on TV shows and series produced outside of the country’s borders, such a move could be devastating for the production industry in South Africa.

One Piece’s massive accomplishment

Netflix’s live-action remake of One Piece, filmed at Cape Town Film Studios, was a big win for the South African film industry.

The show follows the adventures of young pirates searching the open ocean for a fabled treasure. After its launch in August 2023, One Piece became the most-watched show worldwide for two straight weeks.

Not only was it filmed in Cape Town, but One Piece also extensively used local actors, stunt performers, and production crews.

The success of its first eight-episode season resulted in Netflix quickly ordering a second season of the show, which is expected to launch later this year.

According to Netflix’s “What We Watched” stats for the period from 1 July to 31 December 2023, One Piece racked up 72 million views.

Considering the live-action show only launched on 31 August 2023, it achieved this viewership in just four months.

However, viewership slowed significantly over the period, considering it attracted more than 37.8 million views globally in its first 10 days.

“One Piece, our live-action TV show, more than doubled viewing of the anime film and series,” Netflix added.

One Piece is Japan’s top-selling graphic novel series, or manga, with over 500 million copies sold worldwide since 1997.

An animated TV series based on the manga, or anime, spans over 1,100 episodes, and One Piece is expanding through other avenues, including PlayStation games, films, and merchandise.