Film They Fight brings $9.4 million economic boost to Baltimore
Gov. Wes Moore announced that the feature film They Fight, which shot in Baltimore for nearly three weeks in October and November, generated roughly $9.4 million in economic impact for Maryland and supported about 375 jobs. The production used the Maryland Film Production Activity Tax Credit and hired Marylanders in leadership, cast and crew roles, a development that carries short term spending gains and longer term workforce implications for Baltimore.
On December 2, 2025 Gov. Wes Moore disclosed economic figures from the recent Baltimore shoot of the feature film They Fight. State estimates put total economic impact at about $9.4 million. The production, which filmed in Baltimore for nearly three weeks across October and November, supported roughly 375 jobs and tapped the Maryland Film Production Activity Tax Credit to finance its location choice. Marylanders were hired for production leadership and positions in the cast and crew, and the project included Maryland natives among the producers and directors.
Those headline numbers translate into real revenue for local businesses. At roughly $25,000 of economic impact per job supported, and about $450,000 of direct economic activity per day during the active filming window, the production pushed money into hotels, restaurants, catering operations, local truck and equipment rental firms, and short term location vendors. For neighborhood commercial corridors the effect is concentrated but immediate, with elevated demand for accommodations, food service, transportation and specialized production services.
The tax credit remains central to Marylands strategy for luring productions. Credits reduce the cost of shooting locally and are intended to convert short term production spending into sustained industry presence and workforce development. The They Fight figures illustrate the near term return in terms of jobs and local spending, while also raising standard policy questions about measurement of net fiscal impact over time. Officials will need to track whether credits catalyze repeat business and industry clustering that produces higher wage jobs and a trained local labor pool.
For Baltimore residents the most tangible outcomes are new employment opportunities and vendor revenue in neighborhoods where filming took place, plus the potential for an expanded local crew base that can support future projects. Baltimore has hosted multiple major film and television productions in recent years and this latest project reinforces the citys role as a filming location. The longer term economic payoff will depend on sustained production activity, continued local hiring at supervisory levels, and investments in training that convert temporary on set work into lasting careers.
