NFL star Travis Kelce, known for his relationship with singer Taylor Swift, has made a foray into Hollywood by signing on as a producer for a new film utilizing President Joe Biden’s renewable energy tax credits.
The movie, titled “My Dead Friend Zoe,” had a modest budget of less than $10 million and tells the story of a female Afghanistan veteran confronting her Vietnam veteran grandfather at the family lake house, according to reports.
Starring A-list actors like Morgan Freeman, Natalie Morales, Ed Harris, and Sonequa Martin-Green, the film is set to hit theaters on March 9, 2024.
Funding for the movie came from climate entrepreneur Mike Field’s sale of surplus tax credits authorized by the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, designed to support financing for films.
Ray Maiello, the producer of “My Dead Friend Zoe,” emphasized that utilizing tax credits significantly reduces the risk associated with Hollywood projects, making independent filmmaking more feasible.
Travis Kelce's indie film is being paid for by Green Energy subsidies from the Inflation Reduction Act. No, this isn't satire.
Chill out taxpayers! How else was an NFL Star who dates Taylor Swift supposed to come up with the money? https://t.co/KwXSPIjTrC— Nobody Special (@JG_Nuke) February 13, 2024
Maiello explained, “Biden’s federal tax credits have opened up opportunities in Hollywood, reducing financial risks for filmmakers and incentivizing investment in the industry.”
Kelce, along with Field and Maiello, plans to use similar tax credits to finance their upcoming documentary “King Pleasure,” focusing on singer Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Kelce’s venture into Hollywood follows the success of his NFL team, the Kansas City Chiefs, in the Super Bowl.
Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady also made a transition to Hollywood, producing and starring in the film “80 for Brady,” which garnered $40 million worldwide against a $28 million budget, despite mixed critical reception.
