From Westerns to ‘Stranger Things,’ Hollywood Is Big Business in New Mexico
The New York Times
Streaming giants like Netflix and NBCUniversal are turning New Mexico into one of the country’s most coveted production hubs.
ALBUQUERQUE — When the makers of “Stranger Things” were scouting for locations this year, they zeroed in on one of the most sought-after hubs in the United States for new film production: New Mexico’s high desert.
Never mind that much of the sci-fi thriller’s new season is set in a fictional Indiana town and the former Soviet Union. The sizzling growth of New Mexico’s film industry made it a no-brainer for Netflix to shift significant portions of production to the state from Atlanta.
“Coming out of the pandemic, studios are looking to create again,” said Ivan Wiener, 51, a former assistant to the actor Dennis Hopper who operates a concierge service at the Albuquerque airport for actors and executives from Netflix and other studios. “Albuquerque seems to be the best place to do that right now.”
