By ERMW Team
Thursday, December 25, 2025; Updated January 1, 2026

If 2024 was the year of recovery for the film industry, 2025 has been the year of the "New Mexico Boom." Solidified by the state’s aggressive 40% refundable tax credit and a growing infrastructure of studios from Las Cruces to Santa Fe, the "Land of Enchantment" has effectively become the "Land of Action." According to a KRQE Year in Review, the state hosted everything from high-concept sci-fi series to the long-awaited return of Western legends.

Here is a look at the major productions that defined the New Mexico film landscape in 2025.

Major Releases & Success Stories

Two of the year's most talked-about films were not just shot here—they used the New Mexico landscape as a character in itself.

Eddington

Director: Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar)
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Austin Butler
Released: July 18, 2025
The Buzz: Perhaps the most "New Mexico" movie of the year, this contemporary neo-Western thriller centered on a small-town sheriff (Phoenix) and a mayor (Pascal) clashing during the pandemic. Filmed in Truth or Consequences and Albuquerque, the movie was praised for capturing the stark, isolating beauty of the desert. Legendary filmmaker John Waters even named it his top film of 2025.

The Lost Bus

Director: Paul Greengrass
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera
Released: September 19, 2025
The Buzz: Based on the true story of the Camp Fire in Paradise, California, this survival thriller used New Mexico's terrain to double for the devastation of wildfires. It was a massive production that employed hundreds of local crew members for its complex stunt driving and pyrotechnic sequences.

The Smashing Machine

Director: Benny Safdie
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt
Released: October 3, 2025
The Buzz: This biographical drama following the life of MMA legend Mark Kerr was one of A24's biggest budget productions ever. Principal photography, which wrapped in 2024, utilized Albuquerque as its key location, doubling for various domestic MMA venues. The film's critical success provided compelling evidence that New Mexico can handle complex, large-scale cinematic drama.

Television: The "Gilliganverse" Expands

New Mexico remains the spiritual home of Vince Gilligan, and 2025 saw the release of his highly anticipated follow-up to Better Call Saul.

PLUR1BUS

Showrunner: Vince Gilligan
Starring: Rhea Seehorn
Premieres: November 7, 2025 (Apple TV+)
The Scoop: Moving away from the cartel crime dramas of his past, Gilligan’s new sci-fi series is set in a near-future Albuquerque. The plot follows a woman (Seehorn) who is the only person immune to a virus that forces humanity into a hive mind of pure happiness. The series has been a critical darling, praised for keeping the gritty, grounded visual style of Breaking Bad while pivoting to high-concept science fiction.

Returning Favorites:

Dark Winds (Season 3): The noir thriller continues to shoot primarily on tribal lands, bringing economic revenue to the Navajo Nation and Pueblo communities.
The Cleaning Lady (Season 4): Filming continued at Albuquerque Studios, maintaining its status as a staple employment source for local crews.

The Return of the Regulators

The biggest nostalgia announcement of the year came in March, when Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Emilio Estevez announced the production of ”Young Guns 3: Dead or Alive”.

Thirty-five years after the original, Estevez returned to the director's chair and reprised his role as Billy the Kid. Filming began late in the year in and around Santa Fe and Los Cerrillos, the same locations used in the 1988 original. The production has been a major boon for local tourism, with fans flocking to catch a glimpse of the "Regulators" riding again.

The One That Got Away

Not every project made it to the finish line. The industry saw a significant heartbreak with Terry Gilliam’s The Carnival at the End of Days. Rumored to begin filming in April 2025 with Johnny Depp and Adam Driver, the ambitious production—in which Satan tries to save humanity from God—reportedly collapsed due to financing issues. By October, Gilliam confirmed the project was indefinitely stalled, marking a "what could have been" moment for the state's 2025 portfolio.

The Rural Uplift: Driving Economic Activity North

The story of The Chaperones actively filming in Colfax County is a prime example of the New Mexico Film Office’s strategy to spread the wealth generated by the film industry beyond the established hubs of Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

The 10% Incentive That Makes the Difference

At the heart of this strategy is the 10% Filming Uplift Zone tax credit.

The Mechanics: This additional tax credit is applied to qualified production expenditures incurred 60 or more miles outside the city halls of Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
The Benefit: Since Raton and Cimarron are far outside this corridor, productions like The Chaperones can receive a tax rebate that is 10% higher than the base credit on those rural expenses, potentially reaching the maximum 40% total credit. This makes the unique, untouched landscapes of Northern New Mexico incredibly competitive against other states.

Direct Impact on Small Towns

For communities like Raton and Cimarron, a major feature film production translates into immediate and tangible economic activity:

The big shift in New Mexico’s film economy this year wasn't just about big names; it was about rural uplift.

The Rural Uplift Incentive

New Mexico’s tax credit offers an additional 10% (uplift) for filming at least 60 miles outside of the Santa Fe/Albuquerque corridor. This led to a surge of trucks and crews in towns like Gallup, Las Vegas, and Roswell, spreading the film economy statewide rather than keeping it centralized in the cities.

The Film Office’s efforts to increase rural spending are working: communities outside the main metro areas have seen a massive increase in direct spending, securing the industry's role as a vital tool for economic diversification across the state.

Stepping into ‘26

As 2025 draws to a close, it is clear that New Mexico’s status as a premier global filming destination is no longer just a headline—it is a lived reality for communities across the state. From the high-tech soundstages of Albuquerque to the historic, sun-drenched streets of Raton, the "New Mexico Boom" has proven that the state offers more than just stunning backdrops; it offers a world-class workforce, a welcoming culture, and an aggressive commitment to growth. Whether it’s through the gritty realism of a neo-Western like Eddington or the rural economic spark ignited by The Chaperones, 2025 has laid the groundwork for a sustainable, inclusive industry. For the creators, crew members, and the "NextGen" of filmmakers, the message is clear: the Land of Enchantment has officially become the Land of Action, and the cameras are only just getting started.