Major TV Network to Film Pilot for New Series in Maryland

Governor Larry Hogan announced today that the premium cable network SHOWTIME will shoot the pilot episode for its potential new series The President is Missing in Maryland. The pilot is based on the 2018 novel by the same title, which tells the story of an American president and a secret, world-threatening crisis. Filming is expected to begin in the state in early 2020.

“We are thrilled that SHOWTIME will shoot the pilot for The President is Missing in Maryland, and we are hopeful that it will become another successful series for our state,” said Governor Hogan. “Maryland offers an outstanding destination for filming, with a highly-skilled crew base, talented actors, and a variety of locations that can easily double as our nation’s capital.”

If The President is Missing is selected to become a fullseries, the Maryland Film Office – an agency of the Maryland Department of Commerce – believes it could have a similar impact on Maryland’s economy as the Netflix series House of Cards. During its six seasons of production in Maryland, House of Cards had a total economic impact of $700 million, hired more than 2,000 Maryland residents per season, and utilized more than 2,000 Maryland businesses with purchases or rented goods/services per season.

“The President is Missing could provide an incredible impact on Maryland’s economy if it becomes a SHOWTIME series, including the potential for new jobs and additional revenue for local businesses throughout the region,” said Maryland Commerce Secretary Kelly M. Schulz. “We look forward to working with the network as they produce their pilot in Maryland next year.”

Since inception of the tax credit program in 2011, Maryland has incentivized 13 productions that employed thousands of residents, utilized thousands of local small business, and generated an economic impact of nearly $900 million in the state.

The President is Missing will star David Oyelowo, who received a NAACP Image Award for his role as Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, and also starred in the biographical drama A United Kingdom, the thriller Jack Reacher, and the BBC television mini-series Les Misérables. It will be executive produced by Christopher McQuarrie, who won an Oscar for his screenplay The Usual Suspects, and wrote and directed Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and Mission: Impossible – Fallout; Heather McQuarrie; and co-executive produced by Jillian Share for Invisible Ink Productions. Bill Clinton, James Patterson, Bill Robinson, Leopoldo Gout, and Anthony Peckham will also executive produce, with Peckham writing the script.

The Maryland Film Office, a division within the Maryland Department of Commerce, aims to attract productions to film on-location in the state of Maryland, as well as support the state’s local film community. The office’s goal is to make the process of filming in Maryland as easy as possible by providing location scouting and pre-production research, in addition to acting as a government and community liaison throughout film production. For more information on available tax credits, visit marylandfilm.org.