Disney and Marvel boycott Georgia if anti-gay rule is passed

“Disney and Marvel are inclusive companies, and although we have had great experiences filming in Georgia, we will plan to take our business elsewhere should any legislation allowing discriminatory practices be signed into state law,” said a Disney spokesman.

The discriminatory practices are related to a bill that the Georgia legislature has passed. The bill give religious officials the right to refuse performing same-sex marriages in the detriment of gay couples.

Currently, Marvel is filming Guardians of the Galaxy II in Georgia at Pinewood Studios outside Atlanta. Last summer they filmed Captain America: Civil War there.

On Monday, Motion Pictures Association of America stated that they are against the legislation.

“We are confident that Governor Deal will not allow a discriminatory bill to become law in Georgia,” said Vans Stevenson, MPAA senior vice president of state government affairs.

Disney is the first studio that threatened to take their business elsewhere if Governor Deal will not sign the bill, currently on his desk.

Giving the fact that Georgia is the third state for production after New York and California, the MPAA’s reaction was considered by others studios as well. After Disney’s action against the discriminatory law, another big studio took action.

AMC Networks, currently filming “The Walking Dead” in Georgia, declared their firm position against the bill.

“As a company, AMC Networks believes that discrimination of any kind is reprehensible,” a company spokesman said. “We applaud Governor Deal’s leadership in resisting a previous version of this divisive legislation and urge him to reject the current version as well.”

Shortly after, Viacom declared their support for diversity and resistance against the discriminatory law. “Viacom is proud to champion diversity and acceptance, which are core values of our company. We have enjoyed doing business in Georgia for many years and we urge Governor Deal to continue to resist and reject the patently discriminatory laws being proposed.”