Netflix series 'Mindhunter' to film in Pittsburgh
Netflix, one of the fastest-growing producers of original television content, is coming to Pittsburgh — and the streaming content company is bringing a cache of Hollywood heavyweights to help make “Mindhunter.”
The crime drama series received $18.7 million in Pennsylvania film tax credits, a state website revealed Wednesday.
“Netflix has been a long-term goal,” said Dawn Keezer, director of the Pittsburgh Film Office. “It really illustrates the future of the industry.”
The “Mindhunter” series is being produced by actress Charlize Theron, actor Kevin Spacey and Jennifer Orme Erwin. Producing and directing will be David Fincher.
An employee with Theron's production company, Denver and Delilah Films, directed questions to Netflix. Messages left at the Beverly Hills-based company were not returned.
No offices for the production have opened here, but show officials have scouted Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania several times. Shooting is expected to begin this spring with a budget of about $80 million.
Theron secured the rights to “Mindhunter” several years ago and came close to a deal with HBO.
Spacey and Fincher are part of “House of Cards,” an original Netflix series that will begin shooting its fifth season during the summer in Maryland. Fincher directs and produces the award-winning series, which stars Spacey, who is a producer through his Trigger Street Productions.
Having Fincher involved with “Mindhunter” is tremendous, said Jack Gerbes, director of the Maryland Film Office.
“He's a true visionary and artist,” Gerbes said. “Everything is done to perfection, so I am sure it is going to be a great show. He's got such an amazing track record.”
Accolades for “House of Cards” include two Golden Globe wins.
Fincher directed “Fight Club,” “The Social Network” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” The last two earned Academy Award nominations for directing.
Netflix, which is valued at about $50 billion, plans to produce 600 hours of original programming this year, company officials have said. Among its roster of original television series are “Orange is the New Black,” “Marco Polo” and “Narcos.”
Through its first three seasons, “House of Cards” had an economic impact in and around Baltimore of more than $330 million, Gerbes said. That included the use of 2,000 to 3,000 Maryland-based vendors annually and the hiring of about 1,600 crew, cast members and extras each season.
Figures for Season 4 are not available, Gerbes said.
Maryland nearly lost “House of Cards” two years ago when lawmakers threatened to eliminate the state's tax credit program. Pittsburgh became a top potential landing place for the show, Keezer said.
“That's why we fought so hard for this one,” she said.
The basis for the Pittsburgh series is the 1996 book, “Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit,” by former FBI Special Agent John Douglas and Mark Olshaker.
The book chronicles Douglas' 25-year career as part of a team using criminal-profiling skills to track serial killers. Some cases he worked on included prostitutes hunted for sport in Alaska, the Atlanta child murderer and Seattle's Green River killer.
Douglas, former head of the FBI's Investigative Support Unit, was the inspiration for criminal profilers portrayed in “The Silence of the Lambs,” “Hannibal” and “Criminal Minds.”
“Mindhunter” is the second television series that will shoot in Pittsburgh this year, with “Outsiders” returning for a second season for WGN America.
“I have a couple others considering us as well,” Keezer said.
She wants the state to increase the $60 million in annual production tax credits and extend the program for multiple years — a condition necessary to land television series, which provide long-term employment and built-in job training.
“Our hope is that Netflix is here for a very long time,” Keezer said. “This is huge. It has the potential to be bigger.”
Jason Cato is a reporter for the Tribune-Review. Reach him at jcato@tribweb.com or 412-320-7936.
