The bright lights of Hollywood are set to arrive in Sacramento County in 2026 as Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ang Lee prepares to create his next film, “Gold Mountain.”
Lee’s next project is set to tell “an epic story about the California Gold Rush” based on C. Pam Zhang’s novel,”How Much of These Hills is Gold,” which tells the fictional tale of two orphaned Chinese-American siblings living through the California Gold Rush, according to a project casting call for the film.
The project will conduct a 50-day filming production in Sacramento County and was selected as one of 28 projects to participate in the state’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program by the California Film Commission.
“We’re very proud to feature so many California-centric stories with this round,” said Colleen Bell, Director of California Film Commission, in the award announcement. “These aren’t just movies shooting here, they’re also telling the stories of the places where they’re shooting, drawing from our vivid history, vibrant neighborhoods and diverse and storied culture that are so uniquely California.”
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Lee’s project was awarded over $7 million in tax credits, but is expected to spend over $31 million in expenditures and hire up to 58 cast members, 170 crew members and 1,356 background crew members, according to the California Film Commission’s project list.
“This latest round of tax credit awards builds on that legacy while delivering real results across the state: good-paying jobs, stronger local economies, and thriving small businesses,” Governor Gavin Newsom said in a press release. “It’s a clear signal that California remains the global home of storytelling — yesterday, today, and for generations to come.”
Details surrounding the film’s production schedule and cast were not available at the time of publication.
The SFGATE reported that the production will potentially be held in either Placer or El Dorado counties.
“Gold Mountain” will be Lee’s return to filmmaking after a seven-year hiatus. His last major production was “Gemini Man,” which starred Will Smith. Lee is best known for his award-winning films, “Brokeback Mountain” and “Life of Pi,” which brought him home an Oscar as the Academy Award’s Best Director in 2005 and 2012.
Read USA Today’s review: Review: C Pam Zhang’s ambitious novel turns the Western on its head with Chinese myth
Noe Padilla is a Northern California Reporter for USA Today. Contact him at npadilla@usatodayco.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ang Lee’s next film “Gold Mountain” will be set in Sacramento County