Show summary Hide summary
Tracker is relocating to Los Angeles for Season 4, marking a major shift for one of television’s biggest dramas. The CBS series starring Justin Hartley just secured the largest California tax credit ever awarded to a relocating show. 20th Television is locking down production facilities, with filming slated to begin in late June.
🔥 Quick Facts
- Record Tax Credit: $48 million awarded, largest for a relocating series
- Previous Location: First 3 seasons filmed in Vancouver
- Star & Executive Producer: Justin Hartley leading cast to California
- Filming Start: Late June 2026 in Los Angeles and surrounding regions
Why Tracker is Leaving Vancouver for California
Tracker spent its first three seasons filming in Vancouver, where the show became one of the most-watched broadcast dramas. However, the mountain-based drama follows a lone-wolf survivalist who tracks down people across America for reward money. A California relocation provides superior natural backdrops spanning coastlines, mountains, and deserts for storytelling. The series can now exploit 40+ different California environments for action sequences and dramatic settings.
Executive producer and showrunner Elwood Reid emphasized location’s critical role: Location is a huge part of the storytelling on the show. The move capitalizes on California’s diverse geography to enhance production value while maintaining creative authenticity to the character’s nomadic lifestyle.
Tracker relocates to Los Angeles for Season 4 with record $48M California tax credit
Michael James Scott takes final Aladdin bow on Broadway after 4,000+ performances, heads to Scrubs
The Record-Breaking $48 Million Tax Credit Explained
The California Film Commission awarded Tracker a record-setting $48 million tax credit in March 2026, making it the industry’s single largest incentive for any relocating television series. This credit applied to $129 million in qualified expenditures over the season. The previous record belonged to Amazon’s Fallout Season 2, which secured $42 million, followed by 20th Television’s The Land with $42.8 million.
These credits work through California’s $750 million incentives program designed to attract major productions. TV shows earn a 35% base credit on qualified spending, with an additional 5% bonus for filming outside the 30-mile Greater Los Angeles zone. Tracker‘s rural location shooting qualifies for maximum bonuses.
Production Timeline and Economic Impact
| Production Detail | Information |
| Current Filming Location | Vancouver, Canada (Seasons 1-3) |
| New Location | Los Angeles and surrounding California regions |
| Season 4 Filming Start | Late June 2026 |
| Studio | 20th Television (Disney Television Studios) |
The relocation creates substantial economic benefits for Los Angeles. Tax credits for major productions are designed to generate outsized local impact, creating jobs for California-based crews and boosting auxiliary businesses hit hard by runaway production. Tracker ranks as one of television’s highest-profile shows, making its return to California a significant industry win.
Justin Hartley, star and executive producer, released a statement expressing enthusiasm: I’m proud of what we built in Vancouver. I’m also very excited we’re bringing Tracker to L.A.
What Tracker Ranking Means for the Industry Move
Tracker recently held the title of most-watched broadcast series for its first two and a half seasons. Currently, the show ranks number 2 behind CBS’s Marshals with 16.4 million Live+28 multiplatform viewers in the United States. Among all series, both network and streaming, Tracker ranks number 7 across the 2025-26 broadcast season.
This popularity level made Tracker an essential get for California policymakers trying to reverse runaway production trends. The show’s high viewer base ensures media attention to the relocation, amplifying California’s incentive program messaging.
“We’re so grateful to the crew and people of Vancouver who made the first three seasons of this hit drama possible, and are simultaneously thrilled to be able to kick off the fourth season of Tracker by filming in Los Angeles, thanks to the tax incentive program that supports bringing production back to California.”
Elwood Reid, Executive Producer and Showrunner
Will Tracker’s California Move Influence Other Productions to Relocate?
Tracker‘s relocation signals a dramatic shift in California’s competitiveness against rival filming locations. For three seasons, the show operated successfully in Vancouver with lower operational costs. The $48 million incentive proved compelling enough to reverse that economic calculus. Industry insiders expect this record-breaking credit may inspire other major productions to reconsider California relocations.
Showrunner Elwood Reid praised the California Film Commission’s vision. Productions lose millions to runaway filming each year due to tax credits in competing jurisdictions. Tracker‘s move demonstrates California’s commitment to winning back premium television content, particularly action-heavy dramas requiring diverse natural locations for authentic storytelling.
Sources
- Deadline – Exclusive reporting on Tracker relocation with $48M California tax credit award
- The Hollywood Reporter – CBS 20th TV Tracker Season 4 Los Angeles production details
- Comic Book Resources – Major Tracker Season 4 production change confirmation
