Veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has strongly criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest decision to impose a 100% tariff on foreign-made films, warning that it could backfire on the American film industry itself.
Reacting on X (formerly Twitter), Kapur said, “Over 75% of Hollywood’s box office earnings come from outside the U.S., and a significant portion of their film budgets are also spent overseas.”
He warned that the steep tariff might push Hollywood studios to shift operations abroad, undermining Trump’s intention to protect domestic industry. “This may encourage Hollywood to move outside the U.S. — quite the opposite of what he intended,” he noted.
Kapur, known globally for directing Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age, both Oscar-winning films, joins a growing chorus of international voices raising concerns about how Trump’s trade move could disrupt global film collaboration and distribution.
