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We asked the question before — could Fort Worth be the new Hollywood? Some of you leaned in, ready to swap the Walk of Fame for a dusty stretch of Exchange Avenue. Others weren’t quite ready to trade Cowtown’s quiet charm for Tinseltown’s bright lights. But here we are, months later, and the dream feels a little less like a wild notion and more like an inevitable plot twist.
You can thank Taylor Sheridan and his ever-expanding empire of cowboy noir for that. The “Yellowstone” mastermind has turned Fort Worth into a revolving set piece, proving that Texas isn’t just a backdrop — it’s a co-star. And now, thanks to a Super Bowl commercial dripping in Lone Star swagger, the conversation isn’t just lingering — it’s front and center.
Texas has always been a place where big personalities collide with even bigger ambitions. This past Super Bowl Sunday, some of the state’s most recognizable faces didn’t just pitch a product — they pitched Texas itself.
Matthew McConaughey. Woody Harrelson. Dennis Quaid. Renée Zellweger. Billy Bob Thornton. Five actors, five icons, one message: it’s time to bring the film industry back to Texas.
The ad, titled “True to Texas,” didn’t just pull on heartstrings — it pulled Texas into the driver’s seat of Hollywood’s next big debate. Directed by “True Detective” creator Nic Pizzolatto, the spot leaned into that familiar, slow-burn Southern gothic tone. A dusty highway. A hazy horizon. Harrelson behind the wheel. McConaughey in the passenger seat, looking like he’d just stepped out of a “Dazed and Confused” sequel. And Quaid? Handcuffed in the backseat — because of course he was.
Then came the call from Zellweger, her Longhorns cap tipped at just the right angle. “Hey y’all, I just heard from Billy Bob! Told me you’re heading to Texas! Well, count me in!” she said, her voice wrapped in that undeniable Texas twang.
The message? Crystal clear. The Texas film industry isn’t just a nostalgic footnote — it’s a sleeping giant.
McConaughey, never one to shy away from a perfectly timed mic drop, laid it out clean and simple. “Every dollar from this incentive puts $4 back into the state of Texas,” he said. A little Texas math, a little Texas persuasion. And just like that, the argument wasn’t just about movies — it was about economics.
Quaid took it a step further, name-dropping Fort Worth as a potential hub. “We really want to be the new Hollywood,” he said. “And also bring back crew people that have to leave to go work in Oklahoma or Georgia or Mexico.”
He wasn’t wrong. For years, Texas has been the strong, silent type — offering up its landscapes and its skylines, its roadhouses and its rain-slick highways, but never stepping into the leading role. Instead, Hollywood has flirted with places like Georgia and Louisiana, lured by bigger incentives and better tax breaks. But now, Texas is ready to rewrite the script.
And there’s backup. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has thrown his weight behind a bill that would inject a cool $498 million into the Texas Film Initiative. The goal? Nothing short of making Texas America’s Film Capital.
But “True to Texas” wasn’t just a commercial — it was a battle cry. A declaration. A reminder that Texas doesn’t do second place. And if McConaughey and his crew have anything to say about it, Hollywood is about to get a whole lot more Texan.
So, Texas Legislature, the ball’s in your court. Don’t like what Hollywood’s been cooking? Time to take over the kitchen.
