Justin Hartley Speaks Out on Tracker’s Move for Season 4
Justin Hartley has finally addressed the significant relocation for season 4 of his popular series Tracker.
“Regarding the tone and the characters, I don’t believe it will affect the show at all,” Hartley stated in an interview with The Wrap on Monday, May 25. “Our show is essentially a road show. Our character travels from town to town across the United States, interacting with individuals from diverse backgrounds and providing assistance. These strangers become a sort of family to him.”
The actor shared his enthusiasm for the transition to Los Angeles.
“Shooting in a different location allows us to explore varied landscapes — New York, D.C., the desert, Texas, the beach,” Hartley explained. “It opens up our world in terms of landscape, which plays a significant role in our show.”
Despite the change, Hartley expressed his appreciation for the show’s tenure in Canada.
“We’ve created a fantastic show over the first three years in Vancouver. However, as it usually happens, the show must evolve,” he remarked. “We’re not interested in changing just for the sake of it. I want to push boundaries and ensure it’s something innovative, so we’re really looking forward to it. It’s going to benefit both the show and our audience immensely.”
Based on Jeffery Deaver‘s novel The Never Game, Tracker follows Hartley’s character, Colter, as he travels across the country to locate missing individuals and uncover mysterious cases. After three seasons in Vancouver, in May, it was announced that Tracker had received $48 million from $129 million in qualified expenditures, which led to its relocation.
Tracker represents 20th Television’s largest series returning to California, thanks to a tax incentive. Prior to this, Prime Video’s Fallout transitioned from New York to Los Angeles, and Dan Fogelman’s new NFL drama, The Land, benefitted from a $42.8 million tax credit.
“I’m proud of what we accomplished in Vancouver. I’m also thrilled to be moving Tracker to L.A.,” Hartley remarked in a statement at that time. “I look forward to continuing these narratives in the exciting new locations we will explore next. Most importantly, I want to extend my gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support. We couldn’t have done this without you.”
Shows are eligible for an additional 5 percent tax credit bonus — in addition to the 35 percent base credit — for qualifying expenses incurred outside the 30-mile zone encompassing the Greater Los Angeles area and surrounding communities, according to Deadline.
Tax credits for relocation are provided based on the expected economic impact, such as creating jobs for local crews in Los Angeles and boosting local businesses through returning productions.
“Location is a crucial element of storytelling on Tracker,” said showrunner Elwood Reid to Deadline. “We’re immensely grateful to the crew and community in Vancouver for their contributions to the first three seasons of this hit drama, and we’re equally excited to start filming the fourth season in Los Angeles, thanks to the supportive tax incentive program that encourages production to return to California.”
Tracker has officially been renewed for a fourth season and is now streaming on Paramount+.
