New Jersey used to be where a movie said it was set while the crew shot somewhere else. Now the crews are actually here. Spending is at a record, three big studios are going up, and productions need real places to shoot between stage days.
$833M
Record production spending in New Jersey in 2024
556
Productions filmed in the state in 2024
30,000+
Crew members hired in 2024
$152M
Happy Gilmore 2, the biggest qualified spend in state history
Figures from the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission, as reported by ROI-NJ.
1. The tax credit pays productions to come
New Jersey gives film and TV productions tax credits worth up to 35 percent of what they spend in the state, and up to 40 percent in some cases. In June 2025 the state extended the program through July 1, 2049 and raised the credit for studio partners to 40 percent of spending within 30 miles of Columbus Circle. A long runway matters: studios only build when they know the incentive will be there in ten years.
2. The money is real and still growing
Productions spent a record $833 million in New Jersey in 2024, up from $592 million in 2023. Variety reported that 73 projects used the state incentive in 2025, up from 46 the year before, with spending estimated to top $1 billion. It also noted that New Jersey was the only state with big gains while filming across the country was down about 20 percent.
3. Three studios are coming
| Studio | What and when | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix, Fort Monmouth | 12 soundstages on 292 acres. First stages topped off July 2026. Full opening planned for 2028. | Monmouth County |
| Lionsgate Newark (Great Point Studios) | $125 million, 270,000 square feet, six stages. Construction began December 2025, targeted for 2027. | Essex County |
| 1888 Studios, Bayonne | Large studio campus on the old industrial waterfront with Paramount signed as a long term tenant. Completion projected around 2028. | Hudson County |
Opening dates are targets from public reporting and can move.
4. Stages still need real places
A soundstage is great for a set you build. But scripts still call for a real diner, a bar after close, a loading dock, a corner store, a boardroom or a house with a pool. Productions based in New Jersey look for those close to base so crews are not losing hours in traffic.
That is the opportunity for owners. A restaurant on its closed day, a warehouse between tenants or a home on a weekday can earn a location fee while the crew does the work and a site rep watches the space.
What this means for you
- Own a space? Restaurants, warehouses, offices, stores, studios and homes all get booked. List it with us.
- Making something? Tell us the scene and we find owners who say yes. Start with restaurants or warehouses.
- Need permits? Read our New Jersey film permit guide.
Have a location in mind?
Send the brief and get options with a written quote in 24 to 48 hours.
Sources
- "Film industry spent record $833 million in N.J. in 2024," ROI-NJ, October 22, 2025
- "New Jersey film industry booming, poised to become nation's No. 3 production hub," ROI-NJ, February 19, 2026
- "From Snooki to Spielberg: How New Jersey Reinvented Itself Into Hollywood's Hottest Production Hub," Variety, 2026
- New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission, 2024 Annual Report
- "New Jersey Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program Gets a Boost," Withum
- "Netflix Studio Project Approved for Aspire Tax Credits by NJEDA Board," NJEDA
- "Netflix's $1B New Jersey Studio Hits Key Milestone," CentralJersey.com, July 15, 2026
- "Construction begins on Lionsgate Newark," 6sqft
- 1888 Studios, Wikipedia