From Steven Spielberg productions to massive new studios backed by Netflix, Lionsgate and Paramount, New Jersey is rapidly transforming from a convenient filming location into one of the most important film and television production hubs in the United States.
For decades, New Jersey has appeared on American screens in everything from The Sopranos and Jersey Shore to major Hollywood movies. But what is happening now is much bigger than individual productions coming to town for a few days.
New Jersey is building an actual film industry.
A new Variety feature published August 13 describes the Garden State as one of Hollywood’s hottest production hubs, highlighting how New Jersey has reinvented itself through major studio investments, tax incentives and a growing number of high-profile productions.
Hollywood Is Moving Across the Hudson
New Jersey has always benefited from being next door to New York City, giving filmmakers access to actors, production crews and a huge variety of locations.
But increasingly, productions do not simply cross the Hudson River to shoot a few scenes and leave.
Major entertainment companies are establishing long-term operations in the state.
Netflix is developing its flagship East Coast production campus at the former Fort Monmouth military base. The project is designed as a permanent production center rather than a temporary filming location.
Meanwhile, Lionsgate is connected to a major studio development in Newark, while Paramount has been designated a Studio Partner associated with 1888 Studios in Bayonne. Netflix and Lionsgate also hold Studio Partner designations through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
Steven Spielberg Is Part of the New Jersey Boom
The transformation is already visible on screen.
Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, which premiered in June 2026, spent more than $30 million in New Jersey during filming, according to the NJEDA.
It is one example of how New Jersey is attracting major filmmakers and large productions that once might have been expected to shoot primarily in California or New York.
The state Film Commission currently lists numerous recent productions filmed in New Jersey, including movies and television series scheduled for release in 2026. (NJ.gov)
Tax Credits Changed the Game
A major reason behind the growth is New Jersey’s Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program.
The program provides significant incentives for qualifying productions and special benefits for companies that make longer-term commitments to the state.
Under the current program, qualifying Studio Partner projects can receive credits calculated at 40% of certain eligible production expenses, while qualifying film-lease productions can receive credits ranging from 35% to 40%.
That combination of incentives and permanent studio infrastructure has made New Jersey increasingly attractive to companies looking for alternatives to traditional Hollywood production centers.
Billions in Infrastructure, More Soundstages
The physical footprint of the industry is expanding as well.
The New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission says the state has almost 70 soundstages already operating, with roughly another 70 expected to be added as the industry expands. (NJ.gov)
The new facilities range from smaller production spaces to enormous studio campuses capable of accommodating major movies and television series.
And unlike temporary location filming, these projects are designed to generate long-term demand for crews, construction workers, set designers, technicians, caterers, transportation companies and hundreds of other businesses connected to film production.
New Jersey Has Something Hollywood Needs
Geography remains one of New Jersey’s strongest advantages.
Within a relatively small area, filmmakers can find dense city neighborhoods, suburban streets, beaches, forests, mountains, historic downtowns, industrial areas and waterfront views — all while remaining close to New York City.
New Jersey is also actively preparing more communities to host productions through its Film Ready New Jerseyprogram, which trains municipalities and counties to work with film and television crews. (NJ.gov)
That means the state is not simply offering Hollywood a studio.
It is offering an entire production ecosystem.
From Snooki to Spielberg
Variety summed up New Jersey’s transformation with a memorable comparison: from Snooki to Spielberg.
It captures just how dramatically the perception of entertainment in New Jersey has changed.
For years, much of the state’s national television identity was tied to reality shows such as Jersey Shore. Today, the conversation increasingly involves Netflix campuses, Paramount, Lionsgate, Steven Spielberg and purpose-built studio complexes.
New Jersey is not replacing Hollywood overnight.
But it is becoming something it has rarely been before — a place where major entertainment companies can build, film, hire and stay.
And if the current expansion continues, calling New Jersey “the new Hollywood” may soon sound less like a catchy headline and more like a description of an industry that has already arrived.
Sources
Variety: “From Snooki to Spielberg: How New Jersey Reinvented Itself Into Hollywood’s Hottest Production Hub,” published August 13, 2026. (Variety)
New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA): Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program; Netflix Studio at Fort Monmouth; Paramount/1888 Studios; Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day. (NJEDA)
New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission: New Jersey studios, productions and Film Ready communities. (NJ.gov)
X/Twitter source: Variety, @Variety — August 13, 2026.
By NJ RADAR Team