$125M NJ Movie, TV Studio Planned: What We Know

NEW JERSEY - Is the Garden State the new Hollywood?

That’s what some are hoping with Lionsgate’s announcement of a plan to build a $125 million movie studio complex in Newark. The 12-acre development will be the first purpose-built studio in the state constructed for film production, according to a press release.

Lionsgate, the production company and distributor behind the likes of American Psycho and The Hunger Games, will serve as the main tenant with naming rights to the space. Great Point Studios and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center are also included in the deal, serving as owner and community engagement partner, respectively.

“Given the rise in studio production post-COVID, we are confident that expanding our studio program into New Jersey will be a welcome addition,” Great Point Studios founder and CEO Robert Halmi said.

The studio, touting a planned 300,000-square-foot complex with 20,000 to 30,000-square-foot production stages, is expected to create over 600 new long-term jobs and generate over $800 million for Newark and New Jersey.

Priority employment will be given to residents of Newark, with the New Jersey Performing Arts Center set to offer educational programs and internships for Newark’s high school and college students.

The development is also slated to offer a full set of production services ranging from grip, electric, security and props to restaurants, cleaning, set building and catering. The studio is slated to be fully operational by 2024 and will be situated in Newark’s South Ward (the former Seth Boyden housing site).

“Lionsgate Studios Newark is also an important part of our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, enabling us to create hundreds of jobs, provide educational opportunities to local students and contribute to the economic revitalization of the South Ward of Newark,” Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer said.

"Bringing a project of this magnitude into Newark is a monumental victory for our city," added Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. "It will bring hundreds of new jobs, create new educational opportunities for our students, and invigorate the revitalization of the South Ward."

Talks of ramping up film production in the Garden State are hardly new. Gov. Phil Murphy have been offering tax incentives to studios, with Netfllix currently bidding for a location at the Fort Monmouth base. Read more: Netflix Confirms It Wants To Open Fort Monmouth Film Studio

Murphy’s “active encouragement, in addition to the recently passed legislation on film and television incentives, were instrumental in attracting Lionsgate to New Jersey,” the studio said.

"One of my administration's priorities has been to enhance New Jersey's film industry and create new revenue streams for our State," said Murphy in a statement.

"With the addition of the Lionsgate Newark Studio, New Jersey will cement its position as a hub for television and film production with its proximity to all forms of transportation and access to more than 14,000 qualified union members in the region. As a result, the introduction of the Lionsgate Newark Studio not only promotes the economic vitality of our state, but also provides good jobs and access to opportunity for all South Ward community members."