Film Renaissance In Newark Keeps Booming: Here’s The Latest

NEWARK, NJ — A new golden age of New Jersey filmmaking continues to boom in the state’s largest city.

Recently, HGTV filmed an episode of “House Hunters” in Newark, adding to a long list of shows and movies that have set up camp in the Brick City in the past few years.

According to a social media post from the city:

“The name of the episode was Rose Gold in the Garden State and aired on June 29, 2022 House Hunters followed a Brooklyn influencer during her hunt to find and purchase her first home, she ultimately made the move from NY to Newark, NJ.”

The post sparked a big dose of hometown pride, as seen in the comments section.

“I gotta find this episode,” one fan wrote. “I love House Hunters and Newark is my hometown. Awesome!”

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There has been a resurgence of interest from the entertainment industry in New Jersey’s largest city over the past few years.

Boosted by nearly $2 million in tax incentives from the state’s Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program, Warner Brothers studios filmed several segments of the blockbuster comic book-inspired movie, “Joker,” in Newark in 2019.

The studio shot footage in the city, turning the downtown area into a seedy, 1980s-style Gotham City.

• Read More: Tax Breaks Helped Bring 'Joker' Movie To Newark
• Read More: Newark Becomes Gotham City For 'Joker' Movie (VIDEOS)

Newark issued only 15 film permits in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, as opposed to 57 permits in 2019. But filming rebounded big-time in 2021, with several well-known shows and movies choosing the city as a location, including "The Equalizer," "Law & Order" and "Wu-Tang: An American Saga."

• See related article: Newark Film Permits: See What Shows Came To The City Last Year
• See related article: Halle Berry Debuts New Netflix Movie Partly Filmed In Newark
• See related article: A 'Big Deal' For Newark: New TV Show Will Film At Symphony Hall

Lately, the city has seen additional filming that includes “Isle of the Dead,” the upcoming spinoff of AMC’s mega-hit show, “The Walking Dead,” which captured footage near the NJ Transit subway at the corner of Broad Street and Raymond Boulevard in August.

The amount of filming taking place in Newark will only increase in late 2024, when a huge TV and movie studio is expected to be completed in the city. The new studio – done in partnership with Lionsgate – will create 600 jobs and produce more than $800 million of "annual economic impact," officials say.

• See related article: Huge Movie Studio Coming To Newark; 600 Jobs Expected, NJ Gov. Says
• See related article: Film Industry Is Rebounding In New Jersey, Including Newark

It isn't just the film industry that has taken notice of Newark, either.

In August, some of the biggest names in the music industry made a trip to Newark to perform in the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. Gathering at the Prudential Center in Newark – which also hosted the 2019 awards – a star-studded lineup of entertainers paid tribute to the year’s top videos, artists and albums, as well as two special honorees: Nicki Minaj and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Read More: MTV Comes To NJ; Watch Highlights From Video Music Awards In Newark

The Brick City is also making its way into the comic book medium, too. Earlier this year, David Crownson announced the launch of a Kickstarter for his latest graphic novel, “Nightmare In Newark,” which taps into the rich diversity of the Newark as its setting. Read More: NJ Native Explores Diversity Of Newark In His New Comic Book

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