The ceremonial shovels tossed a little dirt in Bayonne, but what eventually will rise from the groundbreaking of 1888 Studios Tuesday aims to be something far bigger than a construction milestone.
The project — a 58‑acre, 1.6‑million‑square‑foot film and television production campus — represents both a massive physical undertaking and a symbolic reclaiming of New Jersey’s place in the global entertainment industry.
So said 1888 Studios Chairman Arki Busson, who tried to capture the spirit of the moment.
“Today marks more than a ceremonial ground-breaking, it is the realization of a bold vision to establish Bayonne as a global entertainment powerhouse in entertainment production – a place where the world’s greatest stories will be brought to life,” he said.
“Created for movie makers by movie makers, 1888 Studios will be a world-class home for the industry’s greatest storytellers — offering scale, state-of-the-art technology, and a creative environment unlike any other.”
Organizers said 1888 Studios is set to become the largest purpose-built facility of its kind in New Jersey. At up to 1.6 million square feet, it will be one of the largest in the nation, one that comes with 23 state-of-the-art sound stages and a 22-acre water backlot.
Busson said the development is designed to meet the evolving needs of world-class filmmakers and storytellers, positioning New Jersey at the forefront of the global entertainment industry.
And it does so with a blast from the past.
The name itself is a deliberate homage to the moment the motion‑picture industry was born in New Jersey in 1888, when Thomas Edison patented the first motion‑picture camera.
That invention — often associated with Edison’s labs in West Orange — marks the beginning of modern filmmaking technology. It’s the foundational moment that made moving images possible.
The new studios will show just how far that early idea has come.
Blending New Jersey’s cinematic legacy with state-of-the-art facilities, 1888 Studios will be a massive film and television studio development center intentionally designed with superior infrastructure and support facilities to empower world-class creators.
And while it is the third such campus opening in the state, joining efforts by Netflix in Monmouth County and Lionsgate in Newark, the size of 1888 Studios will be a differentiator.
The campus will be home to 23 state-of-the-art smart stages ranging from 18,000 square feet to 60,000 square feet with a minimum of 40-foot clear ceilings to the grid and catwalks. Further features include more than 10 acres of basecamp parking, dedicated on-site five-story parking garage, a massive 22-acre water backlot privately owned by the studio, and conveniently located on-site industry vendors, including a dedicated lighting and grip facility.
The creators feel 1888 Studios’ campus will fulfill the region’s pressing need for a purposefully built facility to house film and television under one roof, including the ability to power large-scale filmmaking technologies such as LED volume capture. The aim is for 1888 Studios to provide a dynamic environment that puts the creatives at the forefront of all campus decision making, while providing unparalleled opportunities for cost-effectiveness.
Paramount certainly buys into the vision.
It recently signed a landmark minimum 10-year lease agreement with 1888 Studios, committing to occupy more than 285,000 square feet of the facility and establishing a major production hub in New Jersey. Paramount’s commitment further cements the state as a premier destination for film and television production, backed by a leading tax incentive program.
Andy Gordon, chief strategy officer and chief operating officer of Paramount, said he is eager to take the next steps.
“Today represents an exciting milestone as we deepen our investment in U.S. production, fuel the creative economy, and help bring jobs to New Jersey and the U.S.,” he said.
“Thanks to the strong partnership between New Jersey, 1888 Studios and Paramount, we’re building a foundation to create stories that will resonate around the world, and we’re proud to contribute to a thriving ecosystem that supports jobs, opportunity, and world-class entertainment.”
In his acknowledgements, Busson expressed immense gratitude for the dedication and relentless advocacy of the many partners and state and local leaders who made this milestone possible, including Gov. Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy, State Sen. Raj Mukherji, Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor-Marin, Hudson County Executive Craig Guy, Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, and N.J. EDA CEO Tim Sullivan.
Murphy, in unveiling another legacy moment as he nears the end of his eight-year term, was all smiles.
“As the birthplace of the motion picture industry, we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate the groundbreaking of 1888 Studios in Bayonne – a project that represents another chapter in world-class film and television production here in the Garden State,” he said.
To be sure, the film industry already is booming in New Jersey. This studio will add to the already impressive totals.
“With Paramount already committing to a multi-year, 285,000-square-foot lease, 1888 Studios will expand on New Jersey’s reputation as a premier creative hub on the East Coast and create new opportunities for our residents,” Murphy said. “This project will generate thousands of new jobs, support small businesses, spark economic growth in Hudson County, and bring creators and storytellers from around the globe to our communities.”
