New Jersey is rapidly evolving into a premier global hub for film and television production, according to the newly released 2026 Tri-State Film & Television Report from CBRE. The data highlights a transformative period for the Garden State, projecting that its total inventory of purpose-built studios and soundstages will triple by 2028.
As production demand continues to shift away from traditional, space-constrained hubs like Manhattan, New Jersey is successfully leveraging its massive infrastructure pipeline to attract high-value projects. Key developments cited in the report include the ongoing construction of 1888 Studios in Bayonne, Green Point Studios in Newark, and the expansive studio redevelopment at the former military installation at Fort Monmouth.
For years, New Jersey’s competitive edge was defined by its aggressive tax incentives. Today, the state is making a permanent transition into a full-scale production ecosystem.
“We are now seeing this dynamic rapidly shifting, especially in New Jersey,” Anthony Jasenski, CBRE’s national film production studio practice leader said. “The state has successfully transitioned from an incentive-driven market to a full-scale production ecosystem, with significant investments in studio infrastructure enabling sustained expansion.”
The report outlines why New Jersey’s current growth is uniquely sustainable:
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Robust Financial Incentives: New Jersey’s $430 million annual film and digital media program remains one of the most competitive in North America, offering up to 35% in transferable tax credits.
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Infrastructure Surge: The rapid delivery of modern, purpose-built soundstages is resolving long-standing capacity constraints that previously capped the state’s growth.
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Regional Synergy: The broader New York Tri-State region—offering a combined $1.2 billion in annual tax incentives—is the only major U.S. market to see production starts recover to pre-2023 levels, significantly outperforming competitors in Georgia and California.
Beyond studio space, the region boasts an unparalleled depth of professional talent. The Tri-State area is home to approximately 52,000 qualified motion picture professionals. This deep labor pool, combined with the state’s proximity to New York City and its versatile range of filming environments—from urban neighborhoods to historic coastal towns—provides a “one-stop-shop” value proposition that content producers increasingly prioritize.
As global media consumption shifts toward streaming and original content production, New Jersey’s strategy of combining fiscal aggression with state-of-the-art physical infrastructure appears to be paying off. With the pipeline of projects scheduled to come online through 2028, the state is well-positioned to maintain its status as one of the most resilient and fastest-growing production markets in the United States.
