1888 Studios Breaks Ground on New Jersey’s Largest Film & Television Production Campus

1888 Studios today marked a milestone moment with the groundbreaking of its transformative film and television production campus, set to become the largest purpose-built facility of its kind in New Jersey – and one of the largest in the nation. 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. 

“Today marks more than a ceremonial groundbreaking. 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,” Arpad “Arki” Busson, Chairman, 1888 Studios, said in his remarks. “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.”  

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 Governor Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy, Senator Raj Mukherji (NJ-32), Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor-Marin (NJ-29), Hudson County Executive Craig Guy, Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA)’s Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan, and Head of Global Operations at Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, (“Paramount”) (NASDAQ: PSKY), Jose Turkienicz. 

Busson concluded, “Together, we are positioning New Jersey as a cornerstone of global entertainment. As we break ground today, imagine what will rise here: a 58-acre film and TV production campus consisting of 23 state-of-the-art sound stages, a 22-acre water backlot, and over a million square feet where the next generation of iconic stories will be born.” 

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy took the stage to emphasize the project’s economic and cultural significance for the state. “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.” Governor Murphy added, “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. 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.” 

First Lady Tammy Murphy spoke to the collaborative spirit behind the project: “This is what we should be doing in New Jersey. We should share our incredible mountains, our wetlands, our beaches, our casinos, our cities. We got it all going on here, and everybody knows it, so why not bring film back? And boy, has it been an adventure. This has been a full team sport across our entire state. We are going places in New Jersey. But it's not because one person or two people tried to do something. It is a complete, non-partisan — just ‘Jersey chutzpah’ — effort to say, ‘this is where you should be.’”  

Paramount 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: “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. 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.” 

“Today’s groundbreaking marks a new era in Bayonne, and we are excited for the film industry to plant roots here in this great city,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “1888 Studios will be a world-class studio campus with Paramount occupying more than 285,000 square feet of production space. 1888 and Paramount’s commitment to New Jersey exemplifies our position as a leader in film and television production and is a testament that our incentive program, revived and strengthened by Governor Murphy and the Legislature, is creating a welcoming environment for the film industry, leading to thousands of new jobs and a stronger economy across the state.” 

Expected to attract marquee productions, generate thousands of jobs, and catalyze sustainable growth for the state’s entertainment sector, 1888 Studios continues to engage additional tenants and industry leaders to further strengthen the campus’s role as a hub for innovation and creativity and drive new opportunities for local talent, businesses, and the broader community. 

Read the full press release here.