The Garden State is experiencing a cinematic boom, as filmmakers and streaming platforms take advantage of New Jersey’s diverse landscapes, historic architecture, and versatile urban settings. This January, a remarkable slate of high-profile projects is actively shooting across the state, showcasing New Jersey’s growing role as a key hub for film and television production.
Among the most notable productions is Somedays, a feature starring Billy Bob Thornton and Ariana Greenblatt. Filming for the project spanned multiple locations across Union County, including downtown Cranford, the Miln Street parking lot behind Martin Jewelers, and local storefronts such as The Curious Heart. In Rahway, scenes were captured at the Rahway Cemetery and nearby intersections, including West Cherry and Broad Streets. Casting calls earlier in the month also listed Plainfield and Bayonne as active filming sites. In Somedays, Thornton portrays a terminally ill delivery driver whose unlikely friendship with a troubled teenage girl, played by Greenblatt, drives the story forward. Pamela Anderson has recently joined the cast, and the film is scheduled for release in early 2027 under the direction of Brian Klugman.
New Jersey is also serving as the backdrop for high-octane television storytelling. Power: Origins, the Starz prequel exploring the early lives of Ghost and Tommy from the Power universe, recently filmed in Passaic, while Here Comes the Flood, a Netflix heist thriller featuring Denzel Washington, Robert Pattinson, and Daisy Edgar-Jones, utilized urban streetscapes in Newark and Hoboken for its shoot. The state has also played host to The Whisper Man, starring Robert De Niro and Adam Scott, which filmed across Union County in towns like Plainfield, Westfield, and Northfield, and Samo Lives, a biopic chronicling the life of Jean-Michel Basquiat with Kelvin Harrison Jr., captured on location in Hoboken and Jersey City.
Infrastructure expansion is fueling this surge. Netflix has officially taken ownership of a sprawling 292-acre parcel spanning Oceanport and Eatontown to establish a $1 billion studio complex. While the facility is slated to open fully in 2028, demolition and preparatory construction are already underway, signaling a long-term commitment to New Jersey as a production hub. Meanwhile, Season 2 of Netflix’s comedy-drama The Four Seasons, starring Tina Fey and Colman Domingo, has been actively filming in Ocean Grove, bringing additional visibility to the state’s coastal towns as filming destinations.
New Jersey’s film industry is also celebrating recent accolades. Golden Globe winner Timothée Chalamet earned recognition for his performance in Marty Supreme, which included extensive filming across Paterson, Elizabeth, and the Meadowlands, highlighting the state’s ability to stand in for diverse urban environments.
One of the most buzzed-about releases is The Rip, a Netflix crime thriller starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and newly minted Golden Globe winner Teyana Taylor. The film, directed by Joe Carnahan, uses New Jersey to double for Miami, with key production locations spanning Hudson, Union, and Passaic counties. Additional filming occurred at 10 Basin Studios in Kearny, the streets of Jersey City and Bayonne, and commercial sites in Elizabeth and Wayne. In the story, Damon and Affleck portray Miami police officers investigating the murder of a colleague, uncovering millions in hidden cash, and navigating a tense network of trust and betrayal. The cast also includes Steven Yeun, Sasha Calle, Kyle Chandler, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Scott Adkins, creating a star-studded ensemble that brings a high level of attention to the Garden State’s on-screen capabilities.
Local communities have embraced these productions, which not only spotlight New Jersey’s unique locales but also provide economic benefits through job creation, location rentals, and increased business for local establishments. From historic cemeteries and downtown districts to modern studio complexes and waterfront settings, New Jersey continues to demonstrate its versatility as a filming destination.
As the state’s film and television ecosystem grows, audiences can explore behind-the-scenes stories, upcoming shoots, and local industry developments through the Explore New Jersey film and TV coverage. With productions spanning from intimate, character-driven narratives like Somedays to large-scale, star-studded thrillers such as The Rip, New Jersey has firmly established itself as a premier location for storytelling on screen, blending the charm of its urban centers, suburban neighborhoods, and natural landscapes into compelling cinematic experiences.
From Union County’s bustling streets to the coastal charm of Ocean Grove, and from historic downtown Newark to the studios of Kearny and Oceanport, January 2026 proves that the Garden State is not just a backdrop—it is a central player in the rise of contemporary film and television production.
