By Sarah Fertsch
Staff Writer
Lights, Camera, Action! Streaming giant Netflix plans to construct one of their biggest film studios in the world in New Jersey, featuring 12 soundstages, rivaling their current 300-acre production facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We’re talking about a $903 million project!
Seventy percent of Fort Monmouth Army Base will be demolished – a significant chunk of the 5 million square feet of space. Netflix announced a $55 million payment for the plot, located in Eatontown in Monmouth County.
Big projects mean long timelines, and the studio development will be divided into two phases. First, 12 soundstages will be constructed, ranging in size from 15,000 square feet to 40,000 square feet. The second phase will include building office spaces, backlots and service buildings, and even retail spaces for the visiting public.
It’s likely that Netflix will place their experimental restaurant on site, ‘Netflix Bites.’ Themed food from shows like ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ will be served, and fans can purchase souvenirs at an attached gift shop. Netflix launched the restaurant concept in October 2023.
The complex will also include housing facilities including trailers, a hotel, and a helicopter pad. Big stars get the VIP treatment, right?
Gov. Phil Murphy praised the purchase, announcing that the new studios will mean 1,500 permanent production jobs and 3,500 construction jobs. The Murphy administration offered several tax breaks to movies/TV shows filmed in the Garden State.
“New Jersey will be the Hollywood of the East Coast,” Gov. Murphy said.
This massive development has raised concerns among some citizens and officials that the project could turn the Fort Monmouth site into a “self-sustaining city,” isolated from Central and South Jersey. Locals are asking, “How is this gonna affect us?”
“We’re thrilled to continue and expand our significant investment in New Jersey and North America. We believe a Netflix studio can boost the local and state economy with thousands of new jobs and billions in economic output, while sparking a vibrant production ecosystem in New Jersey,” said Ted Sarandos, Netflix co-CEO and chief content officer.
“We look forward to working with Governor Murphy, his administration and local leaders to finalize this deal in the months ahead. We thank the FMERA (Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority) Board and their staff for selecting Netflix as the winning bid and for supporting our mission to create a state-of-the-art production facility.”
Expect the studios to be open and filming before 2030, maybe even as early as 2027.
Sarah Fertsch is a journalist, proposal writer and poet. You can find her chasing dogs across the beach and trying new recipes.
