New Jersey’s transformation into a top-tier U.S. production hub took another decisive step forward this week as Great Point Studios officially broke ground on Lionsgate Newark, a $125 million, purpose-built film and television studio in the city’s South Ward. The project marks the state’s first ground-up studio campus and positions Great Point at the center of one of the fastest-expanding production markets in North America.
The 12-acre complex, slated to open in 2027, will be owned and operated by Great Point Studios, with Lionsgate serving as long-term anchor tenant and naming partner. Developed by Matrix Development Group and designed by Gensler, the campus will feature multiple soundstages, production offices, set construction space, and full on-site production services, creating a self-contained production environment aimed at servicing series and feature work at scale.
For Great Point, the Newark studio represents more than a single facility. It is a strategic expansion of the company’s broader vision to build studio infrastructure in incentive-forward markets capable of supporting sustained, long-term production demand.
“New Jersey has become one of the most exciting places for film and television production,” said Robert Halmi, founder and CEO of Great Point Studios. “The state’s strong support and smart incentives have created the ideal environment for a world-class facility like this.”
A Flagship Studio With Community Commitments
The groundbreaking ceremony included the signing of a Community Benefits Agreement, formalizing commitments to local hiring, workforce training, and education partnerships. Developers estimate the project will generate more than 600 permanent production jobs and deliver an annual economic impact exceeding $800 million, while reserving a significant share of construction and full-time roles for Newark residents.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy framed the studio as a cornerstone of the state’s production strategy. “This is a profound commitment to the future of Newark and the future of the film industry in New Jersey,” he said, citing the state’s aggressive incentives and infrastructure build-out.
Part of a Much Bigger Studio Play
While Lionsgate Newark stands as Great Point’s most immediate project in the state, it lands amid an unprecedented wave of studio development across New Jersey.
In Bayonne, Paramount has committed to a long-term lease at 1888 Studios, a 58-acre campus offering more than 1.1 million square feet across 23 soundstages. Paramount’s presence is expected to qualify the facility for enhanced tax credits of up to 40 percent, placing it among the most competitive production incentives globally.
Further south, Netflix is moving forward on its $1 billion Fort Monmouth studio, a nearly 300-acre redevelopment featuring 12 soundstages and roughly 500,000 square feet of production space. The project, backed by hundreds of millions in state tax credits and long-term municipal agreements, is expected to anchor Netflix’s East Coast production operations when completed later this decade.
Together, these projects signal a structural shift in where and how studios are investing in physical production capacity. But unlike speculative builds, Lionsgate Newark enters the market with an anchor tenant, long-term operational strategy, and a developer already deeply embedded in the studio business.
Great Point’s Bet on New Jersey
For Great Point Studios, Newark represents a calculated bet that New Jersey’s combination of incentives, proximity to New York, and growing studio density can sustain year-round production.
“This isn’t just about building stages,” Halmi noted. “It’s about building an ecosystem.”
As streamers and studios recalibrate production footprints amid consolidation and cost pressures, Great Point’s Lionsgate Newark campus positions the company—and the state—as a durable alternative to legacy production centers. With multiple global players committing billions to New Jersey infrastructure, the studio race is no longer theoretical. It’s already under construction.
