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

BAYONNE, NJ — Under sunny December skies and in front of a crowd of state leaders and industry titans, shovels turned soil this week on a project designed to redefine New Jersey’s place in the global film industry. With the ceremonial groundbreaking of 1888 Studios, Bayonne will soon become home to the largest purpose-built film and television production campus in New Jersey history—and one of the largest in the United States.

Positioned on a 58-acre site along the Hackensack River, the campus will feature 23 cutting-edge sound stages, a 22-acre water backlot, and over 1.6 million square feet of production, support, and office space. The facility, according to 1888 Studios Chairman Arpad “Arki” Busson, is “created for movie makers by movie makers” and is intended to “establish Bayonne as a global entertainment powerhouse.”

"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,” Arpad “Arki” Busson, Chairman, 1888 Studios, said.

The event drew an impressive list of dignitaries and stakeholders, including Governor Phil Murphy, First Lady Tammy Murphy, Senator Raj Mukherji, Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor-Marin, Hudson County Executive Craig Guy, Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, NJEDA CEO Tim Sullivan, and Jose Turkienicz, Head of Global Operations at Paramount, which recently committed to a 10-year lease for 285,000 square feet of production space within the new studio complex.

The governor emphasized the historic and economic significance of the project.

“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.”

The state’s robust film tax credit program, revived and expanded under Murphy’s administration, has been instrumental in attracting major players like Paramount to New Jersey. The program, which offers incentives for production, infrastructure, and diversity hiring, has made the state increasingly competitive with traditional industry hubs like New York and Los Angeles.

1888 Studios is being developed by Togus Urban Renewal, with plans for advanced infrastructure that supports modern production technologies—including LED volume capture, smart stages, and large-scale visual effects.

The site’s features include:

• 23 purpose-built sound stages ranging from 18,000 to 60,000 square feet

• 40-foot ceilings and industry-standard rigging and catwalk systems

• 22-acre private water backlot for aquatic and waterfront filming

• On-site vendor facilities, including grip, lighting, and production services

• A five-story parking garage and over 10 acres of basecamp space

• Direct transit access to Manhattan and surrounding metro areas

Strategically located within the union-mandated 25-mile studio zone centered on Columbus Circle, 1888 Studios positions itself as a cost-effective and logistically superior alternative to New York-based facilities.

First Lady Tammy Murphy, speaking to the spirit behind the effort, highlighted the cross-governmental collaboration that made the project possible:

“This has been a full team sport across our entire state. It is a complete, nonpartisan — just ‘Jersey chutzpah’ — effort to say, ‘this is where you should be.’”

Paramount’s leadership also emphasized the impact of the new studio on job creation and storytelling.

“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,” said Andy Gordon, Paramount’s Chief Strategy and Operating Officer.

NJEDA CEO Tim Sullivan echoed the project’s role in driving economic development and solidifying New Jersey’s reputation as a top destination for the entertainment sector.

“Today’s groundbreaking marks a new era in Bayonne,” Sullivan said. “Our incentive program... is creating a welcoming environment for the film industry.”

Looking Ahead

The development is expected to continue into 2026, with additional tenants and partnerships in the works. As the state continues to attract top-tier productions and creatives, 1888 Studios aims to be the epicenter of that momentum—reviving New Jersey’s film heritage and building a new future for storytelling in the Garden State.

For more details and visual renderings of the project, visit 1888studios.com or watch the groundbreaking ceremony.

About 1888 Studios:
Named in homage to the year considered the birth of motion pictures, 1888 Studios is a purpose-built film and television production campus in Bayonne, New Jersey. Designed to support all stages of production under one roof, the studio combines advanced technology with premium facilities to serve the world’s leading creators, networks, and streamers.

For updates, subscribe to our free newsletter!

Support your local news!

Want to understand the news better? Go to TheMinuteman.org to get simple explanations of the trending topics in the news.