Metuchen Aims To Create Pathway For TV, Movies To Film In Borough

METUCHEN, NJ – During Tuesday’s Council meeting, the Borough passed an ordinance, that would establish the process for certifying Metuchen as “Film Ready” by the New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission.

The process is the first step in a series that, if adopted, will enable Metuchen to accommodate on-location filming for TV shows and movies.

“It’s cool because it will have a significant economic benefit for the borough and we have so much picturesque stuff going on here that maybe it would be a worthy destination,” Mayor Jonathan M Busch said during the meeting.

If Metuchen manages to get the film ready certification from New Jersey, it will help the Borough to connect television and film professionals with easier, faster, and better access to nearby resources and location information.

Whether or not the Borough decides to go for the certification, it was “important to have these things on the books,” through the ordinance, Council President Jason Delia said.

In December 2021, Metuchen was one of the filming location for “Eileen,” a psychological thriller based on the 2015 novel of the same name starring Anne Hathaway and Shea Wigham. The film will have a theatrical release this December.

“Over the last few years, New Jersey has become one of the most desirable locations for filmmakers in the United States, and with Netflix’s plans to build a studio at the former Fort Monmouth site, we are taking steps to make sure that Metuchen is well-positioned to reap the economic benefits of this expanding industry,” Busch said.

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