9 Movies, TV Shows Filming In NJ This Month

NEW JERSEY — The Garden State has been making headlines for its newfound sports gambling profits, but another industry is also serving as a cash cow for the state: film.

The New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission announced that spending from the filmmaking industry could clear half-a-billion dollars in 2021 as it rebounds from the coronavirus pandemic.

Part of that revenue stream, the commission said, is due to a heavy production schedule this fall, which included films with familiar names and faces.

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But just because the weather is cooling off doesn't mean the work is winding down.

The film commission keeps a running tally of what projects are currently being filmed and produced in New Jersey, and at least nine films are still in production locally this month.

These projects are listed below, along with the production company on file with the state, and the location of filming, all according to the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission:

• Empires Of Excess, Lucky 8 TV, North Jersey
• FBI: Most Wanted, CBS Television Studios, North Jersey
• America's Big Deal, Diga Studios, Newark
• Law & Order: Organized Crime Production, Wolf Entertainment, North Jersey
• When We Pray, Cinema Libre Studio, Atlantic City
• Earthstorm, Wall to Wall Media, Burlington City and Lambertville
• The Kitchen, BSTV Entertainment, Essex County & Hunterdon County
• Maybe I Do, Endeavor Content, Essex County
• Retreat, FX Networks, Kearny

The record year for the film industry comes three years after Gov. Phil Murphy reinstated the state's film and television tax credit program. The program was expanded two years later.

According to the commission, the program currently offers eligible production companies a 30 to 35 percent transferable tax credit on qualified film production expenses, and an additional 2 percent diversity bonus for qualified productions.

Some critics argue that the tax breaks don't offer long-term benefits for residents, and only line the pockets of the Hollywood elite, but state officials disagree.

According to the state film commission's vice president, David Smith, each major project that chooses New Jersey has an "enormous financial impact" on the state.

And major players are beginning to take notice.

In October, a Netflix spokesperson told Patch that they were set to submit a bid for a new studio space in New Jersey.

"We're excited to submit our bid to transform Fort Monmouth into a state-of-the-art production facility," said a Netflix spokesperson in late October. "America's first movie studio was in New Jersey, and today it's home to many talented people working in entertainment. Governor Murphy and the state's legislative leaders have created a business environment that's welcomed film and television production back to the state."

However, a spokesperson for the property told Patch that an official bid has yet to be submitted by the company.

Netflix also presented the latest movie filmed in New Jersey to air, with "Bruised" debuting on the platform on Nov. 24.

With reporting from Eric Kiefer and Carly Baldwin.