A long-abandoned U.S. Army base in Monmouth County is officially getting new life — thanks to Netflix.
At a ceremony attended by Gov. Phil Murphy and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, officials broke ground Tuesday on a project that will bring a sprawling Netflix film and television studio to New Jersey.
“From North, Central to South Jersey, the Garden State is once again shaping the future of entertainment,” Murphy said.
The media and entertainment giant announced its plans to transform the 292-acre Fort Monmouth into a production studio in December 2022. Netflix was the top bidder for the “mega parcel,” which includes about a quarter of the former U.S. Army base that closed in 2011.
Netflix has committed a total of $903 million for the overall project, including the $55 million bid to acquire the parcel of land and $848 million to build on and make capital improvements to the site.
The studio will include 12 soundstages totaling nearly 500,000 square feet on the former military site near Route 35 in Eatontown and Oceanport.
Against the backdrop of dilapidated Army buildings, Sarandos, a Monmouth County native, called the studio project a “homecoming” for New Jersey — the birthplace of film.
“A lot of people from outside of Jersey don’t know that the most important picture technology was invented by Thomas Edison in his lab at West Orange,” Sarandos said. ”He also built the world’s very first movie studio."
Demolition of the site began Tuesday, with a wrecking ball making its first swing after the ceremony. Demolition is expected to take around 13 months, and the studio is projected to open in 2028, Netflix said.
Murphy spoke about the historical significance of Fort Monmouth, known for its crucial role in the development of military technology, including the use of radar. The base was part of Project Diana, a 1940s experiment to bounce radar signals off the Moon.
“Nearly 80 years ago, the U.S. Army worked within the halls of Fort Monmouth to send radar signals to the stars for the first time as part of Project Diana,” the governor said. “Soon, Netflix will work within these same walls to capture and send stars of a different variety into the homes and screens of millions of viewers around the world.”
Any development at the site must preserve Fort Monmouth’s historic parade grounds, World War II Memorial and Cowan Park, according to local officials.
New Jersey is already the site of Netflix productions, including sequel to Adam Sandler’s 1996 comedy “Happy Gilmore‚” which has been filming around the state. Netflix’s "The Whisper Man," starring Robert De Niro and Michael Keaton, is also filming in New Jersey, with scenes planned in Paterson later this year, Murphy said.
“The Sopranos” creator David Chase — who shot his acclaimed HBO series around New Jersey — also attended Tuesday’s ceremony to celebrate the Netflix studio breaking ground.
"Sopranos" director, writer, and producer David Chase attends the groundbreaking ceremony for Netflix's new production facility at Fort Monmouth on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.Michael Dempsey | For NJ Advance
Along with soundstages, the studio plans include production and office buildings, a cafeteria, retail shops, studio trailer parks, a helipad, a theater, a hotel, visitor attractions and water tanks for film production.
Construction will be split into two phases. Plans for the first phase — which includes a campus for actors and production crews, along with four soundstages on the site‘s 29-acre McAfee Zone — are already approved by planning boards in Eatontown and Oceanport.
By August, Eatontown’s planning board is expected to review Netflix’s proposal for phase two, which includes the remaining eight soundstages, according to borough officials.
Though several local approvals are still pending, Netflix secured key approvals needed to start construction early last year. In February 2024, the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority, which oversees the old military base, amended zoning restrictions to allow the property’s reuse as a production complex.
Netflix will have access to a $150 million pool of tax incentives and a potential 40% tax credit in exchange for operating the film studio in New Jersey for at least 10 years, according to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
The project is expected to create more than 3,500 jobs during construction and employ about 1,400 people once operational.
The Netflix groundbreaking means “good-paying jobs are soon to follow,” Murphy said.
“As we begin building the 12 state-of-the-art soundstages that will anchor this facility, we’ll rely on New Jersey’s construction workers — to get the job done," the governor said.
Over 20 years, the production studio is projected to generate between $3.8 billion and $4.6 billion for the New Jersey economy, state officials said.
An artistic rendering of the proposed Netflix production facility at Fort MonmouthCourtesy of Netflix
Stories by Nyah Marshall
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