By Laura D.C. Kolnoski
FREEHOLD – Fast and furious is an apt description for the speed with which Netflix is making its impression on the Garden State.
While the entertainment company’s plans for its new Netflix Studios Fort Monmouth continue moving through the local, county and state approval processes, Netflix is filming new productions statewide. To prepare citizens for future employment, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) is adding financial support for workforce development.
Netflix is on track to close in December on almost 300 acres of the former U.S. Army base to create a 12-soundstage production studio in portions of Eatontown and Oceanport. Demolition of obsolete fort buildings is already underway. The complex will be built in phases. Phase 1A includes four soundstages, two mills, a backlot and support structures and will be located within Oceanport’s borders. It was approved late last year. Phase 1B will include eight twin soundstages, three mill buildings, a 5-acre backlot, production support areas and offices. This phase was approved by Eatontown Sept. 2. The targeted timeline would see Phase 1A open in 2027, with Phase 1B operational in 2028.
Phase 2 involves about 80 acres in Oceanport’s “400 Area” in the waterfront Gooseneck area, expected to primarily be used as backlots, according to Mayor Tom Tvrdik. Netflix is expected to present Phase 2 plans to Oceanport soon.
“We are very anxious to get in,” Kenneth Falcon, program manager of Netflix Studios Fort Monmouth, told The Two River Times in September, adding that several productions are currently shooting throughout the state.
County Grants Conditional Approval for Phase 1B
On Oct. 14, the Monmouth County Planning Board’s Development Review Committee granted conditional approval to the site plan for Phase 1B, 155 acres primarily in Eatontown surrounding the McAfee Center, with a small portion near Wilson Avenue, the site of the fort’s former bowling center, in Oceanport. The McAfee Center is being renovated for reuse by Netflix.
The committee’s conditions amounted to a fine-tuning of Netflix’s plans, addressing specifics of crosswalks, signage, driveways, parking, stormwater management, tree trimming and emergency access, to ensure compliance with county and New Jersey Department of Transportation guidelines and standards.
According to committee attorney Mark Atkins, the requested revisions will be sent to Langan Engineering, retained by Netflix for the planning process. County engineering project manager Vincent Cardone said he didn’t expect any issues with compliance by Netflix. A Netflix spokesperson declined to comment.
State Adds Incentives
Last week, the NJEDA approved $3 million in grant awards to five workforce development initiatives under the New Jersey Film Works Grant Program, expanding access to training, internships and apprenticeships in the state’s film and digital media industry.
Awardees were required to propose “impactful” training opportunities in occupations such as editing, set construction, special effects, wardrobe, and camera operation, according to a press release. Applicants were eligible for grants of up to $750,000.
“This vital grant funding marks a significant step in fortifying New Jersey’s position as a leader in the film and digital media sector,” said Robert Asaro-Angelo, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Work- force Development. “Through this investment, we’re preparing workers for rewarding careers while also ensuring our diverse communities are at the forefront of this burgeoning field.”
Recipients include Invest Newark, Reel Works, AbelCine, Aspire Youth Development, and Independent Content Studio.
‘The Four Seasons’ Films in Ocean Grove
The second season of Netflix’s remake of “The Four Seasons” has been filming in Ocean Grove. The dramedy, created by and starring Tina Fey, puts a modern spin on the 1981 film of the same name, written by and starring Alan Alda, who had a cameo in the new version’s first season. Focused on four couples navigating their relationships in middle age, “The Four Seasons” also stars Will Forte, Colman Domingo and Steve Carell.
Filming took place on Pilgrim Pathway and the Ocean Grove boardwalk, where trucks, crews and copious equipment were in full production mode.
Jamie Foxx Joins Sports Drama Cast
Moments after Netflix gained the county’s conditional approval for Phase 1B of its new Fort Monmouth production facility, The Two River Times received word that Oscar and Grammy award-winning actor Jamie Foxx has joined the ensemble cast of the new movie “Fight for ’84,” currently filming in Newark and New York City.
The fact-based sports drama will see Foxx as a boxing coach who takes over after the 1980 plane crash that killed members and staff of America’s Olympic boxing team. He must rebuild a team that eventually set records at the 1984 Olympics. The film also includes Shea Whigham (“Boardwalk Empire”), Dan Perrault (“The Residence”), and Will Chase (“Dopesick,” “Stranger Things”). Foxx is also a producer of the film, directed by Andrés Baiz (“Griselda,” “Narcos”).
The article originally appeared in the October 23 – October 29, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
