With the Bruce Springsteen biopic set to hit theaters on Friday, Oct. 24, the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission (NJMPTVC), which is part of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), announced that “Deliver Me from Nowhere” spent a total of $41.8 million during its 31 days of filming in the Garden State.
The movie, which filmed in 16 towns across the state, utilized the NJEDA’s Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program.
“There was only one place that made sense to film a movie about Bruce Springsteen – the place where it all began, right here in New Jersey,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan.
“From the Stone Pony to the Meadowlands, Springsteen’s career crisscrossed the state, eventually becoming an international sensation. Major productions like Deliver Me from Nowhere continue to create jobs, support small businesses, and fuel our economy. New Jersey’s growing film industry is delivering real economic impact and driving creative energy across the state,” Sullivan added.
Film Tax Credit
Since the state’s film tax credit program was reinstated by Governor Murphy in 2018, film production in New Jersey has surged. In 2024, in-state production spending from filmmaking hit $833 million, surpassing the previous record of $701 million in 2022.
In 2024, productions filmed in the state totaled 556, with 30,000 crew members hired, nearly double the number of crew hires from 2023.
The reinstatement of the tax credit program has attracted hundreds of feature films, television shows, and digital media projects to New Jersey. In addition to individual productions, major studios like Netflix, 1888, and Lions Gate, have chosen New Jersey to build brick-and-mortar facilities, which will lead to permanent job creation and long-term economic growth.
‘Deliver Me from Nowhere’
During filming in New Jersey, the production hired 500 crew members and had an average daily spend of $1.3 million. The production spent $552,000 on lodging, $429,000 on catering, $1.7 million on extras, $79,000 on tolls, and $2.2 million on wardrobe.
“Deliver Me from Nowhere shines a spotlight on New Jersey’s rich culture and talent, and honors Bruce Springsteen’s unmatched legacy,” said NJMPTVC Executive Director Jon Crowley. “This film showcases our varied locations and deep talent pool and is a testament to why productions keep choosing the Garden State. New Jersey, the birthplace of film, is the industry’s future.”
The movie filmed in Asbury Park, Bayonne, Chatham, Denville, East Rutherford, Freehold, Harding Township, Jersey City, Montague, Montclair, Mountain Lakes, Newark, Orange, Rahway, Rockaway, and Roseland.
Matthew Pellicano Jr. of Fair Lawn, New Jersey plays Bruce Springsteen at age 8. It’s his first role in a feature film.
New Jersey Doubles As Tennessee, Texas, Everywhere
A testament to the state’s versatility, New Jersey doubled as other locations across the country. Meadowlands Arena doubled as Riverfront Arena in Cincinnati and the LA Sports Arena. Central Restaurant and Konoz Restaurant, both located in Newark, doubled as restaurants in New York City, and Washington Street in Newark doubled as 8th Avenue in New York City.
Nutria Alley in Newark doubled as Los Angeles’ Chinatown and Hunan Taste in Denville doubled as a Los Angeles Chinatown restaurant. Route 23 running through High Point State Park doubled as the Blue Ridge Mountains, which run from Georgia to Pennsylvania.
An office building in Roseland, located at 105 Eisenhower Parkway, doubled as Memphis near Graceland. Lastly, a farm in Harding doubled as the Archer County Fair in Texas.
“New Jersey has solidified its place as a formidable leader in the national and international film industries,” said Gov. Murphy. “Our tax incentive program has been impactful in bringing new movies, television shows, and major studios to the state, which has resulted in good-paying jobs and revitalized communities. The film industry is here to stay and the future of entertainment now runs through the Garden State.”
Filmed In New Jersey
New Jersey was the backdrop for major productions in 2024, including Oscar-nominated “A Complete Unknown’” starring Timothée Chalamet and “Happy Gilmore 2” starring Adam Sandler, the latter of which spent a record-breaking $152 million during its 64 days of filming in the state.
Other Made in NJ productions that filmed in 2024 include “The Housemaid” starring Sydney Sweeney and Amada Seyfried,”The Beast in Me” starring Claire Danes, “A House of Dynamite” directed by Kathryn Bigelow.
These feature films were made last year in NJ:
- 09 Billion Followers
- The Accompanist
- Act One
- American Summer
- Americano
- Beyond The Rush
- The Bride!
- A Complete Unknown
- Damned If You Do
- Dead Giveaway
- Echo Valley
- Father, Mother, Sister, Brother
- The Front Room
- Good Boy
- Happy Gilmore 2
- The History of Sound
- House of Dynamite
- It Ends With Us
- Kiss of the Spider Woman
- Lemonade Blessings
- Marty Supreme
- Millers in Marriage
- Motor City
- People Not Places
- Play Dirty
- Queens of the Dead
- The Rip
- The Room Next Door
- Song Sung Blue
- Speed Demon
- Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
- Stranglehold
- Tow
- Up In the Hills
- Wish You Were Here
- Woozy
- You Can Go Home Again
These TV specials and series were filmed in 2024 in New Jersey:
- American Horror Stories
- American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez
- The Beast in Me
- Before
- Étoile
- FBI: Most Wanted
- The Night Agent
- Severance
- Your Friends and Neighbors
- 30 for 30 – Sack Exchange
- 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?
- Aaron Rodgers: Enigma
- Accused: Guilty or Innocent?
- American Detective with Lt. Joe Kenda
- The American Revolution
- Beachfront Bargain Hunt: Renovation
- Before the 90 Days
- Bodies In Water
- A Body In the Basement
- Cabin in the Woods
- Catfish: The TV Show
- Cold Case: The Hunt for the Tylenol Killer
- Contraband: Seized at Sea
- Dance Moms: A New Era
- Diners, Drive-ins and Dives
- Evil Lives Here
- Evil Lives Here: The Killer Speaks
- Family Secrets
- Feds
- Gen Z: NYC
- The Great Christmas Light Fight
- The Hand That Robbed the Cradle
- Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants
- Help! I’m in a Secret Relationship
- House Hunters
- Impractical Jokers
- Inside the NFL
- Jersey Shore Family Vacation
- The Kelly Clarkson Show
- Kill or Be Killed
- King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch
- The Kitchen
- Kobe: The Making of a Legend
- Mean Girl Murders
- Mission Unstoppable with Miranda Cosgrove
- Murder Under the Friday Night Lights
- New York Homicide
- NFL Matchup
- No Limit
- Octopus!
- On Patrol: Live
- Playboy Murders
- Ramirez
- Ramy Youssef: More Feelings
- The Real Housewives of New York City
- Scamanda
- Signs of a Psychopath
- Sins of the South
- Table for All with Buki Elegbede
- This Old House
- The Tiny Chef Show
- What Would You Do?
- World’s Most Evil Killers
About the New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission
The NJ Motion Picture & Television Commission provides assistance to filmmakers around the world. The NJMPTVC, part of the NJEDA, is staffed by industry professionals and serves as a resource for production companies. The Commission also works to promote film and television production in New Jersey.
Since the revival and enhancement of the NJEDA’s Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program, since last March the state has attracted 166 feature films, television shows and digital media projects. This activity has generated $2.3 billion in spending.
Film Ready New Jersey
Film Ready New Jersey is a 5-step certification and marketing program that prepares communities to accommodate movie and television producers. It also shows municipalities how to effectively market themselves as film destinations, while also helping to bolster the state’s standing as a national leader in film and television production.
So far, an additional 21 municipalities and two counties have been designated as Film Ready since the new iteration of the program started. Along with the state’s first cohort announced in March 2024, New Jersey now has 43 Film Ready Communities.
The latest communities include: Atlantic City, Bridgewater, Carteret, Clinton Town, East Brunswick, Florence Township, Gloucester Township, Guttenberg, Keyport, Leonia, Little Silver, Livingston, Maplewood, Moorestown, Mount Holly, New Providence, Ocean, Sparta, and Union Township, as well as Hunterdon and Salem Counties.
Other certified municipalities and counties include: Berkeley Heights, Cranford, Fair Lawn, Jersey City, Manville, Newark, Plainfield, Pompton Lakes, Rahway, Ridgefield Park, Ringwood, Roseland, West Orange, Westwood, and Bergen, Passaic, Somerset, and Union counties.
With numerous production facilities completed or under construction, the industry estimates New Jersey has the potential to become the country’s biggest backlot by 2027.
About the NJEDA
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) serves as the State’s principal agency for driving economic growth. The NJEDA is committed to making New Jersey a national model for inclusive and sustainable economic development by focusing on key strategies to help build strong and dynamic communities, create good jobs for New Jersey residents, and provide pathways to a stronger and fairer economy. Through partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders, the NJEDA creates and implements initiatives to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life in the State and strengthen New Jersey’s long-term economic competitiveness.
To learn more about NJEDA resources for businesses, call NJEDA Customer Care at 844-965-1125 or click here.
