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Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Jersey Has Netflix's Next Big Base — And It's Courting Many More Movies and Shows
On May 13, as Netflix broke ground to redevelop 292 acres in Central New Jersey for a massive $848 million new film and TV production facility with 12 soundstages, Fort Monmouth County commissioner director Thomas Arnone made an offer to co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who was on hand. 'We will make this easy for you,' Arnone said. That may well be the state's promise to Hollywood producers. Even as California Gov. Gavin Newsom managed to get his legislature to double its cap on incentives from $330 million to $750 million annually, he conceded on July 2 at a press conference that the state had taken its eye off the ball for years. 'We put our feet up, we took things for granted,' Newsom said. More from The Hollywood Reporter "Stay in L.A." Campaign Sparks Local Documentary Development Grant (Exclusive) California Legislators Pass Bill Expanding State's Film and TV Tax Incentive Gavin Newsom Signs $750 Million Boost to Hollywood As California Tries to Save Jobs The Garden State has been a big beneficiary of infrastructure projects, which once may have defaulted to Burbank, heading far outside of Hollywood's 30-mile zone. 'New Jersey offers the best of both worlds: proximity to New York without the complexity, and a state government that's deeply invested in growing the industry the right way,' Gannon Murphy, co-founder and president of the state's film-industry advocacy group Screen Alliance New Jersey (SANJ), told The Hollywood Reporter. 'Productions aren't just saving money here — they're finding purpose-built facilities, reliable crews, and a serious commitment to the work.' Murphy is also the operator of the Jersey City's Cinelease Studios, which for New Jersey was the first of those 'purpose-built spaces' that he mentioned. It certainly was not the state's first space used as a studio, however. Cinelease has three soundstages (each with 40 feet of clearance height) totaling 67,600 sq. ft. It also has 8,100 sq. ft. of office space, plenty of power and more than 60 designated parking spots. It has hosted TV and film productions like Wild 'N' Out season 17, Dumb Money, A Murder at the End of the World and American Horror Stories season three. Its Caven Point location has made Jersey City one of the state's production hotspots. Even where SANJ put on the NJ Film Expo — the mostly-shuttered Meadowlands sports arena — in May has been used as a TV production space. Since 2018, NBCUniversal has leased the venue to film primetime dramas like Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector and The Enemy Within; Tales of the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: Dead City have also filmed there. Across the Newark Bay lies another destination for Hollywood productions. Desireè Hadley, who manages the Newark Office of Film and TV, told THR it is Newark's 'historic-looking buildings and architecture' that make it 'desirable for period pieces.' 'We are always one of the locations where folks come if they want to do something that's filmed in the '80s or the '70s, especially if it's like New York City 1980s,' Hadley said. Newark has undergone what Hadley called 'an artistic explosion' ever since Ras J. Baraka, a poet and a former educator, became mayor. 'Newark was made for the big screen, with every possible location and ambiance a director could ask for. Our sidewalks, alleys and park paths feature figures from central casting and our workforce is primed to cover every need from craft services, to camera crew, to feature length soundtracks,' Baraka told THR. 'Most of all, Newark has a can-do vibe that is fresh and contagious, and sure to add extra magic to any set.' If you need an indoor location in Baraka's town, look no further than Newark Film Studios. Newark Film Studios occupies the former National Newark & Essex Banking Company headquarters, first built in 1930. The timeless space centers on a mezzanine featuring iconic gold doors and accents. It can easily be dressed up or down for everything from a Roaring Twenties feel to a midcentury-modern aesthetic or even present day. There, movies like West Side Story (2021) and A Complete Unknown filmed scenes, as did TV series like The Plot Against America (2020) and The Equalizer, among others. (Queen Latifah's The Equalizer, a spinoff of the Denzel Washington movies that aired on CBS from 2021-2025, is credited at basically every production space in New Jersey.) Like Cinealease, the old bank, which before this whole Hollywood East thing was occupied by Verizon, has generous ceiling heights throughout, on-site parking and office space used for film and post-production on various floors. It wasn't purpose-built, but it serves the purpose. The near-100-year-old building is 'a blank canvas to meet [the] needs' of film productions, Newark Film Studios founder Joseph Dabbah told THR. 'Whether that's a raw space for set construction or a period interior for a story setting, we try to make it work without overcomplicating things.' Crucially, Newark, like Jersey City, Montclair, Bayonne and Hoboken, lies within a 35-mile circle of Manhattan's Columbus Circle. That's not just for convenience, it circumvents union upcharges. The rule (basically) works like this: IATSE demands higher wages and hotel stays for its members on productions outside of the 35-mile radius. Inside is considered to be home base, a contractually-acceptable daily commute. Netflix's under-construction Fort Monmouth campus lies outside of that bubble. 'Being 20 minutes from New York City by public transit and offering straightforward on-site parking makes a huge difference,' Dabbah said of Newark. 'Productions avoid the logistical headaches and high costs of Manhattan while keeping access to talent and crew.' The train is great, sure — especially if you want to film some on this side of the NJ/NY border and some on the other side — but what Newark also has going for it is a true international airport. Importing New York talent to a place like Newark is simple. But you'd be making a mistake not to look more locally as well, Diane Raver, the executive director of the New Jersey Film Academy, and Patricia Piroh, the director of production and technology for broadcast and media operations at Montclair State University, both told THR (independently). 'The best crews live here,' Raver said. Raver began her career in TV commercial production, and has filmed 'all over the world,' she said, including 20 years in New York City — but she found that 'the most diverse and easy place to shoot' was New Jersey. OK, so maybe she's a bit of a homer. 'You can cheat almost any location here, since we have it all,' said Raver, who is from the beach town of Sea Girt, a pretty cool location itself. There's a ton of beach in New Jersey, something you can find in Los Angeles but not in Canada, another hotbed of Hollywood production flight. 'Good luck filming a beach scene in Toronto,' Tim Sullivan, the CEO of New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), quipped to THR. And it's not simply 'urban' or 'beach.' Go rewatch the Sopranos 'Pine Barrens' episode, film in the dense woods of South Jersey. 'Unless you're filming a moon landing or the Sahara, you could pretty much do it in New Jersey,' Sullivan said. You could probably pull those off too. New Jersey's 'rich tapestry of locations…can stand in for other parts of the U.S. — and even the world,' Piroh told THR. But we've put the cart before the horse here, because New Jersey's real carrot is its tax-incentive program. It's show-business, right? The state's tax-credit program is among the most generous in the country. Qualifying productions can receive a credit for up to 35 percent of qualifying costs. The hoops to jump through aren't that huge either. They're: 1) the productions qualifying expenses must exceed $1 million in New Jersey spend, and 2) 60 percent of the total production expenses (exclusive of post-production costs) must be incurred for services and goods purchased through vendors authorized to do business in New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy told THR that the best thing about New Jersey's film tax incentive program isn't even about how much money they're willing to allocate, but rather for how long they're willing to allocate it. The New Jersey Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program has already been extended through June 30, 2039. It's an 'explicit statement that this is not about us,' Murphy said, 'this is about generations to come.' Though Murphy is on his way out as governor, the program has bipartisan support, Sullivan said. Thus far, it has helped make New Jersey the sixth-largest state for film and TV productions, according to an April 8, 2025 study by ProdPro. 'The state is clearly invested in building a real production ecosystem here,' Dabbah said. 'They're not just talking about tax credits — they're actively helping productions find sites, navigate permitting, and plan out stages that are still under construction.' Minimizing red tape has been a major sales pitch beyond the boundaries of Los Angeles County. Elsewhere, places that want to attract film and TV production act like they actually want the business. Crazy we know. Look no further than the fact that it took until 2025 for 'Stay in L.A.' to become a real rallying cry for California production insiders. New Jersey is clearly thrilled to have Netflix, but officials are not yet satisfied. It wants others to set up shop here as well — and to never pack up and leave. 'One of the knocks on some tax credit programs around the country is that [they are set up to] have a production blow through town. It's exciting for three or four weeks. Everyone's excited, and then they leave. That's fun to have that three or four weeks and it has real economic impact, but are you in the longterm, permanent-job creation [business]?' Sullivan said. 'If you have a good film tax credit program, you should have production coming through town regularly. Three three-to-four-month assignments is a year's worth of work for a hair and makeup person, or a cater or whatever. What we're really trying to do is encourage brick-and-mortar construction for longterm job creation.' Well, the mortar is being applied to the bricks beyond Netflix's central-New Jersey former Army base location. For example, Lionsgate is in the process of building a 350,000 square foot studio in Newark. That sounds huge — and it is — until you consider what's going on in Bayonne. With up to $400 million of Sullivan's (organization's) money, 1888 Studios, a 23-soundstage, 58-acre production hub in Bayonne is in the works. It will be 'the largest and first campus-style film and television studio facility in the Northeast,' per the NJEDA. Headed way down the New Jersey Turnpike to Atlantic City, which 15 years ago famously lost out on HBO's Boardwalk Empire (about Prohibition-era A.C.) to Brooklyn and Staten Island, ACX1 Films has proposed building over a massive pier on the Atlantic Ocean. The plan is for the facility to host 'more ready-to-shoot films sets than any other studio on the east coast.' New Jersey, the 47th largest state in the United States by area, is thinking big. California, consider this your notice. A version of this story appeared in the July 9 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe. Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire Solve the daily Crossword
Korea Herald
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Our summer remedy: A chill down the spine
Scream away the heat with these chilling horror series. From short, easily digestible anthologies to adaptations of hit webtoons, these shows may be just what you need to binge on these hot, sleepless summer nights. 'Hell Is Other People' on Tving, Disney+ Based on the hit Naver Webtoon of the same name, "Hell Is Other People" brings to life Jean-Paul Sartre's famous aphorism: the torment of being trapped under the gaze and judgment of others. The story follows Jong-woo, a young man slowly unraveling as he moves to a hostel with disturbing residents. Im Si-wan, playing Jong-woo, immaculately captures the character's slow descent into paranoia and fear, while the supporting cast, with characters that closely mirror their creepy webtoon counterparts, deepen the sense of unease. This slow-burn horror story probes a question at the core of the human psyche — what does it mean to live alongside people who are completely foreign to us? 'Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities' on Netflix From visionary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro comes "Cabinet of Curiosities," a macabre anthology series that blends visual craftsmanship with classic horror storytelling. Each of the eight standalone episodes offers wildly imaginative scenarios, coupled with Del Toro's signature cinematic elegance. The series makes for an easy watch, with straightforward storylines that aren't overly cerebral. Still, it delivers some thematic messages that linger after the credits have rolled. Thanks to its short episodes and tight pacing, the series is highly bingeable, although it should be noted that it has received mixed reviews due to its graphic content. "American Horror Stories" on Disney+ A spinoff of the popular "American Horror Story," "American Horror Stories" delivers quick-hit horror through an anthology format. Spanning three seasons, each episode tells a self-contained story, allowing for a fast-paced and varied viewing experience. The episodes explore unsettling ideas ranging from internet folklore, such as the Backrooms, to modern themes such as clone robots. If you're looking for themes and concepts rarely seen in live-action series, these creative horror tales are the ones to dive into. yoonseo.3348@
Perth Now
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Kevin Costner's lawyer slams 'meritless' sexual harassment claims against the actor
Kevin Costner's lawyer has described of sexual harassment allegation against the actor as "meritless". The Yellowstone actor is being sued by Devyn LaBella, who has claimed she was subjected to a 'violent, unscripted, unscheduled rape scene' without notice on set in May 2023 while filming Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2. The 24--year-old stuntwoman's team first filed the lawsuit against Costner and Horizon producers last month and have now filed an amended complaint including text messages with the movie's intimacy coordinator, and the alleged emotions she felt after the scene. In response, Costner's lawyer Marty Singer told in a statement: "Ms. LaBella was doing a rehearsal on an Insert Shot for a scripted scene. There was no intimacy or anything sexual in the shot. "There was tugging on a dress while she was fully clothed in a dress with long bloomers lying down next to a male actor." The lawyer has also alleged that LaBella - who was a stunt double for series star Ella Hunt - thanked her supervisor for "these wonderful weeks" after finishing work on the Western saga. Singer continued: "Numerous witnesses have contradicted Ms. LaBella's meritless claims. "She herself texted her supervisor after she wrapped stating, 'Thank you for these wonderful weeks.' "We look forward to the swift end of this specious lawsuit.' Court documents obtained by say Devyn was hired as a stunt double for lead actress Ella Hunt and not informed or consented to the added scene, which she alleges caused 'permanent trauma'. She also claimed the absence of an intimacy coordinator during filming. Her suit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, states the scene was not on the call sheet and Hunt herself refused to perform it, allegedly walking off set. She added Kevin directed actor Roger Ivens to perform the assault scene and asked her to stand in without adequate preparation or safeguards. Kevin's attorney Marty Singer denied the allegations, calling her a 'serial accuser' and accusing her of 'shakedown tactics'. He stated: 'Kevin always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously.' He also said Devyn had approved and rehearsed a prior intimate scene and was 'in good spirits' afterwards. Devyn, whose credits include Barbie (2023) and FX's American Horror Stories, said in a statement to People: 'On that day, I was left exposed, unprotected, and deeply betrayed by a system that promised safety and professionalism.' She added she sought therapy for anxiety and sleep disturbances after the incident and vowed to advocate for safer sets. Her attorneys, James A. Vagnini and Kate McFarlane, described the case as 'emblematic of what is still a very deep rooted issue in Hollywood' and 'a clear example of male-dominated, sexist Hollywood movie production.'
New York Post
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Kevin Costner sued by stunt performer over alleged unscripted rape scene in ‘Horizon 2'
Kevin Costner has been slapped with a lawsuit from a stunt performer who had worked on his film 'Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter Two.' Devyn LaBella filed a complaint against the 70-year-old actor and the production companies behind the 2024 film, alleging sexual discrimination, harassment, and the creation of a hostile work environment, according to a legal filing obtained by The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday. In legal documents, the 34-year-old claimed that she was 'the victim of a violent unscripted, unscheduled rape scene' which she noted was directed by Costner on May 2, 2023. Advertisement 4 Kevin Costner has been slapped with a lawsuit from a stunt performer who had worked on his film 'Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter Two.' Warner Bros. Costner's legal team has since shut down the claims, saying LaBella's allegations have 'absolutely no merit.' 'Kevin Costner always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously,' Costner's attorney, Marty Singer, told The Post in a statement. Advertisement 'However, this claim by Devyn LaBella has absolutely no merit, and it is completely contradicted by her own actions — and the facts.' Costner's legal team also shared screenshots of text messages allegedly sent by LaBella following a cast dinner that took place after a rehearsal of the scene in question in May 2023. 'She [LaBella] was in good spirits and made no complaints to them,' Singer told the outlet. 'She continued to work on the movie for a few more weeks until her wrap date, and she took the stunt coordinator to a thank-you dinner.' 4 Costner's legal team has since shut down the claims, saying Devyn LaBella's allegations have 'absolutely no merit.' ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection Advertisement 4 The Western film franchise saw appalling box office numbers when it premiered in June 2024. ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection 'She also sent him a cordial thank you text illustrated with happy heart emojis (copy attached),' he added. In her filing, LaBella — who had previously worked on projects including 'Barbie,' 'American Horror Stories,' 'CSI: Vegas,' 'Yellowjackets,' and 'The Rookie' — said she 'experienced shock, embarrassment and humiliation while attempting to process the situation,' in the days that followed after filming. She further claimed that she was 'not hired back to continue her role or at all as a stunt double for Horizon 3, which began filming in early 2024.' Advertisement Start your day with all you need to know Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters In her personal statement to The Hollywood Reporter, LaBella said she was 'left exposed, unprotected, and deeply betrayed by a system that promised safety and professionalism' following the scene. 'What happened to me shattered my trust and forever changed how I move through this industry,' she told the outlet. 4 Like its predecessor, 'Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter Two' got mostly negative reviews from critics after its release. ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection The Western film franchise, which also stars Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Luke Wilson and Giovanni Ribisi, saw appalling box office numbers when it premiered in June 2024. Like its predecessor, 'Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter Two' got mostly negative reviews from critics after its release.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Paris Jackson Teamed Up With Two Other 'Nepo Babies' for a Surprising TV Cameo & We're Seeing Double
Over the years, Paris Jackson has often dipped her toes into acting. She was in an episode of Swarm, a few episodes of American Horror Stories and movies like Sex Appeal, Habit and Gringo. So, of course, it should come as no surprise that she's making an appearance in ABC's hot new show, Doctor Odyssey. This week, the 27-year-old will play one of the college-aged 'vixens' onboard the cruise in the 'Spring Break' episode alongside two familiar faces. She'll be wrecking havoc with Reese Witherspoon's daughter Ava Phillippe, who will be making her acting debut, and Charlotte Lawrence, Bill Lawrence and Crista Miller's actress and singer daughter. More from SheKnows Reese Witherspoon's April Book Club Pick Had Her 'Hooked' & Is Available Now at 30% Off From the bikini-clad photos, it seems Jackson, Phillipe and Miller will be quite a dynamic trio. In the promo, there's a short clip of Jackson's character Nessa flirting with Joshua Jackson's character, Dr. Max Bankman. 'We're having a party in our room tonight,' she tells him. 'You should come.' In another clip, Nessa, who's now rocking a little black dress, suddenly passes out. 'Tell me what she took,' Max says while giving her CPR. 'Call the infirmary, tell them 'Code Alpha' right now.' As he finishes that thought, he also drops to the ground. 'Max?!' Philipa Soo's character, Nurse Avery, shouts out. 'I'm not getting a pulse.' But while this cliffhanger might be enough to make you want to hit play, fans of Phillippe and Witherspoon might be watching because of how similar Phillippe looks to her mom on the show. After all, her pink triangle bikini must be inspired by Elle Woods' Harvard video application essay in Legally Blonde, right? In the comments from the show's TikToks, fans seem to be shocked at their similarity. 'You 100% have your mother's smile!!' wrote one commenter. 'The fact that she reminds me exactly of her mom and her dad at the same time is wild,' another wrote, nodding to her dad and Witherspoon's ex-husband Ryan Phillippe. 'A young Reese Witherspoon,' another fan wrote. 'Got it from her mama.' Looking at them side by side, we couldn't agree more!Best of SheKnows 23 Celebrities Who Are Members of the Church of Scientology Does Robert Irwin Have a Girlfriend? Details on His Dating History & Famous Ex 19 Period Pieces That Don't Just Feature White People
