Movie Starts Filming At Calico The Evil Clown Property On Rt. 35 In Middletown

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — A new movie started filming Tuesday in Middletown. The movie is being filmed at the former Circus Liquors property on Rt. 35, and film crews are expected to be on site there through late June.

A spokeswoman for Middletown Township said Tuesday the town cannot reveal any details about who is in the movie, including actors. The production companies are MRC and Truck Stop Productions.

MRC (https://www.instagram.com/mrc/...) is an independent, art house film studio that recently made movies with Natasha Lyonne, and in 2024 produced "The Gallerist" with Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega.

The Rt. 35 site (currently an empty parking lot) will be transformed to resemble a gas station, but it will not be operational. "It does not represent permanent redevelopment of the property," said Middletown Twp. in this statement posted to its website.

"All changes are temporary and will be removed following the conclusion of filming, which is expected to continue through late June," said the town.

Middletown locals know the Circus Liquors property is a contested piece of land: It's owned by the Azzolina family, who have been trying for years now to sell all 51 acres to a developer. Middletown Twp. tried — unsuccessfully — to use eminent domain to seize the land. The Township says the front half of the property — the big (mostly empty) parking lot facing Rt. 35 — can only be used for commercial or public use, such as soccer fields.

Movies that have filmed in Middletown and the Red Bank area in the past two years include the Bob Dylan biopic "Deliver Me From Nowhere," "Mean Girls: The Musical," which filmed in 2023 on the old Mater Dei Catholic high school campus and "The Last Mrs. Parrish."

"The Last Mrs. Parrish" was the most recent to film in Middletown. The movie stars Jennifer Lopez and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister on "Game of Thrones"), and it filmed for several weeks last October. Filming took place along Navesink River Road, McClees Road and Sailors Way in October 2025. Lopez was also spotted dining at Birravino, the Italian wine bar/beer hall in Red Bank.

“Middletown has become a welcoming destination for film and television productions. Our diverse locations, easy access and close coordination with production teams continue to attract major projects,” said Mayor Tony Perry. “From productions such as Clerks III and Mean Girls: The Musical to Happy Gilmore 2 and The Last Mrs. Parrish, these projects boost our local economy and showcase Middletown as a film-friendly community.”

Jennifer Lopez Movie Filming In Middletown (October 2025)