New Amazon Prime film 'Goodnight Mommy' was filmed at Bedminster home

Horror flick directors love to use isolated farmhouses tucked away from neighbors and hidden among rolling hills and lush foliage as the settings for their movies.

Somerset County residents know that practically screams Bedminster.

“Goodnight Mommy,” a 2022 remake of the 2014 Austrian psychological horror film that is now streaming on Amazon Prime, was entirely filmed at a Bedminster home.

The movie, produced by Animal Kingdom and starring Naomi Watts, follows twin brothers (played by Cameron and Nicholas Crovetti of "Big Little Lies" fame) who arrive at their mother’s country home and begin to suspect that something isn’t right.

The boys begin to question if she is the same woman who recently went into surgery — and if she is their real mother at all.

Filming at the contemporary home took place during the spring of 2021. No other productions have been filmed at the house, said Steven Gorelick, executive director of the NJ Motion Picture and TV Commission.

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“We sent [the production team] to various places where we thought they would get the acreage necessary to give that sense of isolation, and Somerset County properties have that kind of acreage,” he said. “They looked all over Somerset County and they found this particular house in Bedminster. It’s a contemporary isolated home that isn’t overly ornate, but it is an interesting home with a lot of open space.”

The address was not disclosed due to privacy, but Gorelick said that the director was searching for a warm, bucolic and isolated home. In the 2014 original film, the home is hyper-modern, but the director was looking for a different ambiance, Gorelick said.

Somerset County has been the scene for other productions, including Steven King’s Apple TV+ horror series “Lisey’s Story,” filmed at the historic Van Liew-Suydam House in Franklin Township in 2019. “Bucky Dent,” written and directed by David Duchovny (who also stars in the film), is now shooting in Franklin Township, Bridgewater, Dunellen and other nearby spots.

“There are beautiful locations in Somerset County, and it’s also reasonably close to New York City and major production environments,” said Gorelick. “The cooperation with county and town officials is tremendous, and Somerset County gives you a sense of space with gently rolling hills. It’s a beautiful bucolic area.”

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Of course, Somerset is far from the only Garden State county that has recently served as the backdrop for major productions. Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law tax credits to draw movie and television production back to New Jersey in 2018. Since then, the industry has been booming.

"Inappropriate Behavior," with Robert DeNiro, has been filming in various towns including Newark, Paterson and Jersey City; "Miranda's Victim," starring Abigail Breslin, Andy Garcia, Donald Sutherland and Luke Wilson, was filmed this summer in Red Bank, Middletown and West Long Branch; and "Knock at the Cabin," directed by M. Night Shyamalan, was filmed in Burlington County.

"Eileen," which stars Short Hills native Anne Hathaway, was filmed in South Amboy, Paramus, Jersey City, Metuchen, Sandy Hook and Cranford. Other films shot in New Jersey include "Hustle," filmed in Camden; "Clerks III," which was filmed in Middletown; the remake of "West Side Story," which was filmed in Paterson and Newark; and "The Greatest Beer Run Ever," which was filmed in North Bergen, Weehawken and Jersey City, and is scheduled to be released Friday, Sept. 30. (While not filmed in New Jersey, Deadline recently reported that the new Netflix limited series "The Watcher" — about a Westfield home supposedly stalked by a letter writer — debuts Oct. 13.)

"New Jersey has quickly become one of the most popular places for film and television production in the entire country," said Gorelick. "Major projects are shooting throughout the state in record numbers. Filmmakers are eager to avail themselves of what we have to offer: wonderful locations, excellent cooperation, a large and experienced talent pool and a robust incentive program. That's an unbeatable combination."

To watch "Goodnight Mommy" on Amazon Prime, visit https://amzn.to/3r2KLta.

Jenna Intersimone has been a staff member at the USA Today Network New Jersey since 2014, after becoming a blogger-turned-reporter following the creation of her award-winning travel blog. To get unlimited access to her stories about food, drink and fun, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Contact: JIntersimone@Gannett.com or @JIntersimone.