(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents their annual free summer movie series from July 1 through August 5, 2025. The series offers screenings of Despicable Me 4, Moana 2, The Wild Robot, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and Inside Out 2.
State Theatre New Jersey's FREE Summer Movies Series features morning (10:30am) and evening (7:00pm) screenings on Tuesdays. Experience your favorite films on their gigantic 46' screen, with their state-of-the-art sound system, in the historic theater! All movies will include Spanish subtitles.
For the 7:00pm movie screenings, come early at 6:00pm for FREE movie-themed arts and crafts for the kids! The arts and crafts will take place in our upstairs accessible Studio space.
Tuesday, July 1 - Despicable Me 4. The world's favorite supervillain-turned-Anti-Villain-League-agent returns for a bold new era of Minions mayhem in Despicable Me 4! Gru and Lucy and their girls—Margo, Edith, and Agnes—welcome a new member to the Gru family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. Gru also faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina, forcing the family to go on the run. This latest blockbuster chapter is packed with nonstop action and filled with Illumination's signature subversive humor.
Tuesday, July 15 - Moana 2. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced! Moana 2 reunites Moana and Maui three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. Moana 2 marks the returns of Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and features music by Grammy®-winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy® nominee Opetaia Foaʻi, and three-time Grammy®-winner Mark Mancina.
Tuesday, July 22 - The Wild Robot. After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot called Roz is stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz must adapt to its surroundings, build relationships with the local wildlife, and become the adoptive mother of an orphaned goose. Featuring a star-studded cast including Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, and Catherine O'Hara, The Wild Robot is a beautifully animated and emotional film for the whole family.
Tuesday, July 29 - Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails are back for their most epic adventure yet! In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the team reunites to face a new formidable foe, Shadow, a mysterious hedgehog with powers unlike anything they've ever seen. Team Sonic must secure an unexpected alliance if they hope to stop Shadow and save the planet. Featuring Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, and Idris Elba, with Keanu Reeves joining the All-Star cast as Shadow the Hedgehog.
Tuesday, August 5 - Inside Out 2. Riley Andersen is officially a teenager! Inside Out 2 is the long anticipated sequel that features Riley entering puberty and experiencing brand new, more complex emotions as a result. On the cusp of entering high school, Riley’s world is about to change with something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! As Riley tries to adapt to her teenage years, her old emotions try to adapt to the possibility of being replaced.
After major renovations, State Theatre New Jersey celebrated its 100th Anniversary in December 2021 in a fully renovated theater. Originally built as a silent film and vaudeville palace, State Theatre’s historic significance was honored by PBS by featuring it in its documentary series, Treasures of New Jersey, in the fall of 2018. “Treasures of New Jersey: State Theatre New Jersey” can be streamed online.
Today, State Theatre is the largest performing arts center in Central New Jersey and has welcomed more than six million people through its doors since reopening as a nonprofit performing arts center in 1988. State Theatre New Jersey is a cornerstone of the cultural vitality of Middlesex County and averages a total economic impact on New Brunswick and the surrounding area of more than $18 million a year. The mainstage programs have featured high-caliber artists such as Diana Ross, Tom Jones, Kevin Hart, Ringo Starr, Melissa Etheridge, John Leguizamo, Harry Connick, Jr., Diana Krall, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Program offerings include Broadway, orchestra, family, dance, comedy, rock/pop, jazz, Performances for Schools, and Sensory-Friendly Performances.
State Theatre New Jersey’s programs are made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. For information on events, go to MiddlesexCountyCulture.com.
