Andy Samberg and Jean Smart Lead Amazon Comedy Series '42.6 Years,' Filming in Jersey City and New York This Spring

Andy Samberg and Jean Smart are teaming up for a new Amazon Studios comedy series called '42.6 Years,' and if that pairing alone doesn't make you want to get on this production, the creative team behind it almost certainly will. The show is currently in pre-production with cameras set to roll May 26, 2026 in Jersey City, New Jersey and New York City, making this one of the more exciting comedy opportunities to land in the tri-state area in recent memory. With a Lonely Island principal producing alongside a writer fresh off one of late night television's most acclaimed runs, this one is worth circling immediately.

The series centers on a young man who wakes up from a cryogenic freezing procedure gone wrong, only to discover that 42.6 years have passed while he hasn't aged a day. His first order of business? Winning back his ex-girlfriend, who has, understandably, lived an entire life without him. The comedic tension of that premise is rich, and the people tasked with bringing it to life are more than equipped for it. Andy Samberg, best known for his nine seasons on 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' and his long tenure as a cast member and driving creative force on 'Saturday Night Live,' is clearly in his wheelhouse here. He's spent the better part of two decades perfecting the art of high-concept comedy with real emotional grounding, and this project feels like a natural extension of that sensibility. Jean Smart brings a different kind of firepower. Fresh off back-to-back Emmy wins for 'Hacks,' where she plays an aging Las Vegas stand-up comic navigating a comedy world that has moved past her, Smart has become one of the most in-demand performers working in television comedy right now. The casting of these two opposite each other is genuinely inspired.

Behind the camera, producers Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone are shepherding the project through their production banner Party Over Here, the company they run alongside Andy Samberg as the trio collectively known as The Lonely Island. Schaffer directed 'Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping' and has helmed countless digital shorts and music videos with a distinct comedic voice, while Taccone has writing and directing credits spanning film, television, and the group's extensive online catalog. The fact that Samberg is producing with his longtime creative partners signals a tightly collaborative creative environment where the comedic instincts are deeply shared and well-tested. The screenplay comes from Seth Reiss, a former head writer for 'Late Night with Seth Meyers,' where he earned multiple Emmy nominations. Reiss has a strong reputation for sharp, structurally inventive comedy writing, and his sensibility fits this premise extremely well. Directing duties are in the hands of Michael Schwartz, who steps in to helm the series.

Amazon Studios is financing and distributing the project, with Big Indie Pictures and Production Office also attached in producing capacities. Amazon's comedy series track record, which includes 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' and 'A League of Their Own,' suggests this production will operate at a solid upper-tier budget with strong union agreements and a well-resourced crew. Amazon has consistently supported ambitious single-camera comedies with genuine production value, and the talent attached here places '42.6 Years' firmly in that company. Casting is being handled by Bret Howe and Mary Vernieu, a pairing that carries significant weight in the industry. Vernieu in particular has an extensive career spanning decades and hundreds of credits, and her involvement signals that the casting process is being taken seriously at every level.

For crew based in New York and New Jersey, this is a genuine local opportunity worth tracking closely. Jersey City has become an increasingly attractive production hub over the last several years, benefiting from New Jersey's film and television tax incentive program, which offers a transferable credit of up to 35 percent on qualified production expenses for productions that meet the state's eligibility thresholds. The city's proximity to Manhattan makes it logistically flexible, offering the visual texture of an urban environment without the full complexity of shooting in New York City proper. That said, the production is also confirmed to shoot in New York, so expect a dual-jurisdiction operation with all the location and permitting coordination that entails. New York has a deep and experienced local crew base across every department, and productions at this budget level and with this studio backing tend to draw from union rosters. IATSE Local 600, Local 52, and Local 161 members in the region should pay attention.

With a May 2026 start, pre-production is either underway or imminent across most departments. Line Producer Marshall Johnson and First AD Woodrow Travers are already attached, which suggests the production infrastructure is being built out now. Department heads in production design, costume, hair and makeup, and locations are likely being considered or actively hired in the coming weeks. A high-concept comedy with a cryogenic time-jump premise will require a thoughtful approach to production design and costume to sell the tonal contrast between the protagonist's frozen-in-time world and the decades that have passed around him. That's meaningful work for the right art and costume departments.

ProductionList.com maintains a full listing for '42.6 Years' with production office contact information, confirmed crew, location details, and scheduling updates as they become available. If you're a working professional in the New York and New Jersey market looking to get on a well-resourced Amazon comedy with one of the strongest casts and creative teams currently in pre-production, this is the listing to bookmark and check regularly. The window to pursue department head and key crew positions is open now.

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