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Apple is reportedly buying older TV shows to take on Netflix and Amazon
Apple is buying the rights to older movies and TV shows for its TV+ platform.
FX is now exclusively streaming its shows on Hulu
Starting today, FX content is streaming on Hulu. More than 40 of FX Networks' series, including Nip/Tuck, Justified, Damages, Rescue Me and Thief and Terriers, are available on the platform, and new original content is scheduled to arrive soon.
Crunchyroll details its first eight original anime productions
Following the likes of Netflix and other more mainstream video platforms, anime streamer Crunchyroll has started commissioning its own original content. The company detailed the first slate of "Crunchyroll Originals" today, one of which, In/Spectre, you can stream today, while most of the others will make their way to the service "soon."
Facebook may be cutting its budget for original Watch content
Facebook is reportedly reducing its budget for original programming on Watch. The company plans to spend less on originals and more on talk shows and licensing clips from TV networks and sports leagues, The Information reports. Facebook's investment in Watch overall will reach approximately $1.4 billion in 2020, up from the company's initial billion-dollar budget in 2017.
Netflix and Nickelodeon team up to take on Disney+
Nickelodeon and Netflix just announced a multi-year deal to produce original animated content based on the Nickelodeon library and new characters. The details are still vague, but the companies have previously worked together to bring us Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus and Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling and promised a "reimagined," live-action Avatar series.
Apple confirms its launch TV+ series will return for second seasons
Wondering how things are going for Apple TV+ after its first week? Officially, the company informed industry outlets like Variety and Deadline that all four of the scripted shows it launched with last week have been picked up for a second season. While The Morning Show is already in production on season two, The Hollywood Reporter indicated that See, Dickinson and For All Mankind had quietly been picked up months ago also, prior to Apple's confirmation this week, while Dickinson star Hailee Steinfeld noted the openness of the secret, tweeting season two has been underway "for months."
Snapchat launches Creator Shows with Serena Williams and Kevin Hart
In the last year, the time spent watching Shows on Snapchat has tripled. The company wants to take advantage of that. Today, it announced Creator Shows, a new format that will deliver regularly published content from some of Snapchat's most popular stars. It's also adding a Highlights feature, which will let Creators add longer-lasting photos and videos to their profiles.
With Disney in charge, Hulu plans original content push
Now that Disney is in charge of Hulu, the streaming service is going to get more original content. Hulu CEO Randy Freer told CNBC that Hulu's "investment in original programming will increase significantly." Freer credits the change to "the capacity inside of the Walt Disney Company," including its ability to invest in the best stories and creators.
Snap expands its short-form original series lineup with 10 new shows
It was only last October that Snap entered the short-form, scripted-video space with the launch of Originals, a collection of titles created from the ground up with smartphones in mind. But the company isn't stopping there. Today, at the Snap Partner Summit in Los Angeles, it announced 10 new original shows that are scheduled to arrive starting in May of this year. Like the existing Originals, such as Bringing up Bhabie and The Dead Girls Detective Agency, the fresh series are mostly geared toward teenagers -- a demographic that has become increasingly important to the company's business.
Netflix releases trailer for Ricky Gervais' Derek, streaming begins September 12th
A few more of these, and it won't even be news. Netflix is going hard into the original content business, and judging by the outstanding results with House of Cards, we're guessing that it'll be aiming for similar results with a different demographic here. Derek, described as something of a comedy / drama mishmash, is fronted by the affable Ricky Gervais. The show actually aired as Dramedy over on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, so while it's not exactly a Netflix original, it's getting "original treatment." Per usual, the entire season will be available to stream at once on September 12th (overwhelming, we know), and if you're looking to decide just how much time you should set aside, the trailer is embedded after the break.
Netflix schedules its original series 'House of Cards' for release February 1st
While Netflix has built its streaming service on content previously available elsewhere, its dive into exclusive original content begins in earnest February 1st of next year. That's when the David Fincher-directed House of Cards series that it reportedly outbid the likes of HBO and AMC for will debut, with all 13 episodes immediately available for streaming in all of Netflix's service areas. Lilyhammer was an exclusive of sorts that debuted earlier this year, however that was in association with Norwegian broadcaster NRK. Netflix is going it alone backing several original series that will roll out over the next year including the highly anticipated return of Arrested Development (they're apparently looking for walk-ons, check the video after the break), a murder mystery titled Hemlock Grove from Eli Roth, comedy Orange is the New Black from Jenji Kohan, the creator of Showtime's Weeds, and the second season of Lilyhammer. There's no word on why the series will launch next year instead of the originally scheduled "late 2012" window, however production of the second 13 episode season (which Netflix agreed to up front) is already scheduled to begin in the spring as well. We'll see if the new push for exclusive content can cover some of the holes in Netflix's catalog and keep current customers aboard while also attracting new viewers, even as competition in the subscription streaming arena increases.
YouTube's reportedly working on adding 'premium' channels in France
The idea of YouTube having premium content on its site isn't anything we're not familiar with, and according to French site Le Figaro, the Google-owned video giant's about to bring a similar styled service to the home of the Eiffel Tower. Rumor has it The Tube's quite close to striking a deal with content creators in France, one that'd allow it to offer prime channels from production companies such as Endemol and actors like Jean Dujardin. Furthermore, Le Figaro goes on to say programming partners involved in the deal would see between €500,000 and €1,000,000 (about $1.2 million) for pumping out more than 20 hours of original content in a 12-month period. The "premium" channels are said to be coming as early as October of this year, however we'd hold off on expecting to catch Oscar-winner Dujardin on the small, internet-based screens until something becomes official.
Amazon Studios adds first four original shows to its 'development slate'
Back in May, Amazon put a call out for budding screenwriters to submit their ideas for an original comedy or children's series. Now, four of the submissions have been marked up on the Amazon Series Development Slate, with more being added to a "consider" list. The chosen projects comprise three comedies, and one preschooler's show. By getting the Amazonian thumbs-up, the ideas receive $10,000 to extend the initial option, assistance to develop the script, and potentially a pilot episode. So, we might not be seeing them on our screens / displays just yet, but we're sure we're not the only ones paying close attention.
Amazon Studios expands into TV series, looks to load up on content for streaming
Amazon has had a content development division for some time but today it's announced plans to expand from just movies to developing (and distributing, via its Instant Video service) original comedy and children's series. The new focus follows the competition like Netflix and Hulu which have both dived headlong into developing original TV show-style content that mirrors the content consumers seem to gravitate towards on streaming services. According to the press release Amazon Studios is willing to option one "promising project" per month for $10k and pay $55k to a creator if their series is selected for distribution. Submissions of 22-minute pilot scripts for comedies and 11-minute pilot scripts for children's shows are being accepted, which Amazon will either option within 45 days or the creator can choose between pulling it back and leaving it up for community feedback. There's more info at the site or in the press release after the break, but just remember: if we see any series picked up about dashingly handsome tech bloggers and the fast-paced lives they lead, we're coming for our cut.
Hulu announces first original scripted show 'Battleground', plus more proprietary programming
2011 treated Hulu pretty well it seems, and it's clearly hoping new original content will make for an even better 2012. For starters, the service will be parading its first original scripted series, political drama Battleground, while fans of Morgan Spurlock's Hulu-only A day in the life will be pleased to see it return for a second season. More docu-fun comes in the form of unorthodox city-tour series Up to Speed, from Dazed and Confused director Richard Linklater. Battleground hits screens this Valentine's day, and Morgan returns in March. You'll have to wait until summer for Up to Speed, but at least you'll have plenty more Face Match fodder in the meantime. Hit the PR over the jump for the official blurb on the new shows.
Google creating YouTube 'channels', spending $100 million on original content?
You can do quite a lot with a sufficiently large catalog of semi-popular footage, but original content is king, and today the Wall Street Journal is reporting that YouTube will sink $100 million into original programming. The idea, according to the usual anonymous sources, is that Google will reshape the home of Keyboard Cat into a television network of sorts -- with channels for different topics -- and a good number of them featuring "several hours of professionally produced original programming a week." That sounds like a drop in the bucket compared to the raft of footage that YouTube's amateurs put out, of course, and it wouldn't be the first time we've seen Google invest in original work, but we'd be lying if we said we wouldn't enjoy kicking back with even a smidgen of the pulse-pounding possibilities that some 4096-pixel-wide footage could offer. YouTube is reportedly attracting talent right now, say the WSJ's spooks, and intends to ease users into the idea of channel surfing starting later this year.
Netflix rumored to spend $100 million or more outbidding cable networks for one new TV show
While Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has suggested the company would avoid getting into the content business, Deadline Hollywood reports it outbid cable channels like HBO and AMC for a new David Fincher drama starring Kevin Spacey called House of Cards. The post goes on to suggest that the deal is still being negotiated but Netflix will be on the hook for two season which could cost it more than $100 million. Right now Netflix is flush with the cash of its 20 million strong subscriber base, but so far it has focused on enhancing it's $8 / month streaming package by spending on quantity, not necessarily quality new content even after deals with Relativity Media and Epix. A deal like this changes things completely and puts it directly in competition with the pay-TV biz, but we'll wait and find out how much of the rumor is true before putting up a deathwatch for HBO, Showtime and the rest.
Massively's top 5 original features for 2009
Not only are we here at Massively passionate about covering the news, but we also deliver on unique and original content. We're out in the trenches interviewing developers, talking about our favorite games, getting inside our games and meeting the community, and giving you our perspectives on the MMO industry. Sometimes you agree with us, sometimes you don't, but we'll keep writing as long as you guys lend us your support and keep reading. This year was a real breakout year for our original content as we had a bunch of our features rock the traffic charts higher than our news. So, in the spirit of a banner year, it's time to run down the list and name our top five features for 2009. Once again, we're presenting the article in gallery-vision (TM), so be sure to jump on in by clicking the link below or clicking the first image in the gallery below that. If you wish to comment, drop back by this post (not the gallery) and leave your comment in the white comment box below. Massively's top news stories of 2009>> %Gallery-81266%
Wii Warm Up: Let's talk Wii Ware
We'll come right out and say it: we love the Virtual Console, but Nintendo has lagged behind a little when it comes to the next-gen online marketplace. Don't mistake us -- we love the chance to replay classic games, because we love classic games, but some of the features found, say, on XBLA, would make nice additions. We've also been waiting for original content ... and when it comes to that, it certainly appears that Nintendo is about to deliver. Fifteen bucks seems pretty reasonable for a full-fledged Square Enix title (we just hope it's more than five minutes long), and then we've got karaoke and Bomberman to look forward to. But what's best is the idea of a Dr. Mario with online multiplayer. Now we're starting to feel like we are about to get a full-fledged online marketplace of our own, and we like it. With all of this, plus Iwata's statement about the sheer volume of titles proposed for Wii Ware, we're pretty deeply enthused. You?
