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Amazon orders comedy series from ‘Girls Trip’ writer Tracy Oliver
Amazon has ordered ten episodes of a comedy series about the lives of four black women in New York City from Tracy Oliver, reported Deadline. Oliver, who is best known for her work in Girls Trip, Awkward Black Girl and teen drama The Sun is Also a Star, will be writing and executive producing the show. Amazon Studios and Universal Television will produce the show in association with Amy Poehler's production company, Paper Kite Productions.
Jurassic World's J.A. Bayona to direct Amazon's Lord of the Rings series
Amazon's highly anticipated TV rendition of Middle-earth has secured some directing talent. Spanish director J.A. Bayona will direct the first two episodes of The Lord of the Rings series and serve as executive producer, reported Deadline. The young director has plenty of experience in the world of big budget fantasy dramas; he most recently directed 2018's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Also under Bayona's belt is tree monster flick A Monster Calls, natural disaster movie The Impossible and Spanish horror film The Orphanage.
Amazon's sci-fi drama 'Bliss' to star Salma Hayek and Owen Wilson
What if Elon Musk is right and we're living in a simulation? Salma Hayek and Owen Wilson will star in Bliss, a new sci-drama for Amazon Studios that explores this question further. Written and directed by Mike Cahill (Another Earth), the production started filming this week in Los Angeles and Croatia. Amazon hasn't released too many details on the plot, but the film appears to be a love story that mixes elements of The Matrix and The Good Place.
Amazon's first 'Lord of the Rings' teaser is a minimal Middle-earth map
As things stand, we know very little about Amazon's Lord of the Rings Prime Video series. We do know it will last several seasons and it will include some familiar characters from J.R.R. Tolkien's books, though Amazon was clear it's not remaking Peter Jackson's movies. The release timeline, as well as the aspects of Middle-earth history the show will cover, also remain a mystery. However, we have a little more movement on the project, as the first official teasers for the show have started to trickle out.
Amazon’s new video originals include 'The Power' and a FIFA scandal
In a bid to counter Netflix's aggressive overseas expansion, Amazon has ordered a raft of international content for its Prime Video subscription service. Of the 20 shows on its 2019 slate, 17 are new originals, according to Variety. They include a British adaptation of author Naomi Alderman's feminist sci-fi novel The Power to be co-produced and directed by Reed Morano -- who helmed Hulu's Emmy-winning The Handmaid's Tale and recently inked an overall deal with Amazon.
Woody Allen sues Amazon for backing out of film deals
Woody Allen filed a $68 million lawsuit against Amazon Studios today. The suit, filed with the Southern District Court of New York, claims Amazon backed out of a multi-film agreement with the controversial director over what Allen calls a "25-year-old, baseless allegation" stemming from accusations of sexual assault and abuse that have been levied against him by his daughter, Dylan Farrow.
Neil Gaiman signs exclusive deal with Amazon Studios
Amazon Studios has signed an exclusive deal with Neil Gaiman, giving it first dibs on TV adaptations of the prolific author's work. Because Amazon operates its own streaming business, it means that all new series will be launched globally on Amazon Prime Video.
Spike Lee is reportedly making a movie for Amazon
Amazon has scored a coup for its new film production arm by signing Oscar-nominated director Spike Lee for his next film, according to a report from the Wrap. Called Chiraq, the project is reportedly set in Chicago and revolves around a the city's gun violence (Chiraq is a derogatory mashup of "Chicago" and "Iraq"). Lee is said to be pursuing Samuel L. Jackson and native Chicagoans Jeremy Piven, Common and Kanye West to star. The deal marks the first big splash for Amazon Original Movies, an Amazon Studios venture aimed at producing films for theatrical release and Prime Instant Video streaming.
Amazon signs Woody Allen for his first TV show
Even Woody Allen is getting into the streaming content game. The prolific writer and director has scored a deal with Amazon Studios to produce his first-ever television series. Unfortunately, there's no word on a title, casting, or even what the heck the series is going to be about. But we imagine there'll be plenty of idle chatter and an overwhelming sense of ennui. Amazon says Allen will write and direct the half-hour show, and it'll premiere on its Prime video service next year. Ever the professional, Allen seemed prepared for the challenge of television in a statement: "I don't know how I got into this," he said (and yes it's real). "I have no ideas and I'm not sure where to begin. My guess is that [Amazon Studios VP] Roy Price will regret this."
Amazon is working on seven new pilot shows for next year
With the new year just around the corner, Amazon wants to get its customers excited by revealing fresh content for yet another Pilot Season. Today, the online retailer announced that it has seven shows due to debut in 2015, which will be made available to Instant Video subscribers in the US, UK and Germany "early" next year. The lineup is a collection of four 60-minute shows (Cocked, Mad Dogs, The Man in the High Castle and Point of Honor), plus three shorter, half-hour-long productions (Down Dog, Salem Rogers and The New Yorker Presents). There's something for everyone, it seems, ranging from categories such as drama, comedy and documentary. If you're interested, you can learn more about each one right here.
Amazon Studios' first-ever kids series will premiere this summer
Over a year ago, Amazon Studios expanded its original content lineup and made a big push for kids programming with five pilot episodes. The company even sought help from children's entertainment experts like Angela Santomero, the creator of Blue's Clues, and the Jim Henson Company. Now, three of the studio's five original titles, Tumble Leaf, Annedroids and Creative Galaxy, are premiering exclusively on Prime Instant Video (meaning, you'll a Prime membership to watch them). The first six episodes of each show will debut before summer's end, following their respective launches on May 23rd, July 25th and June 27th. In total, that's only 18 episodes for the entire vacation season. But if your preschooler takes fancy, don't worry -- Amazon says there's more to come.
Amazon shooting 2014 original series lineup in 4K
Set top boxes everywhere just cried out in agony. Amazon announced this morning that its full lineup of 2014 series will be shot in 4K. The retailer-turned-TV-studio likely considers the move a bit of future-proofing, given the limited options for actually watching such shows in their intended resolution. The list of 8.3 million pixel programs features five new pilots, including Chris Carter's The After, Roman Coppola's Mozart in the Jungle and Jill Soloway's Transparent. Update: We received clarification from Amazon -- seems the 4K shoots pertain to full series and not the already-completed pilots.
'X-Files' creator's Amazon pilot gets the green light, the truth is out there and streaming in early 2014
How's this for a pitch? "[T]his is a show that explores human frailty, possibility, terror and the triumph of the human spirit." Chris Carter likes to keep the things he's working on mysterious. The X-Files creator is a superstitious guy, apparently. Amazon's description of the forthcoming one-hour pilot is a bit more more helpful than Carter's -- but only a bit. "The After follows eight strangers who are thrown together by mysterious forces and must help each other survive in a violent world that defies explanation." Sure it defies explanation, but it couldn't hurt to try, right? The pilot features Sharon Lawrence and Jamie Kennedy and will hit Amazon Prime Instant Video and Lovefilm early next year, along with Bosch, a police drama written by The Wire's Eric Overmyer. Like Amazon's other pilot offerings, the site will let users vote on whether they'll be turned into full series.
Amazon adds Amy Sedaris, Wanda Sykes and Cynthia Nixon to 'Alpha House' cast
Amazon Studios clearly isn't messing about. One of the more notable series in its original round of pilots is getting a bit more star power. Comedians Amy Sedaris, Wanda Sykes and Sex and the City alum Cynthia Nixon are set to join the cast of Alpha House, which already includes the likes of John Goodman. The Garry Trudeau-penned show is shaping up to be the largest of Amazon's first round of five green lit series. The show will premier through the company's streaming service later this year. Billy Steele contributed Photoshopped magic to this report.
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.
