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Amazon's Tom Clancy series 'Jack Ryan' premieres August 31st
Want to see how well Tom Clancy's fictional world of spies, soldiers and terrorists translates to streaming services? You now have a date to mark on your calendar, although it'll be a while. Amazon has announced that Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan will premiere on August 31st, and it's already offering its Super Bowl trailer to show what the fuss is about. As mentioned back in 2016, the series depicts an untested Jack Ryan (played by The Office's John Krasinski) as he takes his first CIA field assignment and discovers a "new breed" of global terrorism -- it wouldn't be a Tom Clancy story if it were just a routine op, would it?
Hulu's 'The Handmaid's Tale' wins best TV drama at Golden Globes
Streaming shows are no strangers to picking up Golden Globe awards, and that trend is continuing at the 2018 ceremony. To start, Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale has won awards for both the best TV drama and best TV actress (Elisabeth Moss). The wins weren't completely surprising given the strength of Margaret Atwood's story, Moss' performance and the all-too-timely subject matter, but it's still a significant victory.
Amazon folds its little-known anime service into Prime Video
Amazon has killed off the anime streaming platform it launched merely a year ago, according to Kotaku, and we're not exactly surprised. Anime Strike required an additional $5 a month on top of Prime Video membership fees, after all, which might have been a bit too much for subscribers already paying $99 a year. Amazon has already incorporated its shows into Prime Video -- yes, including its exclusives -- and we'll bet a lot of people would say that that should've been the case from the start.
Amazon TV shows are hopping aboard Eurostar trains
Thanks to our need for constant amusement, whether you're on a plane, train or automobile, these days you never have to look at a rubbish book again. The Eurostar high-speed train network has had a bring-your-own-device entertainment service of its own for a while now, but a new partnership with Amazon means Prime Video-exclusive TV shows are joining that catalog. Provided you've hopped onto one of Eurostar's newer e320 trains, you can connect to the on-board WiFi, load up the Eurostar app and you'll find shows like The Grand Tour, Transparent and Man in the High Castle ready for streaming. And whether you're going from London to Paris or Brussels to Lille, there'll be something on there to keep the kids quiet for an hour, too.
The Apple TV 4K has already sold out on Amazon
Well, that happened faster than expected: Amazon has begun selling the Apple TV 4K. And just as quick, both the 32GB and 64GB versions are already out of stock. Hopefully you got one overnight if you had some extra Prime reward points to burn. Two years ago, Amazon stopped selling Apple TVs in addition to Google Chromecasts. Its reasoning? Neither device offered easy access to Amazon Prime Video. For now, that's only reversed for Apple hardware; early this month the Prime Video Apple TV app finally launched. Chromecasts are expected to reappear in short order, especially since Mountain View has started blocking YouTube on Amazon's Echo Show and Fire TV.
Amazon Prime Video will stream in HDR10+ on Samsung TVs
One of the perpetual gripes about Samsung's newer TVs is that they don't support Dolby Vision for high dynamic range content, limiting you to basic HDR10 for most video. They do offer the more comparable HDR10+ format, but who's using it? As of now, Amazon does. Samsung has announced that Prime Video will stream in HDR10+ on QLED and 'standard' 4K TVs as of December 13th. About 100 TV shows and movies will support the format from the get-go, including Amazon original shows like The Grand Tour and The Tick. Naturally, the intent is to make more of Amazon's catalog HDR10+ friendly over time.
OnePlus 5T needs an update to play Netflix in HD
The OnePlus 5T is defined by its cinematic 18:9 screen, but don't expect to get the full effect while you're watching your favorite streaming service... at least, not yet. Owners have learned that the 5T and its OnePlus 5 ancestor can't play Netflix or Amazon Prime Video in HD, since they both lack the Widevine rights management certification need to play at anything beyond standard definition. Yes, your $500 pride and joy currently plays video at a lower resolution than phones costing half as much. Thankfully, there's a solution in the works.
Jeffrey Tambor leaves Amazon's 'Transparent' over harassment claims
The slew of sexual harassment and assault allegations surfacing in Hollywood has affected another major streaming service. Transparent actor Jeffrey Tambor has announced he's leaving the Amazon show after two transgender actresses on the show (Van Barnes and Trace Lysette) alleged that he made lewd remarks and got "physical." He wasn't formally pushed out, but he argued that he couldn't stay on the show given the "politicized atmosphere" the harassment claims brought to the table. "This is no longer the job I signed up for four years ago," he said in a statement.
Amazon made a budget Fire TV Stick for the rest of the world
Amazon has unveiled the Fire TV Stick Basic Edition in over 100 countries including Canada, France, Italy and Spain. It costs €60 in Europe, but has been temporarily marked down to €40 for Prime customers. Amazon recently launched Prime Video around the world (both with and without the regular Prime service), so the device is a way to get folks on it without the need for a computer or smartphone. "This makes streaming content from apps like Prime Video fast and easy," said Fire TV VP Marc Whitten.
Amazon's 'Pilot Season' returns November 10th
It's that time of year again: Amazon is premiering its fall batch of series pilots on November 10th. And this season, the focus is definitely on the star power involved. The highlight is likely Sea Oak, the undead comedy starring Glenn Close -- she plays an aunt who comes back as a zombie out of "sheer force of dissatisfaction" with the rest of her family. It touts author George Saunders as its creator and Atlanta's Hiro Murai as director, so it could be in good hands.
Amazon drops big-budget series following Weinstein scandal
The sexual assault claims against Harvey Weinstein and Amazon's Roy Price are having repercussions for The Weinstein Company's involvement in online video. Amazon has dropped a TWC-produced drama series that would have starred Robert De Niro and Julianne Moore, and it's wresting control of its period piece The Romanoffs from TWC. The internet giant didn't detail its reasons for severing ties, but De Niro, Moore and director David O. Russell said they backed Amazon's decision "in light of recent news and out of respect for all those affected."
Amazon postpones Prime Video showcase after suspending studio head
More and more companies are dealing with the the poor behavior of their executives. According to a report at Variety, Amazon is cancelling a scheduled Prime Video showcase in Europe next week that was reportedly headlined by Roy Price, disgraced chief of Amazon Studios. Both decisions come in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein debacle, which has raised a ton of important awareness of the rampant sexual harassment perpetrated by powerful men in the entertainment industry.
Jon Hamm is the latest A-lister to join Amazon's 'Good Omens'
Amazon's quest to hire top-tier actors for its original shows is still in full swing. The internet giant has revealed that Mad Men star Jon Hamm is joining the main cast of Good Omens, the episodic adaptation of the novel penned by Neil Gaiman and the late Terry Pratchett. Appropriately for the former Don Draper, he'll play Gabriel -- Gaiman describes the character as the "good-looking, charismatic and impeccably dressed" archangel that serves as a foil to his more earthly counterpart Aziraphale.
Apple TV returns to Amazon after a 2-year exile (updated)
Amazon drew no small amount of flak when it pulled the Apple TV from its online store 2 years ago. Was it really so determined to push Prime Video that it would limit your device options? Well, yes, but it's thankfully having a change of heart. The internet retailer has quietly re-listed the Apple TV (specifically, the Apple TV 4K) now that the set-top's Prime Video app is on the horizon. While it's listed as out of stock, that's likely to change before long.
Amazon's new video strategy: make the next 'Game of Thrones'
Amazon's original shows aren't exactly small indie productions these days, but the internet giant is aiming for bigger. In an interview with Variety, Amazon Studios chief Roy Price says the company is shifting its strategy to focus on huge dramas with worldwide appeal, on the level of Game of Thrones -- basically, the sort of show that prompts online buzz and day-after watercooler talk. To that end, Amazon has ordered shows you might not expect, including a Wong Kar-wai directed show about immigrants in 19th-century San Francisco (Tong Wars), a comedy starring Fred Armisen and Maya Rudolph and a comic book adaptation produced by Seth Rogen (The Boys).
Amazon's podcast-inspired 'Lore' series premieres October 13th
Amazon embraced the podcast revival late last year when it opted to turn the nonfiction podcast Lore into a Prime Video series, and you're about to see whether or not its effort was worth the wait. The internet giant has revealed that its Lore adaptation will reach Prime Video on October 13th. It's a six-episode stint, but it could be intriguing even if you haven't listened to a single episode of the show that inspired it. It combines documentary footage with cinematic scenes to tell the origins of horror myths, and it stars big names like Terminator 2's Robert Patrick and True Blood's Kristin Bauer van Straten.
Tribeca's new TV festival highlights streaming and VR shows
The Tribeca Film Festival is no stranger to embracing technology as a creative tool, and that's true now that it's branching out into episodic video. Tribeca is hosting its first TV Festival in (where else?) New York City from September 22nd through the 24th, and it's clear that tech will play an important role. You'll see previews from conventional broadcasters like ABC, Fox and NBC, but you'll also see the premiere of the third season of Amazon's Red Oaks comedy, a panel for YouTube's Creators for Change and the debut of Look But With Love, a Within VR documentary about Pakistan's social challenges.
Amazon star Richard Hammond involved in electric car crash (updated)
It's a scary day for both The Grand Tour viewers and the motoring world at large. Amazon has revealed that show co-host Richard Hammond was involved in a crash while filming Grand Tour's second season in Switzerland. Hammond thankfully escaped with only a fractured knee, but the incident destroyed the Rimac Concept One electric supercar he was driving (the photo above shows what's left). While it's not certain what led to the crash, Amazon notes that there was no one else embroiled in the incident.
F. Scott Fitzgerald's last work heads to Amazon's silver screen
Amazon's turning to literature once again for an original series. Only this time, Jeff Bezos' video wing is eschewing Philip K. Dick in favor of The Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald. Period piece The Last Tycoon tells the story of young Hollywood studio executive Monroe Stahr in the 1930s as he battles his boss (played by Kelsey Grammer) "for the soul of their studio" amid The Great Depression and the rise of Hitler's Germany. The story is loosely based on the short, but highly influential career of MGM producer Irving Thalberg -- the man responsible for sneak previews, reshoots and story conferences with scriptwriters. If the trailer below proves interesting enough, you can check out the pilot episode right now ahead of the full season's July 28th premiere. Still not enough Fitzgerald? Then maybe check out Z, the story of F. Scott's wife, Zelda, on the service.
Amazon's next comedy series stars Danny DeVito and Jeff Goldblum
In case it wasn't already clear that Amazon is capable of attracting serious stars, it is now. Variety understands that the internet giant is developing a comedy series that stars Danny DeVito and Jeff Goldblum as an antagonistic music duo forced to get back together. It's The Odd Couple with guitars, really. The behind-the-camera talent is important, too. The Simpsons' Tim Long will be the series' creator, while Brian Grazer (of A Beautiful Mind fame) takes the role of executive producer.
