“In a competitive situation, Apple has landed the hot TV package See with a straight-to-series order,” Nellie Andreeva reports for Deadline Hollywood. “An epic, world-building drama set in the future, the project is written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight and directed by Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Mockingjay Parts 1 & 2).”
“The size of the order is still TBD but likely will consist of eight episodes,” Andreeva reports. “This marks the fourth scripted series order for Apple’s recently formed worldwide video programming division under Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg. See joins a morning-show drama, executive produced by and starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon; Amazing Stories, a reimagining of the anthology from Steven Spielberg and Bryan Fuller; and a Ronald D. Moore space drama. Additionally, the division just ordered its first docuseries, Home.”
“Chernin Entertainment and Endeavor Content,” Andreeva reports, “have another project at Apple, Are You Sleeping, a thriller drama starring Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, which hails from Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine. It is in development for a straight-to-series consideration.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Here’s another one we can’t wait to See!
Those who can wrap their heads around Apple’s massive cash mountain and the company’s unparalleled ability to generate cash can clearly see who the winner will be. The most talented producers, writers, directors, editors, actors, etc. are attracted to exactly what Apple has and makes in vast abundance: Cash. The king.
Like bears to honey, it’s happening already.
There will be a market for content that Apple will not want to put their name on. The also-rans that survive will do so by becoming the “skinamax” of the content streamers or by narrowly specializing and sharply focusing their branding. – MacDailyNews, January 3, 2018
SEE ALSO:
Life after iTunes: Apple’s big media challenge – January 9, 2018
Apple developing new original drama ‘Are You Sleeping’ starring Octavia Spencer – January 3, 2018
Three more Amazon Studios executives move to Apple – December 26, 2017
Apple orders space drama series from ‘Battlestar Galactica’ producer Ronald D. Moore – December 15, 2017
Apple gives Jennifer Aniston-Reese Witherspoon series a 2-season order, confirms Spielberg’s ‘Amazing Stories’ reboot – November 9, 2017
Apple outbids Netflix for show starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon – November 8, 2017
Apple eyes iconic studio as base for Hollywood production push; vying with Netflix for high-profile Jennifer Aniston drama – September 1, 2017
The magic and misdirection of Apple’s streaming strategy – August 18, 2017
Apple wants to spend $1 billion on 10 original TV shows over the next year – August 16, 2017
Former WGN America president Matt Cherniss joins Apple in latest TV push – August 15, 2017
Rivals leaving Apple behind as Apple TV remains stuck in a test pattern – August 8, 2017
Apple’s so-called TV ‘strategy’ continues to be an embarrassing joke – June 30, 2017
Apple poaches Sony TV executives to lead major push into original content – June 16, 2017
Apple’s Eddy Cue alienated cable providers and networks with an assertive negotiating style – report – July 28, 2016
Hope it will be something to “See”. Amazing Stories sounds good too. Loved the series and movies.
If Tim Cook thinks that a film series is going to save Apple he is woefully mistaken. Apple has more serious and intrinsic problems and concerns that require attention and correction.
Still waiting to hear specifics on your astounding and fabulous business experience that makes you SO much wiser than the Apple Board and management.
You are correct. Tim Cook can’t possibly believe that a hit film series will save Apple. Only a Pixar-like avalanche of hits will silence the critics, and that ain’t happening if Eddy Cue is involved. Why is that guy still there? Meanwhile the elephant in the room is the iPhone. Tim Cook has obsessed over it to the detriment of every other Apple product line, yet it still has miniscule unit market share. Apple’s making money hand over fist for now, but that could end as abruptly and inauspiciously as Blackberry—something that was once unthinkable.
Where did you get this silly notion that Cook or anybody else thinks a tv show will “save” Apple? It’s got nothing to do with any other area of the company. Are you suggesting that no part of Apple do anything at all until everything else is perfect?
Oh, look, listcatcher, it’s shiny. Gurgle and drool, listcatcher. There you go, nice listcatcher. It’s all better now.
Your comment makes no sense at all.
Oh dear the deluded doom mongers are back. When’s the World going to end again? I’m sure you have seen it all in the sheep turds you study so avidly.
I’ve been saying for years that if Apple wants to get into the television business, it’s not worth considering buying companies like Netflix. The way forward is to create great content themselves. Owning the rights to a successful television franchise can be a spectacularly lucrative enterprise, but it’s not easy to do that. Many popular seeries started out by being slow burners, requiring a lot of courage and belief to keep them afloat until they became popular.
It’s obvious that Apple has gathered a work-class team of producers who are now able to commission world-class programming. Nobody will know how successful they will be until after they are released and it’s all the more uncertain because Apple is still finding it’s way as a TV & movie distribution channel, but the signs so far are tremendously encouraging.
I wonder if Apple will have this a part of the Apple Music subscription or a separate service. I think people could get confused about the branding. Example:
Joe- “Hey there is this amazing new TV show I think you would like.”
Shmoe- “Great, where can I watch it?”
Joe- “On Apple Music.”
Shmoe- “Huh?”
If I was looking for a TV show I heard about, the last place I would look is on a Music Service.
I share this concern.
Further, Apple is so tightly vertically integrated, that I’m concerned they won’t make the service accessible enough. Entertainment content is different from their software, and it needs to be readily available across all platforms and devices, like Netflix, Amazon Video, etc. But I could easily see Apple burying the service in iTunes and restricting it to the Apple TV, which I think would severely limit the service.
Would be surprised if they did considering the money being spent. More likely they will make them initially exclusive and use them as bargaining chips to get the deals they want from others.
I agree with above about the iTunes branding it will be interesting to see if a new copyright application comes to our notice during this year in some obscure location. Have they still got Frontrow? Not that that is the ideal companion name to go with iTunes.
Unless Apple finds a method of distributing wider than just Apple device owners, it’s like bringing $1 chips to a $100 minimum table.
I wonder if Apple will ‘see’ the value in the Mac Pro…..?
wait….
nevermind