“J.J. Abrams is expanding his relationship with HBO,” Lesley Goldberg reports for The Hollywood Reporter. “After a bidding war with Apple, the premium cable network has landed the first TV series that the prolific producer has written since 2008’s Fringe. HBO has handed out a straight-to-series order for Demimonde, expanding its relationship with Westworld executive producer Abrams. An episode count has not yet been determined.”
“Shopped as a spec script, sources say the Abrams drama is about a family — consisting of a mother who works as a scientist, her husband and their young daughter — who all get into a terrible car crash,” Goldberg reports. “After the mother winds up in a coma, her daughter begins digging through her experiments in the basement and winds up being transported to another world amid a battle against a monstrous, oppressive force. Her father then follows her into this new world. HBO is only describing the series as ‘an epic and intimate sci-fi fantasy drama.'”
Goldberg reports, “Sources note that Abrams was impressed with what the premium cable network did with Westworld, making HBO the frontrunner for the series over deep-pocketed rival Apple.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: What’d Apple do, let Eddy in to “negotiate?”
Ah well: You win some, you lose some.
SEE ALSO:
Apple and HBO in bidding war for J.J. Abrams sci-fi drama series – January 17, 2018
Apple’s TV tactics: Can Cupertino figure out the television formula? – January 16, 2018
Apple orders ‘See’ series, a futuristic drama from ‘Hunger Games’ director – January 10, 2018
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
To their credit, HBO is a powerhouse, especially with Game of Thrones on their roster.
I’m sure Apple will succeed, with patience and perseverance.
That’s okay. The series would just have been about all kinds of races and aliens coming together to defeat the bad guys – all white Euro dudes of course. Oh wait, that’s Star Wars – Thanks J.J. for the hate. Can’t help my skin color.
Your comment reminds me of those old roman movies where the actors all had thick British accents. Thanks for the smile.
No, the bad guys are all from Queens with orange hair and a bad comb over.
It’s not a matter of affording it or losing out on negotiations. It was worth more to HBO with the return they expected to earn on their investment, and how the whole package fit into their strategy. Apple and HBO are different companies with different goals.
HBO surely ended up spending more than they would have without Apple’s interest, though.
When Timmy Boy found out there weren’t any LGBTQ people being cast, he had the negotiators withdraw. You all know it’s plausible.
Pretty sure it’s got a few LGBT characters.
Apple hasn’t established much street cred among entertainment industry types yet. Unless Eddie Cue is put in charge that will come in time. OK with me, in the meantime maybe I can sell Apple on a series…
Maybe he doesn’t want his content locked in Apple’s proprietary box.
On HBO it is platform agnostic.
Imagine being restricted which movie you watch by which TV you have. Absurd!
Imagine changing your life so you don’t constantly whine on EVERY topic.
He’s right
I generally don’t whine on stock topics. Does that help?
Apple better heed this warning and take a good look at their strategy to figure out why they lost. It might be about more than money.
Oh dear….
Maybe Apple needs a larger tax break!
I can’t ever see Apple producing content that is above PG.
Not in their nature.
Glad HBO got it. Imagine what Apple would have done to Game of Thrones. Apple would have turned it into Willow.
Almost as devastating as the loss of Charles Manson.
HBO has the rep. I can’t blame Abrams at all.
Little, positive, ambitious steps into new fields of desired expertise. Abrams no doubt didn’t want to suffer through someone else’s learning experience.