'La La Land' writer and director Damien Chazelle tied to new Apple-funded show

Apple is continuing its push for unique video content with a new deal signed with "La La Land" writer and director Damien Chazelle.

There is nearly nothing known about the new project, according to the New York Times. No details have been announced regarding season length, terms of the deal, or the concept of the show.

Chazelle will be working with producers Jordan Horowitz and Fred Berger — who he worked with on "La La Land."

In 2017, Apple also reportedly provided a blank check to Drake for his own shows and movies, and signed a deal with "Star Trek" and "Battlestar Galactica" reboot alum Ronald D. Moore for a new space drama. It is also reportedly paying $5 million per episode on a ten-episode season of "Amazing Stories," a revival of the Amblin Television and NBCUniversal science fiction anthology.

Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine studio is linked to three projects tied to Apple. The first show is as of yet untitled, but features Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston in a drama based on morning show production.

The second show is development of Nichelle Tramble Spellman's "Are You Sleeping," with the "Serial" podcast creator onboard in an advisory role, and Octavia Spencer starring. The third is a sketch comedy show starring Kristen Wiig.

These are all thought to be part of a broader $1 billion investment in original programming, which is considerable but still a lower investment than those of its competitors, such as Netflix's reported $7 billion on original content for 2018.

17 Comments

SpamSandwich 32917 comments · 19 Years

About 6 years ago

Oy vey. "La La Land"? Come on. How about signing deals with Jet Li or Vince Gilligan or the estate of Frank Herbert or Robert Heinlein? There's a ton of brilliant people and properties out there just begging to be turned into series ideas or movies.

vadimyuryev 169 comments · 7 Years

SpamSandwich said:

Oy vey. "La La Land"? Come on. How about signing deals with Jet Li or Vince Gilligan or the estate of Frank Herbert or Robert Heinlein? There's a ton of brilliant people and properties out there just begging to be turned into series ideas or movies.

Coming from a background in video production, "La La Land" is a cinematic masterpiece.

maestro64 5029 comments · 19 Years

vadimyuryev said:

SpamSandwich said:

Oy vey. "La La Land"? Come on. How about signing deals with Jet Li or Vince Gilligan or the estate of Frank Herbert or Robert Heinlein? There's a ton of brilliant people and properties out there just begging to be turned into series ideas or movies.

Coming from a background in video production, "La La Land" is a cinematic masterpiece.

I heard this and heard people talking about what it took to get some of the shots and all the work and thought that went into it. However, I know lots of people who when to see it since they heard all these good things but came away completely disappointed. What this told me, the art came first and foremost and providing something people would like came second. It would be like Apple focusing so much on design that not one like using the product since it did not do what people wanted.

BTW, I did not see it, so this is all third hand, I have yet to talk to anyone who really like it, and some of them are into musicals.

LukeCage 166 comments · 8 Years

maestro64 said:

vadimyuryev said:

SpamSandwich said:

Oy vey. "La La Land"? Come on. How about signing deals with Jet Li or Vince Gilligan or the estate of Frank Herbert or Robert Heinlein? There's a ton of brilliant people and properties out there just begging to be turned into series ideas or movies.

Coming from a background in video production, "La La Land" is a cinematic masterpiece.

I heard this and heard people talking about what it took to get some of the shots and all the work and thought that went into it. However, I know lots of people who when to see it since they heard all these good things but came away completely disappointed. What this told me, the art came first and foremost and providing something people would like came second. It would be like Apple focusing so much on design that not one like using the product since it did not do what people wanted.

BTW, I did not see it, so this is all third hand, I have yet to talk to anyone who really like it, and some of them are into musicals.

I thought it was good movie, from a story standpoint my only gripe was how it was ended. Also Damien Chazelle is a young award winning director, who is well liked in the movie industry. This seems like a win win for Apple, having an awarding winning director who is also a writer produce a series for them. Just that alone should give a big respectable boost to Apples oringinal content efforts.

maestro64 said:

vadimyuryev said:

SpamSandwich said:

Oy vey. "La La Land"? Come on. How about signing deals with Jet Li or Vince Gilligan or the estate of Frank Herbert or Robert Heinlein? There's a ton of brilliant people and properties out there just begging to be turned into series ideas or movies.

Coming from a background in video production, "La La Land" is a cinematic masterpiece.

I heard this and heard people talking about what it took to get some of the shots and all the work and thought that went into it. However, I know lots of people who when to see it since they heard all these good things but came away completely disappointed. What this told me, the art came first and foremost and providing something people would like came second. It would be like Apple focusing so much on design that not one like using the product since it did not do what people wanted.

BTW, I did not see it, so this is all third hand, I have yet to talk to anyone who really like it, and some of them are into musicals.

You should definitely check it out and see for yourself. It's the type of movie that has the potential to be named a classic, decades into the future. Unlike some movies that are tuned to please our current generation and end up fading away years later because of it.