Andrew Orr
Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's Imagine Entertainment has switched a first-look deal from Apple TV+ to Amazon Studios.
Imagine's co-founders Brian Grazer and Ron Howard signed a multi-year deal with Apple in 2021 to produce films for Apple TV+. Apple had also signed a first-look deal that would allow the company to pick up a project before its competitors.
However, Imagine has switched the first-look deal over to Amazon Studios, where it has an action-comedy project in development, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"Brian, Ron, and I, along with our entire team at Imagine, including Karen Lunder, President of Imagine Features, and Sara Bernstein, President of Imagine Documentaries, couldn't be more excited to have a home at Amazon and continue our shared desire to make tentpole films that inspire, elevate, and entertain audiences," Justin Wilkes, President of Imagine Entertainment, said.
With Amazon as Imagine's new partner, it will give the company first looks at narrative films and documentaries that Imagine plans to produce. The two had previously collaborated on other content, including "Lucy and Desi," "Thirteen Lives," and "Judy Blume Forever."
Imagine had produced content for Apple TV+ such as "Black & Blues: The Colorful Ballad of Louis Armstrong," a documentary about Louis Armstrong.
Malcolm Owen
Wesley Hilliard
Marko Zivkovic
Christine McKee
22 Comments
Their loss and mistake.
Well that sucks.
Not surprised given Amazon's broader push into movies: buying MGM, bigger spend on cinema the last few years, and now reports of them moving into actual theatre ownership. They already highlighted plans to release 12-15 movies in theatres annually. Directors & Producers love that kind of thinking.
Somebody should tell Mr. Grazer that "styling your hair" does not translate to "give this Van Der Graff generator a big wet kiss." :lol: