‘The Walking Dead’ creator Robert Kirkman leaves AMC for Amazon

Amazon has scored a big win this week as it signed a first-look agreement with The Walking Dead’s creator Robert Kirkman and his production company Skybound Entertainment. This means, Amazon gets first dibs on upcoming Skybound productions. Fans of shows like The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead, and Outcast will be enticed sign up for Amazon Prime Video to get access to whatever new projects Kirkman and his team produce in the future.

AMC has been a longtime partner of Skybound and The Walking Dead has been one of the most profitable shows for the network. But it makes sense for Kirkman and Skybound to turn their focus on building digital strategies with as big a company as Amazon as it’ll help expand its capabilities and ambitions of the studio. Skybound Entertainment will be extremely busy moving forward. They’re currently working on different film projects with properties for their two-year first look deal with Universal. They also just opened Skybound North, a Vancouver-based production division led by former LucasFilm Animation’s Catherine Winder. The news also shows the continuous shift in the streaming service space. Recently, we’ve heard about Netflix buying Mark Millar’s company and Disney’s plan to launch its own streaming service.

Source: Variety

Amazon Prime Video might be coming to Apple TV soon

Rumour has it Apple and Amazon have called a truce—at least when it comes to Amazon’s video streaming service. Amazon has been competing fiercely with the likes of Apple and Google in the video streaming space. It’s even gotten to the point where Amazon doesn’t have its Prime Video service on Apple TV or most Android TV devices and Apple TVs and Chromecasts aren’t even sold on their site.

But it looks like Amazon and Apple have at least reached an agreement when it comes to Amazon Prime Video’s availability on Apple TV. It’s presumed that Amazon will be creating an app for Apple TV and even a mobile Prime Video app for iOS. The app is rumoured to be coming out this summer. Let’s hope this is true.

Source: The Next Web

Documentaries on Formula One and Le Mans to stream on Amazon Prime Video

Photo courtesy of McLaren.com

Joining The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime Video are two motorsports-related documentaries. The new shows will focus on the McLaren Formula One team’s journey across the current F1 season and the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans race happening in June. The unnamed Formula One series will follow the McLaren F1 team on 20 stops as it tries to catch up with the rest of the pack following its new engine deal with Honda. It’ll show everything from how the cars are built and tested to how sponsorship and partnership deals are made.

Meanwhile, Le Mans: Racing is Everything will give Amazon “unprecedented access” to the entire 24-hour race. There will be film crews following around the Porsche, Nissan, Aston Martin, Audi, Rebellion, and Toyota teams. They’ll be tagging along some high-profile drivers including Mark Webber, Nico Prost, and the 19-year-old Jann Mardenborough, who won a slot courtesy of the GT Academy e-sports competition.

Source: The Verge

Amazon Prime Video to premiere Hefner docuseries "American Playboy" on April 7

Amazon Prime Video is showcasing more original content with the addition of "American Playboy" a docuseries focused on Playboy founder Hugh Hefner starting on April 7th. Hefner, a former illustrator and writer for Esquire, published Playboy in the 50's and went on to define a lifestyle with Playboy Clubs and other properties.

The Amazon Original Series American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story will premiere on Amazon Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories on Friday, April 7. The docuseries combines archival footage, pulling from thousands of hours from Hefner’s personal archives; interviews with notable figures including Jesse Jackson, Gene Simmons and Bill Maher; and cinematic reenactments.

Click to read more ...