Amazon Studios’ Matt Newman Named Head Of Original Content For Sports, Julie Rapaport Remains Head Of Movies

NEW YORK -- David Hyde Pierce returns to TV this spring playing a familiar part — an erudite man who adores fine food, wine and art. But this has nothing to do with “Frasier.”Pierce is playing Peter Child, husband and chief cheerleader of Julia Child, whose warbling, encouraging voice and able hands brought the intricacies of French cuisine to American home cooks through her TV series and books.“These are two people of great depth, of great complexity of character, who found each other, and I think we all are luckier for it,” said Pierce.

Naman Ramachandran Amazon Prime Video has doubled down on its investment in Japan with six local originals greenlit and an additional foray into live boxing. At an event in Tokyo on Wednesday, Amazon revealed a reboot of “Takeshi’s Castle,” the iconic game show starring Kitano Takeshi that aired on terrestrial network TBS from 1986-1989. The reboot, with the working title “Takeshi’s Castle Project' will bow in 2023.

EXCLUSIVE: Carlton Cuse is returning to Amazon Studios. The prolific, Emmy-winning writer-producer, who co-created and was showrunner for the first two seasons of the Prime Video Original Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, has signed a first-look deal with Amazon Studios. Under the multi-year pact, he will develop and produce projects to premiere on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

EXCLUSIVE: Jason Patric (Speed 2) and Cam Gigandet (Twilight) have been set to star in action-thriller movie Shrapnel.

Amazon Studios Europe Boss Georgia Brown has revealed how the streamer “completely turned storymaking on its head” for upcoming hybrid grime/drill musical Jungle. 

Savannah Guthrie wasn’t impressed with Hoda Kotb’s jump into freezing water.

EXCLUSIVE: Julie Waters has joined Rachel Brosnahan’s Scrap Paper Pictures as Head of TV and Film Development.

previously reiterated that even with the shift to a streamer like Amazon, they’re determined to make sure future Bond movies still have a “worldwide, theatrical audience.” Amazon, too, has been increasingly focused on prioritizing streaming, and it’s unclear how Amazon might handle a theatrical window with MGM films.De Luca though had been expected to stay aboard and continue developing film projects on his own that fall within the MGM wheelhouse. Some recent releases that he landed or have greenlit have included the Best Picture nominee “Licorice Pizza,” the musical “Cyrano,” Ridley Scott’s “House of Gucci,” Channing Tatum’s “Dog” and the upcoming remake of “Fiddler on the Roof,” to name a few.

WeCrashed press tour. She has consistently been delivering in the style department as she promotes the Apple TV miniseries, about the rise and fall of WeWork, but the Los Angeles premiere was especially a stand out. stepped out in an electric blue cutout dress with a black bralette underneath alongside co-star .

EXCLUSIVE: We hear that Amazon Studios and Prime Video SVP Mike Hopkins sent a warm, welcoming email to MGM staffers this morning about the streamer’s acquisition of the near-century old studio, telling them that “we look forward to working with you as we create the next phase of MGM’s rich history together.”

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorRooster Teeth recruited Adam Bersin to lead marketing for WarnerMedia’s fandom-focused entertainment division.Bersin most recently served as Amazon Studios’ global creative marketing lead for sci-fi, fantasy, superhero and adult animated content. While at Amazon, he headed up marketing for “The Boys,” one of Prime Video’s biggest franchises.Before joining Amazon Studios in September 2017, Bersin was marketing director for FX, where he launched campaigns for “American Horror Story,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Fargo” and other shows.

Sharon Horgan & Michael Sheen To Lead Jack Thorne’s ‘Best Interests’

Amazon Studios is making some changes to its film team by naming Julie Rapaport its sole Head of Movies, while current co-head Matt Newman is transitioning into a new role in Amazon Prime Video’s global sports group.The news was announced Tuesday in an internal note by Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke, who explained that with Newman’s move, the film group will be “applying a single threaded leadership approach to movies.” “With Julie’s top-notch leadership skills and her ability to nurture a diverse range of filmmakers – from up-and-comers to the well-established – this move will help us continue to build on our great momentum,” Salke wrote in part. “I’m grateful for Julie’s vision and continued contributions to the Studio.”Rapaport was named a co-head of movies at Amazon Studios along with Newman back in 2018. As for Newman, he’ll be helping the sports group grow and scale and will take on a new role developing original sports docuseries, films and scripted projects.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaAmazon is making some changes atop its movies team.Julie Rapaport, who previously served as co-head of movies, will become the sole chief of the division. Matt Newman, Rapaport’s fellow co-head, will transition to a new role at Prime Video’s global sports group, where he is being tasked with developing original sports docuseries, films, and scripted projects.

EXCLUSIVE: Succession‘s Alan Ruck is the latest addition to the cast of Amazon Studios’ film The Burial, which is currently in production. He joins an ensemble that also includes Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones, Jurnee Smollett, Mamoudou Athie, Bill Camp, Dorian Missick, Pamela Reed, Amanda Warren and Jim Klock.

“Nine Lives” by Peter Swanson (William Morrow)The elderly owner of a decaying hotel in Kennewick, Maine, is shoved to the ground, dragged to a tidal pool, and held there face down until he drowns. When police arrive, they find a crumpled piece of paper clutched in his hand.On it is a typewritten list of nine names. Nothing more.

Manori Ravindran International EditorTransatlantic production powerhouse Sister has hired Amazon Studios scripted executive Lydia Hampson as executive producer. The company has also struck a first-look deal with Hampson  and Amazon Studios U.K.Hampson most recently served as the head of U.K.

Two family dramas, the feature film Freda and short film You Can Always Come Home, have earned the top prizes at the 39th edition of Miami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival. Presented in a hybrid format with in-theater and virtual presentations, the 2022 Festival ran from March 4 through tomorrow.

K.J. Yossman BBC diversity lead Miranda Wayland is set to join Prime Video/Amazon Studios Europe, Variety can confirm.Wayland was previously deputy head of diversity at the BBC.