Apple is determined to push into the entertainment world, having ordered its first two original scripted series with big Hollywood names attached.
That’s according to Vanity which noted the first TV show, Amazing Stories, will be an anthology series overseen by movie legend Steve Spielberg, while the second show will star Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon and will be a drama about a network morning show.
Amazing Stories will be a remake of Spielberg’s anthology series that ran in the late 1980s, only this time it will have a hefty budget of $5 million per episode, which should help Apple go some way to spending the billion dollars it has earmarked for investment into TV streaming content.
The as yet un-named network morning show drama will be written and produced by Jay Carson of Netflix’s House of Cards fame, with Aniston and Witherspoon serving as executive producers as well as staring in the series. Given the calibre of talent on the books, we doubt the budget for the drama will be small either, particularly as it has already be slated for two series.
With the talent, budget, and original scripts, Apple could be poised to make a real dent in the subscription video streaming world, particularly if its original series can take on the finest from Amazon Video and Netflix, both of which have hit original shows.
Apple’s last foray into the TV world involved the unscripted shows Carpool Karaoke and Planet of the Apps, both of which received a lacklustre reception, indicating Apple needs to bring its A-game to the TV streaming arena if it’s to challenge the likes of Mr Robot and Orange is the New Black.
Related: Netflix vs Amazon
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
