Ted Hope Exiting Amazon Studios Co-Head Of Movies Post For First-Look Producing DealMay 28, 2020
DeadlineBig move over at Amazon Studios. Ted Hope has decided to exit as Co-Head of Movies to go back to his origins as a producer. Next week, he will enter a multi-year, first-look deal with Amazon Studios. This is all very amicable, and Im told that Amazon chief and Hopes boss Jennifer Salke has just divulged the news internally.
Hope came to Amazon in 2015 as head of the Development, Production and Acquisitions team, and he was elevated to co-Head of Movies in July, 2018. He has been running the film division along with Julie Rapaport and Matt Newman, whove been Co-Heads of Movies. She came to Amazon from The Weinstein Company, while he grew at Amazon on the business side. They are well regarded and will take over steering the division, with Scott Foundas continuing as senior executive and Christian Davin as Head of Marketing. They all report to Salke.
Hope started his career as a seminal indie producer, and a lot of his influence went toward establishing Amazon as a tastemaker label with films including
The Big Sick and
Manchester By The Sea. He first made his mark establishing Good Machine with James Schamus and David Linde as an important maker of indie films that included such triumphs as early Ang Lee films like
The Ice Storm, Todd Solondz
Happiness and Todd Fields
In The Bedroom. He moved from there with Anne Carey and Anthony Bregman to form This Is That, and later served a stint as Executive Director of the San Francisco Film Society before moving to Amazon and helping to establish the film program, which initially was acquisition-driven.
Here is the memo that Salke just sent out internally:
Hello Team
Im writing today to update you on some changes to the Movies team. Ted Hope will be transitioning from his co-head role and returning to his passion of producing. Ted approached me earlier this year and expressed his feelings about taking on a new challenge. Over the course of several months and many conversations I came to realize Ted is a producer through and through and that now is the right time for both him and the studio to make a change. I couldnt be happier for Ted as he takes on this new adventure.
Beginning June 2nd, Ted will enter into a multi-year, first look deal with Amazon Studios. This will allow him to focus on the kind of critically acclaimed films he produced prior to joining Amazon and the prestige films he shepherded during his tenure here.
As many of you may know, Ted was hired to grow the movies team five years ago initially focusing on prestige films. His first production was Spike Lees critically acclaimed Chi-Raq. What followed was a slate of daring, interesting and award-winning films including the Oscar-winners Manchester by the Sea and Cold War, The Handmaiden, Love & Friendship, Paterson, You Were Never Really Here, The Big Sick and this years Oscar-nominated Les Misrables.
Ted is a beloved and widely respected figure throughout the industry. Were grateful to continue our partnership as he enters into this new chapter. Ted will consult on several movies planned for release in 2020 and he will produce select projects on the Studios upcoming development slate. Amazon Studios will always be a home for the best filmmakers in the business, and we consider Ted a member of this group. Im thrilled that Ted will continue to be a vital part of the Amazon Studios family.
Moving forward, Matt Newman and Julie Rapaport will be Co-Heads of the Movies team, reporting to me. I know the group will be in good hands as they continue their collaborative leadership, and build upon on the great successes AOM has had just within the past year with films including Late Night, Brittany Runs a Marathon, Honey Boy, The Aeronauts and Troop Zero. Please join me in congratulating Matt and Julie on their expanded roles.
Im so proud of everything the Movies team has accomplished and look forward to continued great work in the future.
And finally, please join me in congratulating Ted on his new venture and thanking him for all his incredible work in helping build Amazon Original Movies.
Jen
MGM Makes First-Look Film & TV Deal With Killer FilmsMay 21, 2020
DeadlineMGM has inked a two-year first-look film and TV development deal with Christine Vachon and Pamela Kofflers Killer Films.
I had one of the best experiences of my career with Christine Vachon and Killer Films on
Hedwig and the Angry Inch, said MGM Film Group Chairman Michael De Luca.
All of us at MGM are excited to be their home for their particular brand of film innovation and excellence, added Pamela Abdy, MGM Film Group President.
Under the agreement, the studio will work closely with Vachon, Koffler and their partner David Hinojosa to develop and produce feature films and original scripted series together across a variety of genres and platforms. The first-look TV deal was handled by Rothman Brecher Ehrich Livingston. Sloss Eckhouse Dasti Haynes LawCo represented Killer Films in the negotiations for both film and TV deals.
Said MGM/UA President of TV, Steve Stark, Christine and Pamela are two of the most influential independent producers in the industry, bringing audiences some of the most seminal film and television series of the past two decades. Their impeccable taste and passion for rich, diverse storytelling aligns perfectly with our mission to always put the creative first, and we look forward to collaborating with them on a wide range of scripted projects that help give voice to an entirely new generation of storytellers and creators.
Among Killer Films independent feature credits are such Oscar winners
Boys Dont Cry and
Still Alice, and Oscar nominated features
Carol,
Far From Heaven, and
Im Not There; as well as notable pics as
One Hour Photo,
Kids,
Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Happiness, Velvet Goldmine, Safe, I Shot Andy Warhol, Swoon and
Kill Your Darlings. Additionally, Killer Films executive produced Todd Haynes Emmy-Golden Globe-SAG winning HBO miniseries "Mildred Pierce" starring Kate Winslet and Guy Pearce. On deck, are Todd Haynes documentary on The Velvet Underground,
The World To Come, starring Vanessa Kirby, Casey Affleck and Katherine Waterston; Ryan Murphys untitled Netflix miniseries about fashion designer Halston starring Ewan McGregor; and the multi-part docuseries on LGBT+ rights in the US Pride for FX.