Apple has earmarked $1 billion dollars for Hollywood content and part of that budget will be spent on rebooting Steven Spielberg’s ‘Amazing Stories’ from the eighties, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Apple’s first major production
Amazing Stories is a critically acclaimed science fiction and horror anthology series from the eighties. It was created by Steven Spielberg and had a 2-season run on NBC.
Amazing Stories will return to TV – and your phone. Apple has struck a deal to put Steven Spielberg in the director’s chair, with a budget of more than $5 million per episode, according to WSJ. The budget is on par with high-end shows on Netflix and HBO.
Apple has already been engaged in some minor productions including music video, documentaries, Carpool Karaoke and a quiz show called Planet of the Apps. Amazing Stories will be the first major production spearheaded by former Sony Pictures executives that Apple has tasked with running its original content operations. Apple has reportedly earmarked $1 billion for the first year to procure and produce TV series and potentially movies.
Universal/NBC has confirmed the project to the Wall Street Journal. Apple declined to comment.
Bringing Steven Spielberg on board reveals the scope of Apple’s ambitions for original content. However, it is not yet clear how Apple is planning to distribute its content. Earlier content productions have been included as part of Apple Music. With over 1 billion iPhone, iPad and Apple TV units in active use, the company has a digital highway into people’s daily lives.
10 episodes of Amazing Stories will be produced. There is no word on when it will premiere.
