Apple has recently struck a first-look deal with Appian Way productions, a Film & Television production company founded by Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio. The recent multi-year Appian Way productions contract allows Apple TV+, Apple’s streaming venture, the right of first-refusal – an opportunity to buy the rights to Appian Way’s new projects before they are offered to rivals, like Netflix and Amazon. However, this does not mean that Apple TV+ will have an automatic claim over all the projects produced by Appian Way.
Apple and the Appian Way
With shows like Jason Mamoa’s See and Jennifer Anniston’s The Morning Show not quite reaching the popularity as expected, Apple TV+ has been pushing hard for a truly captivating show. Thus, Apple has now announced its most high profile deal yet, its agreement with Appian Way productions. Appian Way is already associated with Apple TV+ over a couple of projects, and Apple is trying hard to push Apple TV+ into the film industry with their next ambitious Martin Scorsese project, Killers of the Flower Moon.
Apple TV+ is already working with the production house for some other interesting ventures. This includes Shining Girls, a metaphysical thriller featuring Elizabeth Moss as a reporter trying to bring her attempted murderer to justice. Catch? The attempted murderer is a time-travelling drifter from Chicago during the Great Depression! Sounds pretty intriguing.
DiCaprio and Scorsese? Damn!
The next project is quite special for hard-core Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio movies fans (Me! Me!). Appian Way is working with Apple TV+ on a new feature, ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’, which brings together the fan-fav team-up of Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese. The duo had earlier delivered masterpieces like Shutter Island, The Departed and the widely appreciated The Wolf of Wall Street! And to watch them provide another on Apple TV+ will be nothing short of bliss.
Apple’s Other Associations
Before Appian Way productions contact, Apple TV+ has earlier established similar first-refusal deals with Idris Elba’s Green Door Pictures (Elba Vs Block, In the Long Run), Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions (Aliens, Gladiator, The Martian), Justin Lin’s Perfect Storm Entertainment (Star Trek Beyond), A24 productions (Moonlight, The Lighthouse), and more.
Apple’s aggressive approach to production companies is setting up a very grand stage for Apple TV+, but then again, it all comes down to the choices that the execs make at a first-look. Also, did you know Apple wanted to rope in J.J. Abrams too? And that he walked away from a $500 million exclusivity deal by Apple to sign WarnerMedia? Damn.