Amazon Studios, Imagine sign first-look deal
April 3, 2023
Amazon Studios has closed an exclusive multiyear first-look film deal with Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment. Under the pact, Amazon Studios will have a first look on narrative features and documentaries Imagine Entertainment intends to produce.
The news of the deal comes ahead of Prime Video’s April 21st release of Amazon Studios and Imagine Entertainment’s documentary Judy Blume Forever, documenting the life and legacy of celebrated author Judy Blume. The two companies already have an established relationship with a slate including the upcoming holiday comedy Candy Cane Lane, starring Eddie Murphy; the Emmy Award-winning documentary Lucy and Desi; Ron Howard’s Thirteen Lives (pictured), which Prime Video released last year; and the spy action-comedy The U.S.P.S., which is in development at Amazon Studios.
“Whether it’s a captivating drama like Thirteen Lives or a poignant documentary like Lucy and Desi, the team at Imagine Entertainment has an incredible gift for storytelling,” said Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon and MGM Studios. “As we look forward to more exciting projects on the horizon, we are honored to make our longstanding relationship official and to bring more powerful, engaging stories to audiences around the world.”
“Brian, Ron, and I, along with our entire team at Imagine including Karen Lunder, President of Imagine Features, and Sara Bernstein, President of Imagine Documentaries, couldn’t be more excited to have a home at Amazon and continue our shared desire to make tentpole films that inspire, elevate, and entertain audiences,” added Justin Wilkes, President of Imagine Entertainment. “The team at Amazon is best-in-class and loves making movies as much as we do. We can’t wait to expand our slate through this partnership.”