Amazon Studios inks deal with Walking Dead creator’s production house
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Joseph O'Halloran
| 14 August 2017

Ramping up its original content slate in the face of huge competition from the likes of Netflix and others, Amazon has closed an overall deal with creator Robert Kirkman and a first-look deal with his Skybound Entertainment.

Co-founded by Kirkman and David Alpert, the company has been responsible for successful titles such as The Walking Dead, Invincible, Fear the Walking Dead and Outcast. Walking Dead and the collaboration will focus on growing original genre content exclusively for Amazon Prime Video. Skybound Entertainment’s co-presidents of film and television, Bryan and Sean Furst, will oversee the Amazon project slate in conjunction with Kirkman and Alpert.

The deal also comes hot on the heels of Amazon Studios’ new expanded push into science fiction, fantasy and horror programming. “Together, we plan to explore immersive worlds and bold ideas for Prime Video,” said Sharon Tal Yguado, head of event series, Amazon Studios. “Robert is a gifted storyteller who shares our passion for elevated genre storytelling that pushes boundaries. Robert and the team at Skybound are some of the most innovative and fearless creatives in the business.

“At Skybound Entertainment we strive to tell the best stories in the most unique and creative ways in an effort to always break new ground,” Kirkman added. “A forward-thinking company like Amazon is the perfect home for us. Their new foray into genre fiction has us at peak optimism for what can be accomplished during this unprecedented partnership. Sharon Tal Yguado has been an instrumental force in the success of Walking Dead and Outcast from day one. Being able to not only continue that relationship, but also expand it into new territory with the vast resources of Amazon, means great things are ahead for myself, David Alpert, Skybound and fans of awesome entertainment.”