Apple is well on its way to outspending both Facebook and YouTube in a push toward the creation of original content that’s set to launch as early as March next year.
This was revealed in a New York Times article published yesterday titled ‘Apple Goes to Hollywood. Will Its Story Have a Happy Ending?’ which gave details about Apple’s plans to make itself a big player in the entertainment industry.
The company’s strong brand name and willingness to write large checks has made it a top draw for a number of show creators and stars. What’s more, to underline its ambitions in the original content sphere, Apple is planning a 128,000 square-foot headquarters for its new entertainment division in Culver City, California.
At this location there’s likely to be a 40-person team working on Apple Worldwide Video, something that already has an impressive portfolio of children’s shows, adult dramas and programming for Latin America and Europe. The planned rollout for this is expected to be sometime between March 2019 and summer of the same year.
Last August, reports claimed that Apple had spent $1 billion on acquiring and producing original TV shows and Hollywood content. However, the most recent report claims that a lot more money will be plowed into this venture, with Apple having outbid Netflix in some negotiations.
The NYT says that Apple is looking for shows that align with it’s “bright and optimistic” brand. This strengthens past rumors that Apple was looking for content that has broad appeal and inoffensive enough to be shown in Apple Stores. The company is known to have invested in 12 shows so far including an animated series called “Central Park”, an untitled morning show drama featuring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, an “Amazing Stories” reboot from Steven Spielberg, an untitled space drama from Battlestar Galactica creator Ronald D. Moore, a series written by “La La Land” creatorDamien Chazelle, a Kristen Wiig comedy series, See, an epic world-building drama, Home, a docuseries focusing on incredible homes, “Little America,” an anthology series from “The Big Sick” creators Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, Swagger, a drama based on the early life and career of NBA star Kevin Durant, and a psychological thrillerproduced by M. Night Shyamalan.
Phew!
