Fresh off its first-ever wins at the Golden Globes, Amazon has signed the legendary director and filmmaker Woody Allen to write and direct his first television series, to be available exclusively to Amazon Prime members next year.
The announcement signals continued momentum for Amazon Studios as it competes with the likes of Netflix, attempting to differentiate its service with original programming.
Few details about the half-hour series are available, apart from the name, Untitled Woody Allen Project. In the Amazon news release announcing the series, the director shows his trademark dry sense of humor in an exchange with an Amazon executive.
“Woody Allen is a visionary creator who has made some of the greatest films of all-time, and it’s an honor to be working with him on his first television series,” said Roy Price, Vice President of Amazon Studios, in the news release. “From Annie Hall to Blue Jasmine, Woody has been at the creative forefront of American cinema and we couldn’t be more excited to premiere his first TV series exclusively on Prime Instant Video next year.”
Woody Allen added, “I don’t know how I got into this. I have no ideas and I’m not sure where to begin. My guess is that Roy Price will regret this.”
Amazon on Sunday won two Golden Globes for the landmark series Transparent, a dark comedy about a father who comes out as transgender. The series was created by Jill Soloway, whose credits include the HBO series Six Feet Under, and it stars Jeffrey Tambor, of Arrested Development fame.
Amazon has put out some respected shows like political comedy Alpha House, and several top-notch kids series, such as Tumbleleaf and Creative Galaxy. But the e-commerce giant’s foray into original content has yet to achieve the blockbuster status enjoyed by rival Netflix with its original series House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black. Fewer than 40 percent of Amazon Prime members say they have seen Transparent.
