The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman has inked an overall deal with Amazon, while Kirkman’s Skybound Entertainment has signed a first-look deal with the streamer.
The new deal will see Kirkman move on from his former overall deal with AMC. Kirkman and Skybound will develop television projects to debut exclusively on 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 Skybound co-founder David Alpert.
“Robert is a gifted storyteller who shares our passion for elevated genre storytelling that pushes boundaries,” said Sharon Tal Yguado, head of event series for Amazon Studios. “Robert and the team at Skybound are some of the most innovative and fearless creatives in the business. Together, we plan to explore immersive worlds and bold ideas for Prime Video.”
Kirkman is best known for creating “The Walking Dead” comic book series, which was adapted into the megahit AMC series that will debut its eighth season this October. The series is the highest-rated basic cable drama of all time and is the number one show on television in the key 18-49 demo. A companion series, “Fear the Walking Dead,” launched on AMC in 2015. He also adapted his comic book series “Outcast” into a series starring Patrick Fugit, among several other film and television projects.
“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,” said Kirkman. “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. Look out world, here we come!”
Skybound Entertainment currently has a number of different film projects in development including properties for their two-year first look deal with Universal. The company also recently announced its expansion with the opening of Skybound North, a Vancouver-based production division. Skybound North is led by former LucasFilm Animation executive, Catherine Winder.
