Apple inks movie deal with Oscar-winning indie studio

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mid90s cast
The cast of A24's latest movie, mid90s
Photo: A24

One of the hottest indie movie studios in Hollywood is joining forces with Apple to make a series of movies.

A24, the studio behind the Oscar-winning film Moonlight, has inked a multi-year deal to produce a slate of films, in what is the first major movie deal for Apple.

Exact details of how many movies over how many years weren’t given. A24 was also behind Ex Machina, Room, The Witch and comedian Jonah Hill’s directorial debut mid90s. It’s unclear if the movies produced in partnership with Apple will be available in studios or only through Apple’s distribution channels.

Apple already has over 20 television series in the works. The company has enlisted Stephen Spielberg, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Anniston, Damien Chazelle, M. Night Shamalyan, Christopher Columbus, Kevin Durant and a roster of other stars to create its first serious slate of TV shows.

The Apple and A24 deal is not exclusive, according to Variety. It’s not a first look arrangement either, so A24 will continue to make other movies independently. There were rumors that Apple was looking to acquire A24 or another studio, but it appears that the company isn’t ready to go down that path quite yet.

Apple’s slate of TV shows are expected to start debuting in 2019. Shows will reportedly be released for free to iPhone, iPad and Apple TV owners. The company is expecting to spend $1 billion on original content this year. That number will likely balloon over the next few years if the company finds its footing in a crowded streaming industry where Netflix and HBO already faces a gauntlet of upstart rivals.

 

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