Woody Allen is the latest big-time movie-maker heading towards television after signing a deal to make a series for Amazon Studios.


It will be the first TV series for Allen after a half a century of filmmaking and more than 50 movies in an unparalleled career which includes romantic-comedy classics Annie Hall, Manhattan, Vicky Christina Barcelona and Midnight in Paris, and darker dramas such as Crimes and Misdemeanors, Match Point and Blue Jasmine.

Amazon said it had ordered a full season of half-hour shows, yet untitled, which will make their debut on the streaming service next year. The company provided few other details.

“I don’t know how I got into this, ” Allen said. “I have no ideas and I’m not sure where to begin.”

The deal with Allen comes hot on the heels of Amazon’s comedy series Transparent winning a Golden Globe, considered a landmark achievement for this new player in the booming streaming and VOD demand sector.

Roy Price, vice- president for Amazon Studios, said the company was thrilled to work with Allen, whom he described in a statement as having created some of the best movies ever. He said the project came together after a couple of meetings with Allen in New York.

“I had always thought Woody Allen’s characters and comedy would translate beautifully to TV, particularly now with more serialised storylines and openness to nuanced characterisation, ” Price told The New York Times

In his statement Allen said: “My guess is that Roy Price will regret this.”

The deal with Allen also raises the stakes in the competition among digital companies and traditional networks.

Amazon, Netflix and Hulu are pouring resources into creating original streaming series. HBO, the premium pay channel, also has joined the fray, saying it would offer a stand-alone streaming service this year. Amazon is escalating its ambitions because of the proliferation of original content for online streaming.

Netflix recently announced it was renewing its Marco Polo series for a second season and is releasing other projects this year.

 

© The West Australian

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