After the Hollywood strikes concluded, Fifth Season, helmed by co-CEOs Chris Rice and Graham Taylor, swiftly embarked on the production of six series by January, among them “The Savant,” featuring and executive produced by Jessica Chastain.
This new limited series for Apple TV+ marks the debut production under a first-look agreement between Fifth Season Television and Chastain’s Freckle Films (known for “George & Tammy”), led by President Kelly Carmichael, aimed at developing and producing projects.
Apart from “The Savant,” which marks Fifth Season’s seventh series at Apple TV+, other series that swiftly went into production after the strikes include Season 2 of Apple TV+’s “Severance,” and the forthcoming “The Chief Of War” starring Jason Momoa, and “Lady In the Lake” (in post-production) with Natalie Portman — all exclusive to Apple TV+. Additionally, they ramped up for Season 2 of Hulu’s “Nine Perfect Strangers” starring Nicole Kidman, and the Australian series “The Last Anniversary,” produced by Kidman. Concurrently, Fifth Season prepared for the releases of Season 2 of “Tokyo Vice” on Max and “Life & Beth” on Hulu.
Chris Rice shared, “We will do around a billion dollars in production this year across 12 series that are either in delivery, production or some form of prep.” He emphasized the meticulous curation of their projects for a high-quality, premium output despite the volume.
Joining Fifth Season’s lineup of first-look agreements is Jessica Chastain’s Freckle Films, alongside Amy Adams’ Bond Group Entertainment, Drew Comins’s Creative Engine, Layne Eskridge’s POV, and Kristen Campo’s Campout Productions.
Rice commented on the industry climate, acknowledging the challenges amidst major studios not engaging in overall deals. However, he expressed satisfaction with Fifth Season’s talent roster and partnerships.
Reflecting on the industry landscape, Rice and Joe Hipps, President of TV Development and Production, discussed the evolving marketplace dynamics, emphasizing the need for justifying high-priced projects amid budget pressures.
Amid the changing distribution models, Fifth Season navigates its international distribution business while exploring opportunities in streaming and linear rights partnerships.
With strategic alliances with CJ ENM and Toho, Fifth Season is poised for growth and synergy, leveraging collaborations to expand content creation across territories.
Despite the challenges of 2023, Fifth Season maintains a cautious optimism about the future, focusing on high-quality original storytelling across film, TV, docuseries, and distribution.
