The showrunner of the new six-episode limited series, Earth Abides, set to premiere in MGM+ on December 1^st in the US, shares what makes this title, based on George Stewart’s book, unique in the populated post-apocalyptic subgenre.

 What about love for a change? That is one of the central themes of Earth Abides, the revered science fiction novel written by George Stewart, and one of the elements that separates Amazon MGM Studios’ newest adaptation, bound to premiere on MGM+, in the US, on December 1^st.

The series, which will be one of the key titles in the company’s catalogue for Mipcom Cannes 2024, has similar starting points to other narratives among the post-apocalyptic fictions -a universal plague, few survivors and a civilization to be rebuilt; which makes sense, since Stewart’s 1949 novel is a pillar of the subgenre- but the way it develops its characters and, more importantly, the central themes that it chooses to focus on, make it standout among its peers.

“I’d like to describe the show as being counter-culture, because the post-apocalyptic genre is always about using guns or the ‘dark arts’ to survive, while this show says:  ‘Actually the greatest weapon, the one undefeated weapon in the history of the world, is love’,” explains Todd Komarnicki, writer and showrunner of Earth Abides.

Komarnicki, known for titles like Sully (2015), shared with ttv details about the upcoming title, who has Alexander Ludwig (Vikings) and Jessica Frances Dukes (Ozark) in the leading roles.

What attracted you to the topics the book deals with?
Well, the fundamental question that the book asks is: if human beings got a second chance at the Garden of Eden, could we get it right this time? Could we be kind enough, be loving enough, and live in harmony with the Earth? And that is the fundamental question that’s at the heart of our show. Because, yes, the ideals are beautiful -love and sacrifice, family and community- but when you have to live in the everyday, when you don’t know if you can trust your neighbor, when you don’t know that it’s safe to walk outside in the woods, when your children feel like they’re living at the edge of danger all the time, how do you live with your best self? How do you put other people first? How do you think about love first, when you feel like your life is constantly under a threat?

And that’s why I like the show for right now, because I think people all over the world are feeling under threat. I think it’s a very particular time in history, so to ask these questions now, in times of emergency, is to ask our audience if we can hope for a better version of ourselves. And I believe we can. I really do.

Is it fair to say that this series will be a little more optimistic in the way it approaches those questions than apocalyptic-themed shows?
I would say it’s “hopetimistic” instead of optimistic. Because it’s not dreamy. The questions that these people face are very real. They are about life and death. They have to do things they don’t want to do in order to survive, but our show is utterly unique. I’d like to describe it as being counter-culture, because the post-apocalyptic genre is always about whoever is left having to survive with a gun, trapping the enemy, using the “dark arts”; and this show says: “Actually the greatest weapon, the one undefeated weapon in the history of the world, is love.”

How do you think these themes -family and generational knowledge being  big ones- translate internationally?
They translate because it’s a universally human story. Everywhere people are trying to raise their kids or give their children a future better than their future. People are honoring their grandparents. People are proud of their heritage. It will resonate.

Stewart’s book, published in 1949, pushed boundaries by having an interracial couple at its core, something that was not common at all back then. How does Earth Abides keep, in 2024, the spirit of what the author was doing at the time?
I would say our boundary pushing comes in our love and respect for women. We still have the interracial couple. We still have Jessica Frances Dukes and Alexander Ludwig as the as the main couple. So that exists. But it’s taken as a matter of course. It’s just two people who build something together and then fall in love. It’s very organic. The one thing I think that Stewart was behind on was his placing of the women in the background of the story. And our show puts them in the foreground. Our show absolutely points out that without the women in this group there was no chance of survival; and not because of babies, but because of a deep wisdom and intellect. The women in our in our show are remarkable.

You mentioned Ludwig and Frances Dukes. How happy are you with the cast you got?
The cast is extraordinary. I’d seen Alexander Ludwig in Vikings and he also did this incredible wrestling show called Heels. But I honestly think this is the best work he’s ever done. He gave us every ounce of himself. Truly he just laid it all bare, as if he were the last man alive. And Jessica comes from Broadway and her level of skill and technique is immense. These two actors work together and built a friendship that you can see, if you spend time with them, that’s gonna last forever.

How did you decide to go with a six-part limited series?
When I wrote the treatment, I had it as four episodes. But MGM+ wanted to do the show in six episodes and that’s fine with me. I wanted more, eight or ten, because I want to spend more time with these characters. The story takes place over so many decades, and it’s difficult to compress it all, even into six episodes.

Can you share the release plan for the US premiere?
The way it’s going to be released is episodes 1 and 2 are premiering together on December 1^st on MGM+. The following week will be episode 3 and the next episode 4. Then 5 and 6 will be released together.

(BEWARE: SPOILERS) The book follows the protagonist‘s whole life after the plague. How do you handle that and did you leave open narratives for potential following seasons?
I would say it’s open and it’s closed. We go all the way to the end of his life, but it’s only as a coda at the end. So there is a way, I believe, that the series could sort of come in between his younger years and his end. I think it’s possible. Of course that’s not up to me; that’s much more up to the audience, but we did go from snakebite till the end of his life.

La entrada Todd Komarnicki, MGM’s Earth Abides: “A Second Chance at the Garden of Eden” se publicó primero en TTV News.

Directed by award-winning Santiago Miter, Argentina, 1985 is a co-production between Amazon Studios, La Unión de los Ríos, Kenya Films and Infinity Hill. It will air in Argentine cinemas before its global premiere on Amazon.

Filming began on the feature film Argentina, 1985, a story inspired by real events that will be the first Argentine Amazon Original film.

It is a co-production of Amazon Studios, the Argentine production company La Unión de los Ríos, Kenya Films (production company founded in 2016 by Ricardo Darín, Chino Darín and Federico Posternak) and Infinity Hill (production company based in the United Kingdom, Los Angeles and Buenos Aires, led by Axel Kuschevatzky, Phin Glynn and Cindy Teperman, in association with Pedro Dávila from Mexico).

Filmed in real places where the action occurred, Argentina, 1985 will be released in theaters in its home country, before being exclusively available on Amazon Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world.

The film follows a team of prosecutors led by Julio Strassera and Luis Moreno Ocampo who, accompanied by a group of young people, dared against the clock and under constant threat to accuse Argentina’s bloodiest military dictatorship. A David vs. Goliath battle with the least expected protagonists.

With a stellar cast led by Ricardo Darín (The secret of their eyes, Wild stories) as Julio Strassera and Peter Lanzani (The clan, The angel) as Luis Moreno Ocampo, the film is directed by Santiago Miter (The patota, The cordillera) and written by Miter and Mariano Llinás (The flower, Extraordinary stories).

The producers from Argentina, 1985 are Axel Kuschevatzky, Federico Posternak, Agustina Llambi Campbell, Ricardo Darín, Santiago Miter, Santiago Carabante, Chino Darín and Victoria Alonso. Cindy Teperman and Phin Glynn are in charge of executive production.

“It is exciting to be part of such an ambitious project that will take the audience on a journey through a pivotal moment in Argentine history,” said Javiera Balmaceda, who heads the Original Content for Latin America team for Habla Hispana at Amazon Studios.

“The amazing internationally recognized Argentine cast, director and the entire Argentine production team will make one of the most exciting and best-produced films that will surely keep our audiences talking,” she added.

For their part, the producers of Argentina, 1985 expressed: «We are excited to be able to accompany the unique point of view of Santiago Miter when narrating this suspenseful story, inspired by real events of the legal cause that changed justice for forever. It is a pleasure to work on a project that will allow us to tell the whole world about this absolutely Argentine event ».

La entrada First Argentine Original Amazon Film Begins Filming se publicó primero en TTV News.

As of today, Qello Concerts by Stingray, Stingray Karaoke, Stingray Classica, Stingray DJAZZ, and Stingray Naturescape are offered as part of the Stingray All Good Vibes subscription on Amazon’s Prime Video Channels.

Stingray Group, a leading music, media, and technology company, today announced its global expansion and launched its first bundle with Amazon’s Prime Video Channels in Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.

Starting today, Prime members will have access to the Stingray All Good Vibes subscription which includes Qello Concerts by Stingray, Stingray Karaoke, Stingray Classica, Stingray DJAZZ, and Stingray Naturescape.

The launch showcases the quality and diversity of Stingray’s growing product portfolio and its strength in reaching new audiences.

These premium entertainment services bring subscribers on-demand sold-out concert performances by today’s biggest headliners, the greatest jazz performances, and a collection of beautiful classical music, operas, and ballets from around the world. Music fans can also sing their hearts out to exceptional karaoke and unwind to beautiful imagery from the four corners of the globe.

Channel Highlights:

Qello Concerts by Stingray features concert-films and award-winning music documentaries from the biggest and most influential artists, bands, and musicians.

Stingray Karaoke includes all the top songs to sing along to, from golden oldies to today’s hits. They range from rock and pop to children’s classics and songs in the style of today’s top-charting artists.

Stingray Classica features breathtaking excerpts of orchestral performances, operas, and ballets, including the grandest, most popular classical musical productions filmed from famed opera houses and theatres worldwide.

Stingray DJAZZ features the world of jazz without limits with a unique selection of rare documentaries, intimate portraits, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive interviews.

Stingray Naturescape offers an escape to a world of stunning nature scenes, all set to peaceful soundtracks.

“Stingray is committed to delivering best-in-class entertainment for music fans,” said David Purdy, Chief Revenue Officer of Stingray. We are thrilled to be working with Amazon Prime Video Channels and providing them with the highest level of services. Our shared commitment to evolve and adapt to subscribers’ needs guarantees new levels of growth and success in the industry.”

The Stingray All Good Vibes bundle is now available on Amazon’s Prime Video Channels Canada for $9,99/month, Amazon’s Prime Video Channels Mexico for Mex$72/month and Amazon’s Prime Video Channels Brazil for R$13,20/month.

La entrada Stingray Launches Service with Amazon in Brazil, Mexico and Canada se publicó primero en TTV News.

Amazon and MGM officially announced a deal for US$ 8.45 billion.

Confirming the rumors that had been emerging for months and that had reached their peak in the last hours, Amazon and MGM officially announced an agreement for US$ 8.450 million this Wednesday by which the e-commerce giant will acquire the centennial film studio.

“Amazon will help preserve MGM’s film heritage and give customers greater access to its works. Through this acquisition, Amazon will empower MGM to continue doing what it does best: first-rate storytelling,” they highlighted from Amazon in a press release.

MGM’s vast catalog has more than 4,000 films, including titles such as 12 Angry Men, Basic Instinct, Creed, James Bond, Legally Blonde, Moonstruck, Poltergeist, Raging Bull, Robocop, Rocky, Silence of the Lambs, Stargate, Thelma & Louise, Tomb Raider, The Magnificent Seven, The Pink Panther and The Thomas Crown Affair; and 17,000 TV shows like Fargo, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Vikings.

“The true financial value behind this deal is the treasure trove of IPs in MGM’s deep catalog that we plan to reimagine and develop with their talented team,” said Mike Hopkins, SVP of Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Studios.

“The opportunity to align MGM’s history with Amazon is an inspiring combination,” said Kevin Ulrich, chairman of the MGM board of directors.

La entrada Amazon Acquires MGM for US$ 8.45 billion se publicó primero en TTV News.

After having broadcast El desafío: ETA, Amazon Prime Video announced a new collaboration with Par Producciones (formerly Cuerdos de Atar Producciones) for a documentary series now focused on the 11M attacks in Madrid.

Amazon Prime Video announced on Wednesday a second installment of the Amazon Original documentary series, El desafío.

After the unprecedented interest that aroused the first season that addressed the history of the terrorist gang ETA, now comes El desafío: 11M.

The series will focus on the events surrounding the terrorist attack that took place in Madrid on March 11, 2004, which caused 191 fatalities. El desafío: 11M will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in 2022 in more than 240 countries and territories around the world.

El desafío: 11M is directed by Carlos Agulló and consists of four 60-minute episodes.

The focus will be on the never-before-seen events surrounding the terrible terrorist attack in which emergency services and thousands of anonymous heroes collaborated to help the victims of the attack, and turned Madrid into an example of solidarity, courage and citizen union . The documentary series will feature the testimonies of survivors, as well as interviews with renowned journalists, judges, senior police officers, political leaders and witnesses, who will offer their personal views of what happened during the attack on one of the busiest cities in Europe.

Produced by Par Producciones (formerly Cuerdos de Atar Producciones), El desafío: 11M will use hybrid virtual production technology, which allows the creation of highly realistic digital environments using the Unreal Engine graphics engine, an advanced real-time 3D creation platform.

La entrada Amazon Announces New Spanish Docuseries: El desafío: 11M se publicó primero en TTV News.

Titled Sayen, it’s a trilogy of action films produced by Fabula.

Amazon Studios announced this week that it has given the green light to the Sayen film trilogy, to be directed by acclaimed action film director Alexander Witt and produced by the Oscar-winning team, Pablo and Juan de Dios Larraín and Rocío Jadue from Fábula.

Fabula, they added, is in search of the protagonist for the role of Sayen.

As announced, it is an action thriller that follows the journey of Sayen, a Mapuche woman who discovers a dangerous conspiracy led by a corporation that is destroying her family’s lands and destroying local ecosystems throughout Latin America. Sayen will be tasked with bringing the case to justice and saving her family’s legacy.

“Amazon is committed to bringing new and unique stories to customers, which provide a dynamic and impactful experience, as Sayen’s story will,” said Javiera Balmaceda, who heads the Original Content team for Latin America at Habla Hispanic at Amazon Studios.

“We couldn’t be more excited to bring the first Chilean action film and the complete trilogy to our clients in Chile and around the world,” she added.

“Producing an action thriller like Sayen is a tremendous opportunity to show our culture, our geography and our colors. We take the challenge with great responsibility, confident that it represents a new step for our industry, which is involved in all levels of production”, said Juan de Dios Larraín, CEO of Fábula and executive producer.

“Developing an action trilogy in Chile is a huge challenge and working with Amazon has been the best choice to tackle this project. The trilogy received the green light after a year of extensive development, and features international talent such as Chilean director Alexander Witt, who previously was part of large productions such as Avengers: Infinity War, Casino Royale and The Bourne Identity”, said Rocío Jadue, Executive Director of Cinema in Spanish and Executive Producer of Sayen.

The action trilogy is produced by Fábula, the Chilean production company founded by Juan De Dios Larraín (Producer) and Pablo Larraín (Director / Producer), who are also executive producers for Sayen along with Rocío Jadue.

La entrada Amazon Orders Chilean Film Trilogy from Fabula se publicó primero en TTV News.

The series produced by Conspiração will premiere worldwide on June 4.

Amazon Prime Video released the first preview of its Brazilian original series Dom, a crime drama inspired by the true story of father and son on opposite sides of the drug war in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday.

With eight one-hour episodes, Dom is a Conspiração production, with Breno Silveira as showrunner. It will premiere on June 4 in more than 240 territories exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

Dom tells the story of Pedro, a good-looking middle-class boy in Rio de Janeiro, who is introduced to cocaine in his teenage years, setting him up to become the leader of a criminal gang that dominated the tabloids in Rio in the early 1900s. 2000s: Pedro Dom.

Moving from action to adventure to drama, Dom also follows Pedro’s father, Victor Dantas, who as a teenager made a discovery at the bottom of the sea, reported it to authorities, and ended up joining the police intelligence service. The series shows the journey of father and son living opposite lives, often mirroring and complementing each other, as both face situations that blur the lines between good and evil.

Along with the protagonists Gabriel Leone and Flavio Tolezani, there are also Filipe Bragança, Raquel Villar, Isabella Santoni, Ramon Francisco, Digão Ribeiro, Fabio Lago, Julia Konrad and André Mattos, among others.

Dom was directed by Vicente Kubrusly and Breno Silveira, who also leads the group of writers, which includes Fabio Mendes, Higia Ikeda, Carolina Neves and Marcelo Vindicatto. The series is produced by Renata Brandão and Ramona Bakker from Conspiração. Antonio Pinto composed the original soundtrack.

La entrada Amazon Revealed the First Teaser Trailer for Dom, its New Brazilian Original se publicó primero en TTV News.

The Mexican Amazon Original series, created by brothers Emiliano and Sebastián Zurita, was renewed for a second and third season.

Following the success of the first season of Cómo sobrevivir soltero, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video in June 2020, the successful series created by brothers Emiliano and Sebastián Zurita has been renewed for two more seasons.

The filming of the second season has already started. The series is produced by Campanario Entertainment and Addiction House, distributed by Sony Pictures Television.

“We are proud to announce the arrival of two more seasons of this hilarious romantic comedy and to continue working hand in hand with Campanario Entertainment and the talented brothers Emiliano and Sebastián Zurita. We are confident that our Amazon Prime Video members will enjoy them very much,” said Javiera Balmaceda, who heads the Original Content for Latin America team for Spanish Speaking at Amazon Studios.

“We are very excited to continue the story of Sebastián and his group of friends with two more seasons of How to survive single,” said Emiliano Zurita, who in addition to being the creator, plays an alter ego of himself as the protagonist of the story.

“We have really enjoyed the growth process of this series, along with all the talented team behind it, and in the following seasons we will continue to address issues of romance today, with this ironic touch and black humor, but without losing the moments real behind the story of each of the characters,” said Sebastián Zurita.

“Campanario prides itself on working with a team of true and authentic creators and we couldn’t be more excited to once again be working with the best comedy talent in Mexico,” added Diana Mejia-Jones, VP of Spanish Development and Integrated Marketing for Campanario Entertainment.

The main cast is back, made up of Sebastián Zurita as Sebastián Ybarra, Tato Alexander as Fabiana, Octavio Hinojosa as Gonzo, Lucía Gómez-Robledo as Mafer, Fabrizio Santini as Fish, Pamela Almanza as Lucía and Roberto Flores as Daniel. They will be joined by guest stars including surprises to be revealed later.

Cómo sobrevivir soltero was created by Sebastián and Emiliano Zurita. The showrunner and main writer is Marcos Bucay (Club de Cuervos) and has the direction of Noé Santillán, Marcos Bucay, Sebastián Zurita and Emiliano Zurita.

The executive producers are Jaime Dávila, Diana Mejía-Jones, Wendy Cortez and Rico Martínez from Campanario Entertainment and Ricardo Gaspar de Alba, Sebastián Zurita and Emiliano Zurita from Addiction House.

SYNOPSIS OF SEASON 2

In the second season we will follow the life of actor Sebastián Ybarra (Sebastián Zurita) who is finally trying to enjoy the single life, although deep down he is still a romantic. His career as an actor and now a director includes even more obstacles than before, including the ego of one of Mexico’s most famous actors. Trying to find a balance between his work and his love life, Sebastian will realize that even if you do your best to make it all work, life will never stop hitting you.

His friends will accompany him on his adventures, some becoming fruit gurus, others re-encountering his inner “chavo ruco” and why not? also finding love. Everyone will try to stay afloat in this world of modern relationships, which seems to be more complicated than they thought since surviving single is an art that few and few can masterfully execute.

La entrada Amazon Commissions Two New Seasons of Cómo sobrevivir soltero se publicó primero en TTV News.