The former head of HBO, Richard Plepler, has made it official with Apple TV Plus, inking a five-year production deal with the entertainment streaming arm of the iPhone maker. The agreement between Apple and Plepler’s newly launched production company, Eden Productions, spans original series, feature films and documentaries.
“I’m excited to work with Zack, Jamie and the standout team at Apple who have been deeply supportive of my vision for Eden from day one,” said Plepler in a statement. “The shows that Zack and Jamie produced, ‘The Crown’ and ‘Breaking Bad,’ are among those I most admired. Apple is one of the most creative companies in the world, and the perfect home for my new production company and next chapter.”
His boutique production company will be focused on just a few high-profile programs. As Variety reported in November, Plepler was said to be molding a small team of executives in New York to build out the production company. His advisors on the Apple deal include investment advisor Paul Wachter and attorney Lawrence Shire. The talks between Plepler and Apple’s worlwide video heads Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht spanned several months.
The move comes after Plepler left his position as chairman and CEO of HBO last February after a 28-year tenure, amid structural changes to its parent company, WarnerMedia. Apple TV Plus, which launched in November, has a small but high-profile slate of original programming, including “The Morning Show,” starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.
Confirmation of Plepler’s deal with Apple was first reported by the New York Times.