• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation

3

Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation

3

Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem
TechApple

Why 2017 Was the Year Apple Revealed Its True Ambitions in Hollywood

By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 18, 2017, 8:45 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Will 2018 be the year that Apple stakes its claim against Netflix in the battle for streaming supremacy?

In 2017, the tech giant made no secret of its ambitions to carve out its own piece of the rapidly growing (and increasingly crowded) streaming entertainment market.Apple already sells the products that hundreds of millions of people use to watch streaming movies and TV shows, so it stands to reason that the massive company would also try its hand at producing some of the content it sells through the iOS store and streams on mobile devices and Apple TVs.

To that end, Apple has been on a hiring spree of longtime Hollywood executives and the company is already spending big money to snag the rights to planned original scripted series as the iPhone-maker searches for potential breakout TV hits to announce its entry into the streaming market with authority.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

While Apple has not officially announced start dates for any scripted series, it seems safe to assume that the company’s deep war chest of cash will allow it to continue stockpiling high-profile TV rights in the coming year. In the meantime, here’s a handy reminder of the moves Apple has made so far as the company plots its nascent rivalry with the likes of Netflix, Amazon, and even legacy Hollywood studios.

How much is Apple spending on streaming content?

Apple will reportedly spend about $1 billion on original programming in the next year. That may not sound like a lot, considering that Apple has well over $260 billion in cash on hand, but it’s certainly enough to let the world know that Apple is serious about developing viable original TV and (eventually) movies. By way of comparison, Netflix plans to spend as much as $8 billion on its own slate of original series and films in the coming year, while Amazon reportedly spent roughly $4.5 billion this past year. For what it’s worth, Apple could reportedly acquire and produce about 10 high-quality TV shows with its budget.

Who is in charge of Apple’s TV unit?

Over the summer, Apple poached the co-presidents of Sony Pictures Television—Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg—to lead its new TV unit. Since then, Apple has also added several more former Sony TV employees to fill out the team, along with the former president of WGN America and Tribune Studios, Matt Cherniss, who is overseeing development in the Apple video unit. More recently, Apple even brought in Morgan Wandell, a former Amazon Studios executive, as well as U.K. TV executive Jay Hunt (BBC, Channel 4).

Landing a Big Fish

This fall, it was first reported that Apple had landed a deal with Steven Spielberg’s TV production company to resurrect the iconic directors 1980s sci-fi and horror anthology TV series Amazing Stories. Details on the reboot are still in short supply, but Apple is reportedly willing to spend more than $5 million per episode for what would likely be a 10-episode season, helmed by showrunner Bryan Fuller (Hannibal, American Gods) with Spielberg serving as executive producer. The agreement marked Apple’s first official scripted TV project, following previous forays into original programming that only included experiments with unscripted shows like James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke and the reality show Planet of the Apps.

Reese and Jen

After landing Spielberg, Apple turned its attention to a pair of A-list actresses, sealing a deal to produce two seasons of a scripted drama series starring Reese Witherspoon (who will also executive produce) and Jennifer Aniston. The series is reportedly set in the world of morning TV shows. Apple said the show will offer “an inside look at the lives of the people who help America wake up in the morning, exploring the unique challenges faced by the women (and men) who carry out this daily televised ritual.”

Battlestar Galactica

This month, Apple made a move on yet another TV project with name recognition, ordering a currently untitled space drama from Ronald D. Moore, the screenwriter and producer behind the 2004 reboot of the classic sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica. Moore, who also wrote episodes of the Star Trek TV series The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, will write the new show for Apple, which will reportedly focus on the premise that the Cold War’s space race between the U.S. and other countries never ended, according to Deadline.

About the Author
By Tom Huddleston Jr.
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Tech

Northrop Grumman launches private robot mission to strap jetpacks on aging satellites
InnovationSpaceX
Northrop Grumman launches private robot mission to strap jetpacks on aging satellites
By Marcia DunnJuly 22, 2026
2 hours ago
FBI Director Kash Patel meets Cambodian prime minister to crackdown on cybercrime and romance scams
AsiaFBI
FBI Director Kash Patel meets Cambodian prime minister to crackdown on cybercrime and romance scams
By Sopheng Cheang and The Associated PressJuly 22, 2026
2 hours ago
Larry Page and Sergey Brin
SuccessBillionaires
Google’s founders are snapping up Miami mansions, as billionaires flee California’s proposed tax—and the company is buying office space to accommodate
By Emma BurleighJuly 22, 2026
4 hours ago
orson
CommentaryOpenAI
We got California to intervene about OpenAI’s corporate switch from nonprofit status. It’s time for the SEC to come to the table
By Orson Aguilar and Catherine BracyJuly 22, 2026
7 hours ago
A woman observes stock trends on her smartphone while a computer screen displays financial graphs.
NewslettersCFO Daily
Beyond SpaceX: Why great IPOs depend on more than first-day demand
By Sheryl EstradaJuly 22, 2026
7 hours ago
Arrakis cofounder and CEO Rafael Quintanilla.
Startups & VentureVenture Capital
Exclusive: Arrakis, betting AI’s biggest payoff is in industrial sectors not office work, emerges from stealth with $38 million in venture funding
By Jeremy KahnJuly 22, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
Success
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
2 days ago
OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation
Cybersecurity
OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation
By Jeremy Kahn and Emily ForliniJuly 21, 2026
24 hours ago
Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem
AI
Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem
By Eva RoytburgJuly 21, 2026
1 day ago
Despite a $156 million contract, Knicks star Jalen Brunson still calls his parents for financial advice any time he makes a big purchase
Success
Despite a $156 million contract, Knicks star Jalen Brunson still calls his parents for financial advice any time he makes a big purchase
By Emma BurleighJuly 21, 2026
1 day ago
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
Success
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
By Sydney LakeJuly 20, 2026
2 days ago
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
AI
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
By Jason MaJuly 18, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.