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

Trendingnow

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
Arts & EntertainmentAmazon

Amazon Studios Head Jennifer Salke Talks ‘Lord of the Rings,’ Sexual Harassment

By
Sarah Gray
Sarah Gray
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Sarah Gray
Sarah Gray
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 11, 2018, 7:21 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Jennifer Salke, former NBC Entertainment president, was named head of Amazon Studios in February, replacing Roy Price, who was ousted following sexual harassment allegations.

At NBC Entertainment, Salke was known for bringing in hits like This is Us and the Chicago series. She previously helped shape hits Glee (Fox) and Modern Family (ABC).

In a series of interviews published by media outlets this week, Salke laid out her goals for Amazon Studios—from the broad (a more inclusive, diverse environment) to the specific (when the studio hopes to release the highly-anticipated Lord of the Rings series). Here are five major takeaways from her media blitz.

1. Shaping Amazon Studios’ culture

While Salke told The Hollywood Reporter that the environment within Amazon Studios was already changing by the time she arrived, she noted what she brings to the table when it comes to shaping the culture.

“Having somebody like me, who celebrates women and diversity, come in is a huge first step,” Salke said. “The fact that I’m also an accessible and transparent leader spoke volumes in the first days of being here. I had two or three weeks of executives and people across the company on my sofa, many of them women, talking about their experiences and how they were feeling and wanting to be someone who could listen and be an advocate for them.”

2. What she sees as her mandates

According to THR, Salke’s main goals are to create a collaborative workplace, churn out some hit shows, and become the “very best” place for talent.

“I’m a killer, and I’m ambitious, and I’m going to compete,” she told the New York Times.

3. The race for talent

Speaking of talent, with competitor Netflix snapping up high-profile creators like Shonda Rhimes, Ryan Murphy, and the former President Barack Obama, Salke acknowledges that there is intense competition for Hollywood’s best. However, she told THR that she believes there are plenty of talented folks looking for a home.

“A few months in, I’m not going to be publicly poaching,” Salke told the New York Times. But I’m going to be out there like I was with Jordan [Peele], proactively approaching people who are available or coming available.”

In addition to Get Out director Peele, who signed a deal with Amazon Studios last week to give it first right of refusal for any television show ideas, Salke mentioned talking with Law & Order creator Dick Wolfe. In terms of directors, Oscar-winning Moonlight director Barry Jenkins has also agreed to direct a mini-series at Amazon Studios. Meanwhile, Call Me by Your Name‘s Luca Guadagnino already has a project with the studio, as does This is Us’ Fogelman.

4. What’s in the pipeline for television — including Lord of the Rings?

Yes, the much-talked about Lord of the Rings deal has gone through, and the hope is that it’ll be on the air in 2021.

“We have an estate that’s very active,” Salke told THR. “I’ve spent three hours with Simon Tolkien. There’s a lot of moving parts with it. We’ll have some game plan to move forward with very soon.”

In addition to Lord of the Rings, other series are in the works. Jenkins will direct a mini-series based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Underground Railroad. Amazon Studios is also creating a series Modern Love with filmmaker John Carney, based on the New York Times relationship column. And it is moving ahead with The Expanse after the channel Syfy cancelled it.

Then of course there are returning shows including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which won a Golden Globe, The Man in the High Castle, and continuing with Transparent after its star, Jeffrey Tambor, was accused of sexual harassment on the set.

5. What about film?

Amazon Studios has released indie darlings like Manchester by the Sea and The Big Sick, and according to Deadline, Amazon Studios wants to produce between 10 and 19 films annually. Some of that will be theatrical release, while other originals will go straight to online.

“I think it’s going to be a combination [of homegrown films and acquisitions,]” Salke told Deadline. “We’ve already met with multiple big studios on acquisitions and partnerships with them, in addition to overall deals that are going to be announced that encompass a film component. If Universal didn’t have a deal for Jordan Peele’s movies, that would be one. Creators, writers, directors, you’ll hear about some of those deals coming up shortly, for originals, and some that will go straight to platform.”

Amazon Studios films include Beautiful Boy produced by Plan-B, an English-language remake of Suspiria directed by Guadagnino, and a film written by Fogelman called Life Itself.

About the Author
By Sarah Gray
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

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
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

paramount
CommentaryAntitrust
How Paramount’s theater commitments could boost local economies across the nation
By Ike BrannonJuly 2, 2026
7 hours ago
Today, Emily Blunt is worth $80 million thanks to her Hollywood career—but she actually wanted to be a UN Spanish translator on $80K
SuccessCareers
Today, Emily Blunt is worth $80 million thanks to her Hollywood career—but she actually wanted to be a UN Spanish translator on $80K
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 2, 2026
10 hours ago
Melania Trump NFT earnings surge 28x in 2025 as the First Lady rakes in nearly $17 million in total earnings, filing shows
PoliticsDonald Trump
Melania Trump NFT earnings surge 28x in 2025 as the First Lady rakes in nearly $17 million in total earnings, filing shows
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 1, 2026
23 hours ago
Donald Trump sits at his desk in the Oval Office, smiling and with his hands folded in front of him.
PoliticsDonald Trump
Trump got a $78K pension from the Screen Actors Guild in 2025 because he appeared in Home Alone 2 in 1992
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
powell
InvestingSports
Premier League Lacrosse adds Rob Mac, Glen Powell to investors group in historic $100 million funding round
By The Associated PressJune 30, 2026
2 days ago
swiss
EuropeHeat
It’s so hot in Switzerland that yodelers are standing in fountains
By Jez Fielder and The Associated PressJune 30, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
Big Tech
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
7 days ago
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
Trump got a $78K pension from the Screen Actors Guild in 2025 because he appeared in Home Alone 2 in 1992
Politics
Trump got a $78K pension from the Screen Actors Guild in 2025 because he appeared in Home Alone 2 in 1992
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
5 days ago
CEO of $248 billion cybersecurity company says workers are about to face a ‘Darwinian moment’ thanks to AI: Evolve or get cut
Success
CEO of $248 billion cybersecurity company says workers are about to face a ‘Darwinian moment’ thanks to AI: Evolve or get cut
By Emma BurleighJuly 1, 2026
1 day 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.