The deal, which involves Braun’s SB Projects, calls for multiple film and TV productions for Amazon Studios.
After brokering a $300 million-plus acquisition of Big Machine Label Group and subsequently getting broiled by Taylor Swift, Scooter Braun seems relatively unperturbed. Just this morning, word leaked that Braun has inked an exclusive pact with Amazon Studios to produce multiple film and TV projects.
The action will happen through Braun’s SB Projects, whose film and TV unit has already produced CBS series Scorpion, feature film The Giver and Justin Bieber documentary Never Say Never. Those are just teasers, however, with SB Projects also juggling at least half-a-dozen other productions for FX, Fox, and Showtime.
The Amazon deal now promises to expand SB’s slate of programming considerably, with Amazon getting the right of refusal (or ‘first look’) on new production ideas. That’s the latest in an ongoing string of first look deals from Amazon, and part of a broader race by subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platforms to capture coveted programming.
SB Projects falls under Braun’s Ithaca Holdings, which recently cemented a $300 million acquisition of former Taylor Swift label Big Machine. The deal was powered by funds from the Carlyle Group, which is also injecting more funds into Ithaca’s expansion.
That makes the Amazon deal seem like a frenzied negotiation, though Deadline says terms were actually finalized months ago. Separately, The Wrap has pointed to a multi-year deal with both unscripted and scripted content involved.
Braun also oversees artist management duties for a number of superstar artists, including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, and Zac Brown Band. The latest deal involving Amazon further expands the media opportunities for all of those clients, with both music-focused productions and more cinematic endeavors fair game. Bieber has already seized the opportunity by releasing his SB-backed documentary, part of a growing number of music documentaries and biopics hitting SVOD platforms.