Former HBO Executive chairman and CEO Richard Plepler closed an exclusive deal with Apple TV+ for his newly launched Eden Productions. Within the five year contract, he will develop and produce original series, feature films and documentaries for Apple TV Plus through Eden.
Plepler left HBO at the end of February after working there for three decades. Plepler had reportedly not been interested in returning as an executive and instead focused on pursuing opportunities as a producer, launching a production company with financial backers.
“It was instantaneously clear to me that I had a wonderful and very privileged run at HBO and I wasn’t going to be able to duplicate that again,” Mr. Plepler said.
The Production Company Eden is based in New York and described as a company focused on a few select programs.
Plepler had many meetings with Apple TV+ heads Jamie Erlicht & Zack Van Amburg who previously ran Sony Pictures TV.
Plepler said “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. 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.”
Plepler has been a key driving force behind HBO’s success over the past couple of decades. He was elevated to HBO’s CEO in 2012. Before that he was co president.
Apple TV+ is a streaming service from Apple Inc. that debuted on November 1, 2019. Apple has broad production deals/content partnerships with A24, Imagine Documentaries, Sesame Workshop, Peanuts parent Wildbrain and Oprah Winfrey. The company has overall deals with Alfonso Cuaron, Jason Katims, Justin Lin, Kerry Ehrin, Monica Beletsky, Jennifer Aniston, Steven Spielberg and Jason Momoa.
Apple TV+ content is viewable through Apple’s website and through Apple’s TV app, which in 2019 expanded its availability to numerous consumer electronics devices, including those of Apple’s competitors, with further plans to expand availability to more devices over time.