Apple has committed to invest more than US$6 billion for original shows and films before the launch of its new video streaming service, Apple TV+, reported The Financial Times.
At first, with the incorporation of two well-known executives at Sony Pictures Television, Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg in 2017, an investment of US$1 billion was estimated to acquire and produce original television shows, but the budget has expanded and the total committed until now exceeds US$6 billion.
Only in its first original series, The Morning Show, the company has spent hundreds of millions of dollars, having the actors Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carrell, what would equal a higher cost per episode than Game of Thrones (which, according to reports cost US$15 million per episode in its final season). Apple launched last Monday the trailer of the series directed by Kerry Ehrin and produced by Media Res, Echo Films and Reese Witherspoon´s Hello Sunshine. It is based on an original idea by Michael Ellenberg, and on the book Top of the Morning by Brian Stelter. The series received a request for two more seasons, 10 episodes each. Along with The Morning Show the science-fiction drama See with Jason Momoa, will be included. It is one of the most expensive programs on the Apple list.
Apple seeks to build an original programming library to face established competitors such as Netflix and HBO. Although the Apple budget is below Netflix´s expected content expenditure (US$15 billion this year), it would have more generous payment conditions, managing to win agreements in Hollywood.
The new service would seek to be launched in the next two months, in autumn, in a possible attempt to take place before the launch of Disney+ that will reach the US on November 12. Apple has not revealed prices yet but aims to add new content each month.