Amazon Studios alum Morgan Wandell has been tapped to lead international development for Apple Video.
At Apple, Wandell will be tasked with developing big-ticket productions that can travel well around the world. He will report to Apple Video chief content officers Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg in his role as head of international creative development for worldwide video. He starts at Apple’s Culver City office at the end of this month.
Wandell’s move to Apple has been in the works for months, long before the shakeup last week that saw Amazon Studios president Roy Price ousted amid allegations of sexual harassment. He is the latest high-profile hire in the unit that former Sony Pictures TV presidents Van Amburg and Erlicht have been building out for the tech giant since June. The creative community has been abuzz with talk of content deals in the works at Apple, suggesting that a first wave of greenlights is coming soon.
Wandell had been with Amazon since 2013. He ran the streaming service’s drama development before shifting last year to an internationally focused role similar to his new job at Apple. During his tenure, Wandell worked with Van Amburg and Erlicht on the development of “Sneaky Pete,” a busted Sony Pictures TV pilot for CBS that moved to Amazon and is about to start its second season.
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Among the other shows Wandell spearheaded are “The Man in the High Castle,” “Goliath,” and the upcoming “Jack Ryan” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” for Amazon.
Before Amazon, Wandell served a hitch as president of Greg Berlanti’s production company. He logged several years at ABC Studios working on such series as “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Lost,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Private Practice,” “Criminal Minds,” and “Ghost Whisperer.”
Earlier in his career, Wandell headed development for the in-school educational network Channel One.
