Amazon has signed off the latest round of its Instant Video exclusives, including a treatment of Philip K Dick’s The Man in the High Castle.
Executive produced by Ridley Scott, who once directed a little film you might have heard of called Blade Runner (also based on a Dick book), The Man in the High Castle offers a vision of an alternative history, where a post-World War II United States is carved up by occupying Japanese and German forces.
Starring Alexa Davalos (Clash of the Titans) and Rupert Evans (Hellboy), The Man in the High Castle is being adapted by award-winning writer and producer, Frank Spotnitz, best known for his work on The X-Files and spy thriller Hunted.
Joining The Man in the High Castle will be Mad Dogs, the US adaptation of the darkly comic Sky 1 show.
A second series of comedy-drama Mozart in the Jungle has recently been ordered, along with docu-series The New Yorker Presents and kids’ shows Just Add Magic and The Stinky & Dirty Show.
Earlier this year, Amazon also splashed out for Hollywood icon Woody Allen to write and direct an as-of-yet-untitled original series.
Amazon’s pilot season lets subscribers watch sample shows of prospective new series, and add their views and reviews to the company’s site, giving Amazon the opportunity to order up content based solely on viewer feedback and popularity.
The success of the system has been evident, given the effusive praise heaped on last year’s Transparent. The comedy-drama series, which follows a family’s reactions to the news that their patriarch is actually transgender, walked away with two Golden Globes last year, and was renewed for a second series back in October. The Man in the High Castle has become Amazon’s most watched pilot to date.
No launch dates for any of the new shows have been announced so far.
Prime Instant Video costs £5.99/month and is also bundled in as a freebie for Amazon Prime customers who can stump up the £79 annual fee.
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