Amazon Studios Signs ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Director Reed Morano to Exclusive Overall TV Deal
I think Reed Morano‘s alone now… with Amazon Studios. The Emmy-winning director has signed an overall deal with Morano to exclusively create original series for Amazon Prime Video. Morano recently directed “I Think We’re Alone Now,” which won the Special Jury Prize for Excellence in Filmmaking at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.
Morano made history last year when she won both the Emmy Award and DGA Award for directing the pilot to Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” the first time a female director had won both prizes in the same year. She was also the first woman to win the Outstanding Directing for a Drama Emmy in 22 years.
“Reed is a creative powerhouse whose distinct point of view shines through her immersive, emotional storytelling and commanding cinematic style,” said Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios. “We’re honored to partner with her to exclusively create originals for the global Prime Video audience.”
The deal is a huge coup for Amazon, which has been aggressively luring talent to the streaming service in the months since Salke took over — including first-look deals with Jordan Peele and Nicole Kidman.
“I’m thrilled to be working with the pioneers at Amazon,” said Morano. “Jen Salke is known for elevating content and her unwavering support for the filmmaker’s vision. We share the same passionate enthusiasm for breaking the mold with provocative storytelling, and I couldn’t be more excited about what we’ve been planning to create together.”
Morano, who began as a cinematographer, is currently directing Paramount’s global espionage thriller “The Rhythm Section,” starring Blake Lively and Jude Law. She debuted as a feature director on the film “Meadowland,” starring Olivia Wilde and Luke Wilson. Morano’s other TV credits include directing episodes of “Halt and Catch Fire” and “Billions,” and also serving as a cinematographer on shows such as “Looking” and “Vinyl.”
Besides winning the Emmy in 2017, Morano was also nominated that year in the Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour) category for the pilot to HBO’s “Divorce.”
Morano directed and executive produced the first three episodes of “The Handmaid’s Tale” in Season 1, which also won the Emmy that year for Outstanding Drama Series.
