“The Farewell” filmmaker Lulu Wang and producer Dani Melia are setting up shop at Amazon. Deadline reports that the duo have signed a first look TV deal with Amazon through Local Time, their new production company. The pact will see Wang and Melia executive producing television projects with a “focus on championing emerging storytellers.”
Amazon has already ordered a few titles from the producing partners. Wang is directing and exec producing “Expats,” a series adaptation of Janice Y.K. Lee’s “The Expatriates” that stars Nicole Kidman. Melia is also executive producing. The pair are also developing an adaptation of Lysley Tenorio’s “The Son of Good Fortune,” which explores the difficulties of being an undocumented immigrant in the U.S.
Also on Local Time’s slate are sci-fi feature “Children of the New World,” based on a short story collection by Alexander Weinstein, and an English-language remake of the 2013 Japanese film “Like Father, Like Son.” Wang is directing both projects.
“We’re thrilled to be expanding our relationship with Amazon,” Wang said. “Jen Salke and her team have been remarkable partners on ‘Expats’ and we look forward to many more artist-driven collaborations.”
“Lulu’s talent is immeasurable. She brings so much heart and humanity to every project with her creative vision, as we’ve already seen on our upcoming series ‘Expats,’” emphasized Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios. “It is a special privilege to work with Lulu and Dani, and we share their commitment to elevating new voices and storytellers. We’re so looking forward to continuing and growing the Amazon Studios relationship with them and developing exciting new projects together for our Prime Video customers.”
Wang and Melia received the Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature for “The Farewell.” Wang directed the story about a family lying to its matriarch about her cancer diagnosis, as well as produced alongside Melia.
Source: Women And Hollywood
