Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead, has officially signed a two-year overall deal with Amazon Studios. Under this deal, Kirkman will move his Skybound Entertainment company from AMC and develop TV projects exclusively for Amazon Prime Video. This will also include a first look deal with Skybound. In conjunction with Kirkman and David Alpert, Skybound co-presidents Bryan and Sean Furst will oversee the Amazon project slate.
This two-year deal reunites Kirkman with former head of Fox International Channels, Sharon Tal Yguado. Tal Yguado previously supervised the rollout of The Walking Dead, in addition to developing Kirkman's Outcast comic for television. In January 2017, Tal Yguado joined Amazon as head of event series, reporting directly to head of originals for Amazon, Roy Price.
“Robert is a gifted storyteller who shares our passion for elevated genre storytelling that pushes boundaries. Robert and the team at Skybound are some of the most innovative and fearless creatives in the business. Together, we plan to explore immersive worlds and bold ideas for Prime Video,” shared Tal Yguado.
The Walking Dead publisher, Image Comics, is also home to Kirkman’s Skybound imprint. Skybound, co-created by Kirkman and Alpert, has been busy working on AMC’s The Walking Dead, the prequel Fear the Walking Dead, as well as Cinemax’s Outcast. The company has also produced international projects like Five Year, the virtual reality series GONE for Samsung’s Milk, along with the virtual realty horror series Lies Within for Delusion.
“At Skybound Entertainment we strive to tell the best stories in the most unique and creative ways in an effort to always break new ground. A forward-thinking company like Amazon is the perfect home for us. Their new foray into genre fiction has us at peak optimism for what can be accomplished during this unprecedented partnership. Sharon Tal Yguado has been an instrumental force in the success of Walking Dead and Outcast from day 1. Being able to not only continue that relationship, but also expand it into new territory with the vast resources of Amazon, means great things are ahead for myself, David Alpert, Skybound, and fans of awesome entertainment. Look out world, here we come!” Kirkman said.
Based on Kirkman’s titular comic series, The Walking Dead has held the spot of TV’s No. 1 scripted drama. The $1 billion franchise, which returns for its eighth season in October, has also spawned Fear the Walking Dead and Talking Dead.
Since 2015, Kirkman also has an overall deal with Universal Pictures. Through this deal, Kirkman is producing a feature film based on his long-running comic, Invincible. This project will be written, directed, and produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg through Universal. Additional film credits for Kirkman include Air, which features Academy Award nominee Djimon Hounsou and The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus.
