Biography
Skydance Television is a television production company launched by Skydance on May 1, 2013. The division hired Marcy Ross as division president and a month later, Carolyn Harris joined Skydance Television as vice president. However, in January 2020, Ross left her position transitioning to a deal with the media company, where she continues to be an executive producer on Grace and Frankie, Altered Carbon, Condor, and Foundation. Bill Bost was a promo from senior vice president to president of Skydance Television. In November 2022, Bost stepped down and launched his own company; Netflix's Matt Thunell took his place.
In May 2014, Jake Rose joined Skydance Television as EVP Production and in March 2018, Carol Turner joined Skydance replacing Rose and overseeing production on-site at the studio. By July 2014 its first show, Manhattan, was launched on WGN America; it received critical acclaim throughout its run, but failed to secure adequate ratings, resulting in the series being canceled for 2 seasons in 2015.
Later in April 2017, director Sam Raimi signed his first look deal at Skydance Television with his television producing partner Debbie Liebling. By September 2017, a multi-year overall agreement was signed by producers Patrick Massett and John Zinman after they joined a series that was based on Sword Art Online. After the 2017 announcement of developing a series adaptation of Isaac Asimov's science fiction book series Foundation with David S. Goyer and Josh Friedman serving as the production's writers. In 2018, Apple Studios bought the rights to the series renewing it for a second season upon its release in 2021, making it the first Skydance series from Apple Inc. to air. In June 2018, Dietland aired on AMC along with a companion talk show hosted by Aisha Tyler from Archer, under its label company Uncharted.
In September 2019, writer David S. Goyer also signed a deal with Skydance Television for an exclusive multi-year overall agreement as well under his Phantom Four company. In April 2019, Daredevil writer Lewaa Nasserdeen joined Skydance Television in an overall deal as well while developing a semi-autobiographical comedy-drama series on Showtime. In May 2019 Alison Schapker, showrunner of Altered Carbon, made an overall deal with Skydance Television to develop a series at the studio, including a US remake of a South Korean series called Hotel del Luna. By August 2019, writer Olivia Purnell had signed an overall deal with Skydance Television writing projects for the studio. In May 2020, Nick Santora also got an overall deal with Skydance Television with a series starting Arnold Schwarzenegger called FUBAR, soon to be released on Netflix. In May 2020 Skydance Television named Drew Brown as head of production.
In December 2020, Skydance Television signed a first-look deal with Exile Content Studio to develop and produce scripted series. By February 2021, the studio also signed a first-look deal with Impact, a global talent network and development accelerator program owned by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer for television productions. In November 2021, Peter Johnson joins Skydance Television as a television executive reporting for Bill Bost. By December 2022, it was announced that Octavia Spencer’s production company, Orit Entertainment, has entered a multiyear first-look deal for scripted projects for Skydance Television. On March 21, 2023, James Patterson signed an exclusive first-look pact with Skydance Television to adapt his works such as the upcoming series Cross along with other projects in development like Women’s Murder Club and the upcoming book Jane Smith.