Apple is expanding its movie division to strengthen its streaming service Apple TV+. Bloomberg reported on the 22nd that Apple signed a distribution deal for new movies with North Road, an entertainment studio run by media mogul Peter Chernin.
With this deal, Apple will have the first distribution rights to new movies produced by North Road. The studio has been working with Netflix for the past five years.
“We’ve had a great experience working with Apple on series, and they’ve been bold and supportive,” Chernin said. “We’re thrilled to build on that success and now collaborate on a film.”
Chernin’s production company has been producing shows for Apple TV+, and another series, “Chip of War,” is due out in August.
Apple, still a young company in Hollywood, has been expanding its film division to bolster its streaming service, Apple TV+. Apple has had some successful original TV series, including “Ted Lasso,” but has yet to make a splash in feature films. The company is set to expand into the film business with the release of “F1,” starring Brad Pitt, on July 27.
Chernin, an investor and producer, is one of the most influential figures in the media industry. After a long career as an executive at News Corp. and Fox, alongside Rupert Murdoch, he founded his own company in 2010. Netflix, one of the most prolific movie producers in Hollywood, has been cutting back on the number of movies it produces recently, while Apple is aggressively increasing its movie production, Bloomberg reported.