Prime-Video - Cruel Summer, the new event series will be offered in exclusivity

By Mulder, 13 january 2021

Amazon Prime Video announced today that it has secured worldwide rights to the first exclusive window (excluding the United States, Canada and China) of the highly anticipated thriller Cruel Summer. The series, produced by independent studio Entertainment One (eOne) with Iron Ocean Productions of Jessica Biel and Michelle Purple, will launch on Prime Video after its first U.S. broadcast on Freeform in 2021.

"With Cruel Summer, Jessica Biel, Michelle Purple, Bert V. Royal and Tia Napolitano have created a unique drama that will thrill Prime Video members around the world as this mysterious story unfolds," said Brad Beale, Vice President of Global Content Acquisitions for Prime Video. "This highly anticipated series is a great addition to Prime Video's existing catalog of shows and movies and we look forward to Prime members watching this fascinating series".

"We are delighted to expand our international relationship with Amazon Prime Video with this highly coveted series," said Stuart Baxter, President of International Distribution at eOne. "Cruel Summer is in the news at a time when strong female voices are being raised; it is a unique series because it tells a story with multiple perspectives, while unraveling a dark enigma, bit by bit. We believe that this drama, with themes that will speak to everyone internationally, will appeal to audiences around the world, first in SVOD and then beyond".

The cast of the series includes Olivia Holt, Chiara Aurelia, Michael Landes, Froy Gutierrez, Harley Quinn Smith, Allius Barnes, Blake Lee, Brooklyn Sudano and Sarah Drew.

Created and produced by Bert V. Royal with Tia Napolitano as showrunner and executive producer, Cruel Summer comes from eOne studio and Iron Ocean Productions by Jessica Biel and Michelle Purple. Max Winkler directed and produced the pilot. eOne holds the worldwide distribution rights for the series (except the U.S. and Canada), including the second windows.

Cruel Summer will be added to a Prime Video catalog rich with thousands of series and films, including several original creations made in France by Amazon Studios, such as Love Island and True Story, and soon Mixed, Operations Totems, and others. Cruel Summer will enrich an offering of critically acclaimed Amazon Originals programs such as the Emmy Award-winning comedies Fleabag and La Fabuleuse Mme Maisel, as well as Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, The Boys, Hunters, Homecoming, Hanna, and Good Omens, and films such as Borat, a new filmed mission, all available in more than 240 countries and territories.

Synopsis :
Cruel Summer is an unconventional series that takes place over three summers in the 90s, when a beautiful and popular teenage girl disappears and another teenage girl, shy and awkward and with no apparent connection to the first one, suddenly becomes the icon of the city before transforming herself into the most despised person in America. Each episode is told from alternating points of view.

Cruel Summer
Created by Tia Napolitano
Directed by Max Winkler
Produced by Max Winkler, Jessica Biel, Michelle Purple, Bert V. Royal, Max Winkler, Tia Napolitano
Written by Bert V. Royal
Starring Olivia Holt, Chiara Aurelia, Michael Landes, Froy Gutierrez, Harley Quinn Smith, Allius Barnes, Blake Lee, Brooklyn Sudano, Sarah Drew
Production companies : eOne Television, Iron Ocean Productions
Distributed by Amazon Prime Video

(Source : press release)