In the latest phase of big plans for growth, Peacock’s collaborating with Universal Pictures to produce original movies from LeBron James, John Woo, and Will Packer.
Peacock’s making a LeBron James biopic and a reimagining of John Woo’s The Killer
The streamer is also producing a movie from Will Packer
The streamer is also producing a movie from Will Packer
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
is a reporter focusing on film, TV, and pop culture. Before The Verge, he wrote about comic books, labor, race, and more at io9 and Gizmodo for almost five years.
Along with reclaiming some of NBC’s most valuable shows from other platforms and having the exclusive rights to stream NBCUniversal’s movies immediately after their theatrical releases, Peacock’s big plan also includes producing a number of original films. In a press release about its upcoming projects, Peacock president Kelly Campbell emphasized that the service sees itself as a place people come to looking specifically for films, and it’s moving to meet customers’ desires.
“We know people join Peacock to watch movies, so we are constantly adding more to serve fans,” Campbell said. “Together with the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, we are excited to deliver fresh, exclusive, original films next year to our customers in addition to the legendary Universal Pictures blockbuster films and beloved franchises streaming now.”
Shooting Stars, a LeBron James “origin story” from James and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill Company that chronicles the basketball player’s life as a teenager, will be one of the first Peacock original movies to hit the platform. Peacock also announced that it has greenlit Girls Trip producer Will Packer’s Praise This, a feature starring Chloe Bailey “as the newest member of a community’s church choir who pushes her members in a hipper musical direction,” and a reimagining of John Woo’s The Killer. Though Peacock said Woo will return to direct the new movie, there are currently no other details about The Killer, but it, Praise This, and Shooting Stars are all slated to debut in 2023.
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