TMC
12-16-2022, 07:56 PM
https://deadline.com/2022/12/peacock-adjusts-development-strategy-ian-mcculloch-james-wan-horror-drama-queens-court-bumper-in-berlin-renewal-1235199904/
EXCLUSIVE: Peacock launched — some of it by design some by necessity because of the pandemic — with original comedies as well as dramas repurposed from linear NBCUniversal networks. In the first year following its July 2020 launch, Peacock debuted comedies Saved By the Bell, Punky Brewster, Rutherford Falls and Girls5eva, along with drama Brave New World, which had been originally produced for USA Network.
None of these shows are still on the platform. And as the NBCUniversal streamer is headed into 2023 with the first full slate of originals developed by Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, and her team, it also is adjusting its development strategy for the next stage of its evolution, with a stronger emphasis on drama, led by eventized series, a focus on bingeable comedies as well as more true crime limited docu series and celebrity-driven shows on the unscripted side.
As Deadline can reveal exclusively, some of the projects under that strategy shift, which NBCU executives have been presenting to the agency community, include horror thriller from Ian McCulloch and genre film master James Wan and dating reality series Queen’s Court starring Tamar Braxton, Evelyn Lozada and Nivea, both of which have been picked up to series, as well as true crime docu series World’s Most Notorious Killers and Myth of the Zodiac Killer, which have been set for development.
After an early push in original comedy series, which didn’t get much traction, Peacock is shifting the balance with about 2/3 drama and 1/3 comedy development for next year but remains committed to comedy on the heels of the success of Pitch Perfect: Bumper In Berlin, which I hear is closing in on a Season 2 renewal.
The course correction is being based on feedback from a larger sample size as Peacock has increased its user base and their engagement level. While still lagging significantly behind its main streaming competitors in reach, Peacock has made strides in 2022, more than doubling its paid subscribers over the course of the year to over 18M as well as more than 30M monthly active accounts (including bundled and free ones), with 20 hours weekly engagement. The growth has been fueled by the move of NBC and Bravo next-day programming from Hulu this past fall and Days of Our Lives, getting day-and-date Universal films like Halloween Ends, Pay 1 window films like Jurassic Park Dominion and Minions: The Rise of Gru, live events like the World Cup and NFL football as well as content deals like the recently launched Hallmark hub and live NBC local affiliate channels.
The increased circulation allowed Peacock to crack Nielsen’s streaming ratings for the first time this fall, first with Halloween Ends and then the smart 2020 off-network acquisition, Yellowstone, on the series side. It also informed Rovner and her team’s development targets for next year as they look to cater to the people consuming Peacock content and to deliver something the streamer is yet to find, a platform-defining series.
According to their pitch to talent reps, NBCU is ready to spend on a show of the caliber of House of the Dragon, LOTR: The Rings of Power or Stranger Things and is prepared to go after big stars, hoping to lure them with the prospect of leveraging them across the portfolio and cross-promoting their projects.
EXCLUSIVE: Peacock launched — some of it by design some by necessity because of the pandemic — with original comedies as well as dramas repurposed from linear NBCUniversal networks. In the first year following its July 2020 launch, Peacock debuted comedies Saved By the Bell, Punky Brewster, Rutherford Falls and Girls5eva, along with drama Brave New World, which had been originally produced for USA Network.
None of these shows are still on the platform. And as the NBCUniversal streamer is headed into 2023 with the first full slate of originals developed by Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, and her team, it also is adjusting its development strategy for the next stage of its evolution, with a stronger emphasis on drama, led by eventized series, a focus on bingeable comedies as well as more true crime limited docu series and celebrity-driven shows on the unscripted side.
As Deadline can reveal exclusively, some of the projects under that strategy shift, which NBCU executives have been presenting to the agency community, include horror thriller from Ian McCulloch and genre film master James Wan and dating reality series Queen’s Court starring Tamar Braxton, Evelyn Lozada and Nivea, both of which have been picked up to series, as well as true crime docu series World’s Most Notorious Killers and Myth of the Zodiac Killer, which have been set for development.
After an early push in original comedy series, which didn’t get much traction, Peacock is shifting the balance with about 2/3 drama and 1/3 comedy development for next year but remains committed to comedy on the heels of the success of Pitch Perfect: Bumper In Berlin, which I hear is closing in on a Season 2 renewal.
The course correction is being based on feedback from a larger sample size as Peacock has increased its user base and their engagement level. While still lagging significantly behind its main streaming competitors in reach, Peacock has made strides in 2022, more than doubling its paid subscribers over the course of the year to over 18M as well as more than 30M monthly active accounts (including bundled and free ones), with 20 hours weekly engagement. The growth has been fueled by the move of NBC and Bravo next-day programming from Hulu this past fall and Days of Our Lives, getting day-and-date Universal films like Halloween Ends, Pay 1 window films like Jurassic Park Dominion and Minions: The Rise of Gru, live events like the World Cup and NFL football as well as content deals like the recently launched Hallmark hub and live NBC local affiliate channels.
The increased circulation allowed Peacock to crack Nielsen’s streaming ratings for the first time this fall, first with Halloween Ends and then the smart 2020 off-network acquisition, Yellowstone, on the series side. It also informed Rovner and her team’s development targets for next year as they look to cater to the people consuming Peacock content and to deliver something the streamer is yet to find, a platform-defining series.
According to their pitch to talent reps, NBCU is ready to spend on a show of the caliber of House of the Dragon, LOTR: The Rings of Power or Stranger Things and is prepared to go after big stars, hoping to lure them with the prospect of leveraging them across the portfolio and cross-promoting their projects.