Peter Friedlander, a pivotal figure in the realm of scripted television, has been appointed as the head of global television at Amazon MGM Studios, set to commence his role on October 6th. Friedlander’s transition to Amazon follows an extensive 14-year tenure at Netflix, where he played a significant role in shaping the streaming giant’s scripted content landscape.
Friedlander takes over from Vernon Sanders, who recently vacated the TV leadership role at Amazon MGM Studios in early September. His career at Netflix, which began in 2011, was marked by his ascent from director of original series to vice president, eventually leading the department. During his time at Netflix, Friedlander was instrumental in the success of groundbreaking series such as “House of Cards,” “Orange Is the New Black,” “Wednesday,” “Monster,” and “Bridgerton.”
Before his transformative journey at Netflix, Friedlander honed his skills as an executive at Playtone, Tom Hanks’ production company. There, he contributed to projects like the Emmy-nominated “Big Love” and worked as a creative executive on several feature films.
In a memo circulated to staff, Mike Hopkins, head of Amazon MGM Studios and Amazon Prime Video, highlighted Friedlander’s impressive track record. Hopkins noted the remarkable global success of numerous shows under Friedlander’s helm, accentuating his readiness to take on his new responsibilities at Amazon.
Friedlander’s appointment signals Amazon MGM Studio’s strategic focus on expanding its footprint in the realm of original television content, leveraging his extensive expertise and successful track record. As he prepares to embark on this new chapter, the industry keenly anticipates how his leadership will steer Amazon’s television ventures into new territories of innovation and success.