Sam Levinson, the writer-director behind Euphoria, is moving his television development to Amazon MGM Studios. The studio said Levinson has signed an exclusive overall TV deal, with executive producer services attached for Ashley Levinson and her Tiny Goat Productions.
The agreement means Levinson will create and develop series only for Amazon MGM and Prime Video. His previous television work — Euphoria, The Idol and The Wizard of Lies — all sat at HBO.
What the pact covers
- Exclusive series development for Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video.
- Executive producer services for Ashley Levinson of Tiny Goat Productions.
- A clean break from HBO after a run of buzzy, awards-heavy titles.
The number behind the bet
The most persuasive line on Levinson’s résumé is the finale he just delivered. The third and final season of Euphoria ended in May, with Levinson writing and directing all eight episodes. Despite well-documented production delays, it averaged roughly 25 million viewers worldwide, according to internal data cited by The Hollywood Reporter. That is up from 21.5 million for season two in 2022.
For a platform deciding whether to fund a creator’s next several ideas, that upward curve matters. Euphoria returned late and still grew. That signals a built-in audience — the asset an overall deal is really buying.
Why Amazon wants the pipeline
Peter Friedlander, head of global television at Amazon MGM Studios, framed the signing as an investment in voice, calling Levinson “one of the most daring and original voices in television today” and promising “creative freedom and global platform.” Levinson said the team’s trust was clear from “our very first conversation.”
For entertainment marketers and media planners, the takeaway is not that a single new show has been ordered. An overall deal is a first-look pipeline: Amazon now has exclusive rights to Levinson’s next series projects before they are shopped elsewhere.
What to watch next
The real test will arrive with Levinson’s first Amazon project. Until then, buyers should track whether his audience follows him across platforms. Euphoria‘s second season was an Emmy nominee for best drama series, and Levinson won a Directors Guild Award in 2023; his film credits include Malcolm & Marie and Assassination Nation. But awards do not guarantee that a fan base will switch services.
For Amazon, this is a talent-market move as much as a content order. It takes a proven HBO creator off the board and gives Prime Video a name with a demonstrated global audience.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
