Amazon MGM Studios is shaking up its scripted series team as part of a new restructuring under television head Peter Friedlander.
The move will transition the studio from a structure that’s split between wholly-owned and co-productions to a “streamlined, genre-based organization” focused on drama & comedy, worldbuilding, animation and unscripted.
As part of this change, Netflix executive Blair Fetter will join the company as head of worldbuilding and genre series starting Feb. 2, reporting directly to Friedlander.
Laura Lancaster and Nick Pepper, who serve as the heads of U.S. SVOD TV development and series for co-productions and wholly-owned, respectively, are also in talks to transition out of their roles and into producing deals with the studio.
At Netflix, Fetter oversaw spectacle series and was a driving force behind projects including “Stranger Things,” “Ozark,” “The Queen’s Gambit,” “Death by Lightning,” “BoJack Horseman,” “The Haunting of Hill House” and “3 Body Problem.”
“His ability to discover and develop expansive worlds paired with his commitment to high-quality storytelling makes him an ideal addition to my leadership team,” Friedlander said in a memo to staff.
Lanscaster has led creative oversight on series including “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” “Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power,” “Fallout,” “Reacher,” “The Terminal List,” “The Better Sister,” “We Were Liars,” and more, as well as upcoming series such as “Spider-Noir,” “Blade Runner 2099,” “Scarpetta,” and “God of War.”
Meanwhile, Pepper has overeseen projects such as “Overcompensating” “Secret Level,” “Hazbin Hotel,” “Helluva Boss,” “Vox Machina” and “Mighty Nein,” as well as upcoming titles like “Tomb Raider,” “Elle,” “Young Sherlock,” and “Carrie.”
“Nick and Laura have been invaluable builders of our scripted series slate,” Friedlander added. “We are deeply grateful for their significant contributions to our success.”
Tom Lieber, head of co-production genre development and current series, and Matt King, head of tentpole and genre & universe development, will report directly to Fetter.
Melissa Wolfe will continue as head of animation, reporting directly to Friedlander. Kara Smith, Michael McDonald and Jen Chambers will oversee drama, comedy and young adult programming, reporting to Friedlander on an interim basis until a new structure is finalized and a head of drama and comedy series is appointed. Additionally, head of global IP Lauren O’Connor and MGM Television scripted series head Lindsay Sloane will continue to report to Friedlander.
In addition to Fetter, Netflix’s Jenn Levy has joined Amazon as head of unscripted and documentary television.
“By organizing around these specialized genres with dedicated leadership, we will move faster, make sharper creative decisions and continue to build groundbreaking series that define the future of television,” Friedlander’s memo concluded. “I’m energized by the opportunities ahead and confident in this team’s ability to deliver for our customers and the creative community in which we work.”
