An Apple TV executive leaves to create his own production company

Morgan Wandell, who worked for Apple TV before its launch, is now leaving the streaming service to launch his own production company.

In 2017, Apple poached Wandell from Amazon Studios to join its team at Apple Worldwide Video. When Apple TV launched in 2019, his title became head of international content development.

At Apple, Wandell developed and oversaw production on “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” “Tehran,” “Disclaimer,” “Masters of the Air,” and “The New Look.”

Now it seems he has other plans. Wandell plans to leave Apple TV to start his own production company, Kismet.

Kismet will develop and produce premium scripted series for the global market. Its offerings will focus on premium storytelling rooted in culture.

Although he’s technically giving up his leadership role, it appears he’s not leaving Apple TV completely. He is currently in talks with Apple to remain a producer on some of its existing projects.

“Helping build Apple TV’s international roster has been the privilege of my career,” Wandell said. Deadline.

“I am deeply grateful to Jamie (Erlicht), Zack (Van Amburg), and all of my colleagues at Apple, as well as the extraordinary creators we have collaborated with around the world. It was a difficult personal decision to make this jump from a great company like Apple, but I always wanted to start my own company.”

Matt Cherniss, Apple TV’s head of programming and national development, will take over the Monarch franchise and other series that fell under Wandell’s purview. Cherniss currently oversees other hit series, such as “Ted Lasso,” “Severance,” “The Studio” and “Pluribus.”

Jay Hunt, Apple TV’s creative director for Europe, will see her role expand to oversee international and local originals. She is notably responsible for the British classics “Slow Horses” and “Hijack”.

Prior to his tenure at Apple, Wandell worked for four years as head of international series and head of drama series at Amazon Studios. Prior to that, he served as senior vice president of drama at ABC Studios, overseeing series such as “Lost,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Brothers and Sisters,” “Ugly Betty” and “Criminal Minds.”