Koro Castellano: Celebs Rumors

Jamie Lang Prime Video had big plans for its original programming in 2020, with several major scripted projects leaving development and going into production. As was the case in most of the world, however, COVID-19 threw a wrench in the streamer’s plans and forced the company to focus its efforts in other areas for a time, notably in sports documentaries and unscripted series.Now, with best practices established for safe shooting and work back in full swing, the streamer has big plans for its 2022 scripted content lineup and beyond, outlined at an in-person presentation in Madrid last week.After the presentation, Maria José Rodríguez, Amazon Studios’ head of Spanish Originals, and Koro Castellano, director of Prime Video España, met with Variety to discuss what sets Prime Video apart from other streamers, creating diversity on both sides of the camera and the various initiatives that will direct the company’s activities over the coming years.

Dani Rovira, star of “Spanish Affair” and Eva Soriano, a comedian with her own show on Movistar+, “Showriano,” will dub main characters in the awaited Japanese reboot of the hit Takeshi Kitano-hosted 1980s adventure variety show “Takeshi’s Castle.” This technique, where Spanish comedians produced a laughably spoof dub which often had little to do with events happening on screen in the original Japanese show, yielded a cult TV show on Telecinco in the 1990s. In all, Prime Video’s new slate in Spain can be read several ways. It is tapping top movie talent for movies which, though maybe long in development, seek to capitalise on the huge audience and branding success of the Oscar-nominated “Argentina, 1985.”  Though titles range widely, many involve either true crime or action, broad prime audience drivers in an OTT world.  Amazon’s Prime Video is unveiling key steps in Spain in its transformation from a movie-TV service into a broad entertainment broadcaster.