Forest Whitaker’s Significant Productions Sets Amazon First-Look Deal

Will Thorne

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Forest Whitaker and his Significant Productions co-founder Nina Yang Bongiovi have signed a first-look deal with Amazon.

Under the deal, Whitaker’s production banner will work with Amazon Studios to develop TV series for the company’s streaming platform. The duo founded Significant back in 2010 with the aim of focusing on diversity in front of and behind the camera. So far, the company’s biggest hit has been the Ryan Coogler-directed “Fruitvale Station.”

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“Significant Productions, fueled by the vision of Forest Whitaker and Nina Yang Bongiovi, has given a platform to emerging talent and created brilliant, critically acclaimed, and commercially successful projects across film and television,” said Albert Cheng, COO and co-head of television at Amazon in a statement. “We are looking forward to working with Significant Productions as they continue to develop fresh voices to tell even more important, inclusive stories.”

Other features on which Whitaker and Yang Bongiovi have teamed include 2015’s “Dope,” “Songs My Brothers Taught Me,” and the provocative “Sorry To Bother You” by Boots Riley. Currently, the duo are executive producing the Epix series “Godfather of Harlem,” in which Whitaker will also star in the lead role.

“Teaming up with Amazon Studios for our producing endeavors in television empowers us to amplify what we’ve been building these last nine years. Championing inclusive stories as wells as diverse talent and creators is in our DNA, and creating cultural impact is our brand. Having Albert Cheng, Vernon Sanders and Jennifer Salke in our corner is truly remarkable. We’re thrilled to join the extraordinary roster of talent at the studio,” said Whitaker and Yang Bongiovi in a joint statement.

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