Under the Dome wins big in 2013, exec credits Amazon, big decisions and Steven Spielberg
CBS TV Studios president Stapf discussed the success of their new show Under the Dome.
From the Jan. 3, 2014, issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine, the show is praised for their pricey sets, big special effects and a sizable cast of recognizable stars, including Breaking Bad‘s Dean Norris, 50, Twilight‘s Rachelle Lefevre, 34, and Bates Motel‘s Mike Vogel, 34. Stephen King’s story and Steven Spielberg as producer don’t hurt either.
“It worked beyond our expectations,” says Stapf of the experiment, with Dome ending its first season as the most watched summer series in more than two decades with, on average, 15 million-plus viewers. The series returns in summer 2014, with King set to pen the first episode.
CBS inked a rich, first-of-its-kind deal with Amazon that gave the streaming giant rights to episodes just four days after they aired. (It reportedly paid $700,000 per installment and helped make Dome instantly profitable for CBS.)
“There wasn’t as much pressure,” notes Lefevre, referring to the lack of precedent. CBS execs “were able to make big, ballsy decisions as a result, and success is what comes from that.”
[…] Under the Dome was a huge hit in 2013 and a big Amazon deal made the show a big payday for the network – more details HERE […]
[…] Under the Dome was a huge hit in 2013 and a big Amazon deal made the show a big payday for the network – more details HERE […]
[…] Of course it didn’t hurt that the show was an instant hit. It was the most watched summer series in more than twenty years. Nielsen tallied up the live viewing as well as the DVR numbers and estimated that the show averaged 15+million viewers. Amazon picked up season two, 9 months before it will air, 6 months before filming begins on season two. That Amazon will continue with the same kind of licensing deal, exclusive domain for the online streaming of the episodes four days after they air. READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE NOW! […]