Amazon scores Fear the Walking Dead

Amazon Prime Instant Video Germany has picked up the sought-after SVOD rights for upcoming zombie drama Fear the Walking Dead from distributor Entertainment One Television.

The show debuts in the US and internationally on AMC and AMC Global, respectively, on Sunday (August 23) as a companion piece to US cable’s biggest show, The Walking Dead.

The Amazon deal covers Germany and Austria and will see the show available to subscribers a day after the US broadcast. Amazon UK subs will get the chance to see the show next year after its debut on pay TV channel AMC on August 31.

“Fear The Walking Dead is one of the most-anticipated shows in the world and companion to one of the most successful scripted dramas in the history of television,” said Jason Ropell, head of international content for Amazon Video.

“We recently announced that we’re bringing Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May back together to create a hugely anticipated new motoring show exclusively for Prime members, and now we’re excited to add Fear The Walking Dead. Our goal is to add shows that Prime members love – we can’t think of two sets of shows with bigger or more passionate fan bases.”

Amazon already offers The Walking Dead seasons one to four in Germany and Austria.

“The Walking Dead is a groundbreaking series that has had a significant impact on audiences worldwide,” said eOne Television International president Stuart Baxter.

“We’re delighted to continue our partnership with AMC on this immensely popular franchise to bring this highly anticipated, original series to Amazon and deliver it to audiences around the world.”

eOne has been rolling out the show around the world this month ahead of its launch. In Australia, FX, which is operated by Fox International Channels and Foxtel, has secured first window rights and plans to debut it in conjunction with the US, locally at 1.30pm on August 24.

HBO Nordic has also secured exclusive pay TV rights to the drama in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, while New Zealand pay TV platform SoHo has taken it too.

AMC Global is not in those territories, meaning the show will debut within 24 hours of the US broadcast. eOne, which has distribution rights to all AMC scripted programming and also sells The Walking Dead, has been pushing the series to channels it believes can work on a partnership basis, and not as a straight sale.

Fear the Walking Dead comes from the team behind The Walking Dead, including creator Robert Kirkman, with Dave Erickson attached as showrunner. The LA-set show follows the onset of a zombie outbreak that destroys humanity.