Jojo Wilden/Prime Video
Following Wednesday’s Emmy nominations for best drama for the TV version of “Fallout” and Donald Glover and Maya Erskine’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” Amazon-MGM Studios chief executive Jennifer Salke and TV chief Vernon Sanders are celebrating Amazon’s unprecedented position of having two shows on this year’s top awards shortlist.
After the dust settled, Salke and Sanders spoke to Variety about the 62 nominations Amazon and MGM Studios received combined, which included 17 for “Fallout,” 16 for “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” and a nomination in the TV movie category for the LGBTQ romantic comedy “Red, White and Royal Blue.”
Following the positive Emmy reception of HBO’s “The Last of Us,” did you expect “Fallout” to achieve similar results, or were you still cautious about the awards’ reaction to video game adaptations and genre TV shows?
Vernon Sanders: I have to thank our producers, Jonah[Nolan]and Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Graham Wagner and Todd Howard. As soon as the material started coming in, we knew right away that this was something really special, something bold and something unique. It’s nothing like The Last of Us, so we don’t know what it’s going to be in the end. But we knew it was something really special, and one of the reasons we’re so proud of the show is that it’s been so well-received by video game fans. It’s all thanks to Bethesda[of the Fallout video game studio]and our producers that this show has become a love letter to the original. That’s really hard to do, so to have this show be received this way by critics and across the industry is just the most gratifying thing.
Jennifer Salke: It’s really exciting to see genre TV shows being recognized like this, and it’s also exciting to see how focused we are on shaping the future of large-scale global programming with originality, excellence and execution that’s based on beloved IP from both the gaming and book worlds. It’s very encouraging. It’s gratifying to see these shows and movies become hits around the world, and that’s our greatest joy – to see them captivate audiences around the world and be recognized like this.
Will “Fallout” season 2 continue with the same cast, or will it switch to an anthology format that explores different settings from Bethesda/Microsoft’s “Fallout” video game franchise?
Salke: We are committed to the journey with our beloved characters and have a fantastic season two coming up.
Sanders: Luckily, this has been the vision from the beginning. I think we’re ahead of schedule in terms of being able to pick up season two. We don’t have an exact start date yet, but we already have the scripts in hand. I think fans of season one are really going to love the direction we’re taking season two.
Salke: We’ve heard people ask if this is an anthology, and yes, there are a lot of doors in this that we can walk through, and that’s the beauty of this IP, but we’re all in and we’re on this journey with the characters that we met and loved in Season 1.
Does the Emmy nomination for Fallout inspire you to do more video game film adaptations in the future?
Sanders: I think it has to have the right mix of something that feels special and unique in its field, a true partnership with an IP creator who knows how to express it, and a visionary voice, both a visionary writer and creator. Luckily, we feel like we’ve found some really deserving ones in this space. We’ve already announced Tomb Raider, which we’re very excited about, and we have a few other things that are definitely starting to seep through. Sooner or later, you may hear about new ones, but we’re always going to act carefully and wisely. That’s the model, so we’re not in a rush, and we need a reason for each one.
Any updates on the PlayStation God of War TV series?
Salke: Stay tuned! We love God of War.
What do you think about “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” being nominated in multiple categories?
Salke: This is another example of a very creator-driven project for us.
SANDERS: Donald came in with his partner in crime from “Atlanta,” Francesca (Sloane), and they had a clear vision for the “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” brand to be a vehicle for examining relationships.
Salke: And marriage. Donald talked a lot about marriage and the realities of married life. So it felt like a very character-driven film overall. It wasn’t a film that came from the typical “hot couple of spies and assassins.” It was more of a character-driven relationship study. And the tone is just fantastic. The writer and (director) Hiro Murai did a really great job. I’m so happy that he was nominated, in addition to the great guest cast.
There have been rumors as to whether Donald and Maya will reprise their roles in Season 2. Will that happen?
Sanders: That’s really interesting that you ask!
Salke: That seems to be in everyone’s best interest!
Sanders: All we can say is that Donald and Maya have shared their vision for Season 2, and we’re super excited about it. It’s imaginative and really unpredictable.
Salke: I think the audience gets everything they want.
With “Red, White and Royal Blue” being nominated, what are the plans for a sequel? Have you seen the script yet?
Salke: We’re really excited. We’re working on the second movie and we can’t wait. The creatives are amazing and we’re so proud of the first movie and the nomination. I was on text with (producers) Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Matt Lopez this morning and we’re all so proud. We obviously love this movie so we’re committed to the sequel and can’t wait to share it with the world.
What does this nomination mean for the future of Amazon’s romantic comedies?
Salke: I think that means a lot. If you look at the viewership numbers for us and for Anne Hathaway and for this film, The Idea of You, it’s clear that audiences are craving romantic comedies, and really well-made romantic comedies. They’re not looking for the bare minimum. We’re really proud of those two films because we feel that the quality stands out on its own and that’s creating word of mouth and a cultural moment. It’s been a really successful strategy for us, so I think you’ll see more of them.
That won’t be the case this season, but next year will see the broadcast of “The Boys” season 4. With the show coming to an end with season 5, what plans do you have for the franchise as a whole, including “Gen V” season 2 and the Mexico-set spinoff that’s in development?
Sanders: This is all down to Eric Kripke’s vision and the vision he shares with his amazing fellow producers. We’ve been working as hard as we can, and he’s exceeded our expectations every time. It’s been great to see the dailies and material for Gen V Season 2. Of course, the unfortunate death of Chance Perdomo has been a huge challenge for the crew. But I think fans of the series as a whole will be blown away by Gen V Season 2. As for the future, that’s really up to Eric. We have a lot of ideas and thoughts, and he has a lot of ideas and thoughts, but we want to make sure we get to all of that. So when we announce our next film, if we announce our next film, it’s because we’re confident that we’re getting signals from our audience that this is the story they want to hear.
Salke: We are very excited about this show, and Eric has had great creative ideas for the series from the very beginning.
Speaking of the future, what are the plans for “Citadel” season 2? And we now know that the Russo Brothers are in negotiations to direct two more “Avengers” movies, will they remain involved?
Salke: They are definitely involved in the second season, and they will be directing and producing. We are excited about that. It’s in production now. I think the Italian show “Citadel: Diana” is really a show that will live up to expectations in many ways. It’s a really cool character. Of course it’s very thrilling in the spy genre, but it’s also very grounded, well-made, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The lead actors are really great. Then we have a show coming out of India called “Honey Bunny.” Raj & DK (Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK), our biggest producers and the most successful Amazon creators, are producing this show, which is like a prequel. It’s a deeper dive into the world of “Citadel.”
Sanders: “Diana” is from Italy and “Honey Bunny” is from India, so each has a regional feel, but still has a global storyline. We also have season 2 of “Citadel” starting production soon and have more casting news to come in the not-too-distant future, which we’re very excited about.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
