Amazon Studios & Jessica Simpson Ink Multimedia Rights Deal

Amazon Studios has aligned with musician, actress, entrepreneur and author Jessica Simpson in a multimedia rights deal that spans TV series and publishing.

The partnership includes a new unscripted docuseries based on Simpson’s number one New York Times best-selling memoir Open Book and development of a new coming-of-age scripted series, also inspired by the memoir, as well as two new original essays to be published through Amazon Original Stories, an imprint of Amazon Publishing.

Premiering on Amazon Prime Video, the docuseries will include vivid and intimate, never-before-seen personal footage shot over the last decade and will explore the highs and lows of Simpson’s life, including her singing career, her journey to sobriety, starting a family, the rise of creating a billion-dollar business and finding her voice. Simpson will serve as an executive producer on the unscripted series, with Lauren Auslander and Lacy Lynch.

Amazon Studios and IMDb TV are developing a fictionalized drama series inspired by Open Book and Simpson coming of age in her mid-twenties, following her divorce, on the journey to discovering herself. The scripted series will be produced by Simpson and Patrick Moran of PKM Productions, alongside Lynch and Auslander.

Music will be a key component of both the scripted and unscripted series.

Simpson said, “I am humbled and honored to partner with Amazon Studios to bring my story and heart to life on the screen. I am a huge TV fan and many of my favorite shows live on Amazon, so the gift of this unprecedented collaboration is a dream for me. From our first meeting, I had a visceral connection to every member of this team. I know that parts of my life have been extraordinary, but I also know that many of my struggles are universal. I hope to continue the mission I set out to accomplish in writing Open Book—to inspire others to be entertained, moved and empowered to walk through fear and come out on the other side even stronger.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome Jessica to the Amazon family. Jessica has a fascinating, emotional story, not just of celebrity and success, but with relatable, all-too-human problems so many of us encounter with love, family and life,” said Vernon Sanders, co-head of television at Amazon Studios. “Open Book was a phenomenon, and we’re so excited to bring it to life on Prime Video and IMDb TV, and for Amazon Original Stories readers to have the chance to hear more from Jessica in her own words.”