Amazon Studios is shaking up the leadership of its TV programming operations under Head of Television Vernon Sanders, I have learned. Marc Resteghini is stepping down as US/Global Head of Development, sources said. He is negotiating a producing deal with Amazon Studios. Nick Pepper, Head of Studio Creative Content, and Laura Lancaster, Head of Series, are expected to divvy up Resteghini’s responsibilities and co-run development and production of TV content, reporting to Sanders. MGM TV’s operations remain separate and do not factor into the current executive changes.
A rep for Amazon Studios declined comment.
Resteghini, Pepper and Lancaster were named to their most recent roles in early 2021 as part of an Amazon Studios TV restructuring that created the layer of three top programming positions reporting to then-Amazon Studios co-heads of TV Sanders and Albert Cheng (who also was COO).
Today’s realignment marks Sanders’ biggest executive move since he became solo Head of TV and Cheng became a full-time COO last October.
Pepper and Lancaster both joined Amazon Studios at the time of the 2021 restructuring, while Resteghini was promoted within from Head of Drama. Some of the series Resteghini oversaw include The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Jack Ryan, Them, Underground Railroad and Terminal List.
In her role as Head of Series, Lancaster has led a department that oversees the streamer’s returning shows through their life cycle. Pepper has overseen big IP-based properties and overall deals. Reporting into Resteghini were Drama, Comedy, Genre and Unscripted, who have been overseeing projects from inception through development until the end of their first season.
Lancaster came to Amazon Studios from Alcon Entertainment where she worked on the Prime Video series The Expanse and Solos. Before that, she was EVP and head of Drama at NBC Entertainment where she developed such series as Revolution, Hannibal, Grimm, The Night Shift and Parenthood. As SVP Drama Development at Fox, she spearheaded development of Glee, Fringe and Lie to Me. Prior to that, she held drama executive positions at NBC Universal Television Studio.
Pepper joined Amazon Studios after three years as President of Legendary Television and Digital Studios, where he worked with Amazon on series such as Carnival Row and Paper Girls. Prior to Legendary, he spent eight years at The Mark Gordon Company as Head of Television, where he worked on series including Designated Survivor, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders and Quantico. Earlier in his career, he was VP of Drama at ABC.
Must Read Stories
Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.