Amblin Lands Sci-Fi Pic ‘The Exchange’ From ‘Outer Range’ Creator Brian Watkins and Escape Artists

By Justin Kroll

October 12, 2022

EXCLUSIVE: Amblin Partners have picked up the sci-fi feature The Exchange, from writer Brian Watkins and producers Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Tony Shaw, of Escape Artists. Watkins will pen script with Black, Blumenthal and Shaw producing through their Escape Artists banner. Steve Tisch and David Bloomfield are exec producing.

Plot details are being kept under wraps, for now. Jeb Brody, President of Production, and John Buderwitz, Director of Development, will oversee the project for Amblin Partners.

Watkins is the creator and executive producer of the Amazon Prime Video series Outer Range, starring Josh Brolin. Following its hit first season, the series was just renewed for Season 2. Watkins’ latest play Epiphany, starring Marylouise Burke and directed by Tyne Rafaeli, premiered to critical acclaim at Lincoln Center Theatre in the spring of 2022, after premiering internationally at the iconic Druid Theatre in 2019 under the direction of Garry Hynes. His other plays include Wyoming, Evergreens, Into The Earth With You, and My Daughter Keeps Our Hammer among others. Watkins is a Juilliard Lila Acheson Wallace Playwriting Fellow, a New Dramatists resident playwright, and is under commission with Lincoln Center.

Escape Artists is currently filming Equalizer 3 with Denzel Washington and begins principal photography on the second season of Dr. Death for Peacock in November. Other recent Escape Artists productions include Being the Ricardos and Servant.

Watkins is represented by CAA and Heroes & Villains Entertainment.