Today, ahead of their inaugural Upfronts presentation on May 14, 2024, Prime Video announced it has ordered The Better Sister to series from Tomorrow Studios. The series stars Emmy award-nominated Jessica Biel (The Sinner, Candy) and Emmy award-nominated Elizabeth Banks (Call Jane, Pitch Perfect), who will also serve as executive producers. Olivia Milch (Ocean’s 8) and Regina Corrado (Mayor of Kingstown) will serve as showrunners and executive producers on the series, with Craig Gillespie (Pam & Tommy) as director and executive producer. The series is a co-production between Tomorrow Studios and Amazon MGM Studios. The series will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
The Better Sister is an electric thriller, based on the novel by bestselling author Alafair Burke, who will also be consulting on the series, about the terrible things that drive sisters apart and ultimately bring them back together. Chloe (Biel) moves through the world with her handsome lawyer husband Adam and teenage son Ethan by her side while her estranged sister Nicky (Banks) hustles to make ends meet while trying to stay clean. When Adam is brutally murdered, the prime suspect sends shockwaves through the family, laying bare long-buried secrets.
“Beyond being an enticing thriller full of twists and turns, The Better Sister is a gripping story about family feuds and forgiveness,” says Vernon Sanders, head of television, Amazon MGM Studios. “The brilliant duo of Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks are sure to bring these characters to life in the most authentic way alongside Olivia, Regina, Craig, and the talented team at Tomorrow Studios. The series is in the best hands to bring Alafair Burke’s original IP to life for our global Prime Video customers.”
“We are ecstatic to be adapting Alafair Burke’s captivating novel into a television series with Prime Video; this has been a true labor of love for the entire team at Tomorrow Studios,” said Marty Adelstein, Tomorrow Studios Founder/CEO, and Becky Clements, President/Partner. “The intricacies of sisterhood at every age are a dynamic we are all excited to explore inside of a taut thriller. It is a privilege to be working with showrunners as talented as Olivia Milch and Regina Corrado on the first project in our new venture with incomparable director and EP Craig Gillespie. We all feel so lucky to have landed Jessica and Elizabeth as our starring sisters and collaborators – a tour de force matchup in this propulsive new series.”
“I’m excited to be re-teaming with Tomorrow Studios on this taut psychological thriller,” said Craig Gillespie, director and executive producer. “When I read Olivia and Regina’s propulsive scripts, I knew I wanted to be a part of it, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with these two world class actresses for the first time. Watching them as rivaling sisters is going to be a blast.”
“We are so grateful to Tomorrow Studios for supporting us as we’ve explored the world of this family,” said Olivia Milch and Regina Corrado, executive producers and showrunners. “Craig Gillespie, who tells vital and bold stories of people willing to go to extremes, brought the perfect vision for the series. And we couldn’t feel luckier to have Jessica and Elizabeth, who have awed us with their rich and layered work, as partners bringing these sisters and their secrets to life.”
Emmy-nominated actor and producer Jessica Biel is known for her acclaimed roles in The Sinner, Limetown, The Illusionist, Candy, and dozens of feature films and series. Up next, Biel has signed onto star opposite Ethan Hawke and Daniel Radcliffe in Batso, the true story of a trio of trailblazing climbers who, in the early 1970s, took on the most difficult route up iconic peak El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Biel will play Beryl Knauth, a brilliant climber in her own right and Warren’s romantic partner. Most recently, Biel starred in the true crime limited series Candy as infamous ax killer Candy Montgomery. Her performance went on to earn a Hollywood Critics Association TV Award nomination. Prior to this, Biel starred in season one of The Sinner, which earned her Emmy, Golden Globe, and Critics’ Choice Award nominations for Best Actress as well as nominations for her role as executive producer. She also starred in Limetown opposite Stanley Tucci. An Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actor known for her work on the big and small screens, Biel’s films have earned more than $800 million at the box office worldwide. Movie credits include Hitchcock; The Illusionist; New Year’s Eve; Valentine’s Day; and The A-Team.
Actress, producer, writer, and director Elizabeth Banks is known for roles in both comedy and drama, as well as film and television. Her work includes stand-out performances in projects including The Hunger Games franchise, Love & Mercy, The LEGO Movie and Mrs. America. She is also a three-time Emmy nominee for her recurring roles in 30 Rock and Modern Family. On the production side, Banks made her directorial debut in 2015 with Pitch Perfect 2, and produced the Pitch Perfect franchise through her production company Brownstone Productions, along with her husband Max Handelman. Brownstone Productions’ slate includes multiple film, television and digital collaborations across various networks and studios, including the critically-acclaimed comedy Shrill, starring SNL’s Aidy Bryant and Bumper in Berlin. Banks produced and directed comedy-thriller Cocaine Bear and produced MGM’s cult-hit Bottoms. She recently starred in the feature drama Call Jane alongside Sigourney Weaver and in The Beanie Bubble alongside Zach Galifianakis and Sarah Snook. Upcoming, Banks will star in A Mistake directed by Christine Jeffs and Skincare directed by Austin Peters.
Olivia Milch and Regina Corrado are executive producers and showrunners. Series director Craig Gillespie and Annie Marter are executive producers through Fortunate Jack Productions. Additional executive producers include Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, and Alissa Bachner through Tomorrow Studios (One Piece), stars Elizabeth Banks and Jessica Biel, and Michelle Purple. The series is produced by Tomorrow Studios (an ITV Studios partner) and Amazon MGM Studios.
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