How an outside idea reaches a company, in its own words · checked 2026-10-29
How to pitch a movie idea to Apple TV+
Does not take outside ideas
Apple does not accept, review or consider ideas or creative material it did not request, and anything sent anyway becomes Apple’s property without payment. Apple TV+ has bought the finished films CODA, Emancipation and Cherry.
“Apple and its employees and contractors do not accept, review or consider any unsolicited ideas, works, materials, proposals, suggestions, artwork, content or the like, including for advertising campaigns, promotions, products, services, technologies, product enhancements, processes, marketing strategies, product names, content or creative materials (all of the foregoing “submissions”).”
What you agree to by sending something
“You agree that: (1) your submissions and their contents along with related intellectual property rights will automatically become the property of Apple, without any compensation to you; (2) Apple may use or redistribute the submissions and their contents for any purpose and in any way on an unrestricted basis; (3) there is no obligation for Apple to review the submissions; and (4) there is no obligation to keep any…”
What it has bought from outside
2020
Cherry (Russo brothers, Tom Holland) from its producers around $40 million
“In September 2020, Apple officially acquired the film Cherry, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and starring Tom Holland, for around $40 million.” en.wikipedia.org
2020
Emancipation (Will Smith, Antoine Fuqua), after a bidding war from its producers $105 million
“Apple paid a record $105 million for the rights.” en.wikipedia.org
2021
CODA (Sundance) from its producers $25 million
“CODA had its world premiere on January 28, 2021, at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, where Apple acquired its distribution rights for a festival-record $25 million.” en.wikipedia.org
