New York Post

Apple has its eye on ‘reely’ big deal: rpt.

- By KEVIN DUGAN kdugan@nypost.com

Tim Cook already has a spaceship campus in Silicon Valley. Now, he wants a movie studio in Hollywood.

Apple is looking to lease space at one of Tinseltown’s most iconic studios — where movies like “Gone With The Wind,” “Rocky” and “The Matrix” were filmed — amid a broader, $1 billion push into showbiz, according to reports.

The tech Goliath, which analysts expect will release its 10th anniversar­y iPhone later this month, wants to rent out space in Culver Studios in Los Angeles, the Financial Times reported on Friday.

CEO Cook’s push into Hollywood comes as he takes on competitor­s like Netflix, Amazon, and Google — as well as traditiona­l networks and movie studios — for original content.

It’s unclear how much space Apple wants to lease, when the company wants to close the deal, or if it will happen at all. Spokespeop­le for Apple and Culver didn’t immediatel­y return requests for comment.

Culver, which was also where modern classics like “Kill Bill” and TV series “Cougar Town” were produced, has 32,000 square feet and 13 sound studios.

Apple has been making inroads in Hollywood for months. In June, the iPhone maker hired Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, two executives who brought “Breaking Bad” showrunner Vince Gilligan to Sony, according to Engadget. They were also responsibl­e for the Netflix hit “The Crown.”

The company’s current roster of original content has been lacking: It has a littlewatc­hed online show with rapper will.i.am and DJ Zane Low called “Planet of the Apps,” as well as a version of “Carpool Karaoke.”

Netflix and Amazon, meanwhile, have both won Academy Awards for “The White Helmets” and “Manchester by the Sea,” respective­ly.

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