Amazon Original Movie Gleason Will Premiere on Amazon Prime Video on December 29
Two original songs with Music by Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready and lyrics
written by Steve Gleason will also be available exclusively on Amazon
Music
SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–(NASDAQ: AMZN) – Amazon Studios today announced that the Amazon Original
Movie Gleason
will be available through Amazon Prime Video at no additional cost to
Prime members on December 29. The acclaimed film is among 15
documentaries shortlisted for the 2016 Academy Award for Best
Documentary, was nominated for Five Broadcast Film Critic’s Awards and
was included among The National Board of Review’s Top Five Documentaries
of the Year. Gleason is directed by Clay
Tweel (Finders Keepers) and features New Orleans Saints
player Steve
Gleason, his wife Michel
Varisco and Steve’s former teammate and best friend Scott
Fujita (The Lightkeepers, FOX NFL Kickoff). The film is
produced by Fujita, Kimi
Culp (Oprah’s Master Class), Seth
Gordon (Horrible Bosses, Identity Thief), Mary
Rohlich (Four Christmases, The Goldbergs) and Kevin
Lake (The Singing Detective, Paparazzi).
Gleason made its world premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film
Festival and was released theatrically on July 29, 2016 to an
overwhelmingly positive critical response. The film is rated 8.3 on IMDB
and also “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes where it maintains a 96%
Fresh rating. Here’s what critics have to say about Gleason:
-
“Gleason is so powerful in its cumulative effect that it should
be accompanied by a consumer advisory-something along the lines of
‘This documentary may cause sudden alterations of mood and
attitude.’”– Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal -
“If this film portrait stirs deep emotions, they spring from a
breathtakingly unsentimental embrace of life at its most challenging.”
– Sheri Linden, The Los Angeles Times -
“A tearjerker of a film but also a joyous one.” – Matt Zoller
Seitz, RogerEbert.com -
“One of the most powerful, poignant documentaries of the past decade.” –
Nick Schager, The Daily Beast.com -
“You don’t need to know Steve Gleason’s name to be enraptured by his
extraordinary story.” – Mara Reinstein, Us Weekly
Shortly after former New Orleans Saints star defensive back Steve
Gleason is diagnosed with ALS at the age of 34, he learns that his wife
Michel is pregnant with their first child. Determined to live his
remaining years to their fullest, Steve goes on an expedition to Alaska,
creates a foundation to help others with ALS patients, rebuilds a rocky
relationship with his father and embraces new technologies to help
compensate for his deteriorating physical abilities—all with Michel’s
unwavering support. Brimming with humor and heart, this inspirational
documentary follows a man who battles overwhelming adversity to find his
true purpose in life.
“We are incredibly excited for our customers to experience Gleason’s
inspiring story of strength, grace, love and family on Prime Video,”
said Jason Ropell, Worldwide Head of Motion Pictures, Amazon Studios.
The music for Gleason includes numerous songs that have inspired
Steve throughout his life, like “Given to Fly” and “Just Breathe” by
Pearl Jam, as well as two tracks, “Space In Between,” and “Her Again,”
written by Steve Gleason himself and performed by his good friend,
guitarist Mike McCready along with singer, Kim Virant, which will be
available exclusively on Amazon
Music Unlimited and Prime
Music beginning December 23. Additionally, Steve created a playlist
featuring some of his favorite songs, also streaming exclusively on both
Amazon Music Unlimited and Prime Music.
Not available on any other subscription services, Gleason will be
available for Prime members to stream and enjoy using the Amazon Video
app for TVs, connected devices including Amazon Fire TV, and mobile
devices, or online at Amazon.com/originals,
at no additional cost to their membership. Prime members will also be
able to download the film to mobile devices for offline viewing. Gleason
joins Prime Video’s line-up of award-winning and critically acclaimed
Original Series and Movies—to see more originals available exclusively
for Prime members, visit www.amazon.com/originals.
Customers
who are not already Prime members can sign-up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime.
For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.
About Amazon Studios
Amazon Studios launched in 2010 as a new way to develop feature films
and episodic series—one that’s open to great ideas from creators and
audiences around the world. Anyone can upload a script online for Amazon
Studios to review, and those who choose to make their projects public
can also receive feedback from the Amazon Studios community. First
announced in January 2015, Amazon Original Movies is an initiative by
Amazon Studios to produce and acquire original movies for theatrical
release and early window distribution exclusively for Prime members.
Like Amazon Original Series, Amazon Original Movies focuses on unique
stories, voices, and characters from top and up-and-coming creators. In
2015, Amazon Studios released its first film, Chi-Raq from
critically acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee. Chi-Raq is
now available for Prime members to stream exclusively. Kenneth
Lonergan’s Manchester
By The Sea is currently in theaters and up next, Amazon Studios
will release Jim Jarmusch’s Paterson
on December 28th.
About Amazon Video
Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers
customers the greatest choice in what to watch, and how to watch it.
Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:
-
Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV shows, including
popular licensed content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning
Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent,
The Man in the High Castle, Love & Friendship and kids series Tumble
Leaf, available for unlimited streaming as part of an Amazon Prime
membership -
Amazon Channels: Over 80 video subscriptions to networks like
SHOWTIME, STARZ and more, available to Amazon Prime members as add-ons
to their membership -
Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including
new-release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental
or purchase for all Amazon customers -
Instant Access: Instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the
Amazon Video app on TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV
Stick, and Fire tablets, or online. For a list of all compatible
devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream -
Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic
Range (HDR) and mobile downloads for offline viewing
In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited fast
free shipping options across all categories available on Amazon, more
than two million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with
Prime Music, secure photo storage with Prime Photos, unlimited reading
with Prime Reading, unlimited access to a digital audiobook catalogue
with Audible channels for Prime, a rotating selection of free digital
games and in-game loot with Twitch Prime, early access to select
Lightning Deals, exclusive access and discounts to select items, and
more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more visit: http://www.amazon.com/prime.
Contacts
Amazon.com, Inc.
Media Hotline: 206-266-7180
www.amazon.com/pr
