Amazon Greenlit Three New Tom Green Projects on Account of Canadian Law
The Greenaissance continues! Just a few months ago, Tom Green’s Freddy Got Fingered appeared on the Criterion Channel, alongside other Razzie-winning bombs arguably deserving of critical reevaluation. And now the Canadian comedian reportedly has three projects in the works with Amazon Prime Video. Not bad for a guy who just four years ago was the co-lead of an Asylum-produced Pixar knock-off starring Joey Lawrence.
The three projects include a stand-up special featuring footage from a recent North American tour, as well as a career-spanning documentary which “captures the early days of his humble beginnings in Canada, to stardom in Hollywood.”
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Then there’s the unscripted reality show called Tom Green Country, which follows Green as he “relocates from the bright lights of Hollywood to a simpler life on his newly purchased country farm.” Green has already been sharing some videos of his Ontario farm on YouTube, for anyone who wants to see the guy from Road Trip patrolling for wolves on horseback for 45 minutes.
Why is Amazon going all in on Tom Green right now?
The announcement also noted that several other Canadian productions are coming to Amazon, including several true crime shows, which are presumably like American true-crime shows, but with more apologizing. This investment in entertainment from North of the border is very likely due to recent changes in Canadian law.
Following the passing of the controversial Bill C-11 last year, streamers will now be regulated like traditional broadcasters in Canada, meaning that they will be forced to “contribute to and promote Canadian content.”
The new rules won’t go into effect until “late 2025” but basically streamers that make at least $25 million will have to pay 5 percent of their annual Canadian revenue into a fund that supports Canadian content in various forms. But as an incentive for companies to themselves invest in Canadian projects, streamers can deduct contributions to Canadian productions from their annual payment, up to a certain amount.
Given that wrinkle, and the law’s requirement that streamers increase the “discoverability” of Canadian content, it stands to reason that companies like Amazon Prime would want to produce more Canuck shows right now. Or just try to fool regulators by digitally inserting hockey sticks and mountie hats into old episodes of The Vampire Diaries.
While the definition of what should qualify as “Canadian content” under these new regulations is still somewhat ill-defined, the timing of Amazon’s announcement certainly makes it seem as if they’re anticipating the change. The press release notes that each one of Green’s shows is “produced by Tom Green Productions Canada.”
After they’ve milked Tom Green dry, maybe Amazon will finally get around to making a second season of the widely-beloved, also extremely Canadian Kids in the Hall reboot?
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