Vision Films, Inc. (“Vision”) has announced their acquisition of the Spanglish Media produced biopic Bezos: The Beginning, set to be released across the US and Canada on January 24, 2023 on all Transactional VOD platforms. Vision holds worldwide rights and has closed deals in the CIS, Slovakia, Czech Republic, India, Brazil, Latin America, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam in addition to a global airline deal. Set in the mid-90s, the film covers the era when Bezos was a successful hedge fund executive with the idea that would change the world. It is the first feature film created about the founding of the Amazon behemoth.
Based on the book “Zero to Hero,” by Tashena Ebanks, the film is written by Allison Burnett (Autumn in New York) and RV Romero (Underworld Awakening) and directed by Khoa Le (Walt Before Mickey). Produced by Alberto de la Cruz, Armando Gutierrez, and Nehir Onay from Spanglish Media and executive produced by Nick Friedman and Emilio Estefan.
The story follows Jeffrey Bezos, then a successful 31-year-old hedge fund manager with a lucrative career. With the support of his wife and borrowed money from his father, he quits his job and moves across the country to launch his dream of creating the world’s largest online bookstore. From his dilapidated garage, he and two hard-working techies struggle to find investors and find themselves challenged by the burgeoning internet and the CEO of the largest retail bookstore, Barnes and Noble.
Lise Romanoff, CEO/Founder of Vision Films says, “This film is a fascinating look at one of the most influential entrepreneurs of our time and the meteoric rise of the ubiquitous brand that has become a staple of life around the world.”
Producer Alberto de la Cruz shares, “Everyone knows about the rise of Amazon, but few people actually know how it all got started. Nowadays we see him as a billionaire shark, but back in the day, he was a goofy, awkward guy with a weird laugh who realized everyone was underestimating this new thing called the Internet. The movie asks the question—if you were in Bezos’ shoes, would you be able to stick to your ideas and dreams in order to succeed as he has?”
Producer Armando Gutierrez adds, “The movie shows how, in its infancy, Amazon was all about books but even in his early presentations about the company, even before it was named Amazon, he did discuss several times how by using this website to sell through the internet you could potentially sell everything that ever existed. So, he saw the potential in the early 90s, even when the technology wasn’t there to index that volume of stuff.”
“This is truly a compelling time for entrepreneurship globally,” says Executive Producer and actor Nick Friedman. “Our company College HUNKS also started from humble beginnings, with one truck in which I was the first original employee. I look forward to bringing that raw experience to tell the story of Shel Kaplan, Amazon’s first employee, in this film.”
The film stars Grammy® Award-winner Emilio Estefan (husband of Gloria Estefan), Kevin Sorbo (Hercules: The Legendary Adventures), Jevon White (Thunder Force and Startup), Alex Mitchell (An American Murder Mystery), Sasha Andreev (Phasma Ex Machina), Nick Friedman (Shark Tank, Undercover Boss, Millionaire Matchmaker), Eliana Ghen (TikTok influencer), and a cameo from UFC Champion Jorge Masvidal.
Bezos: The Beginning will be available on major streaming and cable platforms across the US and Canada on January 24, 2023.
