Chris Parnell, former Sony Pictures TV co-president, joins Apple TV+ in a senior programming role

In another piece of pretty big news for Apple TV+, which has become a major focal point for Apple at this point based on how many deals they’re signing and just how much money they’re spending, the streaming service has just landed a high-profile individual in a new senior role.

According to Variety, Chris Parnell has departed his role at Sony Pictures TV and joined the ranks of Apple within the Apple TV+ team. Parnell was previously helping to lead Sony Pictures TV as co-president, and now, at Apple TV+, he will be in a senior programming role who will report to Matt Cherniss. Parnell will be on the domestic side of development, and Cherniss is in charge of current development of TV series and other scripted content.

Parnell will be leading the charge for Apple’s range of original series moving forward. And while Apple TV+ doesn’t have a huge library right now, the streaming service has a lot coming down the pipe. Aside from what’s already been announced, like the upcoming sci-fi epic Foundation, Apple has been signing overall deals with directors, showrunners, producers, and just about every other creative type to secure exclusive content well into the future.

The most recent deal was signed with Mark Bomback, the creator and showrunner of the hit series Defending Jacob on Apple TV+.

Here’s Sony Pictures TV president, Jeff Frost’s comment on the move:

I want to personally thank Chris for the contributions he’s made to the studio over the years,” Frost wrote. “He has been an innovator and champion of bold new ideas, committed to finding and shining the spotlight on fresh voices and has never shied away from stories that pushed the boundaries.

So Parnell coming on board to help guide the ship for original content makes a lot of sense, especially with so much in the works.