Joe Hipps steps down as TV president for fifth season

EXCLUSIVE: Joe Hipps has stepped down as president of television at Fifth Season after more than seven years at the independent studio. He will continue to serve as a producer, developing and overseeing several projects, and consulting with Fifth Season executives during a transition period as the search for a new president of television begins.

“It’s been an incredible seven years and we’re thrilled to support Joe as he transitions into a producing role,” said Fifth Season co-CEOs Chris Rice and Graham Taylor.

Hipps joined Fifth Season’s predecessor, Endeavor Content, in 2017 as EVP, Television. He was promoted to President, TV Development and Production in 2022. Hipps’ tenure included leading the company’s TV creative team during the pandemic and two Hollywood strikes.

Since the end of the strikes, Fifth Season has sold numerous designs, including limited editions Good Daughter, starring Jessica Biel, which has been ordered to series at Peacock, with another limited series, His and Hersstarring Tessa Thompson, was recently greenlit by Netflix.

Limited series of the company Lady in the Lake starring Natalie Portman recently finished its run on Apple TV+, as did two series that lasted two seasons, Tokyo Vice about Max and Life and Beth on Hulu.

They are coming War Boss starring Jason Momoa and Scholar starring Jessica Chastain — both on Apple TV+ and in the highly anticipated second seasons of two series that will air three or more years after the first installments, Apple TV+’s pricey sci-fi thriller Cut off and the secret of Hulu Nine Perfect Strangers with Nicole Kidman at the front.

As Rice told Deadline in March, Fifth Season is expected to “gross approximately $1 billion in production this year across 12 series that are in development, in production, or in some form of development.”

Company Development Plan Bright young womenbased on the new bestselling thriller by Jessica Knoll; CoversLena Dunham’s Netflix drama; limited series East of Eden starring Florence Pugh, also from Netflix; and Shelter Television series starring Paul Giamatti.

Hipps joined Endeavor Content in 2017 after nearly nine years at independent studio MRC, most recently as vice president of television.