Thunderbird taps Netflix alum Hillary Zwick Turner to lead scripted development team

Canadian studio Thunderbird Entertainment Group has hired former Netflix exec Hillary Zwick Turner to lead a newly launched development hub in LA.

Hillary Zwick Turner

Turner has been appointed senior VP of scripted content, responsible for sourcing new IP across scripted, young-adult and family content, in addition to overseeing scripted development and production in LA. She will report to Thunderbird president and chief creative officer Matthew Berkowitz.

Turner joins the company after working as an executive producer on Netflix special Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always, which is set to launch on April 19. Before that, she spent six years at Netflix, serving as the lead exec on Cobra Kai, Julie & The Phantoms and The Letter for the King. In prior roles, she was also the development lead on several Disney series, including dramedy Andi Mack.

Vancouver-headquartered Thunderbird, which is behind live-action scripted series including Reginald the Vampire (Syfy), Kim’s Convenience spin-off Strays (CBC) and a feature film adaptation of a Wattpad story called Boot Camp, also revealed a partnership with Tuatara Media, the company led by former Lionsgate exec VP of television Barbara Wall.

Under the deal, Tuatara Media and Thunderbird will build a slate of scripted dramas. The Canadian company also said it had optioned multiple New York Times bestsellers for TV and film adaptations, though it did not disclose the names of the properties. The partnership between Tuatara Media and Thunderbird will be overseen by Turner.

“[Turner] is a tremendous talent and we’ve long felt premium scripted content is an important growth opportunity and the third pillar for Thunderbird, existing alongside our animation [Atomic Cartoons] and unscripted [Great Pacific Media] productions,” said Berkowitz.

“And with our recent scripted productions, from Blade Runner 2049 and Kim’s Convenience to Reginald the Vampire and Boot Camp, it felt like the perfect time to take our scripted operations to the next level by bringing Hillary on board and establishing our partnership with Barbara and Tuatara. We already have content in active network development and will be leveraging the entire company to pursue and take advantage of global scripted opportunities.”