A 15-year partnership is coming to an end. Chris Rice will be leaving his post as co-CEO of Fifth Season. In an internal memo, which you can read below, Rice revealed that he has opted not to renew his contract, which is up at the end of the year. Rice’s longtime partner, fellow co-CEO Graham Taylor, will become the film and TV production and distribution company’s sole CEO.
Rice will not cut ties with Fifth Season after Jan. 1. He will remain an advisor to the company and continue working on some projects, while also signing a first-look deal with the independent studio in a return to his producing roots.
Taylor comes from film background. With Rice, a TV executive, leaving, and Fifth Season’s President of TV Joe Hipps not yet replaced after he departed last year, the company is expected to bring in a senior TV executive under Taylor.
British transplant Rice — an avid foodie and pickleball enthusiast — co-founded and served as chief operating officer of Cinnamon Entertainment before he joined WME in 2010, leading the agency’s Global TV team. Working alongside Taylor on the film side, Rice spearheaded the effort to draw new deal templates that give creatives on the agency’s client roster a greater financial upside through program ownership. He made his mark with a string of financing and sales deals, including international co-productions, starting with packaging and selling internationally, through WME’s sister company IMG, AMC and BBC’s The Night Manager, starring Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston.
In 2017, the WME and IMG’s film and scripted TV finance and sales operation led by Rice and Taylor was spun off into Endeavor Content, a standalone company under parent Endeavor’s umbrella with the duo at the helm. The company changed its name following the January 2022 majority stake sale to Korea’s CJ ENM, which, in turn, brought in Toho Studios as a minority owner.
In his note to staff, Rice reflected on his Fifth Season tenure.
“15 years ago, after running my own production business, I started a journey at WME working with Graham,” he said. “We were a small band of producers, sales agents and distribution execs trying to innovate on how film and television could be produced, financed and distributed from inside a talent agency. We believed early on in a few things that seem obvious today: that there were ways creatives could have more ownership of their rights; that storytelling could come from a more global set of voices; and that the mediums of film and television would start to merge creatively.”
Rice also spoke about the timing of his departure, which comes on the heels of the 2025 Emmy season where Fifth Season’s Apple TV+ drama Severance led the pack with 27 nominations.
“There have been so many shows and films along the way that I am deeply proud of, but our goal of backing distinctive, unique, authored stories certainly culminated these past few months with Severance becoming the second-most-nominated season of television in 77 years of Emmy history, going on to win eight awards,” he said. While Severance ended up getting upset by The Pitt for Outstanding Drama Series at the Sept. 14 ceremony, it still had a strong showing, with Rice calling this year’s Emmy season, which earned Fifth Season 36 total nominations across six series and films “an insanely proud moment for Graham and me.”
In his note, Rice acknowledged “the extraordinary backing from Ari Emanuel, Mark Shapiro and Endeavor” and praised Taylor.
“My friendship and partnership with Graham has been profound and certainly one of the most enjoyable relationships of my life,” he said. “His passion, taste and drive for the best of film and television is only surpassed by his love and generosity for the people he works with.”
In addition to Severance, Fifth Season’s current scripted series slate includes Apple TV+’s Chief Of War starring Jason Momoa, which just wrapped its Season 1 run, the streamer’s limited series The Savant starring Jessica Chastain, whose release was postponed earlier this week, as well as the upcoming East of Eden and His & Hers for Netflix, The Good Daughter for Peacock and American Classic for MGM+.
Here is Rice’s full memo:
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
15 years ago, after running my own production business, I started a journey at WME working with Graham. We were a small band of producers, sales agents and distribution execs trying to innovate on how film and television could be produced, financed and distributed from inside a talent agency. We believed early on in a few things that seem obvious today: that there were ways creatives could have more ownership of their rights; that storytelling could come from a more global set of voices; and that the mediums of film and television would start to merge creatively.
It has been a journey I could never have imagined — a journey leading me to share with you today that I have decided that at the end of this year, when my contract is up for renewal, I will be choosing to start a new chapter, leaving the company in the immensely capable hands of Graham as sole CEO. Having shepherded the continued growth of the business for four years since spinning out of Endeavor, it is time now for me to move on to my next entrepreneurial season.
None of this would have been possible without the extraordinary backing from Ari Emanuel, Mark Shapiro and Endeavor that led to Graham and me founding Endeavor Content in 2017. It was the birth of what I still believe to be the premier independent television studio, film producer and television distributor in the world. This led us to our second season, FIFTH SEASON, with the continued backing of Endeavor and the investments from CJ ENM and Toho Studios — two Asian content powerhouses. I am so grateful for Miky, Hiro, Pious and Koji’s support of the business.
There have been so many shows and films along the way that I am deeply proud of, but our goal of backing distinctive, unique, authored stories certainly culminated these past few months with Severance becoming the second-most-nominated season of television in 77 years of Emmy history, going on to win eight awards. This was an Emmy season that involved every single division and person at the company, with 36 total nominations across six series and films. It was an insanely proud moment for Graham and me, and I know for you all.
At FIFTH SEASON, we have assembled in you the greatest groups of creatives, innovators, builders, boundary-pushers, passionate storytellers and enablers of great artists and talent. I feel immense pride in every brick laid at this incredible company and deep joy in having been able to walk this path with you and build bonds that I hope will last a lifetime.
My friendship and partnership with Graham has been profound and certainly one of the most enjoyable relationships of my life. His passion, taste and drive for the best of film and television is only surpassed by his love and generosity for the people he works with.
I won’t be going far away. I will remain an advisor to the company and continue working across some FIFTH SEASON projects, while also re-embracing my producorial roots through a first-look deal with the studio.
I’ll be here in my current capacity through the end of the year, closing a chapter with deep gratitude. I can’t wait to see what’s ahead for FIFTH SEASON with Graham at the helm and the incredible Kasee Calabrese at his side. I have no doubt that they and you will grow the business from strength to strength.
Even though a handshake is available upon request, I hope for years ahead of collaborations — albeit in a different form.
With deep love and gratitude,
Chris