Emmy Award-winning ‘Rick and Morty’ and ‘Community’ co-creator signs broadcast network-only exclusive direct deal for comedy series to premiere Spring 2022.
FOX Entertainment and Emmy Award-winning creator Dan Harmon (Rick and Morty, Community) have signed a broadcast network-only exclusive direct animation deal, announced today by Michael Thorn, President of Entertainment, FOX Entertainment.
As part of the agreement, FOX’s first direct animation deal to receive a series commitment, Harmon will create and develop a comedy series targeted to premiere in the spring of 2022. FOX Entertainment will produce the series, with Bento Box Entertainment handling animation production.
“Before joining the network ranks, I was an independent producer who had the opportunity to work with Dan on one of my very first projects,” Thorn said. “His singular voice, tenor and conviction to always deliver the unexpected in the stories he tells, let me know right away that he was a special talent. As one of the most prolific creators working in the business today – and as FOX’s animation brand continues to grow and evolve, with the support and guidance of Charlie Collier – there’s no better creative partner to have than Dan Harmon.”
Season 4 of the hit series, Rick and Morty, is currently airing on Adult Swim, part of a 70-episode order the Harmon and co-creator Justin Roiland signed back in 2018. Season 3 broke ratings records as 2017’s #1 comedy in key demos and earned the series an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program. Harmon also created and executive-produced the hit comedy series Community, which ran for six seasons, garnering multiple Emmy nominations, Critics Choice Awards and other accolades. In 2015, he executive-produced Charlie Kaufman’s Academy Award-nominated animated feature film Anomalisa.
Other creators who have recently signed direct deals with FOX Entertainment include Jeff Davis, Kyle Killen, Mara Brock Akil and Sarah Watson, who wrote and is executive-producing FOX’s UNTITLED FILM RE-ENACTMENT PROJECT pilot from Warner Bros. Television, Amblin TV and FOX Entertainment.
Source: FOX Entertainment
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
