Lee Daniels Extends 20th Television Relationship With First-Look Deal

EXCLUSIVE: Lee Daniels is staying at 20th Television with a multi-year first-look deal. Under the pact, Daniels will develop and executive produce comedy, drama and limited series for linear networks and streamers through his Lee Daniels Entertainment banner, with an emphasis on platforms across Disney Entertainment Television.

Daniels has been at 20th Television since 2015. He co-created/executive produced the studio’s Fox drama series Empire and Star and executive produced another drama series for Fox, Our King of People, as well as ABC’s Wonder Year reboot.

“Daniels’ storied history with our studio spans over a decade, where he created culture-defining series and characters that helped redefine an era of television,” 20th Television President Karey Burke said. “He’s an incredibly unique and talented visionary, and we are truly looking forward to our next chapter of collaboration with him.”

Daniels is coming off three back-to-back overall deals with 20th TV, which he signed in 2015, 2018 and 2021. His new pact with the studio comes amid a rising popularity of first-look agreements as an alternative to pricier and more restrictive overall deals. It also comes amid an industrywide pairing down of talent deals altogether.

“I am so grateful to continue my partnership with 20th, Dana Walden, Karey Burke, and their incredible team,” Daniels said. “They have wholeheartedly supported my vision for the past ten years and I’m very proud of what we have accomplished together. I’m looking forward to our future and to continuing to create diverse and meaningful projects and bringing new perspectives to the screen.”

Daniels, two-time Oscar nominee for Precious, most recently produced and directed the Netflix film The Deliverance, which was released on Aug. 30 and spent three weeks on the streamer’s global Top 10 English-language movie chart, including a stint at #1. He also executive produces The Ms. Pat Show for BET+, which is headed to its fifth season.

He is repped by CAA, Range Media Partners and Hansen, Jacobson.