Press Releases

[Culver City, CA – April 29, 2019] Sony Pictures Television (SPT) today announced an expansive five-year overall television deal with Academy Award-winning and Emmy-nominated writers, directors, and producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller. The pair land at Sony after a highly competitive situation with multiple studios vying for the in-demand team. Under the exclusive new deal, Lord and Miller will develop live-action and animated series in both comedy and drama. The deal allows the pair to develop their own projects for network, cable and streaming platforms, as well as develop and supervise other writers’ projects. The duo will be involved in developing a suite of television series based on Sony’s Universe of Marvel Characters.
 
The deal expands Sony Picture Entertainment’s (SPE) existing relationship with Lord and Miller, who have a longstanding, fruitful relationship with the studio’s motion picture group. Past collaborations include 2009’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs which marked the pair’s writing and directorial debut, 21 and 22 Jump Street and most recently Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which took home the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, among many other accolades. The duo have multiple feature projects in the works with the studio, including The Last Human, which Sony won in a highly competitive sale and is a live action tent-pole Lord and Miller are developing to direct.
 
All projects will be produced through the pair’s Lord Miller Productions. Aubrey Lee will continue in her role at Lord Miller as Vice President of TV Development and Production. Select television projects related to Sony’s Universe of Marvel Characters will be produced in partnership with Amy Pascal.
 
“This is a significant milestone for our television business, having the opportunity to work with two of the most creative forces in the industry in both our film and television businesses,” said Mike Hopkins, Chairman of Sony Pictures Television. “Building on our strong IP and creating new franchises has been a key focus for SPE, and the best way to do that is to invest in remarkable storytellers like Phil and Chris. We are thrilled to welcome them to the SPT family, and I want to thank Jeff, Chris and Jason for all their hard work in pulling this deal together.”
 
“Phil and Chris have reimagined every medium and genre they have touched,” said Sony Pictures Television President Jeff Frost.  “Whether it’s television, features or animation, they have created their own unique brand and style.  We are so excited to be working with these brilliant creators and showrunners and are looking forward to collaborating with them in every aspect of television - comedy, drama, animation and beyond.”
 
“We are so grateful to everyone at Sony Pictures Television for choosing to partner with us and expand our enduring relationship with the studio. Together we aim to make groundbreaking work of the highest quality and integrity, and to place that work in convenient proximity to your eyeballs and earholes, wherever you may be,” said Lord and Miller.
 
Known as auteurs who are recognized for their unique sensibilities, Lord and Miller have spent their careers pushing creative boundaries. From Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse which was praised for its cultural impact and technical innovation to The Lego Movie franchise which redefined what a blockbuster film could be, to the television series The Last Man Earth which took risks by launching an entire series on a singular character, Lord and Miller’s projects have earned them an Academy Award, an Emmy nomination, multiple BAFTA’s and their features have grossed over $3.3 billion at the worldwide box office. In addition to Last Human, Lord and Miller are also developing to direct the feature Artemis, based on the novel by The Martian author Andy Weir for Fox and New Regency. Their most recent television project, the animated series Bless The Harts, created by Emily Spivey premieres on Fox this fall.
 
Lord and Miller’s deal was brokered by UTA and Ziffren Brittenham LLP and completed prior the expiration of WGA/ATA’s franchise agreement on April 12th.
 
About Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television (SPT) is one of the television industry’s leading content providers, producing, distributing and carrying programming worldwide in every genre and for every platform. In addition to managing one of the industry’s largest libraries of award-winning feature films, television shows and formats, SPT is home to a thriving global content business, operating 24 wholly-owned or joint-venture production companies in 12 countries, as well as linear and digital channels around the world. Sony Pictures Television is a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company.
 
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CONTACT
Sony Pictures Television
Stacy Weitz
310.244.8834
Stacy_Weitz@spe.sony.com
 
Lord & Miller
Rachael Reiss 
PMK•BNC
310.854.4805
Rachael.Reiss@pmkbnc.com