FX Productions (FXP) has closed a new, three-year overall production deal with Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton and their RCG Productions in a significant pact that includes an additional two-season order of their hit FXX comedy “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”; FXX’s series order for a half-hour comedy to be created by McElhenney, Day, Howerton, and Luvh Rakhe, starring Tracy Morgan; a comedy Pilot order (TBA); and numerous script deals, it was announced today by Nick Grad and Eric Schrier, Presidents of Original Programming, FX Networks and FX Productions.
FXP’s overall deal with RCG runs through 2017. RCG and FXP’s first overall production deal was signed in 2011.
“Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton are three of the most talented comedy writers and producers in our business, not to mention very gifted actors,” said Grad. “This deal is a testament to their skill, intelligence and work ethic, which combined to earn them one of the best overall deals in TV. Not bad for three guys who shot a pilot ten years ago for $200 and a few pizzas.”
With FXX’s pick up of seasons 11 and 12 of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” (10 episodes each season), not only will “Sunny” become the longest-running live-action comedy series in cable history, its 12 seasons will tie “My Three Sons” for the second longest running live-action comedy in television history.
In addition to the “Sunny” order, FXX has placed a 10-episode order for a half-hour comedy series created by McElhenney, Day, Howerton, and Rakhe (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “New Girl”), and starring Tracy Morgan, “The Untitled Tracy Morgan Project.” RCG will serve as Executive Producers and Showrunners along with with Luvh Rakhe. Eric Tannenbaum, Kim Tannenbaum, and Nick Frenkel are Executive Producers. FXX will pair “The Untitled Tracy Morgan Project” with the upcoming tenth season of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” with a scheduled launch date of January 2015. (FX Networks did not move forward with its previous Tracy Morgan pilot, “Do or Die.”)
In addition to the two-season order of Sunny and the series order for “The Untitled Tracy Morgan Project,” this new overall deal between FXP calls for:
– A comedy Pilot order (To Be Announced)
– A script order for “Harder,” written by Scott Marder and Glenn Howerton
– A script order for “We’re Good, Thanks,” written by Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Artemis Pebdani and Charlie Day, with Ellis and Pebdani attached to star
– A script order for “Blow Up Dolls,” written by and starring Sarah Solemani
Eric Schrier added, “We’ve had a wonderful partnership with Rob, Charlie and Glenn and over the past ten years. They are fantastic and prolific producers, writers and actors, and it’s great to continue to support their talents for many years to come.”
“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” was created by McElhenney and is executive produced by McElhenney, Day, Howerton, Michael Rotenberg, Nick Frenkel and Tom Lofaro. The show is produced by FX Productions.
FXP also has overall production agreements with Adam Reed and Matt Thompson’s Floyd County TV (“Archer,” “Chozen”); Louis C.K. and M. Blair Breard’s Pig Newton (“Louie,” “The Untitled Zach Galfianakis Project”); Paul Giamatti and Dan Carey’s Touchy Feely Films; and Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson’s Color Force.
