‘AHS’ Producer Brad Falchuk Inks Massive Deal with Netflix

After more than a decade at 20th Century Fox Television, prolific writer-producer Brad Falchuk is heading to Netflix with a massive four-year overall deal. No details are being disclosed but I hear that the pact is in the high eight figures. Under the agreement, Falchuk will develop, write, produce and direct new series for Netflix through his Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision banner. As part of the deal, he also will continue to work on his existing shows with 20th TV/Fox 21,  9-1-1, Pose, American Horror Story, American Crime Story, as well as Netflix’s upcoming The Politician. 

At Netflix, Falchuk plans to grow his Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision into a full-fledged production company with its own development team. I hear he is far along in the hiring process and is looking at offices close to Netflix’s headquarters in Hollywood.

Falchuk’s current overall deal with 20th Century TV is not up until June but I hear that Netflix engaged early and pursued him aggressively, outbidding other suitors for the exclusive rights to Falchuk’s writing, producing and directing services.

“I have spent my career creating shows that bounce between different genres and tones and I plan on continuing to develop and create programing that spans a wide variety of worlds and formats,” Falchuk said. “During my first meeting with Netflix, they told me – just bring us stories you’re passionate about and we will find a way to help you tell them. That level of support and freedom is inspiring to me.”

At Netflix, Falchuk joins a roster of A-list showrunners with big overall deals such as his frequent collaborator Ryan Murphy, Shonda Rhimes and Kenya Barris.

“We are thrilled to welcome Brad Falchuk to Netflix,” said Cindy Holland, VP of Original Content at Netflix. “As a storyteller, Brad is a taste maker and trail blazer, and he is a writer/director with a true knack for piercing the cultural zeitgeist. There is no limit to what Brad can accomplish with Netflix as his new home.”

Over the past decade, Falchuk emerged as one of the most prolific creators and collaborators at 20th TV and its cable division Fox 21 TV Studios. With Murphy, he has co-created and executive produced such series and franchises as Fox’s young-skewing Glee and Scream Queens (alongside Ian Brennan) and current hit procedural 9-1-1 (with Tim Minear), which was just renewed for a third season; FX’s venerable genre drama American Horror Story, now in its ninth season; and praised sophomore Pose (with Steven Canals); as well as Netflix’s The Politician (also with Brennan). Additionally, Falchuk serves as an executive producer on FX’s American Horror Story, sharing two outstanding limited series Emmy awards with Murphy and the rest of the team for the first two installments, People vs. O.J. Simpson and Versace.

“Brad is a truly gifted creator and an extraordinary partner,” said Disney Television Studios and ABC Entertainment chairman Dana Walden, who oversees 20th TV/Fox 21 and has a longstanding relationship with Falchuk and Murphy. “We wish him nothing but the best in his new deal and feel very lucky that we’ll continue to work with him on some of the iconic shows he and Ryan Murphy created together at 20th.”

Falchuk is the co-founder of the Young Storytellers Foundation, a mentoring program that teaches fourth graders in over 80 schools in the Los Angeles area how to write their own screenplays. “Through two decades of involvement with YSF I’ve seen the power that mentorship provides for both the mentor and the mentee and I plan on making mentorship a pillar of my company,” he said. “As well as developing my own shows, I am committed to finding new, unheard voices and helping to turn them into the showrunners of the future. Success will be determined by how many shows we create and also by how many showrunners we create.”

Falchuk and frequent creative partners Murphy and Brennan are currently finishing post-production on their latest co-creation, The Politician, starring Ben Platt, Oscar winner Jessica Lange and Falchuk’s wife, Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow. I hear they are already in discussions about a number of future projects as well.

Falchuk is repped by WME and attorney Michael Gendler.