TCA: UMS Signs Deals with Daniels, Gary Sanchez Productions

Complete Coverage: 2011 TCA Summer Press Tour

Universal Media Studios has entered into a production
deal with producer and writer Greg Daniels, and a development deal with Gary
Sanchez Productions Television, Robert Greenblatt, chairman, NBC Entertainment announced
Monday.

Greg Daniels, whose work includes NBC shows The Office, which he developed for the
U.S., and Parks and Recreation, where
he serves as creator and executive producer, has signed with UMS to create live-action,
animated and reality shows over two years.

"We are very fortunate to continue our productive
creative relationship with Greg Daniels, a gifted and extremely versatile
producer-writer who has had great success in live-action, animated and sketch
comedy," said Greenblatt. "This new deal allows him great artistic
freedom in a wide variety of television genres, and we know that the best is
yet to come. One of our focuses will be to return Greg to primetime animation,
for which he had particular success with King of the Hill when he and I worked
together at FBC."


Gary Sanchez Productions, from executive producers Will Ferrell and Adam McKay,
has produced feature films including The
Other Guys
and Anchorman: The Legend
of Ron Burgundy
. They also created Funny or Die, a website housing short
comedies.

"This development deal with Will and Adam is a major step
forward for our studio," said Greenblatt. "They know how to make people laugh,
aren't afraid to take risks, and are among the elite of the entertainment
industry's creative leaders."