Television giant Ryan Murphy, creator of shows such as American Crime Story, Glee and American Horror Story, has signed a groundbreaking deal to make a bunch of new series and films for Netflix.
A scene from American Horror Story: Hotel. Image: FX
According to Deadline, Murphy inked a five-year deal with Netflix that could be the biggest TV deal of all time, with sources pinning it around $US300 million ($379 million). It’s just the most recent in a series of major moves for the streaming service.
Murphy’s contract starts July 1, with two shows already on the docket – The Politician, a social-political comedy, and Ratched, a Sarah Paulson-led origin story for Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Murphy follows Shonda Rhimes, another major TV producer who’s in the process of moving her Shondaland banner to the online platform.
This does make us wonder what’s going to happen to American Horror Story in the future, especially given how it’s already been renewed for an eighth season. (Rhimes’ deal didn’t include her being cut-off from her previous ABC works.) For now, it looks as though things are going to stay on track. In a statement, Murphy said he’s going to “continue my partnership with my friends and peers at Fox on our existing shows”, and Deadline noted that Murphy will keep working on all eight of his Fox and FX shows – at least for the next year or so. Beyond that, it’s hard to say. We’ve reached out to FX for comment but had not heard back at time of writing.
Regardless of his involvement, it appears that the topic for next season has already been picked. Last year, Murphy teased on Instagram that season eight of American Horror Story will take place in the future, and the theme will be either lust or violence – continuing his trek through Dante’s nine circles of hell.
[Deadline]