Ryan Murphy has decided to leave his previous home at FOX to ink a new five year deal with Netflix…
Ryan Murphy is going to Netflix.
The award winning creator, writer and executive producer of some of the biggest shows in FX history including ‘American Horror Story’, ‘American Crime Story’, ‘Nip/Tuck’ and many more has decided to leave FOX when his contract expires in July to ink a new five year deal with Netflix reportedly worth more than $300 million.
Murphy’s exodus is the first major blow FOX has taken since announcing a sale to Disney that won’t likely be finalized for at least another 12 to 18 months.
Murphy was admittedly torn after hearing the news that FOX was selling the majority of its entertainment assets to Disney and now it’s clear that he’s ready to go in a new direction with this deal to move over to Netflix.
“The history of this moment is not lost on me,” Murphy said. “I am a gay kid from Indiana who moved to Hollywood in 1989 with $55 in savings in my pocket, so the fact that my dreams have crystallized and come true in such a major way is emotional and overwhelming to me. I am awash in genuine appreciation for Ted Sarandos, Reed Hastings and Cindy Holland at Netflix for believing in me and the future of my company which will continue to champion women, minorities and LGBTQ heroes and heroines, and I am honored and grateful to continue my partnership with my friends and peers at Fox on our existing shows.”
Murphy will remain an executive producer on series still airing on FOX networks such as ‘American Horror Story’ and ‘American Crime Story’ as well as ‘911’, which was recently picked up for a second season on FOX.
Murphy will begin flexing his muscles with new series on Netflix in 2018 with plans already in motion for an hour long comedy called ‘The Politician’ that co-stars Barbra Streisand and Gwyneth Paltrow as well as his ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Next’ prequel titled ‘Ratched’, which stars long time friend Sarah Paulson in the lead role.
There have also been rumors that FOX executive Dana Walden may move over to run Murphy’s Netflix based company if she is not offered a high ranking position at Disney once the sale is finalized.
Obviously, Murphy jumping ship is a huge blow to FOX as the company has tried to maintain these kinds of relationships with the sale moving forward to Disney. FOX was able to ink ‘Sons of Anarchy’ creator Kurt Sutter to a new long term deal just recently but Murphy has ultimately decided to move over to Netflix where he will join fellow powerhouse creators like Shonda Rhimes and Jenji Kohan, who has already helped produce the wildly popular and award winning series ‘Orange in the New Black’ and ‘GLOW’ for the streaming service.
Now Murphy will join that same line up as Netflix continues to build a library of original content in anticipation of going head to head with Disney over the next few years as the company looks to start its own streaming service.
