The Safdie Brothers Ink First-Look TV Deal With HBO

Uncut Gems directors/co-writers Josh and Benny Safdie have signed a two-year, first-look television deal with HBO via their Elara Pictures production company. Additionally, the company, formed with long-time collaborators Sebastian Bear-McClard and Ronald Bronstein, has brought on former Paramount and Chernin Entertainment executive Dani Bernfeld as Partner to produce across film & TV.

A24, co-producer and distributor of Uncut Gems, will executive produce all HBO Elara projects and partner with Elara on select projects outside of the HBO first look. Uncut Gems, starring Adam Sandler, became A24’s highest-grossing film, earning more than $50 million domestically at the box office. The Safdies won the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Director and were nominated for Best Screenplay for the film. A24 previously partnered with Elara on the Robert Pattinson crime thriller Good Time.

A24 has partnered with HBO on several past television projects, most recently drama series Euphoria starring Zendaya, which was renewed for a second season. Other recent A24 TV productions include the Golden Globe-winning Hulu series Ramy from Ramy Youssef, which is about to launch its second season, Netflix holiday special John Mulaney And The Sack Lunch Bunch, and the forthcoming Joseph Gordon-Levitt Apple series Mr. Corman.

In addition to Uncut Gems and Good Time, Elara’s productions include Heaven Knows What. Across media, they’ve recently launched an audio streaming arm ElaraFM, and published their first book under Elara Press, R. Crumb’s Dream Diary.

Source: Read Full Article