By Ethan Anderton/March 22, 2019 12:30 pm EST
Paul Feig may have already seen the writing on the wall when the Disney deal started coming together because the filmmaker was already developing several projects at Universal. One is a workplace comedy called 24-7 starring Eva Longoria and produced by Kerry Washington and Ben Spector. The other is False Alarm, another comedy that Feig is producing with Dylan Clark (of the recent Planet of the Apes franchise) and Sam Esmail (creator of Mr. Robot).
Universal president Paul Cramer confirmed the deal in a statement:
Paul Feig is indeed one of the finest comedy filmmakers working today. Not only that, but he’s been a strong supporter of creating major comedy roles for actresses, something that has thankfully become much more common in recent years. Say what you will about Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (actually, just don’t), but Feig gave four hilarious actresses the chance to tackle a blockbuster franchise, and he continues to craft fun roles for a wide array of comedic talents. But beyond that, Feig recently showed that he has more tricks up his sleeve with the twisted, dark, comedic thriller A Simple Favor, and we hope Universal gives him a chance to make more movies like that.
“Paul is one of the most distinctive and versatile filmmakers working today, and we are thrilled to welcome him, Jessie Henderson, and the FeigCo team back to Universal. We know they will add to their impressive track record of creating successful films for global audiences that are full of Paul’s signature joy, wit, and heart, starting with Last Christmas in November.”
