FX has signed a three year deal with RCG productions which will keep It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia on the air through season 12. In addition, they’ve ordered 10 episodes of a new Tracy Morgan series. Season 10 of Sunny and the Morgan series will kick off in January 2015.
Here’s their press release:
FX PRODUCTIONS CLOSES A NEW OVERALL DEAL WITH ROB MCELHENNEY, CHARLIE DAY AND GLENN HOWERTON’S RCG PRODUCTIONS THROUGH 2017
LUCRATIVE THREE-YEAR PACT ENCOMAPASSES MULTIPLE PROJECTS
FXX Orders Seasons 11 and 12 of The Hit Comedy Series “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” Which Will Make it the Longest Running Live Action Comedy Series in Cable History
FXX Places 10-Episode Series Order for “The Untitled Tracy Morgan Project” To Be Created By McElhenney, Day, Howerton, and Luvh Rakhe Who Will Serve as Executive Producers/Showrunners
FXX Will Pair the Upcoming 10th Season of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” with “The Untitled Tracy Morgan Project” in January 2015
Deal Also Includes a Comedy Pilot Order and Numerous Script Deals
LOS ANGELES, April 4, 2014 – FX Productions (FXP) has closed a new, three-year overall production deal with Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton and their RCG Productions in a significant pact that includes an additional two-season order of their hit FXX comedy It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; FXX’s series order for a half-hour comedy to be created by McElhenney, Day, Howerton, and Luvh Rakhe, starring Tracy Morgan; a comedy Pilot order (TBA); and numerous script deals, it was announced today by Nick Grad and Eric Schrier, Presidents of Original Programming, FX Networks and FX Productions.
FXP’s overall deal with RCG runs through 2017. RCG and FXP’s first overall production deal was signed in 2011.
“Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton are three of the most talented comedy writers and producers in our business, not to mention very gifted actors,” said Grad. “This deal is a testament to their skill, intelligence and work ethic, which combined to earn them one of the best overall deals in TV. Not bad for three guys who shot a pilot ten years ago for $200 and a few pizzas.”
With FXX’s pick up of seasons 11 and 12 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, (10 episodes each season), not only will Sunny become the longest-running live-action comedy series in cable history, its 12 seasons will tie My Three Sons for the second longest running live-action comedy in television history.
In addition to the Sunny order, FXX has placed a 10-episode order for a half-hour comedy series created by McElhenney, Day, Howerton, and Rakhe (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, New Girl), and starring Tracy Morgan, The Untitled Tracy Morgan Project. RCG will serve as Executive Producers and Showrunners along with with Luvh Rakhe. Eric Tannenbaum, Kim Tannenbaum, and Nick Frenkel are Executive Producers. FXX will pair The Untitled Tracy Morgan Project with the upcoming tenth season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia with a scheduled launch date of January 2015. (FX Networks did not move forward with its previous Tracy Morgan pilot, Do or Die.)
In addition to the two-season order of Sunny and the series order for The Untitled Tracy Morgan Project, this new overall deal between FXP calls for:
· A comedy Pilot order (To Be Announced)
· A script order for Harder, written by Scott Marder and Glenn Howerton
· A script order for We’re Good, Thanks, written by Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Artemis Pebdani and Charlie Day, with Ellis and Pebdani attached to star
· A script order for Blow Up Dolls, written by and starring Sarah Solemani
Eric Schrier added, “We’ve had a wonderful partnership with Rob, Charlie and Glenn and over the past ten years. They are fantastic and prolific producers, writers and actors, and it’s great to continue to support their talents for many years to come.”
Since launching in the July of 2005, Sunny has become one of the most successful shows on television. It is one of ad-supported cable’s highest rated comedy series among Adults 18-49, Adults 18-34 and Men 18-34. The series was the first basic cable comedy to gain cable syndication on another network (Comedy Central). It is one of the top-selling DVDs in television and among the highest selling in the Fox library. Sunny also was one of the first shows to produce a live-stage adaptation, selling out theaters across the country with its “Nightman Cometh” tour.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia was created by McElhenney and is executive produced by McElhenney, Day, Howerton, Michael Rotenberg, Nick Frenkel and Tom Lofaro. The show is produced by FX Productions.
FXP also has overall production agreements with Adam Reed and Matt Thompson’s Floyd County TV (Archer, Chozen); Louis C.K. and M. Blair Breard’s Pig Newton (Louie, The Untitled Zach Galfianakis Project); Paul Giamatti and Dan Carey’s Touchy Feely Films; and Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson’s Color Force.
In addition to The Untitled Tracy Morgan Project, FX recently ordered three new comedies, The Comedians starring Billy Crystal and Josh Gad, Married starring Nat Faxon and Judy Greer, and You’re the Worst starring Aya Cash and Chris Geere, both premiering this summer. In 2014, FX Networks will air ten original comedy series across two of its three channels, FX and FXX. FX televises the Emmy(R), AFI, TCA and Peabody award-winning Louie, which is the most critically-acclaimed comedy on American television, and the acclaimed animated comedies Archer and Chozen, Married, and You’re the Worst. The FXX comedy roster includes the acclaimed hit series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, Wilfred, Legit, and Ali G: Rezurection.
FX Networks has been very active in comedy development and production. FX Networks has six comedy pilots in various stages of production for either FX or FXX. They include Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll created by and starring Denis Leary; and The Untitled Zach Galifianakis Project created by and starring Galifianakis, How and Why created by Charlie Kaufman and starring John Hawkes, Michael Cera and Sally Hawkins; Man Seeking Woman from Simon Rich and starring Jay Baruchel; and the animated comedy series Bigfoot from Seth Rogen and produced by Rogen and Adam Reed and Matt Thompson.
About FX Productions
FX Productions (FXP) produces the critically acclaimed hit comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, Louie, Archer, Wilfred, Legit, Chozen, and upcoming comedies Married (June ’14), You’re the Worst (June ’14, and The Untitled Tracy Morgan Project (January ’15), and the drama series The Strain (July ’14). FXP co-produces the award-winning hit dramas Sons of Anarchy, Justified, and The Americans, the acclaimed drama series The Bridge, and the upcoming drama Tyrant (June ’14). FXP is also co-producing the limited series Fargo starring Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Freeman, which debuts on April 15th.
About FXX
FXX is the new basic cable entertainment network from FX Networks. Geared toward a young adult audience, the schedule features original series, movies, and acquired series. The channel is anchored by the acclaimed hit comedies It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, Legit, Ali G: Rezurection, and The Untitled Tracy Morgan Project (January ’15). FXX is carried in more than 72 million homes. FXX and its sister channels FX and FXM comprise FX Networks, a business unit of 21 Century Fox.
What do you think? Are you a fan of It’s Always Sunny? How long should it run?
Wow, I initially didn’t expect a renewal for “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” through a 12th season (in late 2016) after Glenn Howerton said that the series may end with season 10. “South Park” is renewed through that same year as well. I guess the “IASiP” renewal would be the lesser of the two evils (long-running live-action comedy vs. animated “floating timeline” show).
I used to be a massively big fan of this show but I’m finding it really hard to understand how it’s going to run for 12 years. I think they have pretty much run out of new and inventive ways to be offensive at this point and are resorting to “jokes” that are way beyond offensive and go into disgusting and horrible. I think at this point I’d much rather see the individual actors in this show go on and do other things or the team try and come up with something new and fresh in the comedy department. Something… Read more »