Danielle Sanchez-Witzel Inks Overall Deal With Netflix

EXCLUSIVE: Powerhouse Animation Studios, which is behind Netflix’s Castlevania franchise and the upcoming Tomb Raider and Skull Island anime series, is formalizing its relationship with the streamer by signing a first-look deal to produce more animated series.

Ozy has inked Jody Watley to a talent deal that includes a biopic on the Grammy-winning R&B singer-songwriter-producer.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJanine Nabers has signed an overall deal with Amazon, Variety has learned.Under the deal, Nabers will develop, produce, and write television projects for the streamer.

Janine Nabers, who has written on HBO’s Watchmen and Netflix’s Away, has signed an overall deal with Amazon Studios.

Writer-producers Bridget Kyle and Vicky Luu are staying in business with Universal Television. The duo have signed a two-year deal at UTV, a division of Universal Studio Group, to develop and produce projects for a multiple television platforms.

Netflix has greenlighted Echoes, a twin sisters limited series from 13 Reasons Why writer/executive producer/showrunner Brian Yorkey. The Pulitzer Prize-winning writer will serve as executive producer and co-showrunner on the psychological thriller as part of a multi-year overall deal with the streamer for series and other projects.

Nedaa Sweiss, co-showrunner of The Tonight Show, is staying in the NBCUniversal family.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNedaa Sweiss has signed a multi-year overall deal with Universal Television.Sweiss currently serves as co-showrunner on the NBC late-night series “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” She will continue in that role under the deal while also developing new projects for broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms.“We’ve greatly admired Nedaa’s contributions to late night television over the years, and are excited to be collaborating with her as she expands her reach into

EXCLUSIVE: Writer-producer-director Liz W. Garcia has signed an overall deal with Entertainment One. Under the multi-year pact, Garcia will develop television series for broadcast, cable, and streaming, including projects by and about women, people of color and members of the LGBTQIA community.

Blumhouse Television is scaring up even more moves into the world of unscripted.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterEmily Heller has signed an overall deal with CBS Studios, Variety has learned exclusively.Under the deal, Heller will focus on developing comedy projects.

EXCLUSIVE: Tom Spezialy, coming off a run as an executive producer on HBO’s Emmy-winning limited series Watchmen, has signed an overall deal with Amazon Studios. Under the pact, I hear Spezialy has joined Silk, Sony Pictures Television’s upcoming live-action Marvel series, which reportedly is headed to Amazon’s Prime Video as SVOD distributor. Reps for Amazon and Sony declined comment.

Mónica Marie Zorrilla “The Carmichael Show” showrunner and “New Girl” co-executive producer Danielle Sanchez-Witzel has entered a multi-year overall deal with Netflix.

20th Century Studios has signed a three-year first-look deal with Will Ferrell and Jessica Elbaum’s Gloria Sanchez Productions for feature length movies in the theatrical and streaming space.

April Shih, who has written on FX series including Dave, Mrs. America and You’re The Worst, is staying in business with the Disney-owned cabler.

EXCLUSIVE: Cobra Kai co-executive producers Joe Piarulli and Luan Thomas have signed a multi-year overall deal with Sony Pictures Television, the studio behind the popular Netflix series.

EXCLUSIVE: The final years and death of radio legend and entertainer Casey Kasem is explored in a new documentary podcast series narrated by The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai star Martin Kove.

In January, Apple bought Heder’s film “CODA” for a record-breaking $25 million after an intense bidding war. Heder wrote and directed the drama about a teen girl who is the only hearing person in her deaf family and is stuck keeping their fishing business afloat. It starred Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Daniel Durant, Amy Forsyth, Kevin Chapman and Oscar winner Marlee Matlin.

Siân Heder, exec producer and co-showrunner of Little America and writer/director of feature CODA, is staying in business with Apple.