Soo Hugh Signs Overall Deal With UCP, Will Launch Talent Incubator

EXCLUSIVE: Writer Syreeta Singleton is expanding her relationship with HBO and HBO Max, signing a one-year overall deal with the premium cabler and streaming platform. Under the pact, Singleton will develop new material for the networks and showrun the upcoming HBO Max series, Rap Sh*t.

Paris Hilton is getting into business with Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, signing an exclusive two-year overall deal with the studio.

Melissa Stokes, exec producer of HBO Max’s Selena + Chef, is preparing to stick with the streamer after striking an overall deal.

EXCLUSIVE: Golden Globe-nominated writer Liz Hannah (The Post, The Girl From Plainville) has signed an overall deal with MRC Television and Civic Center Media, a joint venture between UTA and MRC. Under the pact, Hannah will develop and produce television projects with the indie studio partnership through her newly launched company, Happy Friday Productions.

EXCLUSIVE: In just two short years, Davita Scarlett has emerged as one of Robert and Michelle King’s MVP writer-producers, simultaneously serving as a co-executive producer on two of the duo’s series, The Good Fight for Paramount+ and Evil for CBS. Scarlett is now joining the talent roster of CBS Studios, which is behind The Good Fight and Evil, signing a multi-year overall deal to develop new projects for the studio targeting all platforms.

EXCLUSIVE: Emmy Award-winning animation writer/producers Kevin and Dan Hageman, creators, executive producers and showrunners of the upcoming Star Trek: Prodigy, have signed an exclusive overall deal with CBS Studios, the studio behind the Paramount+/Nickelodeon animated series. Under the significant, multi-year pact, the Hagemans will continue on Star Trek: Prodigy and exclusively create and develop new television content for the studio.

Nancy Grace will host a new series for Fox Nation called America’s Most Wanted Overtime, tied to the Fox network airing of America’s Most Wanted, and she also has signed a new multiyear deal in which she will continue Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.

Mónica Marie Zorrilla Angela Robinson has signed a multi-year overall deal with Warner Bros. Television GroupUnder the terms of the agreement, the director and writer of the GLAAD Media Award and Saturn Award-nominated independent drama “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” will develop and create original scripted television programming for all Warner Bros.

Miley Cyrus has reportedly secured a major new record deal after signing with Columbia Records.According to Billboard, Columbia CEO and chairman Ron Perry personally sought the deal with Cyrus after her three-album deal with RCA – which is also part of Sony Music – was coming to an end.Perry is said to be friends with Cyrus, and previously teamed up with the singer to cover Nirvana‘s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ at the 40th birthday party of her manager Adam Lebel in 2017.Miley joins a Columbia

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJenny Lumet has signed a four-year overall deal with CBS Studios.According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, the deal is in the eight-figure range. Lumet most recently co-created the CBS drama series “Clarice,” on which she also serves as an executive producer.“I feel genuine support and creative partnership at CBS Studios,” said Lumet.

Over the past four years, Jenny Lumet established herself as one of CBS Studios’ most prolific creators/showrunners. Now the studio has secured Lumet’s exclusive services for four more years with a rich overall production deal, said to be in the eight-figure range.

EXCLUSIVE: Charly Evon Simpson is getting into business with HBO. The prolific playwright is expanding her reach in television, signing an overall deal with the premium cabler. Under the pact, Simpson will serve as a consulting producer on the second season of Industry. She is also currently a member of the writing staff for the second season of Perry Mason, which recently earned three Critics Choice nominations.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterKeke Palmer as signed an overall television deal with Entertainment One (eOne), Variety has learned exclusively.“I am thrilled to be partnering with eOne to create entertaining, meaningful, fun television experiences that will deeply connect with audiences and be reflective of our current world,” Palmer said.

Writer-producer Soo Hugh is getting into business with UCP. Hugh has signed a multi-year overall deal to develop, write and produce projects for the studio, a division of Universal Studio Group. As part of the deal, Hugh will launch an incubator program with the mandate of helping new Asian voices create shows and establish careers in the industry.

Seth Meyers will be offering a Closer Look for a few more years to come after renewing his deal with NBC.

EXCLUSIVE: Fear The Walking Dead co-creator Dave Erickson has closed an overall deal with MRC Television. Under the multi-year pact, Erickson will exclusively work with the indie studio on the creation and development of television series on which he will serve as writer-showrunner or supervise other writers.

I probably sound like a broken record by this point because whenever Gareth Evans is mentioned, it’s utterly important that I implore everyone to watch “The Raid” films. They are two of the best action films, period, let alone of the past decade.

EXCLUSIVE: Gareth Evans has found his new home for the next several years as the director of The Raid franchise has signed an exclusive deal with Netflix to produce and direct films for the studio. As part of the new partnership, Evans has set the action thriller Havoc as the first film under the deal with Tom Hardy on board to star.

Mónica Marie Zorrilla Maude Apatow, William Hurt, Corey Stoll, and Lara Pulver have all joined the cast of the upcoming AMC animated drama “Pantheon,” the network announced Thursday as part of the Television Critics Association winter press tour.Apatow (“Euphoria,” “The King of Staten Island”), Hurt (“Black Widow,” “Goliath,”), Stoll (“Billions,” “Ant-Man”) and Pulver (“The Angel of Darkness,” “Sherlock”) will be joining a voice cast that is jam-packed with diverse celebrity talent.