Lee Daniels is staying put at Fox.
The executive producer and co-creator of Fox’s “Empire” and “Star” has signed a new multi-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television, the studio announced Thursday.
“Lee is not just an extraordinary writer and director, he’s a talent magnet who’s full of creative energy,” Fox Television Group Chairmen and CEO Dana Walden and Gary Newman said. “He’s also one of the most entertaining and authentic voices we’ve ever encountered. From ‘Empire’ to ‘Star,’ when you work with Lee on a project, you know you’re going to be spellbound not just by the idea, but also by how it’s filtered through his unique lens. He’s a creator with many more stories to tell and we’re grateful he’ll be telling them with us.”
Daniels signed his first overall deal with Fox in June 2015, following the Season 1 run of his ratings powerhouse “Empire.” His next series with the studio, “Star,” premiered in December 2016.
“I’ve loved the creative freedom Fox has afforded me over the last several years and proud of the work that we’ve collectively achieved as a result of it,” Daniels added. “I’m excited to continue my time at the studio and produce television that isn’t only personal to my own stories, but also find undiscovered, diverse, new voices to bring to the small screen.”
Daniels’ new deal with Fox adds to him to a growing list of showrunners who have signed (or re-signed) with the studio recently, including Vali Chandrasekaran, Abraham Higginbotham, Sanaa Hamri, Tim Minear, Kurt Sutter, Rich Appel and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel.
Aside from his work on the small screen, Daniels’ feature credits include “Precious” and “The Butler.” He is repped by CAA and attorney Jeanne Newman.