Lionsgate is looking for another hit from "Weeds" creator Jenji Kohan.
The studio has signed a new two-year overall deal with Kohan, who’ll remain as showrunner of the Lionsgate-produced Showtime comedy while developing new projects for the indie studio.
On Kohan’s slate: A musical comedy for Showtime, which she’s producing with fellow "Weeds" scribe Stephen Falk. Kohan is also producing "Tough Trade," a previously announced pilot for fledgling pay-cable network Epix.
Kohan, eschewing the usual press release quote boilerplate, had this to say about her new agreement:
"Having gotten to second base with Lionsgate in my former ‘under the shirt but over the bra’ deal, it’s a thrill to now be in bed with them and going all the way," Kohan said. "Let us hope our creative offspring make us both proud and happy for years to come. And when I say ‘come’, don’t read into it. It’s a business deal. Get your minds out of the gutter.”
Poor Kevin Beggs, Lionsgate’s president of television programming and production, didn’t have a chance with his official comment on the deal. To his credit, however, he didn’t say he was thrilled about retaining Kohan’s services.
Instead, he said the writer/producer is “brilliantly talented, funny and fearless and a highly valued member of the Lionsgate TV family. ‘Weeds’ has become a signature show for Lionsgate around the world, helping to define our TV brand, and we have Jenji to thank for that.”
Kohan’s past TV credits include "Boston Common," "The Stones" and "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." Her deal was done by Team CAA and attorney Bob Getman of Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer Austen Mandelbaum Morris & Klein (or J-TWAMM to tha K, as the kids call it).
