eOne, IDW strike first-look deal

Entertainment One Television has scored a first-look development and production deal with IDW Entertainment, a newly launched division of comic book specialist IDW Publishing.

The deal will see eOne and IDWE develop and produce television series based on IDW’s 300-plus original properties.

The pair will fully fund each project with the intention of securing direct-to-series commitments from US network and cable channels. IDW Publishing CEO Ted Amas and IDWE president David Ozer will serve as executive producer on the projects, alongside eOne Television CEO John Morayniss and eOne senior VP, filmed entertainment Benedict Carver, the latter of whom oversee’s eOne’s participation in the deal.

The Walking Dead coproducer Circle of Confusion will lead creative development in each of the projects, having formed a partnership with IDW Publishing to develop entertainment projects in October last year.

Circle of Confusion’s Rick Jacobs and David Alpert will be exec producers.

eOne sells AMC series The Walking Dead internationally, and it will now jointly represent net sales of the shows from the venture with IDWE. eOne will be the sole international distributor.

“The IDW team brings with them not only an expansive catalog of captivating titles, but the creative sensibility and instinct for developing their properties into successful franchises,” said Morayniss. “Working with Circle of Confusion further cements this collaborative powerhouse and we look forward to the impressive slate of projects to come.”

“eOne has a proven track record of developing, producing and distributing premier television programming, and they are the perfect co-development, production and distribution partner for IDW Entertainment as we grow our television business,” added Ozer.

“We look forward to collaborating with eOne and Circle of Confusion to bring our properties to life and anticipate announcing very shortly our first project under the deal.”