EXCLUSIVE: He is behind the hottest show on television. Now Emmy nominated Ryan Murphy has landed one of the biggest deals ever for a TV writer-producer that spans television, music and theater. I hear he is closing a new 4-year $24-million overall deal with Glee producer 20th Century Fox TV for his services on the Fox series and new development through his Ryan Murphy Prods. The sum includes advances against future profits. Additionally, under the pact, Murphy will share profits from Glee’s music business – album sales and downloads – and will also receive a portion of Glee‘s touring and merchandising revenues. Both clauses are retroactive, covering the show’s red-hot freshman season. Also, Murphy has the option to mount a Glee Broadway musical, on which he also would be a profit participant. All in all, the new deal could potentially earn Murphy as much as $10 million a year over the next 4 years if Glee continues to grow.
In its size, it rivals the the $60 million five-year pact JJ Abrams inked with Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros TV in 2006 as that covered both Abrams’ TV and feature services. In scope, it is similar to the mega pact 20th TV has in place with Seth MacFarlane, which also includes multiple auxiliary revenue streams. That deal could hit $100 million over its six-year span. Murphy’s new multi-faceted deal succeeds the 3-year three-company pact Murphy inked in 2007 with News Corp. entities FX, 20th Century Fox TV and Fox Broadcasting Co. That deal covered his services on his FX series Nip/Tuck, an overall deal with 20th TV that led to the development of Glee and a first-look component with 20th TV through which the network landed the hit dramedy.
Murphy has a strong track record. He has created/co-created 3 series so far, the WB’s Popular, Nip/Tuck and Glee. Glee, which he co-created with Ian Brennan and Brad Falchuk, has dominated pop culture since its launch last fall, in addition to solid ratings and critical acclaim. The musical dramedy recently earned 19 Emmy nominations, more than any other series. Also recently, it landed a sizable off-network syndication deal with Oxygenafter after only one season. The show has also become a music industry powerhouse, setting records with 3 consecutive No.1 albums within a calendar year and 14 Top 40 hits. It also has boosted the sales for every artist whose songs have been featured on the show and also spawned a sold-out concert tour.
After a start in journalism, CAA-repped Murphy segued to screenwriting in the late 1990s when his romantic comedy script Why Can’t I Be Audrey Hepburn? was purchased by Steven Spielberg. In addition to his strong TV career, Murphy has continued to stay active in features. His most recent movie, Sony Pictures’ Julia Roberts starrer Eat Pray Love, opens August 13. Ryan recently signed a new $5-million deal with Sony to write and direct another feature starring Roberts.
Good for him! Certainly one of the hardest-working people in showbiz, and very genuine and kind. He deserves his success.
Lovely to see writers succeed (to put it mildly) financially.
Kind of an odd guy to actually be around, but there’s no doubting his talent.
What exactly does that mean, ‘kind of an odd guy to actually be around…’? I don’t mean the ‘actually’ part, which is usually only used by dumb people verbally–writing it into a sentence is really dumb because … what other ways are their to be around him? It’s valley girl speak. But that’s not my point. Who are you? Maybe you are an odd person and so someone perfectly normal might seem odd to you. Maybe you are from, say, South Carolina…and everything outside your trailer seems odd. Or … maybe he is odd … but how so? Likes to drink a cold soda and a hot coffee at the same time kind of odd? Has to touch every tree he passes three times (four times on Saturdays) kind of odd? Nice comment. says nothing about Mr. Murphy. Says loads about you.
Wow. This is, quite simply, a ridiculous response to a simple comment. Your comment says a lot about YOU, if anything.
Dw, I think Chandler Hill might be a liiittle bit wacko..
words matter. Strange concept in Hollywood, huh?
Yes, Chandler, words certainly DO matter, and your bigoted comment about seeing the world through a trailer in South Carolina speaks volumes about your character. BTW, being from SC, I do not live in a “trailer,” (mobile home is actually the correct term), nor do 95% of the rest of my fellow South Carolinians. Please try being a little more open and embrace true diversity, even if it goes against what industry liberals selectively choose to call “diversity.”
That’s great. I’m not trying to be like one of those Phish fans that brag how they listened to them before everyone else but… Popular is to Glee what Resevoir Dogs is to Pulp Fiction. I knew that shit was good but no one was watching it on a Friday night on the WB.
Very true! I liked Popular and rarely come across anyone else who remembers it. But I was in high school at the time it was on, so my judgment can’t really be trusted on that one.
I was 30 when Popular came on and never missed an episode. That show rocked. it was the kind of comic genius I wish we were seeing on Glee. It was like Freaks and Geeks with a Sex & the City wardrobe consultant. Pure genius.
I loved Popular! I too was in high school at the time. So sad it’s gone :( All I remember is someone getting hit by a car and never finding out what happened. ::sigh::
Thats great!!!!. I love Glee alot its awesome i still watch first seasons of it and i go on hulu to watch some of the new onesi feel tho the 3rd season was short but that cool as long as there is Glee im HAPPY!!!!!.
You must be watching it in the UK, or you would understand our American TV season system… GLEE has only been on for ONE season so far. It was divided into two halves, however…
And congrats to Ryan. Seems like a good guy and have loved all his shows so far.
Third season was short, Jessica? Ummm…there’s only been ONE season of Glee so far. Glad you like it though.
Good for Murphy. Definitely a very talented guy who is deserving of being compensated for the blockbuster he has helped create in GLEE.
Interesting commentaary.
Yay Ryan! A smart and hilarious guy. Nice to see someone talented and thoughtful succeed in this manner – so rare.
HA! I knew I’d see Seth MacFarlane’s name in this story, or should I call him “Mr Sunday Night” :)
Congratulation Ryan
We all hope Ryan supports Fox taking care of his incredibly talented cast
He deserves it, but why isn’t anyone talking about the elephant in the room? The second half of Glee was the worst thing that ever happened to television. It’s like Heroes all over again.
Stop protecting him…
I’ve had the pleasure of working around and with Ryan since the inception of Nip/Tuck. Frankly I know no one who works harder, no one who is more involved and no one I would rather work for than Ryan Murphy. He has tremendous talent match only by his respect for the crew and their individual contributions. And what an incredibly loyal person. Frankly I think his deal with FOX should have been twice the amount because he earns it. I case anyone missed it the entire first season of GLEE was written by Ryan, Brad and Ian — Now its time for FOX to get off the dime and give Ian a development deal too. Brad already has his.
Great for Ryan.. He is incredibly talented.. art and commerce meet for the perfect storm… Blah, blah, blah. If you want to talk about the elephant in the room… It would be nice if the “CO-CREATORS” BRENNAN and FALCHUK got more RECOGNITION … I have watched several episodes of GLEE, and I saw the Live show ( the cast is incredible)… However, when the TV credits role, I see Brennan and Falchuk doing a tremendous amount of writing, and producing, and Falchuk directing quite a bit… I hope those two see some of that touring and download $… If not, I’m sure there will be HUGE paydays in their futures…In my humble opinion, they appear to be the guts of the show, and they should be properly acknowledged. I look forward to season 2.
The bigger elephant in the room is his work schedule. We all know GLEE is overrated, especially as we all watched the second half of the season dive from lame to bad to kind of atrocious. He’ll be hovering on the burn out before the four years even comes to pass. I’m sure he’s a nice guy, I have no doubts of that. But, alas, he’s mildly overrated. GLEE isn’t the original, zany, wacky, game changer we like to pretend that it is.
The other elephant in the room? The GLEE cast already spent time complaining about the overly demanding work schedule. Hell, even current Hollywood favorite Neil Patrick Harris commented on it. I’m all for legit compliments, but not at the expense of some obvious realities. If GLEE makes it to a fourth season, its ratings will be in the basement and the content will be even worse than what it’s already become. It’s the recurring theme in TV that once you start reaching out to ‘guest celeb stars’, you’ve run out of ideas. They started doing this damn near immediately. Hate all you want, bitch at me all you want, it’ll come to pass.
I find “Glee” to be the most overrated, “Emporer’s New Clothes” show in the history of television. And do those two other writers — the ones whose original idea it was — ever get any attention or accolades? You would think from the press — and Murphy’s penchant for inserting himself in cast photos — that he did it all by himself.
Exactly. Glee is the most overrated piece of crap on TV. Ryan Murphy is a media whore and has made sure to insert himself everywhere so that no one else gets any credit or accolades. It’s Hollywood 101, take all of the credit and none of the blame.
The show was good but not great for the first half of the season, but the second half was atrocious! This show will crash and burn quickly much like Mr. Murphy himself when he gets burnt out from being stretched too thin.
Wow Bo Peep,
I’m glad we share the same sentiments but…couldn’t you have taken ten minutes and phrase your comments just a touch differently from mine right above? Goodness.
Whatever. You obviously seek as much attention as Mr. Murphy. It’s obvious we feel the same about the show and it’s creator. My comments are not even remotely phrased the same as yours. You didn’t mention anything about him being a media whore.
And you don’t own the sentiments (to borrow a word from you) that the first half of season one was better than the second and that the show is going downhill quickly.
You also didn’t mention anything about Hollywood 101, take all of the credit and none of the blame.
It’s obvious by your actions that you certainly agree to the first part, take all of the credit but then I guess you want credit for that too!
Thats fantastic but any word on the actors getting new deals? Those kids work their asses off, I would hope Fox bumps up their per episode salary.
the NASTIEST person i’ve ever worked with. maybe he’s not an awful person, i can’t say. but he is awful to work with/for.
An absolutely horrible human being.
Bill O’Reilly must be pissed. FOX signs a gay man to a multi million dollar contract and O’Reilly can’t complain about it on his show. “That network is trying to indoctrinate teens into the homosexual lifestyle! Oh wait . . . this going to be on FOX? Never mind.”
It’s brave to attempt Rocky Horror on a TV show, but if you don’t have a guy in fishnets it ain’t Rocky Horror. (they equally wimp out of Sam’s costume and storyline) Why can’t Kurt have a boyfriend or at least date someone? Is it because he’s the only gay guy in Glee Club? Yeah, that reflects reality.
At least Will & Grace had 2 gay characters. Come on Ryan, if your going to do a Bab’s song in every show, along with Gaga and Madonna not to mention Judy Garland–then let the witty gayness out of these characters.