Ruben Fleischer has closed a pod deal with 20th Century Fox TV. The two-year pact will see the director-producer develop, direct and executive produce new comedy and drama projects for network and cable TV. As a part of the deal, the Gangster Squad helmer will launch a new production company to be based at Fox. “We were so taken with Zombieland, it has such an original tone. The mix of scary and funny—he’s just incredibly creative. He has the greatest skill set, and we know he has what it takes to create a hit television show,” 20th Century Fox TV chair Dana Walden told Deadline today. Fleischer, who made his feature directorial debut with 2009’s Zombieland and followed up with 2011’s 30 Minutes Or Less, is producing the indie Two Night Stand, which Mike Nichols’ son Max is attached to direct. Fleischer started out directing music video and commercials. He moved on to directing segments for ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! as well as episodes of Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis and Funny Or Die videos plus creating and executive producing MTV’s Rob And Big and Fantasy Factory. The LA period drama Gangster Squad, starring Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling and Josh Brolin, comes out September 7. Fleischer is repped by UTA and attorney Warren Dern.
Related: ‘Zombieland’ Scribe Team Tackles Hasbro’s ‘Micronauts’ For JJ Abrams And Paramount
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