‘Into The Spider-Verse’ Director Rodney Rothman Signs Broadcast Deal With Fox

Modern Magic, the recently-launched production company from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse director and writer Rodney Rothman and former MGM exec Adam Rosenberg, has finalized a broadcast direct agreement to develop animated programming for Fox Network.

Here are details of the deal:

• Modern Magic will develop and produce both half-hour and hour-long animated series for Fox.
• The content will be fully owned and distributed by Fox Entertainment. Series will be part of the Animation Domination slate, which according to Fox Entertainment president of entertainment Michael Thorn is “a key pillar to our growth strategy here in the U.S. and abroad.”
• Fox Corporation’s Bento Box Entertainment (Housebroken, Farzar, Paradise PD, and the upcoming Krapopolis) will produce the series. Under the deal, Modern Magic will also look to partner with additional animation production studios, though Fox and Bento Box will still produce.
• Rothman directed Spider-Verse with Peter Ramsey and Bob Perscihetti. In addition, he has been a producer and writer on 22 Jump Street, The Five-Year Engagement, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Popstar, and Get Him to the Greek, and was head writer on The Late Show with David Letterman, for which he received five Emmy nominations.
• Thorn, who announced the deal, said in a statement: “What I love about Rodney is there are no limits to his creative, comedic genius, whether it’s reimagining iconic franchises, shaping instant cult classics, or writing laughs for Letterman.”
• Rothman’s comment on the deal: “Michael and his team at Fox Entertainment are undisputed all-time champions of broadcast animation; their record speaks for itself. At Modern Magic we’re committed to exploring the boundaries of what popular animated storytelling can be in the 21st century, and this partnership Fox has extended is a true opportunity and much-appreciated vote of confidence for us and the worldwide community of ambitious, amazing artists that we’re grateful to work with.”