ABC Studios has inked a new five-year, all-encompassing deal with writer, director and producer John Ridley to create content across multiple platforms. He is presently working on several projects with the studio.
Ridley, who won an Academy Award in 2013 for best adapted screenplay for “12 Years a Slave,” has long worked with the studio. He created the Emmy-winning ABC Studios series “American Crime,” which aired for three seasons on ABC, as well as the six-part limited series “Guerilla,” which was produced by ABC Signature Studios and aired on Showtime and Sky.
“John Ridley has been making incredible content for us since his Emmy-winning series, ‘American Crime,'” said ABC Studios head Patrick Moran in a statement. “There’s no one in the business like John who brings such incredible skill and creativity to everything he does. We are thrilled to have a new long-term deal with him and so look forward to what’s next from this visionary filmmaker.”
Ridley recently directed the pilot of “Godfather of Harlem,” an ABC Signature Studios original series starring Forest Whitaker that will debut on Epix this November.
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He also wrote and directed documentary “Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992,” which aired on ABC in 2017. On the film side, Ridley executive produced, wrote and directed Jimi Hendrix biopic “Jimi: All Is By My Side,” and is currently in post-production on “Needle in a Timestack,” a sci-fi romance film starring Leslie Odom Jr., Freida Pinto, Cynthia Erivo, and Orlando Bloom.
“I’m so appreciative to ABC Studios, and the entire Disney company for this massive show of faith and support,” said Ridley, who is represented by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Rohner & Walerstein. “My absolute best work has been with ABC Studios. Their commitment is substantial, and as the company grows I can’t imagine having a better home from which to reach the widest audience possible.”
