FX Takes On New Charlie Sheen Series

LOS ANGELES: Actor Charlie Sheen is set to return to TV in summer 2012 in the new FX sitcom Anger Management, based on Revolution Studios’ 2003 comedy feature.

The former Two and a Half Men star will retain a significant ownership stake in the series, in which he plays an anger management therapist who wreaks havoc on the lives of his patients through his unconventional methods. FX has ordered 10 episodes of Anger Management from Debmar-Mercury and production on the sitcom will start in early 2012 with comedy writer-producer Bruce Helford (George Lopez, The Drew Carey Show) as executive producer and showrunner. Lionsgate Television is producing, led by Television Group president Kevin Beggs and COO Sandra Stern; Joe Roth and Revolution Studios’ Vince Totino; Sheen’s manager Mark Burg’s production company, Evolution Management; and Ramon Estevez and Estevez Sheen Productions.

"We think that Bruce Helford, Joe Roth and Charlie Sheen have come up with a wonderful, hilarious vehicle for Charlie’s acting talents—and a character we are very much looking forward to seeing him play,” said John Landgraf, the president and general manager of FX Networks. “Two and a Half Men has been an outstanding component of FX’s schedule for the past 14 months, and we have every confidence that Anger Management will soon be as well."

“I have been fortunate to work with Charlie Sheen on six hit films,” said Roth, producer at Revolution Studios. “Now to have Charlie, the number one comedy star on TV, doing Anger Management, feels like a perfect fit. And I could not be happier than being back at Fox with John Landgraf and Chuck Saftler.”

“We were very gratified by the high level of interest in Anger Management from across the industry,” commented Debmar-Mercury co-presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein. “Ultimately, we felt FX’s track record for airing daring and distinctive shows would provide the perfect home for a sitcom headlined by one of the most successful sitcom stars of all time and produced by Joe Roth.”

Beggs added, "The FX brand epitomizes creative excellence and risk-taking combined with entrepreneurial business acumen. Partnering with them on Anger Management is a no-brainer and we are thrilled to bring Charlie Sheen, Bruce Helford and this amazing creative team to the FX family of original series."