Ben Stiller’s Red Hour Films Enters TV & Digital Deal with Legendary

BURBANK: Legendary Television and Digital has worked out a multi-year multiplatform deal with Red Hour Films, which was founded by Ben Stiller and Stuart Cornfeld, to develop and produce exclusive content for TV and digital.

Since being launched in 2012, Red Hour Films has had two series move forward: Birthday Boys on IFC and The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail for Comedy Central. Debbie Liebling, the president of Red Hour Television, will helm the company's development of TV programming exclusively for Legendary. Liebling has experience in developing long-running series, including South Park, and has overseen development and production on such feature films as Bridesmaids and Borat. Mike Rosenstein, Red Hour's director of digital, will run the company's digital content development for Legendary. He and Tom Lesinski, the president of Legendary Digital Media, previously collaborated on the hit series Burning Love and upcoming Zoolander animated digital series.

The Legendary digital deal will kick in after Red Hour's current pact with Paramount expires.

Bruce Rosenblum, Legendary’s president of television and digital media, said: “All of us at Legendary are thrilled to be working with Ben, Stuart and their Red Hour team. Their comedic programming is broadly appealing, yet fulfills the edginess and irreverence that is so on brand for Legendary. Red Hour is an ideal addition to our multiplatform efforts, as they have successfully balanced their traditional television programming with a strong track record in creating and producing digital content.”


“We are very excited to partner with Legendary,” said Stiller, “though I am a little concerned that Bruce called me ‘Mr. Affleck’ when discussing the deal on the phone. Hopefully, he won't realize he got the other Ben till after the papers are signed.”