Harold & Kumar Duo Signs with Lionsgate TV

SANTA MONICA/VANCOUVER: The writer/director/producer team of Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, who are behind the Harold & Kumar franchise, have entered into a multiyear first-look TV deal with Lionsgate.

The first project as part of their deal with Lionsgate TV is the upcoming single-camera comedy Fair and Balanced (ABC). The series, written by Hurwitz and Schlossberg, features an up-and-coming NPR reporter who is swayed to work at a staunchly conservative news channel. The project will be informed by some of star Kal Penn’s (Harold & Kumar franchise, Deadbeat) real-life experiences appearing on various news shows, as well as his time working in D.C. for President Obama. Hurwitz and Schlossberg will executive produce under their Hurwitz & Schlossberg Productions banner, with their director of development, Matt Lottman, as co-producer. Penn will also executive produce, alongside his longtime manager and producing partner Dan Spilo of Industry Entertainment.

“With their spectacularly successful, fan-favorite Harold & Kumar franchise, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg proved that they understand serialization, and as Lionsgate TV’s programming further expands into comedy, we are thrilled to help bring their unique comedic perspective to television,” said Chris Selak, the executive VP of television at Lionsgate.
 
“Like many filmmakers today, we're excited about the creative possibilities of television, and equally excited to be working with Lionsgate, given their incredible track record of producing groundbreaking shows,” added Hurwitz and Schlossberg. “We look forward to adding some subversive comedy to their highly respected brand.”