new issue | cover story |
web extras | subscribe
renew | back issues
cd sampler sleeves

Family Guy’s MacFarlane signs enormous deal with 20th Century Fox TV

Writer: Adina Fleming
News, Published online on 05 May 2008

Family Guy survived two cancellations by 20th Century Fox before it became the cultural phenomenon it is today. Now, after a similarly bumpy process, show creator Seth MacFarlane has signed quite the lucrative deal with Fox. Over two years of negotiations have finally come to fruition for MacFarlane, who has just signed a deal that would make him the highest-paid TV writer-producer according to Hollywood Reporter.

The deal is said to be worth more than $100 million and keeps MacFarlane at 20th Century Fox TV through 2012 as executive producer of Family Guy, American Dad and the upcoming Family Guy spinoff, The Cleveland Show. MacFarlane will remain the main vocal talent on his current shows. It also covers new-media projects related to his series’ including DVD and merchandising revenue from them. A pretty sweet deal considering Family Guy alone has flourished into a $1 billion franchise with DVD and merchandise sales.

“It effectively locks me into 20th,” MarFarlane said. “It’s great to be in a permanent, stable relationship…because I like to think that I have a number of other shows in me.”

Negotiations were slowed along the way after a stalemate in 2006 which halted production on Family Guy’s sixth season and then by the writers strike. But of the end result, MacFarlane said, “I get a lot of pleasure out of making shows. It’s a bonus to be getting paid well for it, and it’s a double bonus to be getting paid exorbitantly for it.”

Indeed, MacFarlane has come a long way in a short amount of time over the 10 years since he pitched an idea to Fox straight out of college for an animated comedy (and its sequel) based on characters from his thesis. “Signing a long contract is something I can feel good and relaxed about because I know they have tight purse strings, but they certainly give you a lot of creative freedom.”

In the future, MacFarlane hopes to continue expanding his Fuzzy Door production company to include more projects, one of which may be the rumored Family Guy movie in the next few years.

Got news tips for Paste? E-mail news@pastemagazine.com.

Family Guy’s MacFarlane signs enormous deal with 20th Century Fox TV

Save & Share