‘The Umbrella Academy’ Showrunner Steve Blackman Inks Big Overall Deal With Netflix

Nellie Andreeva

28 February 2020 at 0:00 pm·2-min read

Netflix has signed a rich multi-year overall deal with Steve Blackman, executive producer/showrunner of one of the streamer’s most popular original series, The Umbrella Academy.

No one would comment but I hear the pact is for four years and in the mid-eight-figure range. Under the deal, Blackman will continue as showrunner and executive producer on the UCP-produced The Umbrella Academy while writing and producing new series and other projects exclusively for Netflix through his Borderline Entertainment banner. Blackman will be bringing a development executive to work with him at Borderline in the coming months.

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The Umbrella Academy has been a big breakout hit for Netflix. It ranked third on the list of Netflix’s most popular series releases of 2019, which was put out by the streamer in December, and was one of only three series to crack Netflix’s overall Top 10 list of its most popular 2019 releases. Season 2 of The Umbrella Academy will premiere later this year.

“Steve’s phenomenal work on The Umbrella Academy helped propel the series’ worldwide fandom,” said Brian Wright, Netflix’s VP, YA/Family original series, said: “He’s deeply creative, passionate and thoughtful, and we’re so excited to have him make a home at Netflix.”

Blackman is the second key auspice behind The Umbrella Academy signed into a deal by Netflix. The streamer in May inked a first-look deal with series’ producer Dark Horse Entertainment whose sibling Dark Horse Comics publishes The Umbrella Academy comic books.

Blackman segued to The Umbrella Academy after serving as an executive producer on the first season of another Netflix series, sci-fi series Altered Carbon.

“Over the past three years working with Netflix, I have developed and created shows with different genres,” he said. “I plan on continuing to develop creative programming that spans a wide variety of worlds and formats. Netflix has offered me an unparalleled level of creative support that motivates me each and every day.”

Blackman’s series writing-producing credits also include Fargo, The Outsiders, Private Practice, NYPD Blue and Legion. He shared the 2016 WGA Outstanding Writing Adapted Long Form with the rest of the Fargo writing team.

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