EXCLUSIVE: Canada‘s Neshama Entertainment has struck a first-look development and production agreement with writer, director and showrunner Matt Hastings.
Under the agreement, Hastings will develop and produce original scripted and unscripted programming across TV and film for Neshama, which is known for shows such as Hallmark Channel’s long-running one-hour drama The Way Home.
Fox, which owns a stake in Toronto-based Neshama, will handle international distribution through Fox Entertainment Global.
Hastings has credits on the likes of Emmy winner Fallen, Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Apple TV’s Circuit Breakers, and others such as Shadowhunters, The Originals, Eureka and Alphas. He has produced more than 300 hours of TV and feature films in total.
“Matt is an exceptional storyteller with a remarkable ability to build emotionally rich, commercially compelling worlds,” said Dayna Zipursky, Executive Vice President at Neshama. “His track record speaks for itself, and we’re looking forward to developing an exciting slate of original scripted projects together.”
“I’m drawn to stories that are emotionally truthful but unfold on a big cinematic canvas,” added Hastings. “What excited me about Neshama and Fox Entertainment Global was their shared ambition to tell bold, ambitious stories across film and television with real global reach. That combination of creative ambition and distribution strength is rare, and I’m thrilled to be launching this partnership.”
Fox’s investment in Neshama sees the U.S. studio handling international sales of the Canadian company’s productions, with Neshama taking local rights.
Last year, we reported Neshama was working with showrunner Scott Rosenbaum to adapt Maureen Callahan’s book American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century, as a television series. It also cast Emily VanCamp in Prejudice, a series for Crave about a sex worker-turned litigator. Fox is shopping it the show
Matt Hastings is repped by The Gotham Group and Bob Getman at Jackoway Austen.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source deadline.com ’
