Glover seals production deal with FX

Multihyphenate Donald Glover has signed an exclusive overall television production deal with FX Productions in LA.

He will develop TV series for FX Networks and other streaming services while writing, directing, starring and executive producing comedy Atlanta.

The comedy is based on a young new artist in Atlanta, Alfred Miles (Brian Tyree Henry), and his cousin Earn (Glover), who manages Alfred’s rapping career. Its second season will be released in 2018, it emerged at the Television Critics Association press tour on Thursday.

Nick Grad, president of original programming for FX Networks and FX Productions, said in a statement: “Donald is a remarkable artist, effortlessly shifting from actor to writer, producer, director and musician to create one amazing project after another.

“Atlanta was just the beginning, the breakout comedy of the year and a series revered as much for its originality as its honest look at the experience of being aspiring, young and black in that legendary city. We’re proud to partner with Donald in an overall deal that will allow him to continue turning his creative vision into incredible television.”

Atlanta has been a critical and ratings hit for 21st Century Fox-owned cable channel FX , winning the Golden Globe for best comedy, while Glover won best comedy actor for his role in the series as Ernest ‘Earn’ Marks.

FX says that Atlanta is the highest-rated comedy in its history, with 4.84 million viewers.

Glover is also known as a writer for NBC comedy 30 Rock about running a TV sketch show between 2006 and 2013, and for his role as Troy on NBC’s Community, a comedy about a group of misfits who meet at one of the world’s worst educational establishments.