Hulu has announced a straight-to-series order of ten episodes for Casual, a comedy series, to be Executive Produced and Directed by Jason Reitman (Juno, Up In The Air, Young Adult). The series centers on a dysfunctional family in which a bachelor brother and a recently-divorced sister coach each other on dating – after they’ve both moved home, like teenagers. Casual is planned for a 2015 debut on Hulu. For more, follow the jump. Hulu Announces Ten Episode Straight-to-Series Order for CASUAL, a Comedy Series Executive-Produced and Directed by Oscar® Nominee Jason Reitman
CASUAL, from Lionsgate Television, Joins Growing Slate of Original Programming that Will Debut in 2015 on Hulu
LOS ANGELES (October 30, 2014) — Hulu has given a ten episode straight-to-series order to CASUAL, a single-camera, half-hour comedy series from Lionsgate Television to be executive-produced by Oscar® nominated director Jason Reitman (Up in the Air, Juno), series writer Zander Lehmann and Reitman’s production partner Helen Estabrook (Whiplash, Young Adult), the company announced today.
CASUAL will debut on Hulu in 2015, with Reitman set to direct the premiere episode. CASUAL follows the story of a dysfunctional family with a bachelor brother and his newly divorced sister. Together, they coach each other through the crazy world of dating (on-line and off), while living under one roof again and raising a teenager.
“Jason Reitman uniquely blends comedy and drama in a way that touches the human spirit. We are honored to work with him to bring the next distinctive voice, Zander Lehmann, to television,” said Craig Erwich, Senior Vice President and Head of Content, Hulu.
“I’ve long looked for the right first step into episodic storytelling,” said Reitman. “In Zander Lehmann, I have found the perfect collaborator. His writing is hilarious and provocative.”
“We are big fans of Jason’s work, Zander’s scripts and their wonderfully perceptive take on contemporary family life,” said Kevin Beggs, Chairman, Lionsgate Television Group. “Working with Hulu has been a great experience and we’re excited about this latest expansion of our relationship.”
CASUAL will be produced by Jason Reitman’s Right of Way Films and will begin production this year. The Hulu Original series joins the recently announced order for 11/22/63, an event series based upon the best-selling Stephen King novel from J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions.
About Hulu Hulu is a premium streaming TV destination that seeks to captivate and connect viewers with the stories they love by creating amazing experiences that celebrate the best of entertainment and technology. As we pursue this mission, we strive to continue to redefine and reinvent the TV-viewing experience.
About Right of Way Films Right of Way Films is the production company of acclaimed filmmaker Jason Reitman and his producing partner Helen Estabrook. Right of Way is based in Los Angeles and devoted to producing quality, character-driven films. The company most recently released the critical darling Whiplash from writer and director Damien Chazelle for Sony Pictures Classics and Reitman’s Men, Women & Children for Paramount. Last year, Right of Way released Labor Day, an adaptation of Joyce Maynard’s novel, written and directed by Reitman and starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin for Paramount. Before that, they made Reitman’s Young Adult, written by Diablo Cody and starring Charlize Theron, and produced Jeff Who Lives at Home, written and directed by Jay and Mark Duplass, starring Jason Segel, Ed Helms and Susan Sarandon. The later four films were made in association with Indian Paintbrush, where Right of Way has a first look deal. A number of other projects are currently in development, including Force Out by Jim Rash and Nat Faxon, as well as The Paralyzing Affects by Duncan Turq. The company is currently in production on Demolition with director Jean-Marc Vallee from a Black List script by writer Bryan Sipe.
About Lionsgate Lionsgate, home to The Hunger Games, Twilight and Divergent franchises, is a premier next generation global content leader with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, digital distribution, new channel platforms and international distribution and sales.
Lionsgate currently has more than 30 television shows on over 20 different networks spanning its primetime production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically-acclaimed hits as the multiple Emmy Award-winning Mad Men and Nurse Jackie, the comedy Anger Management, the broadcast network series Nashville, the syndication success The Wendy Williams Show and the critically-acclaimed hit series Orange is the New Black.
Its feature film business has been fueled by such recent successes as the blockbuster first two installments of The Hunger Games franchise, The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the first installment of the Divergent franchise, Now You See Me, John Wick, Warm Bodies, The Possession, Sinister, Roadside Attractions’ A Most Wanted Man, Lionsgate/Codeblack Films’ Addicted and Pantelion Films’ Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S.
Lionsgate’s home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rate. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 16,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as the foundation for the growth of the Company’s core businesses. The Lionsgate and Summit brands remain synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world. www.lionsgate.com