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David E. Kelley has five series on major networks this season — Ally McBeal, The Practice, Chicago Hope, Ally, and Snoops — and spent portions of the past 12 months penning a pair of not-so-successful feature films, Lake Placid and Mystery, Alaska. Think his personal creative wellspring might be getting a little tapped-out?Fox doesn't. The entertainment media conglomerate thinks Kelley's Midas touch is just the thing to bolster its Fox Broadcasting Company and 20th Century Fox Television arms. Variety says the primetime golden boy and Fox execs are close to finalizing one of the most lucrative production pacts in TV history, a deal that could potentially stuff hundreds of millions of dollars into Kelley's coffers.
Mama always said, "If you sweep the Emmys, they will come."
Kelley's deal is reportedly similar in scope to the pact recently signed by fellow TV titan Steven Bochco (NPYD Blue), who received $50 million in upfront compensation. Kelley, however, could score even fatter payouts if the new series he creates are big ratings winners — his contract reportedly includes backend guarantees that function much like the movie deals that yield a percentage of a film's gross to top-tier directors like Steven Spielberg.
The new deal calls for Kelley — who scored an impressive double win at the Emmys in September, when he claimed statuettes for Best Comedy Series (Ally McBeal) and Best Dramatic Series (The Practice) — to develop a number of new series over the next five years. Fox would be guaranteed a first look at each new series, and is reportedly hoping the agreement will yield as many as four new shows.
If the deal is completed as planned, Kelley, who is married to actress Michelle Pfeiffer, may also develop feature films for Fox.
