Shaka King has signed a first-look deal at FX.
Under the deal, King will develop new TV projects for FX through his newly launched production company, I’d Watch That. Along with King, the company’s president and co-founder is Brandon Harris.
King most recently directed, co-wrote, and produced the Oscar-winning feature film “Judas and the Black Messiah,” which told the story of Illinois Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton and how the U.S government conspired to imprison and ultimately murder him. The film starred Daniel Kaluuya as Hampton, with Kaluuya winning the Oscar for best supporting actor. It also starred LaKeith Stanfield as Bill O’Neal, who informed on Hampton to the FBI.
King was part of the team for “Judas and the Black Messiah’s” Oscar nominations for best original screenplay and best picture as well.
“We at FX have long been fans of Shaka King’s work and are honored to partner with him and his production company to create groundbreaking new television series,” said Nick Grad, president of original programming at FX. “Shaka’s stunning feature ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ rightfully garnered enormous attention and praise, the culmination of years devoted to honing his talents as a writer, director and producer, and we couldn’t be more thrilled for him to turn his attention to TV.”
King has also worked as a director in TV. He has directed multiple episodes of shows like “Shrill,” “People of Earth,” “Random Acts of Flyness,” and “High Maintenance.” He was also a writer on the latter two shows in addition to directing. He also wrote and directed the 2013 film “Newlyweds.”
“My first professional directing gig was shooting a pilot presentation for FX and I’ve been trying to get back in the fold ever since,” said King. “Our tastes, quite simply, align. I’m so excited to see what Brandon, myself, and the folks over there are able to cook up.”
King is repped by UTA and Goodman Genow. Harris is repped by Granderson Des Rochers and Francis Goldin Literary Agency.