Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker, the co-developers and executive producers of Max’s critically acclaimed adult animated series Harley Quinn as well as exec producers and co-showrunners of ABC’s Abbott Elementary (earning them two consecutive Emmy nominations as well as a Peabody Award), have entered a new exclusive overall deal with Warner Bros. Television Group, which backs both series. The agreement reportedly covers four years, though details have not been disclosed.
Halpern and Schumacker will continue to develop, create and produce programming through their banner Delicious Non-Sequitur Productions, which is housed at WBTV. Projects will include series for Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max, external streamers, broadcast networks and cable outlets.
Harley Quinn debuted to rave reviews in 2019. Based on DC characters and starring exec producer Kaley Cuoco as the titular villainess, the Warner Bros. Animation series won the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Animated Series in 2023 and was nominated again this year — Cuoco won Best Voice Actress at the short-lived Critics’ Choice Super Awards for genre television — as well as the Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards, and has bee nominated for four Annie Awards and two GLAAD Awards. The show was recently renewed for a fifth season.
Halpern and Schumacker first worked with WBTV on the 2010 William Shatner comedy $h*! My Dad Says, based on Halpern’s book. With new Harley Quinn and Season 3 of Abbott Elementary on the way, the duo — whose credits also include Surviving Jack (FOX), Powerless (NBC) and iZombie (CW) and, of course, Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special — will see their next project, the animated Harley Quinn spinoff Kite Man: Hell Yeah!, debut on Max later this year.
Under the new WBTV deal, Chriss Romero (The Good Place, Superstore, Brooklyn Nine-Nine) continues as Vice President of Delicious Non-Sequitur Productions, overseeing development and current projects including Harley Quinn and Kite Man. She joined the shingle in 2021, having previously worked at Fierce Baby Prod., NBC and CAA.
[Source: Deadline]
