EXCLUSIVE: On the heels of Hacks‘ Season 5 renewal by Max, the Emmy-winning comedy series’ co-creators, executive producers and co-showrunners Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs have signed a new overall deal with the studio behind Hacks, Warner Bros. Television, and the Warner Bros. Discovery streamer, which is set to revert to its previous name HBO Max later this summer.
Under the exclusive new multiyear pact, Aniello and Downs will develop and produce new television projects through their Paulilu Productions.
The new agreement begins in August 2025. It will succeed Aniello and Downs’ previous overall deal with Warner Bros. TV Group signed in August 2021, following Hacks‘ May 2021 series premiere, June 2021 Series 2 renewal and July 2021 Emmy breakthrough with 15 nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series.
Hacks, on which Aniello and Downs are co-creators and co-showrunners alongside Jen Statsky, has garnered 48 Emmy nominations for its first three seasons. The 9 wins to date include Outstanding Comedy Series last year, two Writing for a Comedy Series trophies for Aniello, Downs and Statsky and a Directing Emmy for Aniello. (Downs also has been nominated for his supporting role on the show as Jimmy.) The most recent fourth season posted week-over-week growth throughout its run, culminating in a series high the week of the finale.
Under their previous WBTV overall deal, Aniello and Downs, as well as Statsky, who also is based at the studio, have half-hour comedy Kansas City Star, starring Kaley Cuoco, awaiting a series green light at HBO.
With Kansas City Star on deck and Hacks continuing to be a priority for Aniello and Downs as the series is headed to possibly — but not certainly — its final chapter, HBO Max is pitching in on the big new deal, sharing the cost with the studio. The duo’s new development likely also will be targeted primarily for the streamer.
Aniello and Downs’ previous series credits include the series Broad City, Time Traveling Bong, Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, and The Baby-Sitters Club as well as the movie Rough Night starring Scarlett Johansson. They are repped by UTA, Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
