Jez Butterworth Signs Five‑Year Deal With Universal
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- Jez Butterworth signs a five‑year exclusive deal with Universal Entertainment, effective Jan 2027, after his Paramount contract ends Dec 2025.
- Universal Entertainment will place Butterworth on its film side with President Peter Cramer and on its TV side under NBCUniversal Studios Group chair Pearlena Igbokwe.
- MobLand launched March 2025 with 2.2 million viewers for its first episode, becoming NBCUniversal’s biggest global series debut.
- 101 Studios and former Paramount co‑CEO Chris McCarthy also moved to Universal, with their deals starting 2026, indicating a broader talent shift.
- Donna Langley praised Butterworth’s “distinct voice” and said the deal gives him multiple entry points across Universal’s ecosystem.
Why it matters: Universal gains exclusive access to Butterworth’s content pipeline as Paramount loses his services after 2025; the five‑year deal starting Jan 2027 leverages MobLand’s 2.2 million‑viewer launch to drive subscriber growth.
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