CBS Lands Hot Gary Sanchez Comedy From Ben Schwartz & Laura Moses, Isla Fisher Comedy In Works At Gloria Sanchez
In a very competitive situation involving a four-way bidding, CBS has landed Things You Should Already Know, an ensemble single-camera comedy about millennials from Ben Schwartz (House Of Lies), Laura Moses, Gary Sanchez Prods. and CBS TV Studios.
The project is part of a first-look deal Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s production company has at CBS TV Studios. It already has yielded a series order, No Activity at CBS All Access. Additionally, Gloria Sanchez, the female-centric production arm of Gary Sanchez, has a premium comedy starring and executive produced by Isla Fisher in the works at CBS TV Studios. The project, to be written by Erica Rivinoja (Trolls, Girl’s Trip, South Park) and directed by Jake Szymanski (HBO’s Tour de Pharmacy, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates), will be taken out in the next few months.
Things You Should Know is based on the upcoming illustrated guide to dating for millennials by Ben Schwartz and Laura Moses. The book, titled Things You Should Know About Dating, You F*ing Idiot, is set to be released this fall by Hachette Books.
Set in today’s culture of disposable love, the TV comedy — created and written by Schwartz and Moses — follows a group of millennials who realize they have to put down their phones and learn how to be actual adults if they don’t want to die alone.
Schwartz executive produces with Gary Sanchez Productions’ Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Kevin Messick for CBS TV Studios. Gary Sanchez exec Betsy Koch will also help guide the project for the company. The bidding for the comedy underscores how valuable IP, and especially books as source material, continue to be for getting network interest.
Schwartz was recently nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for Funny or Die’s “The Earliest Show,” which he also created. He is repped by WME, Haven Entertainment and Gang Tyre. Moses is repped by Kaplan-Stahler Agency.
Gary Sanchez/CBS Studios’ No Activity, based on an Australian format, was recently picked up by CBS All Access as the live-streaming and SVOD service’s first original comedy series. It is set to debut later this year.
Ferrell is repped by UTA and Mosaic; Adam McKay is with WME.
(Deadline)