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EXCLUSIVE: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice writers and creators of the smash hit Netflix series Wednesday, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, have signed a first-look deal with Sony Pictures to develop films through the duo’s Millar Gough Ink banner, Deadline has learned.
Season 2 of Wednesday, the most watched Netflix series of all time at 1.7 billion hours, is shooting in Ireland this month, while Beetlejuice Beetlejuice which reteams filmmaker Tim Burton and star Michael Keaton could hit one of the biggest openings of the year when it opens on Sept. 6.
Aaron Schmidt
WME
In addition, Aaron Schmidt has been hired as Head of Film at Millar Gough Ink, where he will spearhead development and production. Schmidt recently oversaw development for Seth Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg’s KatzSmith Productions, based at Warner Bros. He was a producer on the reboot of Child’s Play with Aubrey Plaza and Mark Hamill, Kung Fury with Michael Fassbender and Arnold Schwarzenegger, and served as EP on the Marc Webb-directed Disney+ series Just Beyond.
Gough tells us, “The challenge that we all face today is what makes a movie theatrical? Miles and I are excited to work with both new and established writers and film makers to create cinematic stories that audiences want to experience on the big screen.”
Added Millar, “Al and I always gravitate to stories with spectacle and soul. While our focus is to write and produce big tent poles we are also fired up to create a diverse slate of kick ass movies including edgier genre pictures.”
Schmidt said, “Partnering with Sony Pictures and two formidable creators like Al and Miles, who know how to make you laugh, cry and scream, is a dream come true. Movies have always been a team sport and I look forward to collaborating with Tom, Sanford, Josh and their incredible divisions at the studio.”
Gough also added, “Aaron shares our passion for hands-on movie making and together we are excited to create projects that get people back into theaters.”
Gough and Millar’s first decade was highlighted by the record-breaking ten-season run of DC series Smallville. In 2022, Wednesday, helmed by Burton, became Netflix’s most-watched English language series of all time. After scoring the most viewing time in a single week for an English-language series on Netflix, the mystery comedy – which picked up four Emmy wins earlier this year – broke its own mark the following week. On the film side, Gough and Millar wrote Sam Raimi’s critically acclaimed near $790M grossing blockbuster Spider-Man 2. The duo reteamed with Burton and Wednesday‘s Jenna Ortega on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, on which they’ll also serve as EPs. The duo are repped by WME and Gendler, Kelly & Cunningham.
