Touchstone Television has signed “The Old Guard” director Gina Prince-Bythewood and “Swagger” creator Reggie Rock Bythewood to a multiyear first-look deal, marking the Disney-owned studio’s first such pact since it was rebranded from Fox 21 Television Studios earlier this week.
Under the deal, the married duo will create television projects for broadcast and streaming platforms for Touchstone Television, a division of Disney Television Studios, through their Undisputed Cinema production company.
According to Touchstone, Prince-Bythewood and Bythewood’s “Undisputed Cinema produces timely and timeless character-driven stories aimed to challenge audiences’ perspectives in different ways. Undisputed Cinema’s stories show humanity on-screen and create deep connections driven to build empathy between their characters and their viewers. In addition, they are longtime advocates for equal representation in film and television on-screen and behind-the-scenes, with their numerous mentorships of emerging writers and directors, Bythewood’s industry town-halls on systemic racism, and Prince-Bythewood’s funding a scholarship for African American students in the film program at UCLA, her alma mater.”
Prince-Bythewood and Bythewood previously worked with Touchstone’s sister studio 20th Television, which was rebranded this week from 20th Century Fox Television, on “Shots Fired,” a limited series that aired on Fox in the spring of 2017 and examined the dangerous aftermath of two racially-charged shootings in a small, Southern town.
“We are dedicated to telling stories that show the breadth of our humanity, entertain and say something to the world, and we are incredibly excited to work with Touchstone to expand our reach,” Prince-Bythewood and Bythewood said in a statement. “We look forward to creating new content with Dana Walden and Bert Salke, and fostering the voices of artists who share our vision.”
“We have wanted to be in business with Reggie and Gina for a very long time, as it’s hard to think of any two multi-hyphenates who are as forward-thinking and talented as this gifted duo. Starting years ago, from ‘New York Undercover’ to ‘Love and Basketball’ to ‘Shots Fired’ through Gina’s recent feature ‘The Old Guard,’ their body of work is beyond impressive,” Touchstone Television president Bert Salke added. “Perhaps most importantly, they’re awesome people who have built a reputation of kindness and intelligence. We’re excited to partner with them to help build their legacy to even greater heights.”
Prince-Bythewood most recently directed the Charlize Theron-led “The Old Guard” for Netflix. Her other credits include directing and writing “Love & Basketball,” “The Secret Life of Bees” and “Beyond The Lights.” On the TV side, Prince-Bythewood directed the pilot for Marvel’s “Cloak & Dagger.”
Bythewood is the creator of Apple TV+ upcoming series “Swagger,” inspired by NBA superstar Kevin Durant’s youth basketball experiences. His other credits include TV series “A Different World,” “NY Undercover,” and the “30-For-30” episode “One Night In Vegas.” Bythewood’s film work includes “Get On The Bus,” “Dancing in September” and “Notorious.”
Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood are repped by CAA and Del, Shaw, Moonves, Tanaka, Finkelstein & Lezcano.