Filmmaker Ari Aster is looking to expand his work to the small(er) screen.
The Eddington and Midsommar auteur and his producing partner Lars Knudsen have signed a first-look deal with Media Res, the independent studio behind Apple TV’s The Morning Show and Pachinko. Under the two-year deal, Aster and Knudsen’s Square Peg company will develop and produce series projects for Media Res.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the brilliantly daring Ari Aster and the incredible team at Square Peg, led by Lars Knudsen,” Media Res founder Michael Ellenberg said in a statement. “They have a remarkable track record for producing groundbreaking work, collaborating with many of the finest filmmakers, actors and writers working today. Their ambitions in series are equally high, and we can’t wait to bring their expansive, arresting visions to audiences worldwide.”
The deal marks Aster and Knudsen’s first foray into television since they founded Square Peg in 2019, after working together on Aster’s first feature film, Hereditary. The company was behind all three of Aster’s subsequent features (Midsommar, Beau Is Afraid and Eddington) and has also produced the Oscar-nominated Bugonia, The Northman and the upcoming A24 feature The Drama, starring Robert Pattinson and Zendaya.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Michael Ellenberg and the exceptional team at Media Res,” said Aster and Knudsen. “They have built one of the most respected television studios in the industry, with a track record defined by bold creative choices, impeccable taste, and an unwavering commitment to storytelling at the highest level. Their sensibility aligns closely with ours, and we couldn’t be more excited to be working together.”
Along with Pachinko and The Morning Show, Media Res has Peacock’s The Miniature Wife, with Elizabeth Banks and Matthew Macfadyen and Apple TV’s The Dealer, starring Jessica Chastain and Adam Driver, on the horizon. Past credits include I’m a Virgo at Prime Video and HBO’s Scenes From a Marriage.
