‘Claws’ & ‘Motherland: Fort Salem’ Creator Eliot Laurence Inks Overall Deal With Fox 21 TV Studios

Nellie Andreeva

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EXCLUSIVE: Eliot Laurence, creator of Claws and Motherland: Fort Salem, has signed an overall deal with Fox 21 Television Studios, part of Disney TV Studios. Under the multi-year pact, Laurence will create, develop and produce series for network, cable and streaming platforms.

Laurence created and executive produces the hit dramedy Claws starring Niecy Nash, which was recently renewed for its fourth and final season on TNT, as well as Motherland: Fort Salem, Freeform’s upcoming fantasy drama about a military academy for witches, on which he serves as showrunner. On the feature side, he penned the indie dramedy Welcome To Me, starring Kristin Wiig.

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“There aren’t a lot of writers with the range of Eliot around,” said Bert Salke, President, Fox 21 Television Studios. “When I read his draft of Motherland, not only was I blown away by the wildly imaginative world he created, but even more so by the fact that this fantastic tale of witches was created by the same writer who came up with the fuel-injected and female empowered soap of Claws. We are thrilled and excited to have the breath and diversity of Eliot’s talent at Fox 21.”

Laurence joins a roster of overalls at Fox 21, which includes Jenni Konner, Sarah Treem, Warren Littlefield and Jon Steinberg.

“I want to thank Bert and Jane (Francis) and the rest of the team at Fox 21, as well as Craig Hunegs and Dana Walden for this amazing opportunity. I’m thrilled and honored to work with the people behind my all-time favorite shows.”

Fox 21’s upcoming series include Ryan Murphy’s Ratched starring Sarah Paulson; The Old Man (with FX Prods.) starring Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow; American Crime Story: Impeachment (with FX Prods.) starring Sarah Paulson, Beanie Feldstein and Clive Owen; and Genius: Aretha Franklin starring Cynthia Erivo.

Laurence is repped by Kimberly Jaime at Jackoway Tyerman and 3 Arts.

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