2016 was a banner year for Donald Glover. He not only launched the long-awaited TV series Atlanta to great critical acclaim and high ratings on FX, but he also landed the role of Lando Calrissian in the upcoming Han Solo standalone film alongside Alden Ehrenreich. And, just to top it off, Glover took home two Golden Globes for Best Musical or Comedy TV Series and Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy TV Series. And to top it all off, he released a new album Awaken, My Love! under his stage name Childish Gambino. Needless to say, things went pretty well for the multi-talented artist last year, and 2017 looks to continue that trend.
As the TCA Winter Press Tour 2017 continues, FX Networks has been delivering several high-profile announcements, like the two-season renewal for American Horror Story and the spring premiere dates for several new and returning shows. Along with that news, the network was also eager to announce that it had inked Glover to an overall deal in which he "will develop television series for FX Networks and other networks and streaming services, in addition to continuing to executive produce, write, direct and star in Atlanta."
In a statement, FX president of original programming Nick Grad had this to say:
“Donald is a remarkable artist, effortlessly shifting from actor to writer, producer, director and musician to create one amazing project after another. Atlanta was just the beginning, the breakout comedy of the year and a series revered as much for its originality as its honest look at the experience of being aspiring, young and black in that legendary city. We’re proud to partner with Donald in an overall deal that will allow him to continue turning his creative vision into incredible television.”
But while the news that the network had secured Glover's talents for the foreseeable future is great, they did have to mention that anyone looking forward to Atlanta season 2 was going to be a tad disappointed, as "Atlanta will return for a second season in 2018 due to Donald’s production schedule."
Obviously, this is related to Glover's commitments to the Star Wars franchise and its burgeoning series of standalone anthology movies. That puts Glover in the unique position of being a highly sought after talent in both film and television, and it also means that he's likely going to be busy balancing his time between projects at FX, and possibly running around a galaxy far, far away with fellow scoundrel Han Solo for years to come.
The move is certainly a smart one by FX, as Glover's star has risen considerably this past year and will likely reach stratospheric heights once the as-yet-untitled Han Solo film hits theaters. The payoff will expectedly mean an even greater audience for Atlanta when it returns for season 2 (and beyond, hopefully), and an increased awareness and interest in whatever new projects Glover has lined up with the network. It's a huge win-win-win, as Glover, FX, and audiences all make out like bandits in the new deal.
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Atlanta season 2 will now premiere in 2018 on FX.
Source: FX
