Will Ferrell's Gloria Sanchez Productions Signs First-Look Deal With 20th Century Studios

“We can’t wait to work together to bring fresh stories to screens big and small,” Ferrell and Jessica Elbaum said

Umberto Gonzalez

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Will Ferrell and Jessica Elbaum’s Gloria Sanchez Productions has signed a three-year first-look deal with 20th Century Studios for feature-length films for consideration in theatrical and streaming, the studio announced Wednesday.

“We are thrilled to be working with Jessica, Will, and the rest of the team at Gloria Sanchez,” Steve Asbell, president of 20th Century Studios, said in a statement. “They bring an incredible depth of experience making smart, hilarious films and their passion for fresh filmmaking voices aligns perfectly with our vision here at 20th.”

“We’re beyond excited to have found a home in 20th Century Studios and to be working with an incredible team who fundamentally believes in what we’re doing at Gloria Sanchez,” Ferrell and Elbaum added. “They share our creative vision and we can’t wait to work together to bring fresh stories to screens big and small. We’re already planning a six month company retreat in the Cayman Islands. Why the Cayman Islands? Don’t worry about it!”

Led by Elbaum and Ferrell, Gloria Sanchez Productions launched in 2014 with a focus on female voices in comedy, and has since expanded into multiple genres and platforms in both film and television.

Gloria Sanchez Productions already has a multi-year first-look television deal with Netflix. That deal came on the heels of the Emmy-nominated series “Dead to Me,” which aired its second season on the streaming service in May of last year and has been renewed for a third season. Also in 2020, Gloria Sanchez’s “Eurovision” premiered on Netflix and was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Original Song category. The comedy starred Ferrell and Rachel McAdams as two Icelandic singers who are given the chance to represent their country at the Eurovision Song Contest. “Eurovision” was directed by David Dobkin and written by Ferrell and Andrew Steele.

Up next, Gloria Sanchez is producing Apple TV+’s “The Shrink Next Door,” directed by Michael Showalter and written by Georgia Pritchett. The show is an eight-episode limited series starring Ferrell, Paul Rudd and Kathryn Hahn and will premiere on Nov. 12. Based on a hit podcast by Wondery and Bloomberg Media, “The Shrink Next Door” follows the bizarre relationship between a psychiatrist and his longtime patient.  

Most recently, “Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar,” starring Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, was released this year under the Gloria Sanchez Productions banner. Following the film’s critical success, Gloria Sanchez will reteam with Wiig and Mumolo and produce Disney’s untitled Cinderella live-action film, for which Wiig and Mumolo will write the script. Also in the pipeline, it was recently announced that the company will be producing Todd Haynes’ “May December,” starring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, alongside Killer Films and MountainA. The family drama will be shopped to international buyers at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival by Rocket Science. Haynes will direct “May December” based on a screenplay by Samy Burch.

Gloria Sanchez’s past film credits also include the Jennifer Lopez starrer “Hustlers” and Olivia Wilde’s feature directorial debut, “Booksmart.” Additionally, Gloria Sanchez produced Leslye Headland’s romantic comedy “Sleeping With Other People” starring Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie, Natasha Lyonne, Amanda Peet and Adam Scott. 

Gloria Sanchez is represented by UTA, Mosaic and attorneys Jackoway Austen.   

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