On Tuesday, Deadline announced that producer and director Michael Showalter (The Big Sick, Hello My Name is Doris) and his Semi-Formal Productions co-founder, Jordanna Mollick (Hello My Name is Doris, Lovebirds), have inked two-year deal at HBO Max. This deal expands Showalter’s current relationship with the network as Search Party, which he executive produces, moved from TBS to HBO Max in 2019, where it was recently renewed for fifth season.
According to Variety, Showalter and Mollick joined forces to create Semi-Formal Productions in 2018. “I’m thrilled to launch Semi-Formal Productions with Jordana,” Showalter shared at the time of the production company’s founding “she has long been trusted colleague who always inspires me with her incredible taste in material and passion for championing artists” (Awards Watch). 2014’s Life Partners marked Mollick’s first foray into film and television production after a career in “theater, film, television, and digital media, as well as literary management” (Variety).
Showalter and Mollick’s new deal means that “HBO Max will have the first right of refusal on projects” created and developed by the duo, via The Hollywood Reporter. However, prior to entering into this new deal, Showalter had his hand in a variety of upcoming projects across various networks.
The Semi-Formal Productions co-founder currently serves as executive producer on Hulu’s The Dropout, starring Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls, Mamma Mia!) as Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. Showalter addition wrapped production as director on Apple TV’s adaptation of the Wondery podcast The Shrink Next Door, starring Paul Rudd, Will Ferrell (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Elf) and Kathryn Hahn (Transparent, Mrs. Fletcher). The director will also continue his work in film, with period drama The Eyes of Tammy Faye set for September 2021 release, via Deadline.
While all of Showalter’s upcoming projects – The Dropout, Shrink Next Door and The Eyes of Tammy Faye – deal in adaptation, the producer has also had great success with original stories such as Wet Hot American Summer, Hello My Name is Doris and Search Party. Though there’s no telling what story Showalter and Mollick will chose to tackle next, HBO Max will likely serve as their home for the next two years after Tuesday’s first-look deal.