Our Weekly been reporting how networks and streaming companies (such as NetFlix, Amazon, etc.) have been cutting deals with urban content creators (Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, Ava DuVernay, etc.) for material at a rapid rate this year. Now comic Kevin Hart has inked a first-look deal with Nickelodeon, reports Variety.
Under the deal, Hart and his HartBeat Productions banner will develop and produce live-action, scripted content for kids for the network. News of the deal comes less than two weeks after Awesomeness TV co-founder Brian Robbins was tapped to lean the network after most recently serving as head of Paramount Pictures’ genre division, Paramount Players.
“For me, Nick has always represented everything fun about being a kid, and it’s still at the forefront today of kids’ and family entertainment,” Hart said. “I’ve been slimed at Kids’ Choice, won a lot of Orange Blimps and my kids are my very own built-in focus group, so I’m ready to dive in and make some next-level shows with Brian and everyone at Nickelodeon.” No stranger to the Nickelodeon audience, in 2014 Hart won the Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite Funny Star. In 2017, he took home awards in the categories of Favorite Villain and Most Wanted Pet for his role in the animated film “The Secret Life of Pets,” and another for BFFs for his role in “Central Intelligence” opposite Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
“I’m excited to inherit this terrific content deal with Kevin Hart just as I step into my new role at Nickelodeon,” Robbins said. “Kevin is an incredible talent whose appeal cuts across practically every age group and every member of the family. He knows how to create unforgettable characters, and I can’t wait for him and HartBeat Productions to focus their creativity on making great new content with us.” Hart also currently has a first-look film deal with Universal Studios. Other projects include “The Next Level” and “Hart of the City” on Comedy Central, and shows such as “Cold as Balls” and “What the Fit” on the LOL Network, Hart’s streaming comedy platform that features his own content and that of other comedians.
