Audiences can’t get enough of the Duplass brothers, both on the big and small screens. Their HBO comedy Togetherness is a critical darling, and the premium cable network just announced that it will be bringing the series back for a second season. Meanwhile, the pair are over in Park City, dominating the Sundance Film Festival, where Netflix head Ted Sarandos just revealed that the streaming giant has struck a four-picture deal with the brothers.
As part of the deal, Netflix will finance four movies produced by Mark and Jay Duplass, with each title receiving a small theatrical release before becoming available for streaming. The specific titles in this deal were not confirmed, but Sarandos did offer the following statement:
“This is just the latest step in our very long relationship with the Duplass Brothers. We’ve been working with them almost since the very beginning, when we were red-envelope delivery. Independent film has always been a big part of Netflix, and the reason we do things like the Adam Sandler deal is so we can do things like this as well.”
Excuse me while I go give Sandler some ice for that burn. To be sure, he did not intend to diss the comedian, who also has a four-picture deal with Netflix, but intent and impact are two very different things. Regardless, it’s exciting to see mumblecore filmmakers as respected as the Duplass brothers land such a lucrative deal.
It’s already been a terrific Sundance for the brothers – the pair have a hand in four high-profile festival premieres: the U.S. Dramatic Competition entry The Bronze starring Melissa Rauch, which premiered Thursday night; Patrick Brice’s The Overnight, which stars Taylor Schilling, Adam Scott and Jason Schwartzman; the Sean Baker-directed Tangerine in the Next section; and Animals, a raunchy animated series about animals in New York City that premieres Monday. News of the Netflix deal is just the shiny cherry on top.
As for their continuing relationship with HBO now that Togetherness has been renewed, Mark and Jay Duplass released a joint statement, expressing their joy and gratitude to the network:
“We began our love affair with HBO in our parents’ living room in 1983, and to have these brilliant, creative people put a ring on our fingers with a second season of Togetherness is a real-life dream come true.”