WandaVision writer Bobak Esfarjani has signed an overall television deal with FX Production. Under the deal, he’ll continue to work as a writer and supervising producer on the cable network’s upcoming sci-fi limited series, Kindred, as well as its Alien television adaptation, while also developing new projects, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“Bobak has greatly contributed to FX’s upcoming Kindred and Alien and now, under this agreement, he will be able to apply his considerable talents to other FX series while developing original content that draws on his vision as a writer and creator,” Kate Lambert, executive vp original programming at FX, said in a statement announcing the news.
Esfarjani also chimed in on the deal, saying in a statement: “I’m thrilled to expand my relationship with the amazing team at FX.
They consistently produce the highest level of quality material, and I can’t wait for what’s next.”
Kindred is based on Octavia E. Butler’s influential 1979 novel of the same name. The show will follow a young Black woman (Mallori Johnson) in Los Angeles who finds herself pulled back and forth in time. Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, who’s known for serving as a producer on Watchmen, will serve as Kindred‘s showrunner.
Fargo showrunner Noah Hawley is serving as the creator, writer, director and executive producer on the Alien series. The franchise’s television adaptation is set on Earth near the end of the 21st century, well before the events of Ridley Scott’s 1979 film of the same name.
The filmmaker has also signed on to work on the show, as an executive producer.
In January, Hawley told Esquire that the Alien television series might explore the ruthless Weyland-Yutani corporate machine that’s just as dangerous as the xenomorph itself.
“Alien is a fascinating story because it’s not just a monster movie; it’s about how we’re trapped between the primordial past and the artificial intelligence of our future, where both are trying to kill us,” he shared at the time.
The Alien series, whose production has been pushed back until next year, as Hawley is busy directing the next season of Fargo, is “set on Earth of the future. At this moment, I describe that as Edison versus Westinghouse versus Tesla.
Someone’s going to monopolize electricity. We just don’t know which one it is,” he shared.
Esfarjani was nominated for a Writers Guild Award as part of the WandaVision scribing team. He has also worked as a writer and supervising producer on the popular NBC/Netflix supernatural drama show, Manifest. He’s also known for penning episodes of Netflix’s supernatural horror series, Archive 81, and Syfy’s sci-fi horror drama show, Helix.
On the film side of the entertainment industry, Esfarjani has also been recruited to write an unnamed feature for The Flash and It producers Andy and Barbara Muschietti at Universal Pictures.