'Star Trek: Lower Decks' Creator Inks CBS Overall Deal

Mike McMahan is putting down roots.

The creator of CBS All Access' animated comedy Star Trek: Lower Deckshas inked a two-year overall deal with producers CBS Studios. Under the terms of the pact, McMahan will create and develop new projects for the studio while continuing his work on the animated series.

McMahan is a lifelong Trekkie. In 2011, he started a Twitter account in which he posted episode plots for a fake season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. That led to an offer from publishers Simon & Schuster to pen a readers' guide to the fictitious eighth season of the show, Warped: An Engaging Guide to the Never-Aired 8th Season. CBS All Access picked up Star Trek: Lower Decks straight to series with a two-season order. Season one launched in August with the sophomore cycle currently in production.

"We feel so fortunate that Mike chose to partner with us for this next stage of his career,” said CBS Studios senior vp comedy and head of animation Alec Botnick. “He is a true savant whose passion for and knowledge of animation is inspirational. Being able to be a part of his journey and helping him realize the stories he wants to tell, and how he wants to tell them is the reason many of us got into this business."

McMahan is a former head writer on Adult Swim's Emmy-winning animated hit Rick and Morty. He also re-teamed with Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland to create Hulu animated comedy Solar Opposites. That series, which also landed with a two-season order, hails from Disney-backed 20th Television and has already scored an early season three pickup.

"I’m so excited to continue my television journey with my friends at CBS,” said McMahan. “I’ve always wanted to be allies with a corporation whose logo is a giant, unblinking eye. I think we’ll be able to make some truly weird stuff together.”

Star Trek: Lower Decks is among a growing roster of animated shows in the works at CBS Studios. It joins CBS All Access' Tooning Out the News, Harper House, Showtime's Our Cartoon President, Nickelodeon's Star Trek Prodigy and CBS All Access' No Activity, the latter of which was converted from a live-action series.

McMahan is repped by ICM Partners.

Source: www.hollywoodreporter.com