Will Packer signs TV, digital deal

Atlanta’s Tyler Perry gets all the media attention, but another Atlanta media mogul who chooses to stay behind the scenes is making waves: Will Packer.

He just signed a deal with Discovery Communications and Universal Pictures to create a new company Will Packer Media. It will focus on TV and digital scripted and unscripted series, branded content as well as shortform entertainment targeting younger audiences.

More importantly, OWN will have the first option to take his scripted TV series. For OWN, this is a way to fill a pending gap once its exclusive deal with Perry is over in 2019.

“We are creating a new model for content production that sees TV and digital as equals, and combines the best of storytelling and brands for an under-served audience,” Packer said to Deadline.com.

Offices will be based in New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta.

Packer has a long history in Atlanta but primarily in film. Among his hits include “The Gospel” (2005), “Stomp the Yard” (2007), “Takers” (2010), “Think Like a Man” (2012), “Ride Along” (2014), “About Last Night” (2014), “The Wedding Ringer” (2015), “Straight Outta Compton” (2015) and “Almost Christmas” (2016). This past weekend, his comedic film “Girls Trip” came in No. 2 for the week with more than $30 million in grosses.

Overall, his films have grossed more than $1 billion.

On the TV side, he has already done “Roots” for BET, “Uncle Buck” for ABC and “Being Mary Jane” and “The Quad” for BET.