Anonymous Content Makes First-Look With Michael Sugar's Sugar23 Prods

EXCLUSIVE: Michael Sugar, longtime manager-producer at Anonymous Content, has formed Sugar23, a producing shingle that launches with a multi-year first-look deal with Anonymous Content. The deal allows for Sugar’s growing producing ambitions while keeping him in the AC fold. Sugar, the Oscar-winning producer of Spotlight and whose credits include The Knick, The OA, the upcoming Maniac and One Day She’ll Darken, will continue to manage his clients through the Anonymous Content label.

Sugar’s management clients include Steven Soderbergh, Richard Linklater, Cary Fukunaga, Edgar Wright, Marc Webb, Patty Jenkins, Josh Singer, Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, Brit Marling, Robin Wright and Leslye Headland.

Sugar’s and Sugar23’s television activity will fall under Anonymous Content’s first-look, co-financing deal with Paramount Television.

“Michael’s contributions to Anonymous Content have been invaluable,” said Anonymous Content’s founder/CEO Steve Golin. “We are excited to partner with him on this next chapter and to continue collaborating on bringing quality films and television shows to audiences everywhere. I couldn’t be more proud of what Michael has accomplished over the years as our friend and colleague.”

Said Sugar: “What Steve and the AC team are achieving is truly remarkable, and it’s why in this next chapter of my career I knew I wanted to do it in collaboration with Anonymous Content. There’s simply no better platform for producing and representing talent at the highest level. My success, and the success of my clients, are a testament to the strength of AC’s culture and access to opportunity, and for that I will be forever grateful to Steve, our partners at Emerson Collective, and the rest of the Anonymous Content family.”

This becomes the latest move for Anonymous Content, which has been growing since receiving a substantial minority investment from Laurene Powell Jobs’ Emerson Collective in 2016. The company recently renewed its Paramount Television producing deal and last month brought in top book-to-screen agents Howie Sanders and Kassie Evashavski, who were partners at UTA.

Sugar, repped by attorney David Fox, is currently in production on the Netflix series Maniac, with Fukunaga directing and Emma Stone, Jonah Hill and Justin Theroux starring. Production starts in November for TNT’s One Day She’ll Darken, with Wonder Woman‘s Patty Jenkins directing and Chris Pine starring. Sugar is an executive producer on The OA, the Netflix series co-created by Zal Batmanglij and client Marling, who also stars; he holds the same title on 13 Reasons Why, the Netflix hit series created by Brian Yorkey and directed by Tom McCarthy. Both of those series are in their second seasons.

Sugar was also executive producer on Cinemax’s critically acclaimed drama series The Knick, starring Clive Owen and directed by Soderbergh. That series won a Peabody Award.