The Conners will be distributed globally, across platforms and in syndication by Lionsgate and its syndication-focused subsidiary Debmar-Mercury in partnership with series producer Werner Entertainment, the companies said Wednesday.
Lionsgate Worldwide Television Distribution Group will handle global distribution of the ABC sitcom, as well as to subscription video-on-demand (SVOD), advertising-supported VOD, basic cable and free ad-supported television (FAST) platforms. Debmar-Mercury will distribute the series in domestic syndication. The deal covers all five seasons of the series as well as rights to future seasons with ABC maintaining its first-window rights.
The Conners is expected to debut in domestic syndication in fall 2024. While Debmar-Mercury and Lionsgate are distributing this show, production entity Carsey-Werner — launched by Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner — still distributes many of the shows it has produced over the years.
The Conners stars Sara Gilbert, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf and Lecy Goranson and is a spinoff of ABC’s hit sitcom Roseanne, which was produced and is still distributed by Carsey-Werner, aired from 1988 to 1997, and made Roseanne Barr a household name. The show began as a revival of Roseanne in 2018 but was canceled after Barr sent out a volley of tweets considered to be racist. Barr was then fired, with her character written out and the show retitled.
The Conners returns to ABC later this year — depending on when the writers’ and actors’ strikes are resolved — for season six. Nearly 5 million people watched the season-five series finale.
“This agreement shows Lionsgate’s ability to marshal all of its resources, combining the strength and prowess of our global distribution with Debmar-Mercury’s unparalleled syndication expertise in support of a remarkable brand and series,” Lionsgate president of worldwide television distribution Jim Packer said in a statement.
“In the tradition of some of the most successful, longest-running multi-cam sitcoms, The Conners promises to be a great addition to TV stations lineups, and will offer a proven competitive advantage to broadcasters for years to come,” Debmar-Mercury co-presidents Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus said, also in a statement.
The deal was negotiated by Packer, Bernstein and Marcus for the studio, and UTA and Jackoway Austen on behalf of Werner Entertainment.
