Matthew Weiner Leaves Eddie Murphy’s Peacock Drama

Matthew Weiner has left The Chairman, a Peacock drama being developed with Eddie Murphy attached to star. The departure followed a creative disagreement over the project, which is being produced by 101 Studios and Universal Television. Executives decided to part ways with Weiner after reviewing his pilot script, which differed from the idea originally developed for Murphy, sources said.

The series is nearing a transition to a new showrunner, and an announcement is expected in the coming days. Its writers’ room is on a two-week pause while the new creative team takes over; most of the existing writers are expected to remain. Plot details have not been disclosed.

Murphy is also a producer on the project. If Peacock orders it as a series, it would mark his return to starring in a live-action scripted television show after his time on Saturday Night Live. The Chairman is the first announced project under 101 Studios’ NBCUniversal deal, which began in January, and the first to emerge from former Paramount executive Chris McCarthy’s consulting arrangement with NBCUniversal involving the studio’s relationship with 101 Studios.

Weiner created Mad Men, which aired on AMC across seven seasons and received 16 Emmy Awards. His most recent television writing credit was The Romanoffs, which he created for Amazon Prime Video in 2018.