Shawn Levy, the producer behind Stranger Things, is moving his company 21 Laps Entertainment from Netflix to Disney’s 20th Television. The new deal takes effect in October 2027.

One of Netflix’s most important producers is changing studios. Shawn Levy and his company, 21 Laps Entertainment, have signed an overall deal with Disney’s 20th Television, Variety reported on September 29.

Under the arrangement, Levy and 21 Laps will begin developing and producing projects for Disney in October 2027. The financial terms and length of the deal were not disclosed in the report.

The End of a Netflix Era

Levy’s partnership with Netflix began in 2017. In that time he executive produced all five seasons of Stranger Things and directed several episodes.

He also directed the 2022 Ryan Reynolds film The Adam Project for the streaming service and executive produced both seasons of the fantasy series Shadow and Bone.

“I will forever cherish the incredible ride 21 Laps has had with Netflix,” Levy said in a statement quoted by Variety. He added that he looks forward to continuing the collaboration on the Stranger Things universe.

A Return, Not an Arrival

For Levy the move is a homecoming. “Years before I directed movies, I started my career directing and producing television episodes for Disney Channel,” he said.

His credits for companies now owned by Disney include Cheaper by the Dozen, released in 2003, and the Night at the Museum films, released between 2006 and 2014. In 2024 he co-wrote, directed and produced Deadpool & Wolverine for Marvel.

What Comes Next

According to Variety, Levy is set to direct two major films for Disney, both starring Ryan Gosling: Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Starfighter and Marvel’s Ghost Rider.

The television deal extends that relationship to the small screen. Levy has said he will keep working with Netflix on Stranger Things, so the move changes where his new series are made without ending his best-known collaboration.

Image: Shawn Levy at CinemaCon, 2024. Photo by Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.