Family Guy Creator Leaves Fox For NBC, Will Earn $200 Million

Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane recently left his longtime home at Fox for NBCUniversal. Now, a new report reveals some of the key behind-the-scenes information about how it happened and why.

First, the contract. According to The Hollywood Reporter, NBC lured MacFarlane away from Fox with a lucrative pay package that will see MacFarlane earn $200 million over 5 years, which works out to $40 million per year. The terms of the contract reportedly state that MacFarlane will make all kinds of new content for NBC through his Fuzzy Door production company while staying a “free agent” for any movie deals. He will also reportedly continue to act.

MacFarlane will reportedly make musicals, political dramas, historical anthologies, and animated shows for NBC, which then might be sold to outside companies like Netflix. MacFarlane is said to already have “multiple projects” in the works, with the report going on to claim that he is enthusiastic about making content for NBC’s Syfy network.

MacFarlane is said to have met with Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Warner Bros, Sony, Disney, and GameSpot parent company ViacomCBS before signing with NBC. Disney and NBC were the final contenders, according to the report. Sources told THR that he chose NBC because he was given the opportunity to expand his reach beyond writing and animation.

Despite his signing with NBC, MacFarlane will continue to work on Family Guy for Fox, The Orville for Hulu, and American Dad for TBS.

As for Fox, the network is anticipating a day when The Simpsons goes off the air, and that’s part of the reason why it recently announced four new animated shows.