Shawn Levy and his production company 21 Laps Entertainment have signed a multi-year overall deal with Disney's 20th Television, announced September 28. The agreement begins in October 2027 and covers development and production of series across Disney Entertainment's portfolio of platforms and brands.
Levy's television relationship with Netflix started in 2017, building Stranger Things into one of streaming's defining franchises. That relationship remains intact on the TV side: Stranger Things: Tales From '85, currently in its second season, stays at Netflix, along with at least one additional unannounced spinoff.
The shift to Disney traces a longer arc. Levy began his career directing Disney Channel's The Famous Jett Jackson before building a film legacy at 20th Century Studios with Night at the Museum, Free Guy, and Cheaper by the Dozen. He directed Marvel's Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024, is currently in production on Lucasfilm's Star Wars: Starfighter starring Ryan Gosling, and is set to follow that with Marvel's Ghost Rider, again with Gosling.
"Years before I directed movies, I started my career directing television for Disney Channel," Levy said. "It honestly just feels like home."
Disney Entertainment president Dana Walden said Levy has "a rare ability to tell stories that are wildly entertaining and deeply human."
The 20th Television deal brings the television side of 21 Laps into the same alignment as nearly every major film project Levy has announced. Starting in 2027, the operation is effectively under one roof.
