Filmmaker Shawn Levy and his production company, 21 Laps Entertainment, have signed a global agreement with 20th Television, a division of Disney, according to Variety. The move concludes a nearly decade-long relationship between Levy and Netflix that produced major hits including the sci-fi phenomenon Stranger Things.
Transition From Netflix to Disney
The new deal is scheduled to begin in October 2027. Under the agreement, Levy and 21 Laps Entertainment will develop and produce projects for Disney. This marks a significant shift for the producer-director, whose primary television home since 2017 has been Netflix.
During his tenure at Netflix, Levy served as an executive producer across all five seasons of Stranger Things and directed multiple episodes of the series. He also wrote and directed the feature film The Adam Project, starring Ryan Reynolds, and acted as an executive producer on two seasons of Shadow and Bone. Despite moving his overall agreement to Disney, Levy will maintain his creative involvement with Matt and Ross Duffer in the Stranger Things universe.
A Longstanding History With Disney
Levy’s professional roots with Disney extend back to the early days of his career, when he directed and produced episodes for Disney Channel. He later transitioned to major studio filmmaking with 20th Century Fox—now part of Disney—directing Cheaper by the Dozen and the first three movies of the Night at the Museum franchise.
That relationship deepened significantly in recent years when Levy directed, co-wrote, and produced Deadpool & Wolverine, which was released in 2024 as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Looking ahead at his upcoming slate with the studio, Levy is attached to direct Star Wars: Starfighter for Lucasfilm and a Ghost Rider project for Marvel, with both productions slated to star Ryan Gosling.
Project Pipeline and Future Slate
- October 2027: Official start date for the 21 Laps Entertainment and 20th Television overall partnership.
- Star Wars: Starfighter: Project for Lucasfilm directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling.
- Ghost Rider: Marvel project directed by Levy and starring Ryan Gosling.
- Stranger Things Universe: Ongoing creative collaboration with Matt and Ross Duffer for Netflix.