Jeff Wachtel Launches Future Shack Entertainment; Partners With Blink49 Studios & Roku

deadline.com:

Former USA Network and UCP head Jeff Wachtel has launched Future Shack Entertainment, a new television production company focused on developing and co-financing shows for global audiences.Wachtel, who will serve as CEO of the company, has teamed with former NBCUniversal executive Sam Michaels and Yusik Choi, former managing director at Rothschild & Co.

and investment banker at Credit Suisse, to launch the banner backed by financing from private equity funds. Michaels will serve as Future Shack’s chief operating officer and Choi as chief financial officer.Future Shack has received a strategic investment from Endeavor Content-backed Blink49 Studios, with the two companies entering into a long-term development and production arrangement primarily focused on Canadian projects.

Blink49 Studios will handle production and distribution of all Future Shack’s projects in Canada.Additionally, Future Shack has struck a first-look development deal with The Roku Channel, the exclusive home of Roku Originals, that Wachtel says will focus on the type of “blue sky” programming that he helped put  on USA Network.Future Shack has set a leadership team comprised of industry veterans.

After seven years as head of development at Conaco Entertainment, Larry Sullivan has moved to Future Shack as President, Creative.