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Teflon Sheen, FX invests in Warlock of TV comedy

By April MacIntyre Oct 28, 2011, 1:59 GMT

09/23/2011 - Emilio Estevez, Ramon Estevez, Charlie Sheen and Martin Sheen - AARP\'s Movies for Grown Ups Film Festival Screening of "The Way" - Arrivals - Nokia Theatre L.A. Live - Los Angeles, CA, USA © Andrew Evans / PR Photos

Teflon Sheen.

FX has invested in Charlie Sheen, despite a public meltdown with CBS and his past showrunner Chuck Lorre in a blaze of headlines that included bizarre words such as warlock, wizard, tiger's blood and goddesses.

Once the highest paid TV star for the comedy "Two and a Half Men,"  Charlie Sheen has bounced back from manic episodes of damage control and touring for a new show to air in 2012 on FX.

"Anger Management," a new sitcom loosely based on Revolution Studios’ 2003 hit comedy feature of the same name, announced John Landgraf, President and General Manager, FX Networks.

From FX

FX has ordered 10 episodes of Anger Management from Lionsgate-owned distributor Debmar-Mercury, led by Co-Presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein. Production on the sitcom will begin in early 2012 with comedy veteran writer-producer Bruce Helford (George Lopez, The Drew Carey Show) as executive producer and showrunner. 

It will be produced by Lionsgate Television, led by Television Group President Kevin Beggs and COO Sandra Stern; Joe Roth and Revolution Studios’ Vince Totino; Sheen manager Mark Burg’s production company, Evolution Management; and Ramon Estevez and Estevez Sheen Productions.

In success, FX will pick up an additional 90 episodes under a unique syndication model crafted by Debmar-Mercury for multiple Tyler Perry sitcoms and Revolution’s and Ice Cube’s Are We There Yet? The series will air exclusively on FX until the off-network episodes start airing in broadcast syndication in fall 2014.

"We think that Bruce Helford, Joe Roth and Charlie Sheen have come up with a wonderful, hilarious vehicle for Charlie's acting talents—and a character we are very much looking forward to seeing him play,” said John Landgraf, President and General Manager, FX Networks.  “Two and a Half Men has been an outstanding component of FX's schedule for the past 14 months, and we have every confidence that Anger Management will soon be as well."

Sheen will retain a significant ownership stake in the series inspired by the film, in which an anger management therapist, who may need more counseling than his patients, wreaks havoc on the lives of his patients through his unconventional methods.

“I have been fortunate to work with Charlie Sheen on six hit films,” said Roth. “Now to have Charlie, the number one comedy star on TV, doing Anger Management, feels like a perfect fit.  And I could not be happier than being back at Fox with John Landgraf and Chuck Saftler.”

“We were very gratified by the high level of interest in Anger Management from across the industry,” commented Marcus and Bernstein. “Ultimately, we felt FX’s track record for airing daring and distinctive shows would provide the perfect home for a sitcom headlined by one of the most successful sitcom stars of all time and produced by Joe Roth.”

Beggs said, "The FX brand epitomizes creative excellence and risk-taking combined with entrepreneurial business acumen.  Partnering with them on Anger Management is a no-brainer and we are thrilled to bring Charlie Sheen, Bruce Helford and this amazing creative team to the FX family of original series."

“Charlie and I are thrilled to be in business with FX and look forward to producing this series for years to come,” said Burg.