Money Discussions Delay Debut of Mad Men's Fifth Season
Since its premiere in 2007, Mad Men and the famous Donald Draper have settled in as a summer staple for fans, riding in with the warmer weather like clockwork. However, due to prolonged negotiations with Lionsgate and the shows creator Matthew Weiner, viewers might not catch a glimpse of the fifth season until late 2011 or early 2012, reports the New York Times.
AMC currently pays more than $2 million per episode and while money is usually the culprit, negotiations rarely continue for this long.
“They are fighting over a very lucrative property, and who is going to pay for it to get made; it’s one of the biggest perils of success — everyone wants a piece of it now, and they are fighting over who is gonna get the biggest chunk,” Weiner told Entertainment Weekly in January.
Although sources say Weiner is close to a new deal, the three-time Emmy Award-winning AMC series normally starts production in late April or early May and will need several weeks of preparation even after a deal is reached.
AMC announced pickup for a fifth season of Mad Men at last January’s Television Critics Association press tour.
"Mad Men is definitely coming back for Season 5, but don't ask me when, because we're not sure yet,” said Joel Stillerman, AMC’s senior vice president of original programming.
Clearly anticipating the delay of Mad Men, AMC will introduce new series The Killing in April and Breaking Bad will premiere its fourth season in July, writes Hollywood Reporter.
Mad Men fans might breathe a sigh of relief once writers begin to craft the eagerly anticipated next steps for advertising agency Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce but, with two negotiations under AMC's belt in only four seasons, Mad Men’s future past a fifth season remains questionable for now.
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