“Once Upon a Time” co-creators Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis have signed on as executive producers and showrunners for Apple‘s upcoming reboot of “Amazing Stories,” Variety has learned.
The news comes just days after “Once Upon a Time” aired its series finale on ABC after seven seasons. In addition, the duo has signed a four-year extension of their current deal at ABC Studios, which will keep them at the studio through 2022.
Horowitz and Kitsis come on board following the departure of original showrunner Bryan Fuller and executive producer Hart Hanson in February.
The pair began their careers writing for shows like “Popular” and “Felicity” before they joined the writing staff of “Lost” during its first year. For the final two seasons they served as executive producers, while simultaneously writing the feature film “Tron: Legacy” and creating the animated television series “Tron: Uprising” for Disney XD. They created “Once Upon a Time” in 2011.
Kitsis and Horowitz are represented by WME and attorney Jared Levine.
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A source close to Fuller said at the time of his departure that the parting was amicable. Fuller’s vision for the show did not mesh with the more family-friendly approach sought by Apple and Amblin Television. “Bones” alum Hanson had been on board for some time to serve as day-to-day showrunner, and was working closely with Fuller before also departing.
“Amazing Stories,” which is an anthology series, originally ran for two seasons in the mid-80s on NBC, garnering 12 Emmy nominations and winning five. Among those winners was John Lithgow, who won the Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series award for the episode entitled “The Doll.” The series was also one of the first resume listings for names like “Homeland” director Lesli Linka Glatter and Pixar director Brad Bird.
Original series co-creator Steven Spielberg serves as executive producer on the Apple version via Amblin Television, along with Amblin’s Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank. The 10-episode order for the series is part of a new content deal between Apple, Amblin, and Universal TV, the latter two of whom will produce “Amazing Stories.”
