Greg Berlanti

Gregory Berlanti (born May 24, 1972) is an American screenwriter, producer and director of film and television.

He is known for his work on the television series Dawson's Creek, Brothers & Sisters, Everwood, Political Animals, Riverdale, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and You, in addition to his contributions to DC Comics on film and television productions, including The CW's Arrowverse, Titans, and the Doom Patrol.

In 1998, at the age of 26, Berlanti landed his first writing job on The WB's Dawson's Creek, where he quickly rose through the producing ranks from staff writer to executive producer.

When creator and then-showrunner Kevin Williamson decided to step away from the show, 28-year-old Berlanti was promoted to showrunner.

Berlanti has spoken in many interviews about the importance of introducing a gay character into a primetime television show and featuring the first same-sex kiss between two men on U.S. network television on Dawson's Creek.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, he stated, “In the beginning, there was resistance.

When we did the Jack kiss on Dawson's Creek, everyone was tentative.

But I took over the show and that was an important thing to me.

If we were going to bring the character out, it seemed silly to me that he couldn't kiss.” When asked what he would have done if the network had said no to the kiss, Berlanti added, “I was prepared to quit.

I really was.”

Berlanti subsequently created two drama series for Warner Brothers: Everwood and Jack & Bobby.

In 2000, Berlanti founded the production company Berlanti Productions.

He and his business partner Mickey Liddell struck a deal with Warner Bros. in March 2003 via Berlanti/Liddell Productions.

By the age of 32, he had also already directed his first feature film, The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy, which starred Timothy Olyphant, Zach Braff, Justin Theroux, and Dean Cain.

After three years at Warner Bros., he moved to Touchstone Television in 2006 and set up Berlanti Television as his new production company.

In 2006, Berlanti produced and wrote Brothers & Sisters for ABC, which aired for five seasons and featured the first same-sex legal marriage on network television.

He replaced Marti Noxon, who departed the show because of creative differences.

In 2007, Berlanti executive-produced Dirty Sexy Money for ABC, which aired for two seasons and featured the first recurring transgender character on primetime television.

In 2008, Berlanti created and produced the ABC legal drama Eli Stone and, in 2012, the USA miniseries Political Animals.

At ABC, he produced and worked alongside Jon Harmon Feldman, former Dirty Sexy Money showrunner, to create No Ordinary Family.

Berlanti directed the 2010 film Life as We Know It, starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel.

In 2011, he shifted from ABC Studios back to its original home at Warner Bros. Television.

For NBC, he produced The Mysteries of Laura, an American adaptation of the Spanish television series, which premiered on September 17, 2014, and Blindspot, which premiered on September 21, 2015.

He produced the film Pan for Warner Bros. under his Berlanti Productions banner; the film was released October 9, 2015.

In February 2015, it was announced that Berlanti and Sera Gamble would develop a series for Showtime based on Caroline Kepnes's thriller novel You.

Two years later, it was announced that the series was purchased by Lifetime and put on fast-track development.

In January 2016, The CW ordered the Berlanti-produced television pilot Riverdale, based on the characters from Archie Comics.

The pilot was picked up to series in May 2016.

In the 2017–2018 television season, Berlanti tied Jerry Bruckheimer's 2005–2006 record in having 10 different live-action scripted television series airing on various networks and digital platforms and took sole possession of the record, with 14 airing in the 2018–19 television season, having signed the most expensive producer deal at that time (June 2018) with Warner Bros.

Riverdale premiered on January 26, 2017, and was renewed for a second season on March 7, 2017.

In September 2017, it was reported that a live-action television series based on the comic book Chilling Adventures of Sabrina was in development for The CW by Warner Bros. Television and Berlanti Productions.

Berlanti also directed the 2018 film Love, Simon, a gay romantic comedy-drama which grossed $66million worldwide.

In December 2017, the project had moved to Netflix, and the first season of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina was released on October 26, 2018.

On December 18, 2018, Netflix renewed the series for a second season.

You premiered on September 9, 2018.

On July 26, 2018, ahead of the series premiere, Lifetime announced that the series had been renewed for a second season.

On December 3, 2018, it was confirmed that Lifetime had passed on the series and that Netflix picked up the series ahead of the release of the second season.

In the 2019–20 television season, with one cancellation and two new series, Berlanti increased the record to 18.

The second season was released on December 26, 2019.

Berlanti was named on Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2020.