Matthew Weiner Exits Eddie Murphy Peacock Series ‘The Chairman’ As Showrunner

Skip to main content

October 29, 2026 6:05pm

The Chairman is getting a new showrunner. Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner, who had been tapped as writer, executive producer and showrunner on the high-profile drama starring Eddie Murphy, has departed the series in the works at Peacock, Deadline has confirmed.

The project, from David Glasser’s 101 Studios and Universal Television, is closing in on a new showrunner and will be moving forward, I hear. The writers room, the majority of which is expected to stay, has gone on a two-week hiatus to accomodate the showrunner transition.

According to sources, the decision to part ways with Weiner was creative and was made by Peacock, Universal TV and 101 Studios executives based on the pilot script by the Emmy winner. I hear Weiner had been brought in to develop and write an idea that had already been conceived and pitched to Murphy, and the take he delivered was a departure from that.

Plot details of the new series have not been disclosed.

The Chairman marks Murphy’s first scripted series and 101 Studios’ first announced project under the company’s NBCUniversal deal, which started in January.

Weiner’s exit was first reported by Variety.

Subscribe to Deadline

Get our Breaking News Alerts and Keep your inbox happy.

Sign Up

Newswire

Site