EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Mittman’s production company 1.21, which is behind series including Netflix’s Wednesday, has promoted Kai Dolbashian.
Dolbashian has been upped to Head of Development at the company, which has a deal with MGM. He was previously Director of Development, having been with Mittman since he launched the company in early 2020.
Prior to joining 1.21, Dolbashian worked in MGM’s scripted television division, having started at the studio as an intern out of college. He will now oversee all film and scripted development for the company.
Veteran MGM exec Mittman, who exec produced Baz Luhrmann’s smash hit biopic Elvis, set up 1.21 with an exclusive MGM/UA Television production and first-look MGM fIlm deal.
The company has recently wrapped production on two series for MGM; Wednesday and The Consultant. Wednesday is Tim Burton’s The Addams Family spinoff series for Netflix that stars Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams. Created by Al Gough and Miles Millar, the series, which also stars Catherine Zeta-Jones, is set to premiere on the streamer in the fourth quarter of the year.
The Consultant, which was created by Tony Basgallop, is a dark comedy workplace thriller for Amazon that stars Christoph Waltz and directed by Matt Shakman.
Elsewhere on 1.21’s development slate are Highfire, an adaptation of Eoin Colfer’s with Nic Cage, Stephen Markley’s novel Ohio at HBO and El Gato Negro, directed by Robert Rodriguez, at Netflix.
Mittman said, “Kai has not only been an incredible creative partner for years, but someone whose taste and instincts I have come to trust implicitly. He has the guts to champion the hard stuff and I’m excited for him to help shape the future of 1.21. Plus, as Kai would say, ‘he’s a vibe.’”
Michael Wright, President of MGM Television, added, “Kai started out as an intern at MGM straight out of college, and since that time, we have had the good fortune of watching him develop into an impressive creative executive with impeccable taste and solid talent relationships. Andrew is lucky to have him, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with 1.21 on many exciting projects to come, including The Consultant, where Kai has been instrumental as a co-producer.”