J.D., University of Southern California Law Center, 2004
B.A., Brandeis University, 1999
Matthew N. Sugarman is an entertainment attorney and shareholder in Weintraub Tobin based in Los Angeles.
Matt represents authors, screenwriters, producers, and directors in cutting-edge deals. His recent negotiations have helped bring best-selling novels, series, and comics to the screen through adaptations with major film and television production houses, including the T.V. adaptations of New York Times bestselling series book series “Fourth Wing,” “Dungeon Crawler Carl,” and “Eragon,” as well as the T.V. adaptation of the critically acclaimed “Barbaric” comic series. He also negotiated the Oscar-nominated 2024 film adaptation of client Nate Stevenson’s best-selling book, “Nimona.”
Matt’s skill with securing high-value, complex deals that span traditional and emerging media have made him the go-to lawyer for crafting strategies that enable best-selling authors and comic book creatives to achieve global reach and recognition.
Matthew has served as a member of both the Syllabus Committee of the USC Institute for Entertainment Law and Business and the Entertainment Industry Leadership Institute of The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles. In addition, he is actively involved with several charities including the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation, and is an avid science fiction, fantasy and comic book reader. Prior to attending law school, Matthew helped to found the business and legal affairs department at Walden Media in New York City, worked on the advance team for Bill Bradley’s 2000 U.S. Presidential campaign, participated in the investment banking trainee program at a top Wall Street investment house and served as a Page in the U.S. Senate.
A live-action adaptation of Weintraub client ND Stevenson’s Scarlet Morning is in development at Amazon MGM Studios. The script is being written by Kate Herron and Kari Granlund. The novel is centered around two orphans who agree to join a crew of pirates to help save land known as Dickerson’s Sea.…
Weintraub client and audiobook narrator Jeff Hays has joined Peacock’s live-action adaptation of Dungeon Crawler Carl. Hays will voice Princess Donut, the talking cat he portrays in the bestselling audiobook series. Based on Matt Dinniman’s dystopian comedy novels, the series follows a Coast Guard veteran and Princess Donut as they fight to survive…
Apple TV has acquired the rights to Peculiar Stars, the upcoming romance novel from Weintraub client and bestselling author Rebecca Yarros. Apple Studios will develop the novel as a television series, with Yarros serving as an executive producer through her production company, Full Measures Productions. Set to be published on November…
Magic Hour Entertainment, the newly formed production company led by Max Siemers and Tanner Anderson, is set to adapt Christina Lauren’s bestselling romance novel, Love and Other Words, as a feature film. The story follows childhood best friends turned first loves who reconnect more than a decade later and are forced…
Matt Dinniman’s popular science fantasy book series, Dungeon Crawler Carl, will be adapted to a live-action series on the Peacock network. The series comes from Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door and Universal Global Television, with Chris Yost writing for television. Dungeon Crawler Carl follows Coast Guard veteran Carl as he fights to survive an alien-controlled,…
FX is developing That Texas Blood, a drama series from Jim Mickle and E.L. Katz based on the Image Comics series from Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips. The neo-noir Western follows Sheriff Joe Bob Coates of Ambrose County, Texas, as a man’s return home after his brother’s sudden disappearance leads to…
Netflix has greenlit Barbaric, a medieval fantasy drama based on the hit Vault Comics title of the same name. Created by Mike Moreci and Nathan Gooden, the series follows a barbarian cursed to only use violence for good as he embarks on a journey of redemption alongside his talking axe…
Weintraub client Rebecca Yarros’ best-selling romantasy novel Fourth Wing has officially been ordered to series at Amazon Prime Video. Based on Yarros’ hit The Empyrean book series, the adaptation follows Violet Sorrengail as she enters the dangerous and competitive world of dragon riders at Basgiath War College. The series will…
Weintraub Tobin is pleased to announce that partner Matt Sugarman has been named to The Hollywood Reporter’s 2026 Power Lawyers list, which recognizes the top attorneys shaping the entertainment industry across film, television, and media. Matt Sugarman is a partner in Weintraub Tobin’s Entertainment & Media practice group, where he represents authors, screenwriters, producers, and…
Weintraub Tobin is proud to share that partner Matthew Sugarman has been selected for inclusion in Variety’s 2026 Legal Impact Report, an annual feature highlighting the entertainment industry’s most influential attorneys. The report profiles legal leaders who have made a meaningful impact over the past year, recognizing their work across film, television, music,…
Rebelle Media, the company behind the Hulu breakout “Tell Me Lies” and the films “Mr. Malcolm’s List” and “Long Weekend,” has rebranded to focus exclusively on romance, developing and producing love-led storytelling across film, television, and books. The relaunch, led by founder Laura Lewis and new Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer Amanda Palley, positions Rebelle…
Weintraub client Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl is officially in development as a live-action television series at Peacock. Based on Dinniman’s popular LitRPG book series, the project will be written and executive produced by Chris Yost, with Seth MacFarlane executive producing under his Fuzzy Door Productions banner. Dinniman will also serve as an executive producer alongside Erica…
Disney+ is moving forward with its live-action adaptation of Eragon, the first book in Christopher Paolini’s bestselling Inheritance Cycle fantasy series, firming up its creative team as the project advances in development. The series is being produced by 20th Television, following competitive interest in Paolini’s YA fantasy universe. Todd Harthan has…
Apple TV has secured the screen rights to Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive, two highly sought-after fantasy book series from bestselling author and Weintraub Tobin client Brandon Sanderson, for development across film and television. The deal encompasses Sanderson’s expansive Cosmere universe and followed competitive interest from multiple studios before Apple…
Weintraub client Matt Kindt, creator of Mind MGMT and Dept. H, has signed a major publishing and media partnership with Oni Press to expand his Flux House imprint. The deal includes new comic releases and the development of more than 20 Flux House properties across film, television, animation, gaming, and…
Weintraub client SenLinYu sold the film rights for their highly anticipated fantasy novel, ‘Alchemised’, to Legendary in what’s reported to be the biggest deal of its kind. The novel follows an alchemist and healer named Helen Marino as she tries to recover forgotten secrets from her mind. The book is…
Weintraub client and author Rebecca Yarros’ popular romance novel, “The Things We Leave Unfinished,” is set to be adapted into a film by Lionsgate. Told in alternating timelines, “The Things We Leave Unfinished” tells the story of 28-year-old Georgia Stanton, who returns home after a public divorce and reluctantly works…
HBO has secured the rights to “Baby Queen,” a sought-after drama project based on the upcoming novel of the same name by crime fiction writer and Weintraub Tobin client Ty Landers. The rights to the highly-anticipated debut novel from Landers were the subject of a 10-way bidding war, ultimately won…
Weintraub Tobin is honored to announce that Matthew N. Sugarman has been selected to the 2025 Variety Legal Impact Report. Matt Sugarman is a shareholder at Weintraub Tobin and member of the Firm’s Entertainment & Media practice group. He represents authors, screenwriters, producers, and directors in cutting-edge deals. His recent…
“Up in Smoke” has been inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry. One of 25 films selected from thousands of entries for preservation this year, the 1978 cult-classic comedy was first feature film from Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong. Other films inducted this year include “Spy Kids” (2001),…
Weintraub clients Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, the writing duo behind the bestselling pen name Christina Lauren, have inked a deal with Netflix for the feature adaptation of their holiday rom-com novel, In a Holidaze. Tiffany Paulsen (Holidate, Reunion) has been tapped to script the project, which is in early…
Weintraub client Dave Clark is co-founding a groundbreaking entertainment studio, Promise, which is backed by The North Road Company and Andreessen Horowitz. The studio will focus on integrating generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) into its slate of films and series. Led by George Strompolos (founder of Fullscreen) as CEO, Jamie…
Weintraub client W. Maxwell Prince recently sold the film rights for his horror anthology comic book, Ice Cream Man, to Sony genre label Screen Gems. Wednesday, creators and writers of the new Beetlejuice movie, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, will produce alongside Aaron Schmidt. Prince will serve as executive producer.…
The popular indie novel Dungeon Crawler Carl by Weintraub client Matt Dinniman is set to be adapted into a TV series by Universal International Studios and Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door. The novel, which was originally self-published and has sold over a million copies, tells the story of a Coast Guard…
Doug Liman’s new film “The Instigators” starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck is set to premiere in theaters August 2nd and available to stream on Apple TV+ starting August 9th, 2024. The film showcases Liman’s signature dynamic storytelling and innovative filmmaking techniques. In an interview with IndieWire, Liman discussed the…
Tracy Letts and Moses Ingram have joined the ensemble cast of Kathryn Bigelow’s upcoming untitled thriller for Netflix, which also stars Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Jared Harris, Greta Lee, and Gabriel Basso. The film, Bigelow’s first since the 2017 thriller Detroit, is set at the White House during a national…
NBC has ordered the first season of the “Suits” offshoot series, “Suits: LA.” The upcoming series cast includes Stephen Amell, Bryan Greenberg, Josh McDermitt, Lex Scott Davis, and Troy Winbush, with guest appearances by John Amos, Victoria Justice, and Kevin Weisman. Executive produced by “Suits” creator Aaron Korsh alongside David…
On Thursday, July 24th, Weintraub Attorney Matt Sugarman will participate in a panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con, “From Idea to Shelves.” The panel brings together professionals who assist authors in taking a project from blank page to launch, including agent, manager, attorney, publisher, and producer. Matt will discuss strategies and…
Netflix and A&E Studios will develop a TV series adaptation of the best-selling comic from Vault Comics, “Barbaric.” The series, written and executive produced by Sheldon Turner, is set to star Sam Claflin and Patrick Stewart and will mark the TV directing debut of big-screen action icon Michael Bay. Created…
The science fiction mystery comic book “Mindset” by Zack Kaplan and John J. Pearson, published by Vault Comics, is being adapted into a TV series. The adaptation will be produced by Don Cheadle’s This Radicle Act and Boat Rocker, known for “Orphan Black: Echoes.” Executive producers include David Fortier, Ivan…
Filmmaker Panos Cosmatos (“Mandy”) will direct Kristen Stewart and Oscar Isaac in the vampire thriller, “Flesh of the Gods.” Adam McKay and Betsy Koch’s Hyperobject Industries will produce the film along with Isaac and partner Gena Konstantinakos under Mad Gene Media. The film will be selling at this year’s Cannes…
In Netflix’s “A Man In Full,” Jeff Daniels and Diane Lane star as Charlie Croker, a crumbling real estate mogul, and his ex-wife Martha. Lucy Liu, Tom Pelphrey, Sarah Jones, William Jackson Harper, Aml Ameen, Jon Michael Hill, and Chanté Adams round out the star-studded cast. Based on Tom Wolfe’s…
Several Weintraub clients had high-profile premieres at the recent SXSW Film Festival in Austin (March 8-16, 2024). Director Doug Liman unveiled his remake of “Road House” starring Jake Gyllenhaal at this year’s festival. Produced by Amazon MGM Studios, the film also stars Jessica Williams, Billy Magnussen, Lukas Gage, and Conor…
Weintraub client Cheech Marin reunites with iconic comedic partner Tommy Chong for “Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie.” The film, premiered at SXSW, showcases their decades-long, up-and-down relationship in the documentary/road-trip comedy. Weintraub shareholders Stan Coleman and Matt Sugarman represent Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong. Read the review by The Hollywood Reporter.
Weintraub Client Jess Varley (Phobias) makes her solo writing and directing debut with the sci-fi thriller The Astronaut, which begins filming in Ireland in October (under an interim SAG-AFTRA agreement). Kate Mara, Gabriel Luna, and Laurence Fishburne lead the cast. The Astronaut is produced by Brad Fuller and Cameron Fuller…
Weintraub client Gregg Simon is set to direct “The Patience of Vultures,” a neo-noir crime thriller presented by Pulsar Content, XYZ Films, and WME Independent. Luis Guzmán (“Narcos,” “Traffic”) and Ed Skrein (“Game of Thrones,” “Deadpool”) are set to lead the ensemble cast, which also includes Josh Brener (“The Last…
Weintraub client ND Stevenson, author of the New York Times bestselling graphic novel “Nimona,” has been named to The Hollywood Reporter’s first-ever 75 Most Powerful People in Kids’ Entertainment, also known as their Kids’ Entertainment Power List. The list is comprised of executives and creators who make and deliver programming…
The Dark Horse comic book series Lady Danger, written by Weintraub client Alex de Campi, is set to be adapted into a new animated series for Amazon Freevee. The series will star Nicki Minaj in the lead role. Minaj will also executive produce the series, along with Curtis “50 Cent”…
Bestselling novel The Honeys, by Weintraub client Ryan La Sala, is set to be adapted for film by Anonymous Content. The social horror story was published in August 2022, and was named a “Best Book of 2022” by several media organizations, including NPR, Barnes & Noble, and the New York…
Weintraub client Jess Varley (Phobias) will make her solo writing and directorial debut with the new film The Astronaut, a sci-fi thriller set to star Emma Roberts (Madame Web) and Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix franchise). The film is due to start production later this year, with Brad Fuller (A Quiet…
Universal Pictures is set to adapt to film the bestselling novel “A Deadly Education,” the first title in the Scholomance Trilogy by Weintraub client Naomi Novik. The film will be directed by Meera Menon (Ms. Marvel) with Emily Carmichael (Jurassic World Dominion) and Shantha Susman adapting the screenplay. Todd Lieberman…
On September 29, 2022, WT client Macrocosm Entertainment won a News and Documentary Emmy Award for the HBO Documentary film Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street. The documentary won for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary. Trevor Crafts accepted the award, and Weintraub Tobin was honored to be thanked…
Disney+ is set to develop a new live-action series based on the first book, Eragon, of the popular young adult book series The Inheritance Cycle, written by Weintraub client Christopher Paolini. Paolini will co-write and executive produce the series, alongside Bert Salke via Co-Lab 21. The studio will be 20th…
Weintraub client Diane Lane has been cast in the Netflix limited series “A Man in Full,” based on the Tom Wolfe novel of the same name. Lane will star alongside Jeff Daniels. David E. Kelly will write, executive produce, and serve as showrunner for the series. Weintraub client Tommy Schlamme…
The animated adaptation of ND Stevenson’s bestselling graphic novel Nimona has been picked up by Netflix and Annapurna Pictures. The film was originally under production and set to release this year from Blue Sky Studios, a division of then 20th Century Fox. The film was canceled, however, after Fox was…
Warner Bros. and Studio 8 are set to produce a film adaptation of the comic book “Black.” The comic was first introduced in 2016, created by Weintraub Tobin clients Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3, and also published by Weintraub Tobin client Black Mask Studios. Black Mask Studios’ Matteo Pizzolo…
Sony Pictures Television has acquired the superhero horror comic “Faust” for development into an animated series. Creators David Quinn (writer) and Tim Vigil (artist) of Rebel Studios will serve as consulting producers on the adaptation. Brian Giberson of Black Mask Entertainment will executive produce and Matteo Pizzolo (Godkiller) will write…
Strange Planet creator Nathan Pyle is teaming with Dan Harmon to adapt his webcomic and graphic novels for Apple TV+. Pyle and Harmon will executive produce along with Steve Levy and Taylor Alexy Pyle. Amalia Levari is set as showrunner. The series is produced by Apple Studios and ShadowMachine, the…
Weintraub Tobin joins Matt Sugarman in congratulating his clients recently announced as Hugo Award Finalists: Best Young Adult Book: Naomi NovikBest Novel: Tamsyn MuirBest Novel: Mary Robinette KowalBest Novella: P. Djèlí ClarkBest Series: John ScalziBest Series: Mary Robinette KowalBest Dramatic Presentation Short Form: Noelle StevensonBest Dramatic Presentation Short Form: James…
Rebekah Weatherspoon has struck a deal to have her romance book trilogy to be developed for television. The first book, A Cowboy to Remember, is now in development as a pilot and will be written and executive produced by Valerie C. Woods. The trilogy is about a woman who has…
FX Network is adapting the newly released nonfiction book written by cybersecurity reporter Nicole Perlroth. The series is being developed by Tommy Schlamme from The West Wing. The book is about the history of cyberwarfare and how the United States became vulnerable to attack. The drama series is being executive…
HBO Documentary films debuts Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street in 2021. The documentary has been in the works for 5 years and is about the iconic show Sesame Street, which first aired in the 1960s. Street Gang focuses on the first two decades of the groundbreaking show,…
Skydance Television has acquired the rights to P. Djéli Clark’s Ring Shout, a novella about otherworldly evil in the 1920s South that manifests in the form of monsters who thrive on—and in—people filled with hate. Clark will executive produce along with Kasi Lemmons, who is set to serve as showrunner…
Freeform has ordered a pilot for the comedy Single Drunk Female. The series is to star Sofia Black-D’Elia as an alcoholic who is forced to move back with her mother, played by Ally Sheedy, to sober up. The pilot will also star Rebecca Henderson, Lily Mae Harrington, and Garrick Bernard.…
Feature adaptation Black of comic series Black Mask by co-creators Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3 has been acquired by Warner Bros. The script was written by DC’s Titans producer Jeff Robinov, who will also produce along with Guy Danella, and John Graham from Studio 8 with Black Mask Studio’s Matteo Pizzolo and…
Made Up Stories and Snoot Entertainment have partnered up and optioned the rights to the adult sci-fi novel written by Christopher Paolini To Sleep in a Sea of Stars. Paolini will adapt the book along with his sister and collaborator Angela Paolini. The Paolinis are clients of Matt Sugarman. Paolini is author…
Matt Sugarman’s client Noelle Stevenson will write and executive produce Lumberjanes, an animated series. The special is currently in development for HBO Max. Lumberjanes is a comic book originally created by Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, and Brooklyn A. Allen in 2014. The book has won many awards for its strong LGBTQ…
Matt Sugarman is quoted in a Los Angeles Times article about the on-going tensions and labor dispute between the Writers Guild of America West and the Association of Talent Agents. Entertainment attorneys haven’t been able to go far from their phones this summer as clients reach out to them with…
Matt Sugarman client Mary Robinette Kowal received the 2019 Nebula Award for her novel The Calculating Stars. The novel is the second installment in the Hugo-award-winning author’s Lady Astronaut series, which re-envisions the history of the space race. The prestigious award is presented by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers…
Weintraub Tobin Shareholder Matt Sugarman congratulates his clients F.J. DeSanto, Damian Wassel, and Vault Comics on the SyFy series order for a live-action adaptation of Vagrant Queen. DeSanto and Wassel will serve as Executive Producers on the 10-episode, one-hour science fiction adventure series, which will air in 2020. For more…
Weintraub Tobin Shareholder Matt Sugarman is excited to announce that Will Smith and Marc Forster’s Telepool backs Defiant Studios Horror Film slate. ‘Phobias,’ a horror anthology, will be the first project produced under the agreement with Eric B. Fleischan’s Defiant Studios, with Kodiak Pictures and Telepool as co-producers and co-financiers.…
Weintraub Tobin Shareholder Matt Sugarman is excited to announce that Jon Shestack Productions and Madhouse Entertainment’s have negotiated the rights to produce John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War to develop as an original film. The novel is part of a six-book series and will be distributed by Netflix. Congratulations to Jon Shestack Productions and Madhouse Entertainment. To…
Weintraub Tobin Shareholder Matt Sugarman is excited to announce the latest deal struck between Black creators, Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3, Black Mask Studios, and production company, Studio 8. The comic series Black, which depicts a nation where only African-Americans possess superpowers, has been optioned to Studio 8 for the small…
Weintraub Tobin Shareholder, Matthew Sugarman, would like to congratulate clients, Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, on having their graphic novel “Joyride” named one of The Best Comics & Graphic Novels of 2016 by Barnes & Noble. Joyride was published in late-September by BOOM! Studios and has been described as a “rebellious love letter to…
Weintraub Tobin proudly congratulates Shareholder, Matt Sugarman, on his well deserved honor of being named to Variety’s Dealmakers Impact Report 2015. Click here to view the full article.
Weintraub Tobin Shareholder Matt Sugarman was recently mentioned in an article by The Hollywood Reporter which discusses the deal Lionsgate closed on The Kingkiller Chronicle, the best-selling fantasy book series by Patrick Rothfuss. To read the full article, click here.
Shareholder, Matt Sugarman, was recognized in a Hollywood Reporter article for his representation of comics writer and artist Noelle Stevenson. Click here to read the full article.
Weintraub Tobin Shareholder Matt Sugarman was recently mentioned in an article by The Hollywood Reporter which discusses HBO’s new limited series, ‘Big Little Lies’. Read more here.
Weintraub Tobin client, Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox of Smosh fame were featured in a Variety article announcing the premier of, “Smosh: The Movie.” Shareholder Scott Hervey represented Ian and Anthony and executive producer Barry Blumberg in their deals. The movie is now set to have its world premiere on…
For a third year in a row, Weintraub Tobin is working to raise funds for cardiovascular diseases and stroke by partaking in the American Heart Association Heart Walk on Saturday, September 21 at William Land Park. Our attorneys and staff work hard during the summer months to gear up for…
Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin Law Corporation is proud to announce that our client Tracy Letts has won a 2013 Tony Award for his role in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Letts took home the award Sunday for best performance by an actor in a play for his portrayal of…
Weintraub clients John and Drew Dowdle will co-write the upcoming microbudget thriller: “As Above, So Below” for Legendary Pictures. According to Variety, the film will be set in the catacombs beneath Paris where two archeologists look for hidden treasure. Sources say the film would be set in the $5-$10 million…
SACRAMENTO / SAN FRANCISCO / LOS ANGELES, July 6, 2012 – Weintraub Genshlea Chediak Tobin & Tobin Law Corporation and Weissmann Wolff Bergman Coleman Grodin LLP have jointly announced the merger of their respective business and entertainment law firms. The combined firm, named Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin Law Corporation,…
On July 24, Weintraub entertainment and intellectual property attorney Matthew Sugarman co-presented, ‘From Idea to Shelves.’ Speaking on a panel alongside literary agents, managers, publishing pros, and producers, they addressed the state of the publishing and adaptation businesses. The panel covered: How to take your writing career from the blank…
On Thursday, July 24th, Weintraub Attorney Matt Sugarman will participate in a panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con, “From Idea to Shelves.” The panel brings together professionals who assist authors in taking a project from blank page to launch, including agent, manager, attorney, publisher, and producer. Matt will discuss strategies and…
On September 8, Weintraub Shareholder Matt Sugarman will present as part of the American Bar Association webinar Comic Book Law 101. This panel will explore the comic book industry, its place in greater pop culture, and the key legal issues attorneys practicing in this area should know. Topics covered will include…
USC Institute for Entertainment Law and Business
Syllabus Committee Member
The Entertainment Industry Leadership Institute of The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles
Member
Television Academy
National Member
Awards
Variety Legal Impact Report, 2025, 2026
Variety Dealmakers Impact Report, 2015
Hollywood Reporter Power Lawyers, 2026
