Mad Men Creator Heads to Netflix For Next Gig, Get The Details

This seems like a match made in heaven. Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner will be joining the team of Orange is the New Black.

News has just come in reporting that Matthew Weiner will direct a Season 4 episode of the Netflix original series. Looks like Litchfield Prison is about to get mad.

Orange Is The New Black creator Jenji Kohan and Weiner are reportedly good friends, so a partnership between the two for Kohan’s massively successful series makes perfect sense. Weiner joins an impressive group of directors who will be taking their turn at Orange this season, including actress Jodie Foster.

Weiner’s involvement as a director marks his first post- Mad Men project to date. Additionally, Weiner’s role as a director is noteworthy as it is the first time the showrunner has directed a project which he did not also write. This should make for an interesting episode- with so many firsts for Weiner, Orange fans will be eager to see if he does the show justice.

Lauren Prepon, who plays four eyed wild woman Alex Vause in Orange Is The New Black recently opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about Matthew Weiner’s forthcoming episode, which has just finished filming. Prepon boasts Weiner’s skill and influence as a director, as well as his ability to sucessfully direct the rather large ensemble cast.

Coming from an experienced television actress, and one of the show’s most beloved characters this speaks volumes to what we have to expect in the Weiner episode. While she refused to give any further details about what the episode will entail, this surely gives die-hard Orange fans a sense of relief.

Orange Is The New Black premiered in 2013 and has been extremely successful. Revolving around the inmates and staff of a female correctional facility, it was an instant hit that garnered 12 Primetime Emmy nominations for the first season. Boasting an ensemble cast of diverse actresses, Orange Is The New Black utilizes flashbacks to give the audience a peek into each inmate’s past, making for a group of characters who are all fleshed out, and adored by the audience.

I’m personally excited for the forthcoming episode of Orange that will be directed by Weiner. Mad Men is one of the most captivating series in recent memory, and utilizing his sense of drama and character development for the Litchfield residents can only result in great television.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.