Hiro Murai, the Emmy-winning director behind acclaimed series like The Bear, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Atlanta, has officially launched his own production company, Chum Films. The new venture will focus on developing and producing original film and television projects, with a stated goal of supporting emerging filmmakers and creators.
“Chum Films will focus on developing and producing original films and television series, supporting the vision of new filmmakers and creators,” according to the official announcement.
Joining Murai at Chum Films is Carver Karaszewski, who has been appointed President of Development. Karaszewski brings a wealth of experience, having previously worked at Media Res where she helped develop and produce series like I’m a Virgo and Scenes from a Marriage. Claudia Shin, a longtime collaborator of Murai’s on projects such as The Bear and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, has been named SVP of Film & Television. Shin’s background includes time at UTA, 42, and Paramount Television.
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Under the Chum Films banner, Murai currently has a first-look deal with FX Productions. The company’s upcoming projects include the Apple horror-comedy series Widow’s Bay, starring Matthew Rhys, and the A24 samurai film Bushido, which will mark Murai’s feature directorial debut.
Murai’s partnership with Donald Glover on Atlanta garnered him both a PGA Award and an Emmy. The duo has also collaborated on the Prime Video series Mr. & Mrs. Smith, where Murai serves as director and EP.
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He has also received Emmy nominations for Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and won an Emmy for his work as executive producer on FX’s The Bear, His extensive resume includes work on other notable series like HBO’s Barry and Max’s Station Eleven.
