TV superproducer Greg Berlanti signs $400m deal with Warner Bros

Producer Greg Berlanti has signed a $400 million deal with Warner Bros to continue making TV programmes for the studio until 2024.

Berlanti, 46, currently has 14 scripted series on air in the US at the same time – an unprecedented number for a single producer – including hit shows such as teen crime drama Riverdale and DC superhero series The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, Black Lightning and Legends of Tomorrow.

It has been described by insiders as "biggest writer-producer deal in the history of TV", according to the Hollywood Reporter, which claims Warner Bros "aggressively pursued Berlanti" to secure the deal, in the face of competing interest from Netflix.

As the deal only covers his TV output, Berlanti will continue to make feature films for rival company Fox, which released his recent big-screen romcom Love, Simon.

The $400 million deal dwarfs Netflix's recent contracts with American Horror Story's Ryan Murphy, who was reportedly offered $300 million for five years, and Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rimes's estimated $100 million for four years.

"Warner Bros. [...] have provided me with such a wonderful home to tell stories for many years – and now many years to come," Berlanti said. "A lot has changed about TV since I started working in it 20 years ago. But what hasn't changed is how blessed I feel to come to work every day, where I work with the most talented, hardest-working company, executives, showrunners, actors, writers, directors, casts and crews in the business.

"I'm eternally grateful to all of them and to the audiences that have watched our shows. And finally, I'm thankful for the love, guidance and support I get from my husband, my family and my friends, which make moments like this one possible and all the moments in between the real reward."