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Mad Men in Negotiations for Sixth Season

Creator Matt Weiner, Lionsgate, AMC in talks.

Don Draper fans rejoice: AMC, Lionsgate TV, and Mad Men creator Matt Weiner are reportedly close to a deal that would extend the series through a sixth season. Under their current arrangement, Weiner would finish out his term as executive producer of the popular cable program at the end of its fourth season. But Lionsgate presented a new deal, which the parties have been negotiating on and off for months. The updated deal would tack on a sixth season to the show about New York City’s 1960s advertising industry—it is currently under contract to run through five seasons—and would attach Weiner to the fifth and sixth season. But there is bad news for Mad Men fans: Production on the fifth season is slated to start later than it has in recent years, which will likely push back its midsummer 2011 premiere.