Mad Men Creator Says Show Is Not Close to Returning

Matthew Weiner is waiting for a deal to be struck before he can start work on season five.

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Complex Original

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"I am not looking for a new job. I’m dying to go back to work,” says Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner to EW. But just when will he actually get back to work? Well that's certainly a bit up in the air, due to the fact that AMC and Mad Men production company Lionsgate have yet to work out a deal to bring the show back for a fifth season.

"The truth is I don’t even know what their plans are. We have not started writing. I am not back at work. My contract expired. They are fighting over a very lucrative property, and who is going to pay for it to get made; it’s one of the biggest perils of success—everyone wants a piece of it now and they are fighting over who is gonna get the biggest chunk. Then they will come to me because talent is last," said Weiner. "It would be heartbreaking for me if they don’t work it out, horrifying really. It would be a shame for fans to never get to see what great stuff we have planned for Don and company.”

The Chicken Little aspect of that final dig aside—let's consider it more of a public negotiating tactic instead of something that threatens the very fabric of Mad Men—what does this mean for us fans? Well, probably that AMC and Lionsgate won't hash things out until the spring, which would mean season five won't air until late 2011 or 2012. Considering the fact that AMC has Breaking Bad coming back in late 2011 already, let's just resign ourselves to the fact that Don and friends won't be on screens for almost a year. Boo, but also, yay? Hey, it's better than nothing...

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