One-year exclusive pact has an option for a second year

Circle of Confusion Prods. has inked a one-year exclusive deal with Sony Pictures TV.

Under the pact, which has an option for a second year, Circle is busy developing about a dozen projects for the studio.

The 17-year-old management and production company headed by partners David Alpert, Lawrence Mattis and David Engel has deep roots in the sci-fi/comic book/video game universe, with a client roster that includes the Wachowski brothers and Simon Kinberg ("Mr. & Mrs. Smith").

It entered the TV arena in 2006 with the CBS Par pilot for CBS called "Ultra," a Barbara Hall-written comic book adaptation toplined by Lena Headey.

Under a first-look deal with CBS Par, the company scored another pilot order last year with the graphic novel-based "Them" at Fox, which was penned by David Eick and John McNamara and directed by Jonathan Mostow.

Although it will continue to draw from its library, Circle is looking to branch out with original concepts and go for "big, unique ideas for both drama and comedy," said Engel, who is shepherding the company's TV efforts with Alpert.

He called Sony TV's "roster of writers a great match for our library of graphic novels and ideas. We also love that they travel to most network and cable buyers."

Circle is repped by CAA.