Druski signs multi-year Netflix deal, launches ‘Collect & Praise’ series with Mike Epps

The comedian is expanding his viral “Pastor Dru” character into a semi-scripted series as part of a broader deal with the streamer.

Druski’s brand of comedy is now expanding to television screens across the globe.

The Atlanta-based comedian has signed a multi-year deal with Netflix, where his 4LIFERS Entertainment brand will develop original content exclusively for the streaming giant. First up? A “semi-scripted” series centered around “Pastor Dru,” his infamous church pastor character that racked up plenty of takes, laughs and scorn after it went live this past January.

Titled “Collect & Praise,” the series revolves around Druski and Mike Epps as a money-driven church pastor and his devoted deacon who “scheme their way through scandal, chaos and controversy.”

“I’ve built my platform by creating characters and comedy that resonate with people,” Druski said in a statement. “This partnership with Netflix will give me the resources to build on that comedy foundation and bring my work to a new global audience. It’s a tremendous opportunity for our team at 4LIFERS Entertainment to expand our reach, develop original programming for the masses and take our creativity to new heights.”

In a GQ profile earlier this summer, “Collect & Praise” was originally billed as a YouTube series. Now it has expanded into something far bigger, with early hints including a funeral scene with Epps that culminates in a shootout. At the center of it is the 31-year-old comedian, who quickly learned after his viral church pastor sketch that he needed to expand beyond the initial millions of views it garnered on social media.

“The mega-pastor is a thing,” Druski told Frazier Tharpe as to why “Pastor Dru” deserved a spin-off over his other characters. “It’s not just a white thing, it’s not just a Black thing.”

He gave even more context to BET shortly before hosting the BET Awards.

“I think, I know I got the message across,” Druski told Terrence J. “People go back and they realize this stuff has been in front of us the whole time. We’re not noticing it unless someone waves a red flag.”

Much of Druski’s comedy comes from things he sees on the internet, positioning him as a “cultural anthropologist” who satirizes things that shouldn’t be real but are. “You can actually go back and research this stuff, there’s a [real] video for every joke in the skit that I did,” he said.

As part of the Netflix deal, three of Druski’s other creations, “Coulda Been Love,” “Coulda Been Daddy,” and “Coulda Been Records Auditions,” will be licensed on the platform.

Druski arrives on Netflix on December 1. Watch the announcement trailer paying homage to some of his biggest sketches below.