Locked in contract negotiations throughout production on a fourth season, the cast of Duck Dynasty has inked deals to stay with the show on the eve of its summer return.
Sources confirm to The Hollywood Reporter confirms that the Robertson family have signed a new contract that will earn them the more than $200,000 an episode they were seeking. That figure, to be split among the 20 cast members (9 adults and 11 children) is four times as much as they were earning for the first three seasons. Though the network had no comment, the new deal is said to secure the Robertsons for several more seasons of Duck Dynasty -- should A&E want them.
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THR broke the news of Duck Dynasty's salary standoff back in March. And while the detente originally threatened the fourth season, the Robertsons, repped by WME, joined production when it resumed and the fourth season is set to bow on Aug. 14.
In the Robertsons' corner has been the landmark ratings that their series has drawn. Season three bowed in February to a whopping 8.6 million viewers, growing to a record 9.6 million total viewers (5.6 million of them adults 25-54 and 5.5 million of them adults 18-49) in the season finale. It is now outpaced by only The Walking Dead across all of cable, and easily outdraws most scripted broadcast series.
This raise is just another feather in the Robertsons' increasingly pricey cap. On top of the haul from their Gurney Productions series, the Ducks pull a small fortune from outdoorsman empire Duck Commander and the many speaking engagements they've been booking since gaining notoriety on the show.
