In this week’s edition of the Entertainment Supply Chain Digest, we unravel the latest seismic shifts from industry giants.
Dive into the intrigue of the Disney-Netflix alliance, witness DPG Media’s staggering €1.1 Billion move, explore Apple’s exclusive triumph, and ride the wave of Google TV’s streaming expansion.
Join us this week in our LIVE session to explore the dynamic landscape of Production Financing and Content Licensing in APAC+J. Discover the latest trends, strategies of global players, and insights into the thriving entertainment markets of Japan | Korea | India | Australia.
We at Vitrina AI, the global marketplace for the entertainment industry, strive to keep you informed of the latest happenings in the industry, so you don’t have to spend countless hours researching and keeping up to date.
Know more about Vitrina’s partner and content discovery here.
Global Entertainment Leaders Speak
IP Deals
Hottest IP Stories, Formats, Books, Games, Podcasts to be turned into the next big blockbuster- HBO Acquires ‘The Fabulist” HBO Films has acquired the rights to Mark Chiusano’s book “The Fabulist,” a dark-comic exploration of George Santos’ unique congressional journey in Long Island, NY, with Frank Rich, executive producer of “Veep” and “Succession,” at the helm. (🇺🇸)
- Cultivator Films Launches ‘Kangaroo’ Studiocanal’s new Australian production arm, Cultivator Films, kicks off with the film adaptation “Kangaroo,” a Northern Territory-inspired story scripted by Harry Cripps, set to start production in Alice Springs in early 2024. It is financially supported by both the Northern Territory and New South Wales governments. (🇦🇺 🇳🇿)
- Lee Se-young and Sakaguchi Kentaro Star in Coupang Play’s ‘What Comes After Love Lead cast set for Coupang Play’s new K-drama, “What Comes After Love.” An original series based on a novel by Gong Ji-yeong and Hitonari Tsuji, it portrays the poignant love and separation journey of two individuals who reconnect in Korea after falling in love in Japan and parting ways five years earlier. (🇰🇷)
- MBC Studios is set to adapt Saudi writer Osamah Almuslim’s best selling horror novel “Khawf,” a gripping series that follows a studious young man delving into the mysteries of a second world after receiving a book from a mysterious sheikh, triggering a chilling sequence of events. (🇦🇪)
- Kenny Ortega to Direct ‘Weslandia’ Film Adaptation in the USA Kenny Ortega is set to direct the film adaptation of the bestselling children’s book “Weslandia” by Paul Fleischman, produced by Radar Pictures and Bandits Roost Entertainment. It follows the adventure of tween genius Wes as he discovers a mysterious alien jungle in his new Plainville home.(🇺🇸)
Production Deals
Sneak peak into recently announced production projects worldwide- Elliot Page to produces ‘An Avocado Pit’ Elliot Page, along with Pageboy Productions partners Matt Jordan Smith and Tuck Dowrey, join as executive producers for the LGBTQ+ short film “An Avocado Pit,” directed by Ary Zara, depicting the transformative meeting of Larissa and Claudio, a trans woman and cis man, who unite for an evening of dancing and embracing their differences. (🇵🇹 🇺🇸)
- Apple signs Exclusive Deal with Yoruba Saxon for Original Content Apple secures a multi-year first-look deal with David and Jessica Oyelowo’s Yoruba Saxon banner, marking an exclusive partnership for the development and production of features and series for Apple TV+.(🌐)
- Global Co-Producers Back ‘Notun Gur’ International co-producers, including Akanga Film Asia, Film Council Productions, Betula Films, and In Front Films, join the Indian production team for the financing stage of “Notun Gur – A New Sweetness,” directed by Deyali Mukherjee and produced by Sriram Raja of SRDM Productions, with collaboration from Pramod Films and Magic Hour Films. (🌐)
- Nicolas Cage Returns: ‘Lords of War’ Sequel in Morocco Karim Debbagh’s Kasbah Films is working on the sequel of “Lords of War,” featuring Nicolas Cage. Set to film in Morocco, benefiting from the increased 30% local tax rebate, the new “first come, first served” system potentially will impact other international productions in the country. (🇲🇦)
- Go Button Media has received orders from Autentic and Super Channel for two 2024 commissions, including “Colossal Weapons,” a six-part series delving into global wartime technological advancements, and a 2nd season of “Deadly Science,” which explores the relentless pursuit of scientific progress by innovative minds. (🇩🇪 🇨🇦)
Season Renewals
More episodes on the way! Season Renewal Announcements- New Season of Netflix’s ‘Love Is Blind’ to premiere on Valentine’s Day Netflix announces the renewal of reality dating series “Love Is Blind” for its sixth and seventh seasons, with Season 6 scheduled for a Valentine’s Day premiere, featuring singles choosing a spouse based on conversations through a wall in a unique and unconventional approach to modern dating. (🌐)
- Prime Video announces the eagerly awaited third season of the comedy drama series “ImMATURE,” continuing the emotional and humorous journey of protagonists Dhruv, Kabir, and Susu as they navigate the challenges of friendship, love, and self-discovery in their transition from school to adulthood. (🇮🇳)
- MTV announces the renewal of “Jersey Shore Family Vacation” for Season 7, set to premiere in 2024, following strong series ratings in Season 6. It is produced by SallyAnn Salsano and Frank Miccolis for 495 Productions. (🇺🇸)
- Star+ kicks off filming for Season 5 of the Brazilian series “Impuros,” part of Star Original Productions, where protagonist Evandro do Dendê navigates the challenges of international drug trafficking and rising as Rio de Janeiro’s traffic leader, leading to a collision between his ambitious pursuits and family conflicts.(🇦🇷)
- Home Sweet Rome!’ to return for Season 2 The Italian-Canadian teen series “Home Sweet Rome!” has been renewed for a second season. Currently in development, it explores the adventures of a 13-year-old American girl navigating life in Rome with her dad and famous Italian pop star stepmother, addressing challenges of long-distance friendships and featuring original music. (🇮🇹)
Distribution Deals
Distributors securing worldwide content across different genres, languages and format types- Channel 5 commissions two natural history titles, “Croc Watch” and “Hippo Watch,” featuring naturalist Steve Backshall’s exploration into the lives of crocodiles and hippos in South Africa, with international distribution rights handled by Fremantle. (🇬🇧)
- Magnify Secures Global Rights for Austrian Satire ‘Veni Vidi Vici’ Magnify secures global and U.S. sales rights for the Austrian social satire “Veni Vidi Vici” ahead of its Sundance premiere. Portraying the seemingly perfect billionaire Maynard family living free from consequences due to their wealth and unconventional choices in hunting, the series is directed by Daniel Hoesl and Julia Niemann. (🇦🇹 🌐)
- DeAPlaneta Acquires Global Rights for ‘Nina & Olga’ DeAPlaneta Entertainment secures international distribution rights (excluding Italy, Australia, and North America) for the hit Italian 2D animated preschool series “Nina & Olga,” co-produced by Enanimation and Kreiworks in collaboration with Rai Ragazzi, based on the books by Nicoletta Costa. (🇮🇹)
- The low-budget dystopian horror film “Wintertide,” produced by Barnard and Tony Wosk under Farpoint Films, is set to captivate audiences in India, promising intense suspense and high-stake situations in an eerie calm environment, with distribution by VR Films and Studios. (🇮🇳)
- Abacus Media Rights Sells Peninsula TV Docs Globally Abacus Media Rights secures sales for Peninsula Television’s documentary titles, including “The Heiress and the Heist,” “Confessions of a Crime Boss,” and “Scissor Sisters,” with pre-sales to Sundance Now and RTE, and further sales to various platforms globally, while “Murdered: The Baby on the Beach” is sold to BBC Studios after being pre-sold to Virgin Media TV and Channel 4. (🇬🇧 🇮🇪 🇺🇸)
Gracenote, part of Nielsen, is the global leader in content metadata, content IDs and related offerings to the world’s leading creators, distributors and platforms. To support the explosive growth of FAST programming, the new Gracenote FAST program has been designed to streamline FAST channels, content distribution and enhance discoverability. FAST channel content creators can power and enrich their EPGs with normalized Gracenote IDs, data and imagery for both current and back catalog programming enabling better content discovery and monetization opportunities.
Acquisition Deals
Streamers & channels acquiring latest content across the world- Disney and Netflix Sign Short-Term Deal: Streaming 14 Popular Shows Globally Disney strikes a short-term U.S. content deal with Netflix, licensing 14 shows including “This Is Us” and “Lost,” offering a diverse range of titles such as “The Wonder Years,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “Home Improvement” for streaming. (🌐)
- APC Kids successfully sells TeamTO’s Christmas special, “Angelo, Wake Up! It’s Christmas!,” to TV3’s SX3, Radio-Canada, ERR, České televize, RTP, MTVA, and RTBF across the globe (🇪🇸 🇨🇦 🇪🇪 🇩🇴 🇵🇹 🇭🇺 🇧🇪)
- ChaiFlicks acquires all three seasons of “Shtisel,” the acclaimed series depicting the lives of an ultra-Orthodox family in Jerusalem, with season one set to stream in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand on the Jewish storytelling platform. (🇺🇸 🇳🇿)
- Australian streamer Stan secures the rights to both seasons, comprising 20 episodes, of the Malaysian adaptation of “The Bridge,” marking Stan’s first acquisition of a Malaysian drama series, in a deal with Banijay Rights. (🇦🇺 🇳🇿)
- Queer Comedy ‘The Summer With Carmen’ Lands Multi Territory Sales Zacharias Mavroeidis’ queer comedy, “The Summer With Carmen,” showcased at the Venice Film Festival, secures major territory sales. Represented by Be For Films, with Dekkoo, Salzgeber, Peccadillo Pictures, and Imovision acquiring rights for the U.S. and U.K. respectively.(🇺🇸 🇩🇪 🇦🇹 🇬🇧 🇮🇪 🇧🇷 )
Partnerships/M&A
Cross-Border Collaborations, Joint Ventures, M&A and Partnerships!- See-Saw Launches Fanboy: ‘Sweetpea’ for Sky Atlantic See-Saw Films introduces Fanboy, a new label led by Heartstopper executive producer Patrick Walters, focused on showcasing unique underdog perspectives through fresh and original stories, with their debut project “Sweetpea” commissioned by UK pay TV network Sky Atlantic.(🇦🇺)
- Endeavor Invests in Chess.com for Multi-Platform Collaboration Endeavor invests in Chess.com as WME partners with the online platform, aiming to enhance the appeal of chess through digital media, fashion, film, food, music, sports, television, and theater by developing non-scripted content, including documentaries, and crafting “celebrity-centric moments” and other crossover content. (🇺🇸)
- Artists Equity and Wild State Partner for Film and TV Projects Artists Equity, the prodco established by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in collaboration with RedBird Capital to expand profit participation for below-the-line talent, has entered into a partnership with Chris Hemsworth’s Wild State, wherein Artists Equity will produce film and television projects from the acclaimed Thor actor’s banner. (🇺🇸)
- Toho Acquires 25% Stake in Fifth Season for $225 Million Toho, the Japanese studio, has acquired a 25% in the U.S.-based independent studio Fifth Season for $225 million, as part of a deal in which South Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM retains majority ownership, and Endeavor Group Holdings remains a strategic shareholder, allowing Fifth Season to persist in its commitment to expanding a diverse portfolio of premium content. (🇯🇵 🇰🇷 🇺🇸)
- Boat Rocker Expands Scripted Format Sales Boat Rocker Asia has extended its scripted format sales into Korea, sealing a deal with Next Entertainment World for Orphan Black and securing another format deal with a Hong Kong producer, details of which will be disclosed upon confirmation of the production team and cast. (🇰🇷)
Companies Making Headlines
Launch and Expansions of facilities, studios, services & technologies- DPG Media to acquire RTL Nederland for €1.1 Billion DPG Media Acquires RTL Nederland for €1.1 Billion RTL Group has successfully sold RTL Nederland to DPG Media for €1.1 billion ($1.2 billion) in cash, pending regulatory approval, with the transaction set to conclude in mid-2024; this includes a strategic partnership, renewal of service agreements for RTL Nederland, and DPG Media retaining the “RTL” brand in the Netherlands until at least December 2034. (🇳🇱)
- Spotify and Warner Bros. Discovery Forge Podcast Partnership Spotify has partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery for podcast distribution and monetization, featuring shows like CNN’s ‘All There Is with Anderson Cooper’ and HBO’s ‘The Official Game of Thrones Podcast: House of the Dragon’ on Spotify’s Megaphone platform, while also becoming one of Warner Bros. Discovery’s podcast monetization partners through the Spotify Audience Network. (🌐)
- Amazon Inks Three-Year Deal with IPG Mediabrands for Prime Video Ads Amazon has secured a three-year deal with IPG Mediabrands to strengthen its Prime Video ad business, set to launch next year, featuring limited ads in TV shows and movies across the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Canada initially, expanding to additional countries later, with IPG supporting ads globally. (🌐)
- Netflix collaborates with Bus Stop Films in Australia to enhance representation by supporting the 2023 Showcase, featuring short films made inclusively by filmmakers with disabilities, and sponsoring a paid intern on an upcoming Netflix production to foster diversity and inclusion in the local industry. (🇦🇺)
- Veterans Jon Erwin and Kelly Merryman launch The Wonder Project, an independent studio that aims to produce top-notch, uplifting content for a significant faith and values-focused audience. (🇺🇸)
Featured New Specializations
Global innovations & breakthroughs in the Entertainment supply-chain- Futureverse and CAA Join Forces for Web3 and Metaverse Ventures Futureverse, an AI and metaverse technology company, partners with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) to explore opportunities in web3, virtual games, metaverse, AI, and more for talent and intellectual property development. (🌐)
- Singapore’s Mediacorp has introduced virtual sets in scripted content, notably in the Chinese drama series “Strangers in the Dark” presented at the Asia TV Forum & Market, leveraging virtual production to seamlessly transport the protagonist to diverse locations and time periods. (🇸🇬)
- Meta AI Innovates with High-Fidelity Relightable Avatars Meta AI introduces Relightable Gaussian Codec Avatars, a groundbreaking method for creating high-fidelity relightable 3D head avatars with novel expressions, redefining realism. (🌐)
- Appotronics, a cinema laser tech leader, presents ALPD (RGB+) solutions, energy-efficient with up to 30,000 hours service life. The ALPD (RGB+) product line, spanning 5,000 to 55,000 lumens, enhances projection brightness and quality across various theaters. (🇨🇳)
Localization & Post-Production
Latest updates in the world of content Localization & Post-Production- FilmLight Unveils Enhanced Grading Features FilmLight releases Baselight 6.0 grading software, featuring an updated timeline, new grading tools like X Grade and Chromogen, and a machine learning-based tool called Face Track. (🇬🇧)
- London’s Brain Audio opens immersive post studio with Dolby Atmos theater, contributing to Netflix’s “Wereworld” and Steven Eastwood’s film.(🇬🇧)
- Wondershare Virbo Unveils AI Video Translator for Global Accessibility Wondershare Virbo introduces AI Video Translator, a groundbreaking feature enabling users to translate videos into multiple languages with voice cloning and lip-sync technology, fostering global impact. (🇨🇦)
Animation, VFX & Virtual Production
Latest global updates in Animation, Visual Effects VFX & Virtual Production- Fuzzy Door Tech Launches ViewScreen Suite for Filmmakers Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door Tech releases ViewScreen suite, aiding filmmakers with real-time visualization and animation on standard devices.(🇺🇸)
- Parallax Studio unveils a new on-set virtual production site, announced during its December 7th opening. Collaborating with Robosheep Studio, GV Labs, and Will Studios for “The Guardian.” (🇺🇸)
- Modyfi Launches Code-Free Animation Editing for Creative Freedom Modyfi, a new design platform, introduces free, code-free real-time animation editing, enhancing creativity for social media, art, and campaigns. (🌐)
- Pixotope Enhances Zoom Capabilities for Real-Time Virtual Production Pixotope updates Pixotope Fly, its markerless camera-tracking software for real-time virtual production, introducing zoom capabilities for augmented reality (AR), extended reality (XR), and Virtual Studio (VS) technology. (🇳🇴)
- LucidLink and Magicbox collaborate for Seamless Virtual Production Workflows LucidLink partners with Magicbox, integrating instant data access and collaboration for virtual production workflows in motion pictures and immersive experiences. (🇺🇸)
Fast Channels
World of FAST channels, streaming & related market moves- Blue Ant Media collaborates with Muse Entertainment to launch Love Drama, a new FAST channel featuring over 300 hours of romance, mystery, thrillers, and holiday-themed programming from Muse’s library. (🇬🇧)
- Google TV Expands Free Streaming with New Channels and Categories Google TV enhances its free streaming TV experience by adding over a dozen new channels and introducing new guide categories, expanding on the previously introduced “Live” tab that provides access to over 800 ad-supported channels for U.S. users. (US)
- Virgin TV Launches Love Christmas Channel for Festive Entertainment Virgin TV introduces the Love Christmas FAST channel on channel 245, offering 24/7 Christmas shows and movies for Virgin TV customers throughout December, featuring holiday titles such as “Welcome to Christmas” and “Holidaze,” providing festive entertainment. (🇬🇧)
- Samsung TV Plus Italy expands its ad-supported streaming service with 10 new FAST channels from Warner Bros. Discovery, including flagships Nove and Real Time, offering a diverse range of entertainment content and creating additional engagement opportunities for brands. (🇺🇸)
New Global Arrivals
Recent biggest releases across the globe!- DC unwrapped an early Christmas present for fans as “Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom” flooded theaters worldwide, bringing the King of Atlantis back to rule the holiday season! (🌐)
- Netflix has unveiled the concluding six episodes of “The Crown,” delivering the grand finale of the royal family drama to audiences worldwide. (🌐)
- Willy Wonka’s sweetest sensation “Wonka” is back on the big screen this festival season, sprinkling the magic of candies and chocolate-making joy to theaters worldwide! (🌐)
- The documentary ‘Gwyneth vs Terry: The Ski Crash Trial’ launched on HBO’s Max. The plot revolves around Gwyneth Paltrow‘s ski crash lawsuit against Terry Sanders. (🇺🇸)