Warner Bros. announces Matrix, Eccho Rights - Amazon MiniTV Turkish Drama Collab, Grupo Televisa Takes Over Sky Mexico, 3Play Media Unleashes AI Dubbing Revolution!

April 10, 2024

Warner Bros. announces Matrix, Eccho Rights – Amazon MiniTV Turkish Drama Collab, Grupo Televisa Takes Over Sky Mexico, 3Play Media Unleashes AI Dubbing Revolution!

Join us in this week’s edition of the Entertainment Supply Chain Digest. Brace yourself for the latest shockwaves: Warner Bros.

Join us in this week’s edition of the Entertainment Supply Chain Digest. Brace yourself for the latest shockwaves: Warner Bros. unveils another Matrix installment, while Eccho Rights partners with Amazon MiniTV to introduce Turkish drama to fresh audiences. Grupo Televisa’s Sky Mexico acquisition reshapes Latin American media, and 3Play Media leads the AI Dubbing Revolution. Get ready for blockbuster announcements and game-changing innovations as we dive into the latest industry developments!

Join us this week in our LIVE session to decode MIPTV- Exploring Acquisition and Production Deals & Trends.

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IP Deals

Hottest IP [Stories, Formats, Books, Games, Podcasts] to be turned into the next big blockbuster

Sony’s Game Show Network (GSN) commissions US adaptation of UK quiz show “Bridge of Lies” as “Beat the Bridge,” hosted by Cameron Mathison. Scotland’s STV Studios, which produces the UK original for BBC One, has retained the format sales rights in the US and Australia. (🇺🇸 🇦🇺 🇬🇧)
Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television acquire rights to Matthew Blake’s novel “Anna O” for a series adaptation at Netflix, with Greg Berlanti as executive producer. (🇺🇸)
Universal Television secures rights to adapt Lyla Sage’s “Rebel Blue Ranch” book series, featuring small-town romances, from Penguin Random House imprint The Dial Press. (🇺🇸 🇬🇧)
Jake Gyllenhaal’s Nine Stories inks a three-year first-look pact with Amazon MGM post-“Road House” remake, aiming for theatrical and streaming productions. (🇺🇸)
Boat Rocker Studios partners with Shark Teeth Films for a three-series deal, featuring new additions to the “Secrets In…” franchise and a factual series. (🇨🇦)

Production + Seasonal Renewals

Sneak peak into recently announced production projects worldwide

Warner Bros. announces a new “Matrix” film with Drew Goddard writing and directing, marking the first installment not directly involving Lana and Lilly Wachowski. Goddard pitched a new idea to extend the franchise, with Lana Wachowski serving as an executive producer. (🇺🇸)
ABC has renewed “Will Trent” for its third season. Based on Karin Slaughter’s bestselling series, the show follows Special Agent Will Trent, navigating his troubled past while excelling in the pursuit of justice. Executive producers include Liz Heldens, Daniel Thomsen, Karin Slaughter, and Oly Obst, with Rodríguez also serving as a producer. (🇺🇸)
Apple TV+ renews “The Last Thing He Told Me” for Season 2 despite its limited series label. Based on Laura Dave’s sequel novel, starring Jennifer Garner. (🇺🇸)
Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment to produce a film adaptation of “The Sims,” with Kate Herron as the director. The project aims to bring the beloved video game franchise to the big screen.
Kim Da Mi and Son Suk Ku lead the Korean thriller series “Nine Puzzles,” directed by Yoon Jong Bin of “Narco-Saints” fame. Da Mi plays a profiler investigating her uncle’s murder, while Suk Ku portrays a detective aiding her. Scheduled for 2025 release on Disney+. (🇰🇷)

Distribution Deals

Distributors securing worldwide content across different genres, languages and format types

Carey Mulligan’s comedy “The Ballad of Wallis Island” acquired by Focus Features for US release, with Universal handling global distribution. (🇺🇸)
NonStop Entertainment acquires 17 titles, including festival hits like “Dahomey” and “A Different Man,” expanding its diverse lineup. (🇸🇪)
Vertical secures U.S. rights to “Bucky F*cking Dent,” a poignant dramedy directed by and starring David Duchovny, based on his bestselling novel. (🇺🇸)
Mati Diop’s Berlinale Golden Bear winner, “Dahomey,” finds global distribution through Les Films du Losange, with Mubi securing key markets. (🇦🇹 🇩🇪 🇮🇳 🇮🇪 🇮🇹 🇨🇭 🇹🇷 🇬🇧)
HBO Europe and Suraya Filem acquire “The Red Suitcase” from Reason8 Films. The mystery film, set in Nepal, explores themes of migration and remittances which is valued around 30% of Nepal’s GDP. (🇲🇾 🇭🇺)

Acquisition Deals

Streamers & channels acquiring latest content across the world

Scandinavian distributor Eccho Rights collaborates with Amazon miniTV, bringing Turkish dramas like “Hear Me,” “Dreaming of You,” and “Love Puzzle” to India. (🇸🇪 🇮🇳)
“Gaami,” Vishwak Sen’s fantasy drama, achieved critical acclaim after its six-year production journey. Zee 5 secured its OTT rights, with the film set to stream from April 12, 2024. (🇮🇳)
Australia’s ABC TV secures “After the Party,” a NZ crime drama co-produced by Lingo Pictures and Luminous Beast, starring Robyn Malcolm and Peter Mullan. Premieres April 28. (🇦🇺)
ZDFinfo and Record TV secure ‘Red Zones’ from Quintus Studios. The documentary series explores Earth’s untamed frontiers, with the pilot revealing hidden perils in the Philippines.
French broadcasters Arte, France Télévisions, Mediawan, and Canal+ secure TVF International’s factual shows, including climate crisis docuseries “The Longest Day” and space science exploration in “Space Farmers.” (🇫🇷)

Global Entertainment Leaders Speak

James Burstall – CEO Argonon Group

James Burstall on How Argonon Masters Diversified Content Creation

Anton Dvorkovich CEO- Dubformer

Dubformer’s Game-Changing AI-Powered Localisation Solutions

Tim Cutting – CRO at Gracenote

Navigating FAST Channels – Visibility, Consumption & Monetization

Partnerships / M&A

Cross-Border Collaborations, Joint Ventures, M&A and Partnerships!

Paris-based Superprod Group has acquired top Luxembourgish animation companies Studio 352 and Mélusine Productions, strengthening its position as a leading European animation production group. (🇫🇷 🇱🇺)
Endeavor Group Holdings, owner of talent agency WME and a major stakeholder in TKO Group, is undergoing privatization led by private equity firm Silver Lake Capital, marking the largest media and entertainment deal in history at $13 billion. (🇺🇸)
Grupo Televisa has reached an agreement with AT&T to purchase its stake in Sky Mexico, granting Televisa full ownership of the pay TV operator. Previously, AT&T owned 41.3% stake; the deal is now pending regulatory approval. (🇲🇽)
OSN Group completes acquisition of 55.45% stake in Anghami Inc. at $3.69/share. Merger integrates OSN+’s premium video content with Anghami’s music/podcast catalog, forming entity with 120M+ users, 2.5M+ subscribers, and nearly $100M revenue. (🇦🇪)
Distortion Studios, a venture led by Studio Giggle, launches a virtual production hub in Bristol, England. Spanning 200m², the facility leverages Unreal Engine for real-time 3D content creation, empowering producers to craft original intellectual property across various genres.(🇬🇧)

Learn More

Companies Making Headlines

Launch and Expansions of facilities, studios, services & technologies

Canva acquires Serif, creator of Affinity software. CEO Ashley Hewson excited about future prospects, promising faster innovation and expanded possibilities.
Autodesk expands its foothold in on-set production by finalizing the acquisition of PIX, a leading production management solution from X2X, as part of its forward-looking strategy. (🇺🇸)
Ryan Gosling partners with former Apple Original Films executive Jessie Henderson to launch General Admission. The new prod-co has signed a three-year first-look deal with Amazon MGM Studios. (🇨🇦)
Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation in Osaka is launching YTV animation, tapping into its rich animation legacy and embracing more daring titles. This move precedes the 60th anniversary of Yomiuri TV’s airing of Golden Bat in 1967. (🇯🇵)
Goldcrest Post expands to Lionsgate Studios Yonkers, adding Dolby-equipped theater, ADR room, and offices for post-production needs.

Featured New Specializations

Global innovations & breakthroughs in the Entertainment supply-chain

Blackmagic unveiled enhancements, such as a new Mini 16TB in the new update 1.2, boasting improved security with admin-controlled access and better syncing to Dropbox and Google Drive.(🇺🇸)
Sony Electronics releases firmware updates for several camera models, introducing C2PA compliance to authenticate images in an era of AI-driven image manipulation. (🇺🇸)
Appear showcases advancements in contribution, remote production, and distribution, including a JPEG XS module and accelerated SRT solution. Appear will demonstrate how its accelerated SRT solution is enabling one of Brazil’s leading media groups to reduce its playout facilities from 13 to just one. (🇦🇺)
At NAB Show 2024, Cablecast Community Media will preview its new Social Streaming and Control Rooms features, simplifying direct streaming to social media platforms and enhancing live production workflows. (🇺🇸)
Blu Digital Group integrates OOONA’s Convert & QC API into BluConductor, enhancing project management for media localization. This integration automates tasks and QC routines, ensuring compliance and boosting workflow efficiency. (🇺🇸 🇮🇸)

Localization & Post-Production

Latest updates in the world of content Localization & Post-Production

3Play Media launches human-in-the-loop AI Dubbing, blending human-edited transcripts with top AI voice matching for accurate, cost-effective audio tracks at scale. (🇺🇸)
SyncWords secures a patent for simultaneous multilingual dubbing of video-audio programs, enhancing its live subtitling and dubbing automation platform, and deepening collaboration with AWS Elemental. (🇺🇸)
Autodesk enhances Design & Make software with connected workflows and time-saving toolsets, aiming to streamline collaboration and support creativity in media and entertainment. (🇺🇸)
MAGIX introduces SOUND FORGE Pro 18, a significant upgrade to its renowned audio recording, editing, and mastering platform. Boasting AI-powered text-to-speech, 3D reverb effects, and seamless integration with Storyblocks (🇩🇪)
Penteo Audio Plugins unveils Penteo Version 6, a significant upgrade amplifying its stereo upmix and downmix capabilities. This release introduces 15 new creative workflow controls and presets, along with support for 14 advanced audio formats accommodating up to 64 channels.

Animation, VFX & Virtual Production

Latest global updates in Animation, Visual Effects VFX & Virtual Production

ENCO introduces AI-driven virtual news anchor within Qimera virtual production set at 2024 NAB Show, revolutionizing live news delivery.
DNEG secures exclusive license for Unity’s Ziva character-simulation software, enhancing digital character creation with real-time technology and machine learning.(🇬🇧)
Chaos introduces Project Arena, a toolset revolutionizing virtual production by seamlessly integrating V-Ray assets onto LED walls from Maya, Houdini, or 3ds Max, enhancing workflow efficiency and quality. (🇩🇪)
AWS unveils AWS Deadline Cloud, a fully managed service transforming rendering project management for CG and VFX pros. It streamlines project setup, deployment, and scalability, boosting pipeline efficiency and facilitating workload expansion. (🇺🇸)
NVIDIA introduces AI Enterprise 5.0, a cloud-native platform democratizing generative AI for businesses. It features NVIDIA NIM for speedy AI deployment and cuOpt for dynamic decision-making. (🇺🇸)

Netflix $1.21B Studio, Sony Animates Ghostbusters, Prime Video & Apple TV Gladiator II Deal, British Columbia Tax Credits, ProdCos Looking for Co-Pros and more

Canal+, Netflix, and France Télévisions Team Up, BBC Kids’ Slate, ITV YouTube Deal, Studiocanal Crime Drama, Google Genie 2 prompts based 3D environments, and More!

Disney+ Expands Anime, Warner Bros. x CJ ENM, Netflix One-Shot Drama, IMAX Goes AI, Lego Masters Japan Renewal and more

Netflix Renewals, Japan Content Expansion, Channel 4 & SBS Acquire ‘Finding the Titanic,’ Prime Video Debuts AI Show Recaps and more

Previous Blog

Behind the Scenes: James Burstall on Diversified Content Production at Argonon Group

Next Blog

Autodesk expands its foothold in on-set production by finalizing the acquisition of PIX, a leading production management solution from X2X, as part of its forward-looking strategy. (USA)

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