Banijay Entertainment is taking on Ninja Warrior. The distributor swung into action to take international rights to the mega-obstacle-course format, which was created by Japanese broadcaster TBS.
The deal sees Banijay acquire sales rights worldwide, excluding the U.S. as well as Asia, France, Germany and Poland. That still leaves plenty of the world for Banijay to shop the popular format to, and the timing is good, with the deal coming days before MIPCOM, the biggest TV market of the year.
Banijay said that with the show airing in five international markets, the new deal enables it “to scale and relaunch the format globally through its network of labels.”
“This is classic sportainment at its very best, packed with intense jeopardy, physical prowess and competitive energy,” said James Townley, Chief Content Officer, Banijay Entertainment, says. “With our expertise in refreshing iconic formats, we are well-placed to evolve this brand, building on the momentum from TBS.”
“This new partnership is an exciting step for our signature format, Ninja Warrior,” added Katsuaki Seto, Executive Officer for the global business at TBS Holdings. “Guided by our business purpose – Inspiring Global Love for Japan through Timeless Moments – we look forward to delivering this iconic physical game show to even more countries and audiences worldwide.”
The deal was brokered by Helen Greatorex, Head of Format Acquisitions at Banijay Entertainment. Ninja Warrior joins Banijay Entertainment’s premium third-party portfolio heading to Cannes, which includes unique culinary format Atypical Critics fromPixcom International, featuring autistic food critics; and competitive knitting series The Game of Wool from Hello Halo for Channel 4.
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