France’s Mediawan has acquired Germany’s Leonine Studios.
The deal, financial terms of which were not revealed, has been bubbling since November last year. Call My Agent maker Mediawan has owned a 25% stake in the business since 2020.
The all-stock deal will see the two companies move even closer together and forms a major European indie studio with 85 labels operating across 13 countries and revenues of more than €1B ($1.1B).
Leonine was founded in 2019 by Fred Kogel with financial support from KKR — a Mediawan backer — and Atwater Capital through acquiring and merging TMG, Universum Film, i&u TV and Wiedemann & Berg Film, and then W&B Television, SEO Entertainment, Hyperbole, BeetzBros Film Production and Toon2Tango.
Productions from within the group include The Lives of Others, School of Magical Animals, Dark, The Gryphon, Crooks, Juan Carlos – Downfall of The King, and The Cleaners. It also has certain rights to blockbuster titles such as the John Wick franchise, Hunger Games – The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes, Knives Out, Everything, Everywhere All At Once and The Zone of Interest.
Kogel will lead operations in German-speaking regions and alongside existing management and joins Mediawan’s executive committee.
The deal is subject to antitrust clearance from authorities in Germany and Austria, and certain other regulatory approvals.
Pierre-Antoine Capton, Xavier Niel and Matthieu Pigasse formed Mediawan in 2015.
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