EXCLUSIVE: BBC Studios has revealed how much it paid to bolster its international production footprint earlier this year with the acquisitions of Australia’s Werner Film Productions and Spain’s Brutal Media.
BBC Studios paid an initial consideration of AUD$6M ($4M) for 100% of Werner, the company behind Australian hit drama series The Newsreader. It spent €5M ($5.5M) for complete control of Brutal, which made Netflix horror feature Killer Book Club.
BBC Studios completed the acquisitions in April, but did not declare how much it paid for the companies. The figures were disclosed this week in BBC Commercial earnings filed at Companies House.
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BBC Studios has opened its wallet this year, with the commercial arm also paying £255M ($322M) to acquire ITV‘s shareholding in BritBox International, the best of British streaming service. It comes as the BBC company has raised its debt facility to £600M as part of efforts to double its size by 2027/28.
The Werner deal was billed as “a significant investment” in Australia’s production ecosystem. The Melbourne-based production is led by company director Joanna Werner and managing director Stuart Menzies. Werner is also known for Netflix teen series Surviving Summer.
Under the Brutal deal, BBC Studios will distribute and produce the company’s formats outside of Spain and Brutal will continue to be run by founders Raimon Masllorens and Nèlida Sanchez.
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