Latest news with #Mediawan
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mediawan's Moment: How A French Producer Became A Magnet For The Storytellers Behind ‘Adolescence' & ‘Slow Horses'
EXCLUSIVE: Ask Elisabeth d'Arvieu about the movies that inspire her and she suddenly sparkles with enthusiasm. 'The Godfather, obviously,' the Mediawan Pictures CEO offers, before reminiscing about childhood memories of 'all the Hitchcocks' and Brian De Palma's early work. By this point, she's late for her next appointment, but can't help unspooling a list that spans Parasite and Emilia Pérez, the latter of which she has seen three times. 'I've been obsessed with movies since I was a little child,' d'Arvieu laughs. It's a small window on what is making Mediawan magnetic for some of the world's top creatives, not least Brad Pitt's Plan B and Florian Zeller's Blue Morning Pictures. Those within the group talk animatedly about the light-touch leadership of d'Arvieu and CEO Pierre-Antoine Capton, as well as the simple, straightforward creative conversations they share. 'They are good people in it for the right reasons,' says Roanna Benn, co-CEO of Drama Republic, the U.K. producer behind Netflix hit series One Day. More from Deadline Lynne Ramsay On How Critics Are Misreading Her Buzzy Cannes Title 'Die My Love': "This Postpartum Thing Is Bulls***t" Cannes Film Festival 2025: Read All Of Deadline's Movie Reviews Julia Ducournau's 'Alpha' Overcomes Disruption At Cannes Premiere, Gets 12-Minute Ovation Founded a decade ago, Mediawan may not be the young pretender it once was, but it remains a disruptor. The company enters the Cannes Film Festival with a couple of fresh feathers in its cap: Plan B's Netflix smash hit Adolescence, which reframed the conversation around male violence; and its latest acquisition, See-Saw, the British-Australian production company behind Slow Horses and The King's Speech. Deadline understands that Mediawan's 51% stake in See-Saw values the company at around £100 million ($130 million) after it posted revenues of £116 million last year. See-Saw's joint CEOs Emile Sherman and Iain Canning says the current market 'rewards companies with access to larger producer networks' and they felt an 'immediate creative and cultural affinity' with Mediawan. Thomas Dey, the CEO of ACF, the investment bank that brokered the See-Saw deal, describes the Heartstopper producer as being quietly multifaceted. He points to its bases in London and Australia, its film and TV slate, and its 'treasure trove' of IP, which includes The NeverEnding Story, a franchise currently being readied for a big-screen revival. 'Some of the buyers came in and almost learned about how [See-Saw is set up],' Dey adds. When asked for her elevator pitch to potential new partners, d'Arvieu launches into a 10-minute monologue in which she espouses 'complete independence,' finance for IP buys, a sales arm that can bridge funding gaps, and direct access to Mediawan's leadership team. Mediawan also tends to acquire with cash and share options, an uncommon offer that it hopes incentivizes production partners to strive for group growth. Plan B's co-president Dede Gardner says: 'They've been supportive and very true to their word. When we first met, they said: 'We just want you guys to keep being you and doing what you do.' They've honored that.' 'A couple of years ago, we were not the first studio [sellers] would think of,' d'Arvieu continues. 'Now, as we've been growing and building our reputation in the market, more of them reach out to us naturally.' Dey, who regularly deals with all the major European production groups, says Mediawan was firm but fair in negotiations. 'We did all our dancing and waving our hands, and they cut through the middle of it,' he says. Mediawan's website says it was founded with one goal: to 'create a space where creativity could thrive.' But what does commercial success look like? D'Arvieu is emphatic that Mediawan does not have a revenue target like some rivals (maybe wise after Fremantle's €3 billion—$3.4 billion—target was kicked into the long grass earlier this year). After combining with German giant Leonine Studios in 2024, Mediawan revealed that it had sales of €1 billion, which is less than a third of its French compatriot, Banijay. D'Arvieu says private equity backers, including KKR, 'continue to support' and are not looking for an exit after investing as part of Mediawan's de-listing from the Paris Euronext in 2020. Others note that five years can be a point at which venture capitalists get itchy feet. 'KKR wants to send a message that scale will bring higher margins,' says François Godard, a senior media analyst at Enders Analysis. 'The M&A scene will continue to be dynamic, so we can expect Mediawan to keep growing.' The company refinanced last year, raising a €500 million loan and a €225 million revolving credit facility, which analysts say will fund acquisitions. D'Arvieu says Mediawan is unlikely to embark on a shopping 'frenzy', but will instead target partners that share the same 'artistic vision as us'. D'Arvieu spoke to Deadline on the day that Cannes unveiled its 2025 official selection. Mediawan has two titles in the mix: Bono: Stories of Surrender, Plan B's Apple TV+ documentary about the U2 frontman; and Sylvain Chomet's animation The Magnificent Life of Marcel Pagnol. D'Arvieu says the latter is 'super exciting' because it speaks to Mediawan's DNA, melding a talented (and Oscar-nominated) director with a French cultural icon, the late writer and director Pagnol. And with that, d'Arvieu's mind is once again in the of Deadline Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds All The 'Mission: Impossible' Movies In Order - See Tom Cruise's 30-Year Journey As Ethan Hunt Denzel Washington's Career In Pictures: From 'Carbon Copy' To 'The Equalizer 3'
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mubi Signs Major Three-Year Co-Production, Financing and Distribution Pact With Mario Gianani and Lorenzo Mieli's Our Films (EXCLUSIVE)
Mubi, the global streamer, producer and distributor behind 'The Substance,' has struck a major three-year co-production, financing, and distribution agreement with Our Films, the new Rome-based company founded by Europe's top producers Mario Gianani and Lorenzo Mieli. Our Films, which is part of Mediawan, was launched last year by Gianani and Mieli, and has already become a creative hub for world-class filmmakers from Europe, the U.S. and overseas. Mubi and Our Films share the same passion for artistically ambitious movies that resonate internationally. More from Variety How French Artisans Blend Expertise and Flexibility to Boost Films Like 'The Substance,' 'Emilia Pérez,' 'Romería' Cannes Films 'Alpha,' 'Nouvelle Vague,' 'Colors of Time' and 'The Great Arch' Showcase Growing Maturity of French VFX Sector TrustNordisk Adds 'Unraveled' by 'Becoming Astrid's' Pernille Fischer Christensen, Reveals First Image Ahead of Cannes Market (EXCLUSIVE) The first film to emerge from this strategic alliance will be the next feature from Paweł Pawlikowski, the Oscar-winning director of 'Ida' and 'Cold War.' Mieli previously successfully collaborated with Mubi on three high profile films: Sofia Coppola's 'Priscilla,' starring Cailee Spaeny; Pablo Larraín's 'Maria,' starring Angelina Jolie; and Luca Guadagnino's 'Queer,' starring Daniel Craig. Under the pact, Mubi will finance a slate of new projects produced by Our Films, while Our Films will contribute additional equity investment. Mubi will also distribute the co-produced titles in key territories; while The Match Factory, which ranks as one of the world's top international distribution banners and is owned by Mubi, will handle worldwide sales. 'We're incredibly excited to embark on this new journey with Efe, Jason, Michael and the exceptional team at Mubi,' said Gianani and Mieli. 'Their bold, forward-thinking vision aligns seamlessly with ours—championing powerful, emotionally resonant stories crafted by the world's most inspiring filmmakers and creative talents,' the pair continued, adding that they strike to build 'something truly lasting—cinema that connects deeply with audiences and resonates across cultures, borders, and generations.' Mubi's founder and CEO Efe Cakarel, said 'It is an absolute privilege to be partnering with Lorenzo and Mario, two extraordinary producers whose work I have long admired.' 'Their commitment to bold, auteur-led cinema is second to none. We share the same passion and curiosity for storytelling, and I couldn't be more excited about what lies ahead,' Cakarel continued. This deal follows a bullish year for Mubi which earned six nominations at the Academy Awards and broke B.O. ground with Coralie Fargeat's Oscar-winning body horror 'The Substance,' grossing over $17 million in North America and more than $83 million worldwide. The three-year partnership with Our Films marks a structural milestone in the strategy of Mubi which started out as a streaming service almost twenty years ago and has evolved into a distribution powerhouse with direct theatrical operations in multiple key markets such as the U.S. and the U.K., Latin America, Germany and the Netherlands (through their acquisition of Cineart), and is now becoming a full fledged producer. Mubi Productions' current slate includes Kelly Reichardt's 'The Mastermind,' starring Josh O'Connor, which will world premiere in competition at Cannes, and co-productions, including Jim Jarmusch's anticipated 'Father Mother Sister Brother,' starring Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Tom Waits, Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Indya Moore and Luka Sabbat; and Karim Aïnouz's 'Rosebush Pruning,' starring Callum Turner, Riley Keough, Jamie Bell, Lukas Gage, Elena Anaya, Tracy Letts, Elle Fanning and Pamela Anderson. Besides 'The Substance,' which starred Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley; Mubi's recent releases include 'Queer,' Joshua Oppenheimer's 'The End,' with Tilda Swinton and George MacKay; Magnus von Horn's Oscar-nominated 'The Girl with the Needle;' Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane's 'Grand Theft Hamlet;' Andrea Arnold's 'Bird;' and 'Priscilla.' Mubi is also at Cannes with Joachim Trier's 'Sentimental Value,' and Chie Hayakawa's 'Renoir;' as well as Akinola Davies's 'My Father's Shadow' at Un Certain Regard. Earlier today, the company picked up Wong Kar Wai's epic drama series 'Shanghai Blossoms.' Mubi will release the 30-part drama series in Latin America, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Turkey and India. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mediawan Scores Key Licensing Deals on Bille August's ‘The Count of Monte Cristo' in U.S., U.K. and More Key Territories (EXCLUSIVE)
Mediawan has scored a raft of major licensing deals on 'The Count of Monte Cristo,' the highly anticipated epic series directed by two-time Palme d'Or winner Bille August. A lushly lensed adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' iconic masterpiece, the series will have a gala premiere on closing night of Canneseries where it will play out of competition in the Lumière Theatre, in the presence of August, and his key cast, Sam Claflin ('Peaky Blinders') and Ana Girardot ('The Returned'). More from Variety French Production Reached Near Record in 2024, While Streamers' Financing Skyrocketed by 60% Canneseries Industry: Soo Hugh, Beau Willimon, Jane Tranter, Eric Rochant, Malin Sarah Gozin to Talk at First Edition Canneseries Unveils Lineup, Including J.J. Abrams' 'Duster,' 'The Walking Dead: Dead City,' 'The Agency' Produced by Palomar and DEMD Productions, two Mediawan companies, 'The Count of Monte Cristo' has lured PBS Masterpiece in the U.S. and UKTV in the U.K., along with TVE in Spain, RTS in Switzerland, and the Nordic PSB alliance which includes SVT, NRK, DR, YLE and RUV. The eight-episode series will also be broadcast in Eastern European countries, including Poland with TVP, Hungary with TV2, and the Czech Republic with Ceska TV. Mediawan is also in negotiation to close more major territories. Claflin stars in 'The Count of Monte Cristo' as Edmond Dantes, a nineteen-year-old sailor who was falsely accused of treason and is imprisoned without trial in the Château d'If, a grim island fortress off Marseille. After many years of captivity he finally escapes and, under the identity of the Count of Monte Cristo, he plans to take revenge on those who have wrongly accused him. 'The Count of Monte Cristo' already premiered in Italy where it broke rating records. On Rai1, the miniseries was a massive success, attracting nearly 6 million viewers, a 30.5% market share. Mediawan said the ratings on Rai marked the broadcaster's highest score on that slot within the last three years. The show was commissioned by France Télévisions in France and RAI in Italy, and distributed worldwide by Mediawan Rights in cooperation with CAA for North America and with the participation of Entourage Vleeschhouwer, Mediawan Rights' managing director, said the show's 'global resonance underscores Mediawan Rights' enduring commitment to supporting the best talents and the best IPs.' Vleeschhouwer said 'The Count of Monte Cristo' taps into the 'needs of a dynamic global market' for 'appealing premium content.' Nicola Serra, Palomar CEO, praised the series' 'wonderful talents.' 'Their amazing work made this show a worldwide event for a global audience. We hope they will love the show as much as we loved to make it,' said Serra. August, the revered Danish filmmaker whose credits include 'Pelle the Conqueror,' 'The Best Intentions' and 'Les Misérables,' shot the series on location in Europe over five-months. 'The Count of Monte Cristo' is the first international series of that caliber fully produced as well as distributed by Mediawan, and financed with Entourage. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Seven People Stand Trial In Paris Over Online Threats & Insults Against Paris Olympics Ceremonies Director Thomas Jolly
Seven people were due to stand trial in Paris on Wednesday on charges of making death threats and cyberbullying against director Thomas Jolly in the wake of his controversial Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony last July. French media reported that six men, aged between 22 and 79 years old, and a woman aged 57 had been summoned to court on charges of 'repeated death threats, cyberbullying and aggravated insults based on sexual orientation and real or supposed religious affiliation.' More from Deadline France's Césars At 50: Academy Heads Patrick Sobelman & Ariane Toscan Du Plantier Talk Landmark Ceremony & Future Of French Awards Mediawan's Montreal 'Miraculous' & 'The Little Prince' Production Studio ON Animation Closes As Tax Credit Squeeze Bites Sony Pictures Classics Acquires Rebecca Zlotowski's Jodie Foster Murder Mystery 'Vie Privée' A number of the insults were reported at the time to have been antisemitic in nature. Jolly is not Jewish. The accused face maximum jail terms of seven years and fines of up to €75,000 ($80,000), if found guilty. The Paris criminal court hearing comes seven-and-half months after theater director Jolly's July 26 Olympics opening ceremony on the River Seine caused furore in some quarters for its modern, inclusive take on French history and culture. Jolly filed a police complaint on July 31 saying he had been the target of death threats, insults and defamation. He came under particular attack for a controversial scene entitled 'festivity' featuring drag queens sitting around a table. There was speculation that the scene was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's iconic painting The Last Supper, depicting Jesus's last meal with the 12 apostles, which in turn sparked claims that the tableau was an insult to the Christian faith. Then U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump even waded in calling the opening ceremony 'a disgrace'. Jolly explained that the scene was inspired by Greek mythology rather than The Last Supper but this did little to quell the public attacks and social media threats and insults. French DJ and lesbian activist Barbara Butch, who participated in the drag queen tableau, also lodged a police complaint. She said she had been subjected to a campaign of cyber-harassment which included death, torture, and rape threats as well as anti-Semitic, homophobic, sexist and grossophobic insults. Jolly suggested at the time of his complaint that many of the posts seemed to be from people based outside of France, however, the seven people due to stand trial on Wednesday hail from the French departments of Alpes-Maritimes and l'Hérault. The accused were arrested after an investigation by France's Central Office for the Fight against Crimes against Humanity and Hate Crimes (OCLCH). French media reported at the end of last year that another three men were due to stand trial on September 25, 2005, in relation to the Barbara Butch police complaint for messages posted on Instagram between July 26 and 30. Best of Deadline 'Poker Face' Season 2: Everything We Know So Far A Full Timeline Of Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Feud In Court, Online & In The Media How Jon Gries' Return To 'The White Lotus' Could Shape Season 3
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mediawan's ON Animation Studios, Behind ‘Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie,' Shuts Down Amid Industry Turmoil
Mediawan-owned ON Animation Studios, the Montreal-based banner whose credits include 'Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie,' 'The Little Prince' and 'Playmobil the Movie,' has shut down, Variety has confirmed. ON Animation Studios, which was launched by French producers Aton Soumache ('Little Nicholas') and Dimitri Rassam ('The Count of Monte Cristo') in 2012, was acquired by Mediawan five years later. The company quickly became a key animation studio in Montreal and attracted talented animators from overseas, boosted by a pipeline of projects based on famed IP's such as the blockbuster 'Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie' which ranks as one of the most-watched French animated films worldwide; and 'The Little Prince,' which played at the Cannes Film Festival and won a Cesar Award, as well as nod from the British Academy Children's Awards. More from Variety 'Little Prince' Chinese Adaptation in the Works From Stars Collective, Shanghai's El Pajaro (EXCLUSIVE) 'Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir' Season 6 Sets January U.S. Premiere on Disney Channel XD With Revamped Designs (EXCLUSIVE) 'The Count of Monte-Cristo' Producer Dimitri Rassam Launches Financial-Distribution Powerhouse Yapluka With Backing From Pathe, M6, CMA Media (EXCLUSIVE) ON Animation Studios was also one of the several companies that was able to tap into Quebec's attractive tax rebate which turned the region into a hotbed for animation and drew Hollywood and European productions. But that all changed when Quebec's conservative government restricted the province's tax scheme with a 65% cap on eligible expenses for international films which resulted in a 28% cut in tax credits, as of May 2024. 'Amid the changes in our industry, ON Animation Studios is ceasing its activities. It is sad to say goodbye to a team as incredible, talented, and skilled as ours. We will deeply miss the joy and excitement of creating outstanding films alongside such remarkable people and partners,' said ON Animation in a statement posted on its Linkedln page. 'We are grateful to have had the opportunity to do what we love for so many years while remaining true to ourselves. The way we shared, learned, and grew together, and the respect and care we showed one another, were as essential as the stories we told and the values they embodied,' the company added. Mediawan, meanwhile, told Variety that the 'company will continue developing and producing animated feature projects through its Paris-based outfit Mediawan Kids & Family and Miraculous Corp, and will collaborate with animation studios in different locations, on a case-by-case basis, depending on the source of financing and talent attached.' Miraculous Corp, is a recently-launched joint venture between Mediawan and Zag, the animation studio behind 'Miraculous' founded by Jeremy Zag. ON Animation's folding is far from being an isolated case. Earlier this week, a giant in the world of VFX, Technicolor – which hires thousands of visual effects workers in countries including the U.S., UK, Canada and India — announced it was shutting down. Technicolor encompasses VFX giant MPC ('Mufasa,' 'The Lion King'), commercial VFX brand The Mill, Mikros Animation and Technicolor of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Grammy Predictions, From Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar: Who Will Win? Who Should Win? What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025
