Mediawan, a leading independent premium content studio in Europe led by Pierre-Antoine Capton, and Plan B Entertainment, an award-winning US based production company co-founded and led by Brad Pitt, along with co-presidents Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, announce that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Mediawan to acquire a significant stake in Plan B.
By joining forces with Plan B, Mediawan expands beyond its core European markets into the US, a statement said.
Plan B’s impressive body of film work includes, The Tree of Life, Eat Pray Love, World War Z, 12 Years a Slave, Selma, The Big Short, Moonlight, Okja, and Minari. Recent film projects include, Andrew Dominik’s Blonde for Netflix, Maria Schrader’s She Said for Universal Pictures, Sarah Polley’s Women Talking for MGM’s Orion Pictures, Bong Joon-Ho’s Mickey 17 for Warner Brothers, David Michod’s forthcoming film Wizards for A24, Cory Finley’s forthcoming Landscape With Invisible Hand for MGM, and RaMell Ross’s The Nickel Boys for MGM’s Orion Pictures.
Mediawan is one of the premiere independent European studios producing audiovisual content and feature films. Its best-known titles include International Emmy award-wining Call My Agent! starring Camille Cottin for FranceTV and Netflix, Hugo Blick’s The English starring Emily Blunt for BBC and Amazon, Oscar and Golden Globes nominated The life Ahead starring Sophia Lorren for Netflix, French blockbusters Novembre starring Jean Dujardin and the Stronghold for Studiocanal, That Dirty Black Bag starring Douglas Booth and Dominic Cooper for AMC, as well as a strong line up with forthcoming Django for Canal+ and Sky, One Day for Netflix, The Three Musketeers for Pathé, and Miraculous the movie with Zag.
The company was co-founded by Pierre-Antoine Capton, Xavier Niel, and Matthieu Pigasse, and is supported by its founders and its strategic partners, including KKR and Atwater Capital, which is led by Vania Schlogel.
As leaders in independent production in Europe and the United States, this unprecedented partnership between Mediawan and Plan B will create valuable synergies across talent development and IP acquisition and continue to build on an already strong content slate with a look to an increasingly global audience. Plan B’s consistent ability to work with top-tier talent from across the world, coupled with the original and existing IP they have brought to the big and small screen, will, in combination with Mediawan’s similarly established relationships and now this strategic investment, cultivate a greater number of immensely talented creators and premium projects for a global viewership, according to the statement.
“This partnership will allow us to create a unique artistic link between Europe and the United States through which we and Plan B will develop premium independent content, providing a global platform on which the world’s greatest talent can continue to thrive. We would like to thank Brad, Dede, and Jeremy for their trust and recognition of the world-class content emanating from our work in Europe,” said Pierre-Antoine Capton, CEO and Co-Founder of Mediawan.
Plan B partners Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner, added: “We have loved working together for nearly two-decades and are incredibly excited about our future. As we enter the next chapter in our evolution, we are excited at the possibilities this partnership affords as we maximize our reach toward an increasingly global audience with a broad range of films and television series across all platforms, genres, and mediums. For our current partner studios, along with those we look forward to working with in the future, we pledge to continue producing new content for audiences everywhere. With the innovative, artistic and producer-centric platform Mediawan has built, we open a window to an even greater number of storytellers, both established masters and the emerging voices that have always excited us.”
The acquisition by Mediawan is consistent with the group’s expansion strategy beyond Europe into English-speaking markets to develop international productions and bring together the world’s greatest talents wherever they want to work. A strategy, supported by Mediawan’s shareholders: KKR, Atwater Capital, Bpifrance, MACSF, and Société Générale, that all participate in the financing of this operation through a capital increase.
The three partners in Plan B also enter the capital of Mediawan as part of the acquisition.
The investment in Plan B will be made via a newly created entity, Mediawan US, which will coordinate Mediawan’s activities and future developments in the US. The Board of Mediawan US will be chaired by Vania Schlogel, with Pierre-Antoine Capton as CEO.
Mediawan US will hold significant stakes in Plan B as well as in Blue Morning Pictures, the production company launched in 2022 by Mediawan with Oscar winning filmmakers Florian Zeller and Federica Sainte-Rose.
Vania Schlogel, Founder and Managing Partner at Atwater Capital, and future Chairwoman of the Mediawan US Board, said: “Plan B has an exceptional track record of supporting and celebrating remarkable global storytellers. For a number of years now, I’ve been fortunate enough to witness first-hand the vision of Pierre-Antoine Capton and the wider Mediawan team as they’ve built one of the most creative and dynamic independent production-distribution groups in the world. I can’t think of a better partner for Plan B as it enters this exciting new phase of growth.”
Philipp Freise, Partner and Co-head of European Private Equity at KKR and Franziska Kayser, Managing Director at KKR, commented: “Under the leadership of Pierre-Antoine, Mediawan has established itself at the center of quality content production in Europe. Building leading businesses in this sector has long been a vision for KKR, with the take private of Mediawan as well as the founding of LEONINE Studios. We are delighted to see Mediawan and Plan B join forces to continue our mission of creating the leading artist-centric global independent content platform, the first of its kind on such an international scale. We welcome Brad, Jeremy, and Dede to the shareholdership and look forward to collaborating with them to continue this unique success story.”
Moelis & Company served as lead financial advisor, Willkie Farr & Gallagher served as legal advisor, and CAA served as advisors to Plan B. Brillstein Entertainment served as advisor to Brad Pitt. Centerview Partners acted as financial advisors and Latham & Watkins acted as legal advisor to Mediawan. BNP Paribas served as advisor to the cofounders of Mediawan. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
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