UPDATED with Mediawan statement: Paris-based Mediawan issued an official statement on its purchase of Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment, which Deadline confirmed earlier today.
The statement indicates that the parties “have entered into a definitive agreement for Mediawan to buy a significant stake in Plan B.”
It touts the opportunity for the French company to expand “beyond its core European markets into the U.S.” by leveraging Plan B’s connections to “cultivate a greater number of immensely talented creators and premium projects for a global viewership.”
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Pierre-Antoine Capton, CEO and Co-Founder of Mediawan, said in 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.”
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Plan B partners Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner, added collectively: “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.”
PREVIOUSLY at 10:12 a.m. : Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment is selling a majority stake to Paris-based Mediawan, Deadline has confirmed, following news several months ago that the company was seeking a buyer.
There are no financial details on the transaction, which could be announced as early as this weekend.
The company, run by president Dede Gardner and co-president Jeremy Kleiner, recently produced She Said and its credits include The Departed, Moonlight and 12 Years a Slave.
Plan B had hired investment bank Moelis & Co. to explore options.
Mediawan owns a fleet of European production operations such as Lagardère Studios, Makever and the French TV division of EuropaCorp and has a majority of the UK’s Drama Republic through a deal struck through its Mediawan & Leonine Studios venture. It is best known as the company behind the producers of the original Call My Agent (Pour Dix Cent), although it doesn’t sell the rights internationally.
Its Mediawan Rights division recently launched a unique metaverse platform for buyers to access new catalog releases and connect with sales execs.
The current deal will be the latest in a string of high-profile production companies cashing in on the boom in content.
Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs’ Blackstone-backed Candle Media kicked off a stream of deals, buying Hello Sunshine, Moonbug and Fauda producers Faraway Productions and a stake in Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s media company, Westbrook. Others include LeBron James’s SpringHill Company selling a big minority stake to a group of investors led by RedBird Capital.