BBC Studios has acquired Werner Film Productions, the corporate behind Australian drama hit The Newsreader.
BBC Studios Productions Australia paid an undisclosed quantity for Warner, marking the newest in a number of high-profile offers for the BBC’s industrial division. Last month, it paid £255M ($325M) for ITV’s share of their streamer, BritBox International.
The Werner deal is billed as “a significant investment” in Australia’s manufacturing ecosystem, and comes quickly after BBC Studios CEO Tom Fussell confirmed the BBC firm was elevating its debt facility to £600M because it seeks to put money into new enterprise and double its measurement by 2027/28.
Werner is finest identified making ABC drama collection The Newsreader, which stars Anna Torv and Sam Reid as an embattled anchorwoman and an bold reporter who confront studio politics and their very own points throughout the Eighties, in affiliation with eOne. The collection has gained a number of Logies and AACTA awards and season three is presently filming.
The BBC has purchased each seasons of the present and performed them on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
The Melbourne-based manufacturing firm will proceed to be led by firm director Joanna Werner and Managing Director Stuart Menzies following the BBC Studios deal. Werner can also be identified for Netflix teen collection Surviving Summer, whose first season in 2022 made the streamer’s high ten charts in over 42 international locations and second in September 2023 hit the charts in 49 international locations.
“I’m excited to welcome Werner Film Productions into the family,” Kylie Washington, General Manager and Creative Director of BBC Studios Productions Australia. “Australia has an incredibly vibrant creative community and is producing shows that resonate around the world so it’s a great time to invest further to support our local production industry.”
Australia has certainly hit a purple patch over current years, with Colin From Accounts breaking out internationally, the likes of Roku, The CW and Lionsgate boarding TV tasks from the nation.
“Jo and Stuart are amongst the best in the business and have a great track record in producing smart, entertaining and engaging dramas that speak to international audiences while remaining quintessentially Aussie,” added Washington. “Their commitment to growing a sustainable industry and nurturing new talent aligns exactly with our values making them a fantastic addition to BBC Studios’ stable of independent labels.”
Jo Werner added: “We are absolutely thrilled to join the global powerhouse BBC Studios and the brilliant team at BBC Studios Productions Australia. Working with BBC Studios will help us continue to tell Australian stories on a larger canvas for audiences here and around the world.”
Helion Partners, which beforehand helped promote Sydney-based Lingo Pictures to ITV Studios, suggested Werner on the deal. Its founder, Tom Manwaring, stated: “This is our second transaction in the Australian drama production market in a little over a year and highlights the attractions of the market for global producer distributors as they seek to gain access to the most internationally successful English language dramas.”
Today’s information comes after we revealed Australian unscripted firm WTFN had put itself up on the market.
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