Fremantle has acquired a minority stake in Artists, Writers & Artisans (AWA), the US-based indie company backed by Liz Murdoch Chernobyl Manufacturer Sister and Lupa Systems by James Murdoch.
AWA works for film, television and graphic novels and The Devil’s Highway – based on the comic book series by Benjamin Percy and Brent Schoonover – is the first result of a collaboration with Fremantle that began last year with a collaboration to jointly develop a TV magazine. Fremantle and Lupa co-led this investment round with fresh capital from long-term lenders to AWA and a number of strategic investors.
The Fremantle investment announced today will provide strategic input to AWA’s film and television division, AWA Studios.
“We are pleased to extend our successful partnership with AWA. The partnership is a perfect strategic fit, giving AWA access to our global footprint, distribution infrastructure and manufacturing expertise, and placing Fremantle at the forefront of graphic fiction innovation,” said Andrea Scrosati, Fremantle’s Group COO and CEO Continental Europe.
AWA Studios co-chairman and president Matthew Anderson calls Fremantle an “international force in scripted drama and film”.
Since launch, AWA Studios has feature film adaptations of Vehicle acquired through tenders by Bryan Edward Hill and Priscilla Petraites, owners of Warner Bros. Marjorie Finnegan: Outlaw by Garth Ennis and Goran Sudzuka, which Ruben Fleischer will direct, and Hotels by John Lees and Dalibor Talajic directed by Elle Callahan. Further projects are in active development.
The extended partnership was led by Scrosati and Anderson. James Murdoch’s Lupa and Liz Murdoch’s prolific indie drama Sister have previously supported AWA.
Source: Deadline
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