FilmNation Entertainment and NENT Group Launch Television Joint Venture in the UK

LONDON, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- FilmNation Entertainment and Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group) today announced the formation of a new UK-based television joint venture, which will operate under the FilmNation brand.

The joint venture will develop, produce and finance premium scripted television content for global audiences, and is currently assembling its creative team.

The two companies will together leverage their established talent relationships and build a dedicated television content pipeline while expanding their global footprints. Both partners bring deep-seated knowledge of the global content marketplace and have successful track records of creating bold and elevated works with some of the world's most renowned storytellers. The joint venture will work with a wide variety of UK studios, talents and co-financiers. NENT Group will have first option on the exclusive Nordic media rights to all the joint venture's productions.

Glen Basner, FilmNation Entertainment CEO, and Milan Popelka, FilmNation Entertainment COO: "Launching this innovative UK partnership is an exciting step in furthering our overall global strategy to serve as trusted, premium scripted content creators, and to continue to have our platform be a destination for the world's best storytellers. In NENT Group we have found forward-thinking, creatively-aligned partners who see the exciting future of global entertainment the same way we do, and we're thrilled to be joining forces with them in a territory that is home to such exceptional creative talent."

Anders Jensen, NENT Group President and CEO: "This milestone partnership with a major international studio creates numerous strategic benefits for NENT Group. We now have long term access to some of the world's most prestigious upcoming scripted content and co-own a high growth company in the dynamic UK production market. At the same time, we can offer even more attractive, one of a kind stories to our customers and partners."

Jakob Mejlhede Andersen, NENT Group EVP and Head of Content: "We are continuing to rewrite the script with this innovative partnership. FilmNation Entertainment is a respected and prolific studio with a proven track record. In today's highly competitive market for premium drama, this joint venture gives NENT Group a compelling advantage and complements our ongoing investments in original content." 

FilmNation Entertainment – an award-winning independent studio

Founded by veteran film executive Glen Basner in 2008, FilmNation has intensified its focus on content creation in recent years, bringing to life award-winning box office hits that include ARRIVAL and THE BIG SICK. On the film side of its business, the studio has a long track record of creatively supporting some of the UK's most prolific, heralded talent and filmmakers, and its upcoming line-up of active features includes: Armando Iannucci's THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD starring Dev Patel, Dominic Cooke's IRONBARK starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Sean Durkin's THE NEST starring Jude Law, and LATE NIGHT starring Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling.

The independent studio also has a number of high-profile global television projects lined up including: 'I Know This Much Is True', currently in pre-production, starring Mark Ruffalo for HBO, and 'Feminist Fight Club' and 'The House Of The Spirits' for Hulu. The company has showcased its strong British and European sensibility since its founding 10 years ago. FilmNation has sold and internationally distributed numerous British films over the years including: Academy Award Best Picture winner THE KING'S SPEECH starring Colin Firth, THE IMITATION GAME starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and Jonathan Glazer's instant cult classic UNDER THE SKIN starring Scarlett Johansson. FilmNation's television team in Los Angeles, under the leadership of President of Production, Film and Television Ben Browning and EVP, Television Stefanie Berk, will continue to develop and produce premium television content for the global market.

NENT Group – the Nordic region's leading entertainment provider

In addition to the partnership with FilmNation Entertainment, NENT Group is set to premiere 20 original productions every year. 'The Truth Will Out'; 'Four Hands Menu'; 'Pros and Cons'; 'Conspiracy of Silence'; 'Couple Trouble'; 'Rig 45'; 'The Lawyer'; 'Stella Blómkvist'; season one of 'ALEX'; 'Couple Thinkers'; 'Occupied'; 'Hassel'; 'Peppy Pals'; 'Superswede'; 'Veni Vidi Vici'; seasons one and two of 'Swedish Dicks'; seasons one and two of 'The Great Escape'; and seasons one and two of 'Black Lake' have already premiered.

Recently announced originals include 'Casper Conquers Norway'; 'Honour'; 'Love Me'; season two of 'ALEX'; 'Saga's Stories'; 'The Inner Circle'; 'Cold Courage'; 'Darkness – Those Who Kill'; 'Hidden'; 'Wisting'; and 'Straight Forward'. As well as breaking Nordic viewing records, NENT Group's originals are increasingly reaching audiences around the world. 'ALEX' has been sold to broadcast and streaming partners in Europe, Asia and the US; 'Veni Vidi Vici' has premiered on Hulu; 'Swedish Dicks' on Pop TV in the US; 'Black Lake' has been shown on BBC Four and AMC Networks-backed Shudder; and the upcoming series 'Honour' has been sold to Belgium's VRT.

NENT Group's studio business, NENT Studios, includes 32 companies in 17 countries and is behind acclaimed works in multiple genres ranging from factual, documentary and reality to game shows, lifestyle and drama.

PRESS CONTACTS

FilmNation Entertainment: 
Selena Saldana, VP Publicity, [email protected], +1-917-484-8914

Nordic Entertainment Group:
[email protected], or Tobias Gyhlénius, Head of Public Relations; +46 73 699 27 09 
[email protected], or Stefan Lycke, Head of Investor Relations; +46 73 699 27 14

ABOUT FILMNATION ENTERTAINMENT

FilmNation Entertainment is a leading independent entertainment company focused on the production, financing, and distribution of feature films and television. FilmNation's titles are amongst the most critically lauded in the film industry with more than 40 Academy Award® nominations and eight wins. The company has broadened its platform with strategic investments into other storytelling arenas, including theatrical production (it recently produced the 10 Tony winning musical 'The Band's Visit'), virtual reality, and digital/short form content. The company has produced and financed numerous award-winning box office hits including: ARRIVAL starring Amy Adams, and THE BIG SICK produced with Judd Apatow. FilmNation is consistently ranked as one of the highest-grossing independent international film distributors, and has built a deep slate of television series in development, including Derek Cianfrance written/directed 'I Know This Much Is True' starring Mark Ruffalo at HBO, and Isabel Allende adaptation 'The House Of The Spirits' at Hulu.

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ABOUT NORDIC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group) is the Nordic region's leading entertainment provider. We entertain millions of people every day with our streaming services, TV channels and radio stations, and our production companies create exciting content for media companies around the world. We make life more entertaining by enabling the best and broadest experiences – from live sports, movies and series to music and original shows. Headquartered in Stockholm, NENT Group is part of Modern Times Group MTG AB (publ), a leading international digital entertainment group listed on Nasdaq Stockholm ('MTGA' and 'MTGB'). NENT Group is proposed to be listed separately on Nasdaq Stockholm in March 2019.

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SOURCE FilmNation Entertainment