Mediawan announced it has signed an agreement to acquire The North Road Company, a U.S.-based studio founded by Peter Chernin, in a combination the companies say will create one of the world’s largest independent studios with major creative hubs across five continents. The deal, announced from Paris and Los Angeles, is positioned to broaden the group’s ability to develop and scale premium IP, accelerate international format adaptations, and increase co-production opportunities across markets.
The combined group is expected to encompass nearly 100 production companies and generate more than $2 billion in annual production volume across 15 countries, with a global distribution footprint. Mediawan said the transaction comes as the entertainment sector continues to consolidate and as streaming platforms increasingly buy content on a worldwide basis, raising the value of scaled, multi-territory content operations that can serve multiple buyers with consistent output.
Under the planned structure, North Road would become Mediawan’s North American hub while maintaining creative continuity. Mediawan said North Road’s leadership teams, labels, and creative partnerships will remain in place. As part of the leadership changes outlined with the transaction, Chernin is expected to join Mediawan’s board and serve as non-executive chairman of North Road, while Scott Manson is set to become CEO of North Road. Jenno Topping is expected to remain president of Chernin Entertainment.
Mediawan and North Road highlighted their combined track record across scripted, unscripted, film, television, documentary, and animation, pointing to a slate of widely distributed franchises and series. Titles cited by the companies include Adolescence, Slow Horses, New Girl, One Day, HPI, Call My Agent!, Miraculous, Love Is Blind, Chief of War, Bad Boy, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story and Who Killed Sara?, as well as films such as F1, Ford v Ferrari, The Count of Monte Cristo, and the Planet of the Apes franchise.
Mediawan also framed the deal as part of its North American expansion, following its 2022 investment in Plan B Entertainment, which it said will continue operating with full global creative independence under the leadership of Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner.
Following the closing, the combined group will be headquartered in Paris, with Mediawan saying its governance and control will remain unchanged. Élisabeth d’Arvieu is expected to become group chief content officer, leading global content strategy across scripted television and film, unscripted and reality, documentaries, animation, and emerging formats. Mediawan said the combined entity is backed by investors including its strategic partner KKR as well as Qatar Investment Authority, Providence Equity Partners, The Raine Group, Bpifrance, and Mediawan co-founders Xavier Niel and Matthieu Pigasse. North Road shareholders, founders, and management are expected to become significant minority shareholders in Mediawan.
Support: Advisers listed for Mediawan include Centerview Partners and The Raine Group as financial advisers, Latham & Watkins LLP and Mayer Brown as legal counsel, and FGS Global as communications counsel. North Road’s advisers include Moelis & Company and PJT Partners as financial advisers, and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP as legal counsel.
KEY QUOTES
“Over the past decade, Mediawan has grown from a French independent studio into one of Europe’s leading global content groups. Our success is reflected in the strength of our IP and the ambition of our upcoming slate. With the addition of Peter’s exceptional creative teams, we believe we are creating the ideal global home for premium storytelling. Peter is one of the most respected builders in our industry, and it is a true privilege for us to partner with him and Jesse Jacobs, and the North Road team on this next chapter. As our industry consolidates, our goal is to reinforce Mediawan’s position as the leading independent platform for premium content and as a trusted partner to streaming platforms and all content distributors worldwide. We will continue this work with humility and agility, delivering the best possible content for our viewers and our partners worldwide.”
Pierre-Antoine Capton, Co-Founder and CEO, Mediawan Group
“I’ve spent my career trying to focus on where the creative and entertainment businesses are going. In the streaming era, the platforms have all become global buyers. It’s time for a global content company with leadership in geographies all over the world to maximize the potential of this new landscape. I’m thrilled to partner with Pierre-Antoine, who shares this global vision, and Mediawan to build this company.”
Peter Chernin, Founder, The North Road Company
“Bringing Mediawan and North Road together creates a uniquely powerful creative platform across all genres, scripted and unscripted, film and series, documentaries and animation. With talent and premium IP at the center, we have the scale to develop ambitious stories and build global franchises with the world’s leading creators, studios and platforms. This will allow accelerating co-productions, generating new synergies within the Group, creating a new bridge between the American and European industries.”
Élisabeth d’Arvieu, Group Chief Content Officer, Mediawan
“Combining with Mediawan provides us the scale and resources to compete at the highest level globally. We look forward to continuing to be a top supplier of content to our studio and streamer partners, while also leading the industry forward with new business models alongside Pierre-Antoine and our forward-thinking partners at Mediawan.”
Scott Manson, CEO, The North Road Company
