ITV Studios has acquired Eagle Eye Drama.
The group behind worldwide streamer Walter Presents, which has made the likes of Professor T for ITV and The Couple Subsequent Door for Channel 4, will change into a part of the ITV Studios indie secure by way of an undisclosed majority stake deal.
As a part of the deal, ITV Studios has additionally acquired a majority stake within the Belgium-based manufacturing companies firm Blissful Duck, led by producer and director Dries Vos (Professor T, The Couple Subsequent Door), which companies Eagle Eye’s world slate.
Eagle Eye was beforehand a part of the Channel 4 Progress Fund, with the community now exiting its 25% stake.
Eagle Eye is run by Walter Iuzzolino, Jo McGrath and Jason Thorp, the previous being the well-known face of Walter Presents.
The corporate launched in 2018 and has since gone on to make a lot of returning exhibits together with Professor T and Resort Portofino, Channel 4’s Earlier than We Die and Suspect, in addition to The Couple Subsequent Door, which Channel 4 stated was its greatest ever scripted streaming launch. Professor T, starring Ben Miller and tailored from the Belgian collection of the identical title, has offered to greater than 120 territories worldwide, in accordance with ITV Studios, with Resort Portofino airing in additional than 70 territories.
Julian Bellamy, Managing Director of ITV Studios, stated: “Since launching Eagle Eye simply 5 years in the past, Walter, Jo and Jason have constructed a very spectacular scripted enterprise. Disruptive, modern and worldwide, Eagle Eye has carved out an actual level of distinction available in the market”
Iuzzolino added: “The group has constructed ITV Studios into probably the most thrilling manufacturing powerhouse within the UK, and we’re extremely proud and honoured to be becoming a member of them, and the distinguished checklist of extraordinary artistic minds, for the following part of Eagle Eye’s development trajectory.”
ITV Studios has had a giant M&A yr having additionally snapped up Sherlock producer Hartswood Films whereas selling its 45% in Blumhouse TV. Extra broadly, the market seems ripe once more, with Sony Footage Tv yesterday unveiling a majority stake deal for the new label run by The Salisbury Poisonings creators Declan Garden and Adam Patterson, whereas All3Media boss Jane Turton has been talking up scripted acquisitions.
Helion suggested the shareholders of Eagle Eye and Blissful Duck on the transaction.
