Peter Chernin Forms Global Content Studio North Road, Pays $180M For Red Arrow Studios’ U.S. Assets & Plots More Major Acquisitions With Multi-Million Dollar Funds
06.07.2022 - 16:23
/ deadline.com
Peter Chernin has launched The North Road Company, a global content studio that will bring together Chernin Entertainment, the U.S. assets of Red Arrow Studios, which includes Love Is Blind producer Kinetic Content, and Connor Schell’s non-scripted business Words + Pictures.
The move comes as the former Fox chief paid $180M for Red Arrow’s U.S. companies including Kinetic Content, The Circus producer Left/Right, 44 Blue Productions, the company behind Netflix’s Life After Death with Tyler Henry, Say Yes To The Dress producer Half Yard and Building Alaska producer Dorsey Pictures.
The new company will have access to hundreds of millions of dollars in financing for further acquisitions from Providence Equity Partners and Apollo and will open a London office with former Red Arrow Studios Chairman and CEO Jan Frouman, who Deadline revealed joined the company earlier this year, and former AMC Networks exec Kristin Jones.
Chernin, who has named the new holding company after the street that he lives on in Martha’s Vineyard, told Deadline that he believes there is a “big opportunity to build a meaningful company”. “Sadly, I’m not purely an artist. I’m a commercial animal and my decision is based on how I think I can maximize results.” He will serve as Chairman and CEO of North Road.
In addition to acquiring the Red Arrow assets, Chernin has also acquired the 50% in Words + Pictures that it did not previously own. The company was launched by former ESPN content chief Connor Schell, who exec produced series such as O.J: Made In America and The Last Dance, last year.
Schell, who will continue to run Words + Pictures, will also now oversee North Road’s new non-scripted businesses.
He will be part of the North Road leadership team, which