International content studio Mediawan is negotiating to buy Peter Chernin's North Road Company, aiming to form a major independent production entity for global markets. The deal, valued above $500 million, could close soon amid Hollywood's merger wave. Both companies declined to comment on the potential acquisition.
Prolific French studio Mediawan is in advanced discussions to acquire North Road Company, the entertainment holdings group founded by Peter Chernin in 2022. Chernin, a veteran media investor and former chairman of 20th Century Fox, has built North Road into a multifaceted operation encompassing film, television, and unscripted content.
The merger would combine Mediawan's European network with North Road's U.S.-centric labels, creating a powerful independent producer for films and series worldwide. Insiders estimate North Road's valuation exceeds $500 million, with paperwork expected in the coming weeks, though exact financials remain undisclosed.
North Road includes Chernin Entertainment, known for hits like the Academy Award-nominated "Ford v Ferrari," "Hidden Figures," and "The Greatest Showman," as well as comedies "Spy" and "The Heat," and the "Planet of the Apes" franchise. Recent Netflix projects feature "Back in Action," the "Fear Street" trilogy, "Slumberland," and "Luther: The Fallen Sun." The company recently inked a multi-year first-look deal with Apple TV+, with upcoming Netflix series including "Age of Innocence" and "Man on Fire."
Other North Road arms include Kinetic Content, led by Chris Coelen (creator of "Love Is Blind"), Words + Pictures (under Connor Schell), and acquisitions like Little Rooms Films (Jason Hehir), Turkish outfit Karga Seven, and Mexican producer Perro Azul. It also invests in ventures such as Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions, Questlove and Black Thought's Two One Five Entertainment, Chris Paul's Ohh Dip!!! Productions, and AI content studio Promise.
Mediawan, established in 2015 by Pierre-Antoine Capton, telecom magnate Xavier Niel, and banker Matthieu Pigasse, oversees more than 75 European media firms and produces over 400 titles yearly across scripted, unscripted, and family content. Its portfolio includes stakes in Brad Pitt's Plan B ("Adolescence," "F1") and Britain's See-Saw Films ("Slow Horses").
This deal reflects ongoing consolidation in Hollywood, where independents seek scale to compete globally.