Banijay Takes French & Nordic Rights for Momentum

NEW YORK/COPENHAGEN: Banijay International has picked up the real-time game show Momentum from Notional and Electus/Engine Distribution for production in France and Scandinavia.

The show features a high-speed wordplay game, with four contestants scrambling words against the clock. The longer it takes them to scramble the words, the more clues they get, the less they can win. The twist is that prior to the start of the game, each player chooses the five prizes available to them. The deal sees Banijay Group’s Air Productions producing a one-hour pilot for France 2, to be hosted by the French host and Air Prod head Nagui.

Karoline Spodsberg, the managing director of Banijay International, said, “This acquisition underlines our strategy to cherry-pick the best properties on the international market to be produced locally by the group companies. The match between the format we find and our local production company in terms of their competencies and market position is paramount. We are very focused in our acquisitions and only pursue formats where this match is clear.”

Dave Noll, Notional’s president, added, “I am extremely excited about our partners for Momentum. At Notional we are constantly trying to take game-show conventions that translate globally, contemporize them, and in some cases bring them into the future. With Momentum I am confident we’ve cracked a format that can run for the next 30 years.”

Eli Shibley, the executive director of international media and formats for Electus, agreed, “We couldn’t be more excited to work with the Banijay team in bringing Momentum to France and the Nordics. With a host of hits including Chopped, Love Song, and now Momentum, Notional has proven that approaching development with an internationally borderless perspective not only creates relatable concepts but incredibly compelling television and these shows are only a hint of what’s to come. ”