FremantleMedia Invests in Corona TV

LONDON: FremantleMedia has acquired a 25 percent stake in the newly created production company Corona TV, which was founded by the renowned filmmaking duo Richard Johns and Rupert Jermyn.

FremantleMedia gets a first-look option on all the TV output from the company, helping to build up its scripted pipeline. Johns and Jermyn previously worked with FremantleMedia on the development of Birds of Prey, a TV adaption of the first three novels of Wilbur Smith’s Courtney series. Corona TV is a sister company to Corona Pictures, which was founded by Johns and Jermyn in London in 2009.

Sarah Doole, FremantleMedia's director of global drama, said: “Richard and Rupert have together over 25 years’ experience in producing successful feature films. Because of this, they look at scripted projects in a completely different way from most production companies, bringing a big screen presence to the small screen. We’ve looked at their production slate and they have some exciting ideas which are ripe for international co-production funding. Having them as part of the FremantleMedia family gives us some brilliant projects for our scripted pipeline, while our existing infrastructure will help bring their epic ideas to fruition. I can’t wait to get started.”

Johns and Jermyn added: “We're absolutely delighted to have made this deal with the dynamic team at FremantleMedia. As filmmakers we have always created big stories for the world rather than one particular market. This move gives Corona Television the strategic financing, distribution and marketing firepower most drama producers can only dream of, allowing us to tell stories for TV on a truly global scale.”