Lion Forge Entertainment Inks First-Look Deal with Oware

Lion Forge Entertainment has signed a first-look deal with Edward Barnieh and his company Oware to identify and develop global kids’ and family and YA content.

Lion Forge and Oware will partner on a slate of projects to develop, finance and sell to global buyers, starting at MIPCOM and MIPJunior this October. Barnieh will also work closely with Lion Forge to identify new emerging talent from around the world.

Barnieh will be able to connect Lion Forge Entertainment to global buyers at the highest strategic levels through his extensive contacts.

Barnieh launched Oware in 2024. He is an industry veteran who previously worked at BBC Studios Kids & Family; Netflix in London and Singapore; Warner Bros. Discovery in Hong Kong; and Nickelodeon.

“Ed has an incredible background in developing, producing, buying and programming content from and for audiences around the world,” said Stephanie Sperber, president and chief creative officer of Lion Forge Entertainment. “His knowledge of the international market and his ability to spot talent and IP are unmatched in the business and we look forward to building a successful slate together.”

“At Oware, creativity drives everything we do, and our mission will always be to amplify global majority voices,” Barnieh commented. “Partnering with Lion Forge—whose values and vision align so closely with ours—feels like a natural evolution. This first-look deal opens exciting new doors for bold, resonant storytelling that reflects the richness and complexity of our world, across all platforms.”