'War of the Worlds 2' Copyright Simon Ridgway - Urban Myth Films -Canal+
STUDIOCANAL announced multiple film and television projects live in Cannes and as part of a 30th anniversary year special presentation hosted by Chairman Maxime Saada and CEO Anna Marsh. CEO Anna Marsh announced a number of exclusives to those invited guests with additional detail provided by STUDIOCANAL.
With over 30 years of experience in production, distribution and international sales of both Films and premium TV series, STUDIOCANAL is the leading European Studio developing a slate of powerful, often untold stories, that are personal, relatable and above all, universal. STUDIOCANAL, a 100% affiliate of CANAL+ Group held by Vivendi, owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, boasting nearly 6,000 titles from 60 countries. Spanning 100 years of film history.
STUDIOCANAL CEO ANNA MARSH comments: “It’s such a great feeling to be back on the ground in Cannes for this inaugural STUDIOCANAL event, at a moment where our industry is at a true turning point. Opportunities are abundant, and as a result, we are entering a phase of acceleration at STUDIOCANAL. As owners of a deep 6000 title library, we have access to an infinite well of European IP and have the capacity to invest in ambitious projects with world-class talent and partners from all horizons. We are a global facing operation with a presence in 4 continents and a top-class team of passionate professionals. It is our mission to solidify our position as Europe’s number one storyteller in both film and television and to create content that resonates beyond our domestic borders for a worldwide audience.”
TV
STUDIOCANAL’s franchise ambition is further demonstrated in TV with a third season of THE ADVENTURES OF PADDINGTON currently in development. The CG animated series follows a younger Paddington writing to Aunt Lucy from Windsor Gardens, inviting a new generation of fans into Paddington’s world full of kindness, slapstick humour and adventure. Distributed by STUDIOCANAL, M6 and Nickelodeon worldwide the Paddington series is a Heyday Films and STUDIOCANAL production in association with Copyrights.
Marsh confirms that principal photography has commenced on the eagerly anticipated third season of CANAL+ Creation Originale and The Walt Disney Company’s sci-fi thriller WAR OF THE WORLDS, written and created by BAFTA Award-winner Howard Overman (Misfits, Crazyhead, Merlin).
Announced is THE BLUE HOUR based on the best-selling book by internationally renowned author Douglas Kennedy. STUDIOCANAL is developing the series in partnership with EDITIS. Douglas Kennedy is published by Belfond (EDITIS Group).
Also in partnership with EDITIS, STUDIOCANAL together with AUTHENTIC PROD is set to make N.E.O the first young adult saga from French award-winning and best-selling author Michel Bussi. N.E.O is published by Presses de la Cité/PKJ (EDITIS Group).
Following the success of MIDNIGHT SUN and SHADOWPLAY, STUDIOCANAL is developing a new project, BUTCHER’S HOOK, with Swedish award-winning writer & director Måns Mårlind.
And from STUDIOCANAL’s multiple award-winning RED Productions Marsh announces that CORTO MALTESE is in development based on the graphic novels by Hugo Pratt regarded as some of the most artistic and literary graphic novels ever written. Best known for his work on Rake, Jack Irish, Hacksaw Ridge & The Water Diviner Australian writer Andrew Knight is attached to develop the script.
Business Acquistions
Breaking news included STUDIOCANAL’s acquisition of Lailaps Films Germany. STUDIOCANAL is delighted to welcome producer NilsDünker along with his production Company Lailaps Films “Wild Republic”, “Hannes” “Eine Unerhörte Frau”, “Spurlos in Marseille”, “Vorsicht vorLeuten” & “Beste Aller Welten” to the STUDIOCANAL family, further extending the studio’s global footprint in production.
Dünker and his team are currently in pre-production on GESICHT DER ERINNERUNG for SWR/ORF; the continuation of the highly successful INGO THIEL series for ZDF. Additionally, the film adaptation of Rita Falk’s bestseller HANNES co-produced by Lailaps and STUDIOCANAL opens Theatrically in Germany this Autumn.
STUDIOCANAL holds a majority stake acquisition in London based URBAN MYTH FILMS set up by International Emmy award-winning producers Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy, and BAFTA award-winning writer Howard Overman (Misfits). URBAN MYTH FILMS were the first British production company to produce a Creation Originale for CANAL+, WAR OF THE WORLDS, currently in its third season. Other notable credits include six-part true-crime drama A CONFESSION written by Jeff Pope for ITV and starring Martin Freeman. Gripping eight-part drama series THE ONE written and created by Howard Overman for NETFLIX and EXTINCTION created by writer Joe Barton (Giri/Haji) and directed by internationally acclaimed director Marco Kreutzpaintner (Beat) for SKY.
STUDIOCANAL Chairman MAXIME SAADA concludes, “STUDIOCANAL is now the most strategic asset for the CANAL+ Group and we are accelerating significantly to capture major opportunities: a global fast-growing market, a worldwide appeal for European culture, an ability to both leverage the strength of the CANAL+ platform worldwide and to work with all key players in the market. This is why we are progressively building Europe’s answer to a Hollywood Studio, an ambition rooted in Vivendi’s DNA. Above all, we have the teams and financial resources to achieve this ambition and STUDIOCANAL has recently taken a major turn under Anna Marsh’s leadership.”
