FOX Entertainment and Foxtel Group have entered an international agreement to co-develop series for the Australian and U.S. markets, it was jointly announced to today by Rob Wade, CEO of FOX Entertainment, and Alison Hurbert-Burns, Executive Director, Entertainment Content & Commissioner Foxtel Group.
The deal sees FOX Entertainment in the U.S. and Foxtel Group in Australia commit to identify and develop scripted series to be co-commissioned by FOX and Foxtel Group. It also includes the development of original content for Foxtel, the company’s subscription TV platform, and Binge, the company’s entertainment streaming product, in Australia and third-party platforms in the U.S. and abroad. Programs created under the agreement will be produced in Australia by FOX Entertainment’s in-house studio, FOX Entertainment Studios, and involve above and below-the-line talent and crews from Australia and America.
The deal marks the first joint project between FOX Entertainment and Foxtel Group, with FOX Entertainment’s worldwide content sales organization FOX Entertainment Global overseeing international sales of programs developed by the two companies.
Regarding the announcement, Wade said, “Expanding FOX Entertainment’s international footprint through innovative business models is a principal priority for us, particularly as we unfurl our recently formalized structure built on three key business operations – FOX Network, FOX Entertainment Studios and FOX Entertainment Global. Each of these divisions are designed to power our growth strategy by uniting with the best and the brightest companies and creatives around the world, and Foxtel Group is the perfect partner to help us achieve this goal.”
Hurbert-Burns added, “Investing in strategic content partnerships, like this one with FOX Entertainment, is reflective of our desire to deliver global thinking to local productions, whilst also sharing Australian stories around the world. We’re looking to find new ways to collaborate and bring more production to our shores, to deliver Australian productions that are popular for Foxtel and Binge audiences but also deliver for international partners.”
Foxtel Group last year licensed several series through FOX Entertainment Global. FOX Entertainment Studios’ single-camera comedy "Animal Control", starring and executive produced by Joel McHale, streams on Binge, which has also licensed the animated series "Krapopolis", from creator Dan Harmon, and "Grimsburg", starring and executive produced by Jon Hamm. Both programs are fully owned by FOX Entertainment and produced by its Emmy Award-winning animation studio Bento Box Entertainment.
As the latest of FOX Entertainment’s international relationships, today’s announcement echoes the company’s ongoing strategy to work with global companies on premium content through forward-thinking and sensible development and production models. Late last year, FOX Entertainment Global and Bell Media unveiled a licensing and distribution pact whereby the companies are partnering to support Canadian original productions for all Bell Media platforms, including CTV and Crave, and FOX. International distribution of series will be handled by FOX Entertainment Global.
In addition, under the direction of Michael Thorn, FOX Network entered a deal with U.K.-based studio Eagle Eye Drama to jointly develop a scripted series. It also is developing the drama "Deas Space" (working title) with Clapperboard Studios (U.K.) and Aux Singuliers (France). If ordered, both projects would be produced in Europe and air on FOX in the U.S., with FOX acquiring long-term domestic distribution rights.
In 2021, Bento Box and the film production company Princess Pictures formed Princess Bento Studio, which produces animated content out of its headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. Among the series housed at Princess Bento are FOX’s upcoming animated comedy "Universal Basic Guys" (co-produced with Sony Pictures Television), the hit Prime Video series “Hazbin Hotel” (co-produced with A24), as well as three series from writer/director/actor Michael Cusack: Adult Swim’s “Smiling Friends” and “Yolo: Silver Destiny, and Hulu’s “Koala Man.” Bento Box also holds a multi-year production services agreement with the Dublin-based animation studio Boulder Media, which provides services to the production of "Krapopoilis"and "Grimsburg".