Fox Entertainment and their Australian cousin Foxtel Group have reportedly struck a deal to co-develop a new TV series for the U.S. and Australian markets. Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade and Foxtel Group’s Entertainment Content Executive Director and Commissioner Alison Hurbert-Burns announced the news on Monday.
Fox Entertainment and Foxtel Group will work together to identify and develop a scripted series that will be co-commissioned under the new deal. The programs will then be produced in Australia by Fox Entertainment Studios (Fox Entertainment’s in-house studio) and will ultimately include both crews and talent from the U.S. and Australia. Fox Entertainment’s worldwide content sales unit, Fox Entertainment Global, will manage international sales of these shows.
The deal marks the first time a joint deal has been struck between Fox Entertainment and Foxtel Group. News Corp owns 65% of Foxtel Group, and Telstra owns the other 35%.
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.” He continued, “Each of these divisions is 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.”
Under the deal, new and original content will be developed for Foxtel Group’s subscription TV platform Foxtel, third-party platforms in the US and abroad, and Foxtel streamer Binge in Australia.
Fox and Foxtel Group are already in business on multiple fronts, including Foxtel Binge, which licenses Fox Entertainment studios’ Animal Control. Fox Entertainment’s Bento Box-produced animated series Krapopolis and Grimsburg have also been licensed by Binge.
According to Hurbert-Burns, “Investing in strategic content partnerships, like this one with Fox Entertainment, is reflective of our desire to deliver global thinking to local productions while also sharing Australian stories around the world.” She added, “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.”
Previously, Fox Entertainment Global has made deals, including a licensing and distribution agreement with Canada’s Bell Media (including CTV and Crave). Under Michael Thorne, Fox Network also finalized a deal with UK-based studio Eagle Eye Drama to develop a scripted series together. Additionally, it is developing a drama with the current working title of Dead Space along with the UK’s Clapperboard Studios and France’s Aux Singuliers.
Together, film production company Princess Pictures and Bento Box are currently behind Princess Bento Studio, which is producing animated content from the heart of Melbourne, Australia. This includes Fox’s upcoming animated series Universal Basic Guys (co-produced with Sony Pictures TV), Prime Video series Hazbin Hotel (co-produced with A24), as well as three series from Michael Cusack, writer/director/actor for Adult Swims’ Smiling Friends and Yolo: Silver Destiny. Furthermore, Bento Box also has a production services agreement in place with the well-known Dublin-based animation studio Boulder Media.
