Fremantle makes minority investment in AWA
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Editor
| 14 February 2023
In a move said to signify a deepening of an initial partnership made between the producer and independent content developer in April 2022, Fremantle is making a strategic minority investment in Artists, Writers & Artisans, (AWA).
Fremantle Devils Highway 14Feb2023
AWA is described a company that tells bold and relevant stories from some of the world’s most outstanding creative talent working across graphic fiction, film and television. Its development model provides is claimed to offer editorial partnership, dedicated film & TV development expertise and the long-term economic stake creators desire and deserve. The company is backed financially by AWA is backed by Lupa Systems, Lightspeed Venture Partners and SISTER.

Fremantle and Lupa Systems co-led the new investment round alongside new capital from long-term backers of AWA and a number of strategic individual investors with expertise in production, finance, sports, human rights and technology.

Fremantle says that the deal will see it deploy its strategic input and investment at AlWA Studios, AWA’s film and TV arm, whilst also unlocking its specialist expertise its infrastructure and its international distribution footprint. The previous partnership between the two firms saw them come together to collaborate on co-developing a slate of TV projects based on AWA’s expanding IP library.

The first project on the joint development slate is Devil’s Highway, a thriller based on the successful comic series by Benjamin Percy and Brent Schoonover in which a young woman seeks to unravel a sinister mystery hidden in the dark underbelly of the long-haul trucking industry.

“We admire how Fremantle has built on its long-standing strengths to become an international force in scripted drama and film,” commented Matthew Anderson, co-chair & president, AWA Studios. “AWA’s success is built on collaborating with our creators to publish their stories in their purest form and then steering them to their fullest potential in film and TV. Andrea and the Fremantle team share this ethos and we are delighted for the unique opportunities this partnership will provide to our creators.”

Andrea Scrosati, group COO, and continental CEO, Fremantle, added: “We are delighted to extend our successful partnership with AWA. The collaboration is a perfect strategic fit, giving AWA access to our global footprint, distribution infrastructure and production expertise and putting Fremantle at the very forefront of graphic fiction innovation. I also look forward working closely with Matthew and their world class leadership and creative teams to continue pushing boundaries and building a slate of ground-breaking projects together.”