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Fox Entertainment and Australian pay-TV giant Foxtel will co-produce scripted series under terms of a new pact.
The pair will co-develop series for the U.S. and international markets, with Fox Entertainment Global overseeing international sales of the output. They will co-commission the shows, which will be made in Australia by Fox’s in-house studio arm, Fox Entertainment Studios and involve above- and below-the-line talent from both countries.
The agreement will include original content for Foxtel and its subscription streaming service, Binge, which has been one of the most active international commissioners of recent years.
This is similar to the structure of the pact Fox has with Canada’s Bell and its streamer Crave, a deal we first told you about in October.
Fox and Foxtel haven’t worked on a joint project before, but the companies are connected through the Murdoch family, which controls Fox and has a majority share in Foxtel through News Corp Australia. Fox shows such as single-cam comedy Animal Control and animated series Krapopolis stream in Australia on Binge.
Fox has been active in the international co-production space over recent times, and is working with the UK’s Hat Trick Productions on a revival of influential British comedy series Meet the Kumars, and Canada’s CBC on drama series Murder in a Small Town. It also struck development pacts with Walter Iuzzolino’s Eagle Eye, The Serial Killer’s Wife producer Clapperboard Studios and Newen Studios-owned Aux Singuliers.
Looking overseas for partners has allowed Fox to forego the vertically-integrated structure of other U.S. studios and produce high-end content at attractive price points.
“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,” said CEO of FOX Entertainment. “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.”
For Foxtel, the deal comes as Australian producers, networks and streamers continue their quest to both attract overseas producers to the country and co-develop content that has local and international appeal. Foxtel found international success with Binge comedy Colin From Accounts, which was co-produced with CBS Studios. Irish-Australia drama Mix Tape, adapted from Jane Sanderson’s novel, recently became Binge’s first international co-production.
“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,” said Alison Hurbert-Burns, Executive Director, Entertainment Content & Commissioner Foxtel Group. “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.”