RTL Group’s global content production business Fremantle has acquired a 51% stake in Wildstar Films, a production company focused on natural history documentaries.
According to RTL, the acquisition follows Fremantle’s announcement last week to acquire a 55% stake in the production company 72 Films, which also focuses on documentaries and factual entertainment.
It adds that the acquisition of UK-based Wildstar Films is fully in line with Fremantle’s boost plan. Fremantle targets full-year revenue of €3 billion by 2025, and to reach this goal and keep up with the increasing demand for content, RTL Group is investing significantly in Fremantle both organically and via acquisitions – in all territories across drama and film, entertainment, and factual shows and documentaries. In total, Fremantle acquired eight companies in 2021 and 2022, including Lux Vide, This is Nice Group, Eureka and Element Pictures.
Commenting on the acquisition, Thomas Rabe, CEO of RTL Group, said: “Fremantle’s acquisition of Wildstar Films further demonstrates Fremantle’s strategic plan to invest in and develop premium production companies and creative talents from around the world. In the past two years, Fremantle recorded significant growth across various countries, with acquisitions in the Nordics, the UK, Italy, the US and Australia, as well as across fiction, entertainment and documentaries. By investing in the documentary business, Fremantle aims to replicate the success of its drama and film business which has grown into a content pillar of the company. With these investments, Fremantle is on track to become a €3-billion-revenue company by 2025”.
