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Fifth Season-backed Blink49 Studios has acquired Pier21 Films to extend its Canadian production reach.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the acquisition will see Pier21 Films’ current productions, library and active development projects move to Blink49 Studios. In addition, Pier21 founder Laszlo Barna will exit the company with an exclusive first-look agreement with Blink49 Studios, while co-CEOs Nicole Butler and Vanessa Steinmetz will leave the Toronto-based company on completion of the transaction.
John Morayniss, Patrice Theroux, Jeff Lynas and Nelson Kuo-Lee — all veteran executives from Entertainment One — launched Blink49 Studios as a Canadian-based indie banner in 2021 to develop and produce both scripted and unscripted content. Fifth Season (formerly Endeavor Content) became the lead strategic investor in Blink49, which is headquartered in Toronto and has offices in Los Angeles, and is also the production banner’s main distribution partner.
Blink49 Studios’ first major acquisition was picking up in 2023 a controlling stake in Front Street Pictures, a prolific TV series and movies producer for Hallmark, Lifetime, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros., Tubi and Paramount. Barna is leaving Pier21 much as he left Entertainment One in 2011, then led by Morayniss as CEO, with a first-look deal for the then newly-launched production outfit Pier 21 Films.
Three years earlier, Barna sold his production shingle Barna Alper Productions and its library to Entertainment One as that indie studio diversified into filmed entertainment. Blink49 is acquiring in Pier21 a production banner with a track record in Canadian comedies like The Beaverton, Run the Burbs, Late Bloomer and Don’t Even.
Fifth Season already handles global distribution rights for Pier21 Films’ Run the Burbs and Blink49 Studios’ crime-solving procedural Wild Cards, Sight Unseen and Queen of the Castle.
Canadian audiences continue to favor sitcoms and other comedy fare alongside dramas as part of their overall TV viewing mix, but that content these days increasingly comes from U.S.-originating streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, with local players like the CBC and other local broadcasters lagging behind.
Morayniss, CEO of Blink49 Studios, touted the Pier21 acquisition as another step in his company’s future growth. “It reinforces our focus on Canadian talent and partnerships, expanding our slate of comedy content, and diversifying our production activities. We’re excited for the opportunity to work with all those involved on these upcoming series and grateful to Laszlo Barna for his leadership and vision in building such a respected company,” he said in a statement on Monday.
“I’m deeply grateful to Nicole Butler, Vanessa Steinmetz and the entire team for their dedication and passion. I look forward to embarking on my next adventure and am excited to continue collaborating with Blink49 through our first-look partnership,” Barna said in his own statement.
The acquisition deal was negotiated by Nelson Kuo-Lee for Blink49 Studios and Barna for Pier21 Films.
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