Mediawan Takes Majority Stake In ‘Undone,’ ‘Apollo 10 1/2’ Producer Submarine

European media giant Mediawan has acquired a majority stake in Emmy-winning Dutch production studio Submarine. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed in today’s purchase announcement.

Here’s what we do know about the acquisition:

• Mediawan says the new partnership will “accelerate the group’s strategy in terms of setting up international co-productions as well as building a powerful catalog of IPs that are attractive to major creative talents.”
• Based in Amsterdam, Submarine has established itself as one of Europe’s leading animation producers. Recent titles on which Submarine has worked include Netflix’s Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood and The Sandman, Amazon’s Annie-winning series Undone, and Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles. Its upcoming projects include Oscar-nominated duo Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal’s (Chico & Rita) next film They Shot the Piano Player and Mascha Halberstad’s feature adaptation of the Submarine’s popular kids and family series Fox and Hare Save the Forest.
• Mediawan’s impressive kids and family stable includes Somewhere Animation, Method Animation, On Classics, Magical Society, and Elliot Studio. Big-name productions from those other companies include The Little Prince (On Classics), Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir (Method Animation co-produced with Zag Animation), and last year’s Annecy best feature winner Little Nicholas – Happy As Can Be (On Classics).
• Elisabeth d’Arvieu, CEO of Mediawan Pictures, said in a release: “[Submarine’s] expertise in all genres and particularly in Adult Animation and International Series and their appetite for co-productions is a real asset for the continuous development of our group.”
• Femke Wolting and Bruno Felix, co-founders and managing directors of Submarine, added: “Joining forces with Mediawan opens up a wealth of opportunities, allowing us to tap into their extensive network, resources, and industry-leading expertise. This exciting partnership will fuel our mission of producing groundbreaking and innovative films and series that resonate with global audiences.”