Blink49 acquires majority stake in Front Street Pictures – The Hollywood Reporter
Fifth Season-backed Blink49 Studios has acquired a majority stake in Front Street Pictures, a prolific TV series and film producer for Hallmark, Lifetime, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros., Tubi and Paramount.
Terms of the investment were not disclosed, but the agreement expands Blink49’s Canadian manufacturing reach as part of its first major acquisition. Vancouver-based Front Street Pictures will continue to operate under its own banner and be led by President Charles Cooper as it expands its focus into television film production.
John Morayniss, Patrice Theroux, Jeff Lynas and Nelson Kuo-Lee – all veteran Entertainment One executives – founded Blink49 Studios in 2021 as a Canadian indie banner 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 with offices in Los Angeles and is also the production banner’s primary distribution partner.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Charles and his talented team. Having worked closely with Charles over the past year, I have been incredibly impressed with his leadership, production expertise and outstanding reputation among industry peers,” said Morayniss, CEO of Blink49 Studios, in a statement.
Last month, The CW Network ordered two new original scripted series for 2024 programming, including Blink49 and Front Street: the crime-solving series Wildcardswith Vanessa Morgan and Giacomo Gianniotti, and Unseenled by Dolly Lewis and Agam Darshi.
“The partnership with Blink49 Studios will support Front Street Pictures as it continues to grow and focus on the MOW market. “John’s vision, along with the expertise of the Blink49 Studios team, will lead to increased investment in the production and distribution of MOW content, as well as expansion into the scripted episodic space,” Front Street’s Cooper added in his own statement.
In 2022, Front Street produced 26 television films for a diverse list of American partners. The equity acquisition transaction was negotiated by Kuo-Lee on behalf of Blink49 and Cooper for Front Street Pictures and is subject to certain conditions and approvals to the closing of the transaction.
