TV, Film & Media Industry International News Roundup, Wednesday 22 January 2025

BFI awards grants; Berlin Film Fest unveils lineup; IMDb reshuffles; Netflix renews The Lincoln Lawyer; Ricagni joins Mediapro; A24’s Opus debuts; Ridley directs Asimov classic; Sundance optimism.

Today’s Highlights:

• BFI Awards UK Global Screen Fund Grants - Neon Films and Escape Plan Productions received £55,000 and £111,000, respectively, as part of a £3.3 million investment to boost international business development in the UK screen sector.

• Chris Lewis Joins Snapchat ANZ as Talent Partnerships Lead - Snap Inc. appointed Chris Lewis to enhance creator monetisation and brand partnerships in Australia and New Zealand, emphasising local content strategy.

• Francesca Ricagni Joins The Mediapro Studio US & Canada—Ricagni, a former Apple TV+ and Amazon Studios executive, will lead the development of Spanish-language content for US Hispanic audiences.

• Berlin Film Festival 2025 Lineup Unveiled - New films by Richard Linklater, Michel Franco, and Hong Sang-soo are in competition, with highlights including Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s Hot Milk and Lucile Hadžihalilović’s The Ice Tower.

• IMDb Leadership Restructures for 35th Anniversary - Founder Col Needham became executive chair, while COO Nikki Santoro assumed the CEO role, marking a new era for IMDb.

• A24’s Opus Directed by Mark Anthony Green - The thriller Opus, starring John Malkovich, explores sinister motives at a rock star’s compound. The film releases on 14 March.

• Ke Huy Quan Signs with WME - The Oscar-winning actor joined WME for representation, bolstered by roles in Love Hurts, The Electric State, and Zootopia 2.

• Sundance 2025 Sparks Optimism Among Buyers—Following 2024’s indie successes, buyers target bold, commercially viable titles like Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing’s Folktales.

• John Ridley to Direct The Caves of Steel Adaptation - Ridley will helm a feature adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s sci-fi classic for 20th Century Studios, co-written with Cheo Hodari Coker.

• Netflix Renews The Lincoln Lawyer for Season 4 - The legal drama, based on Michael Connelly’s The Law of Innocence, begins production for its fourth season next month.

Plus: News, Insights, Executive Moves, Festivals & Markets, In Development, Deals, Renewals, Opportunities & Jobs with Binge, Channel 4 & TVF International.

---

Subscribe to our daily news roundup for exclusive insights, early access to industry news, and the convenience of having the latest TV, Film & Media updates in one bulletin.

Our subscribers include executives from:

• Streamers: Netflix, Apple, Viaplay, SkyShowTime, Amazon Prime, Marquee TV, Paramount Television International, MTV Entertainment Group, BET.

• Broadcasters: NBC Universal, France Televisions, Sky, ABC, Channel 4, ITV, A+E Networks, CBC, TV2, SVT, ARTE, RTBF, SBS Play, TCL FFalcon, RTL, TVNZ, SRF.

• Producers: Fifth Season, Sony Pictures Television, Banijay, Fremantle, Endemol Shine, Gaumont, Pathé, Warner Bros Television Productions, Universal Pictures International Australasia, UFA Fiction, Vivendi, Entertainment One, BBC Studios, Warner Bros Discovery, Talpa Studios, Keshet, Tiger Aspect, Wild Bunch TV, Red Planet Pictures, Go Quest Media, Eureka Productions, The Ink Factory, Nordisk Film, Reel One Entertainment, Bunya Productions, Beach House Pictures, Beyond, The Global Agency, Esha Bargate Productions, blue Entertainment, Paper Plane Productions, Paprika Studios, Playmaker, Off the Fence, Goalpost Pictures, Spin Master, Stand By Me, Halcyon Studios, DPG Media, Envision, Rive Gauche, Blue Ant Media, Squareone, Great Southern Studios, Collective Media Group, New Dominion Pictures, RAW TV, Optomen, Magpie Pictures, KOJO, ShinAwiL, WildBrain.

• Also: Aarhus Series Festival, The Wit, Norwegian Film Commission, New Zealand Film Commission, IMDA, MIA, Getty Images, Ottawa Film Office, Simkins, Harbottle & Lewis, Screen Brussels, Sheffield DocFest, FilmChain, Documentary Business, Zero Gravity Management, SXSW, MEA, DOC, Attraction Distribution, Kaplan Stahler Agency, Passion Distribution, Audible, Screen Queensland, Canada Media Fund, My Smash Media, Artists First, Grey Seal Media.

NEWS

Neon Films and Escape Plan Productions Among UK Global Screen Fund Awardees

The British Film Institute (BFI) has awarded UK Global Screen Fund grants to Neon Films (£55,000) and Escape Plan Productions (£111,000) to support international business development. The funding will enhance production capabilities, with Neon hiring development staff and Escape Plan adding in-house producer Anna Keeley. Part of a £3.3 million investment by BFI and DCMS, the grants aim to boost global partnerships and expand the reach of UK screen content. Read More

INSIGHTS

Apple TV+ Series Severance Generates Over $200M in Revenue

The second season of Severance debuted last Friday on Apple TV+, with research from Parrot Analytics revealing that the first season generated over $200 million in revenue. Using its Content Valuation methodology, Parrot correlated audience demand with subscriber growth and revenue, assessing how shows like Severance create global value for streamers. This highlights the financial impact of the high-demand series for Apple TV+. Read More

---

Post-Strike Challenges: Rise of “If-Come” Deals Burdens Writers and Agents

The rise of “if-come” deals—conditional agreements where writers are only paid if their project sells—has left Hollywood creatives struggling in a risk-averse marketplace. Once rare and reserved for newcomers, these deals now target even established writers. Studios increasingly demand unpaid work to bolster pitches, while writers’ reps lament the trend as exploitative. With fewer jobs and tougher competition post-strike, frustration over these precarious agreements is boiling over. Read More

---

Disney+ and SVT’s Whiskey on the Rocks Mixes Cold War Drama with Satire

The six-part series Whiskey on the Rocks reimagines the 1981 grounding of a Soviet nuclear submarine in Swedish waters as a satirical drama. With global superpowers on edge, Sweden’s Prime Minister Thorbjörn Fälldin (Rolf Lassgård) navigates absurdity and diplomacy to avert disaster. With Jonas Jonasson's input, the show, written by Henrik Jansson-Schweizer, blends geopolitics and humour, featuring stars like Elsa Saisio and Mark Noble as Reagan. Read More

---

Özge Özpirinçci Returns in Drama I Am Mother

After a two-year hiatus to raise her daughter, Turkish actress Özge Özpirinçci stars in I Am Mother. Represented by Eccho Rights, the drama follows Karsu, a woman trapped in an abusive marriage. Following the birth of her third child, Karsu sends her 3-year-old son to Istanbul to stay with her mother, but the journey takes a devastating turn when the boy disappears. Read More

---

Netflix Prepares to End Subscriber Growth Disclosures with Q4 Results

Netflix is set to report its Q4 and full-year 2024 earnings, likely marking the last time it discloses quarterly subscriber figures. Analysts project the streamer surpassed 290 million global subscribers, fuelled by Squid Game season 2 and Christmas NFL games. Despite recent stock pressures, analysts have raised price targets for the company, now focusing on alternative performance metrics under co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters. Read More

SUBSCRIPTION OFFER

Unlock the full potential of Further&Better with an exclusive offer: new paid subscribers will enjoy three months of free paid subscription!

Dive into premium content, including More Insights, Executive Moves, In Development, Deals, and exclusive Media Industry Job Listings—all free for the first three months.

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the best we have to offer. Subscribe today and elevate your reading experience!