Fifth Season-backed Blink49 Studios has acquired a majority stake in Front Street Pictures, a prolific TV series and movies 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 production 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 on TV movie production.
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.
“We’re thrilled to embark on this partnership with Charles and his talented team. Working closely with Charles this past year, I’ve been incredibly impressed with his leadership, production expertise and stellar reputation among industry peers,” Morayniss, CEO of Blink49 Studios, said in a statement.
Last month, The CW Network ordered two new original scripted series for its 2024 schedule from Blink49 and Front Street, among others: the crime-solving procedural Wild Cards, starring Vanessa Morgan and Giacomo Gianniotti, and Sight Unseen, led by Dolly Lewis and Agam Darshi.
“The partnership with Blink49 Studios will support Front Street Pictures on its continued growth trajectory and focus on the MOW market. John’s vision along with the expertise of the team at Blink49 Studios will drive more investment in MOW content production and distribution as well as expansion into the scripted episodic space,” added Front Street’s Cooper in his own statement.
In 2022, Front Street produced 26 TV movies for a diverse roster of American partners. The stake acquisition transaction was negotiated by Kuo-Lee on behalf of Blink49 and Cooper for Front Street Pictures and remains subject to certain conditions and approvals for the deal is completed.
