Aircraft Pictures has bought back a majority of its shares from Corus Entertainment. The Toronto-based production company’s co-founders Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen have been returned as its sole shareholders. Corus purchased a majority stake in the independent scripted content company in 2022 as part of a plan to accelerate its expansion into the global content business. The share repurchase comes as Corus continues its focus on cost-cutting, which includes completion of a 25% workforce reduction by the end of August. Read more here.
CBC/Radio-Canada has shared Numeris data indicating women’s sport has dominated the most-watched moments of Paris 2024. Led by the Team Canada Women’s Soccer quarterfinal against Germany last Saturday, which drew an audience of 3.4 million Canadians, the end of the match was also the most-watched moment on CBC to date, attracting 2.53 million viewers. More than 1.9 million tuned in to watch Summer McIntosh’s second gold medal win, in the women’s 200m butterfly; Team Canada Women’s Soccer win against France; the women’s 4x100m medley relay in the hopes of a fourth gold medal for McIntosh; and the Canadian Women’s Soccer team win against Colombia. Read more here.
Netflix has announced the start of production of Wayward, a limited series thriller by co-showrunners Mae Martin and Ryan Scott, in the Toronto area. Set in a bucolic but sinister town, the series explores the underbelly of the “troubled teen industry.” Previously announced cast members include Martin, Toni Collette, Sarah Gadon, Sydney Topliffe, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Brandon Jay McLaren, Patrick J. Adams, Joshua Close, and Patrick Gallagher. The eight-episode series is being produced by Sphere Media.
Shamier Anderson and Stephan James, co-founders of The Black Academy, alongside CBC, Insight Productions and Bay Mills Studios, have announced that actor Adrian Holmes (Bel-Air) is set to anchor the third edition of The Legacy Awards. The live 90-minute special will be broadcast on CBC and CBC Gem on Sept. 29. The Legacy Awards return for a third year to Live Nation Canada’s HISTORY. This year’s honourees, performers, and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks. Submissions for the Fan Choice Digital Content Creator Award, which allows fans to choose their favourite Black-identifying Canadian digital content creators, are now open.
Tilt 9 Entertainment has started production in Vancouver on Any Other World, a sci-fi coming-of-age drama written and directed by Ben Pickles and featuring a Canadian cast that includes Bruce Greenwood, Erin Karpluk, and Graham Verchere. Set against Vancouver’s “City of Glass,” a troubled teen loses his father in a car accident only to discover that his reflection managed to survive the crash. Pickles is an award-winning writer, director, and visual effects supervisor from Vancouver, who has worked on the BAFTA-nominated TV show Timewasters and designed the 2018-23 Doctor Who title sequence. Any Other World is executive produced by Rachel Talalay, whose portfolio includes Doctor Who, Riverdale, and Ally McBeal, as well as cult classic films Tank Girl and Cry-Baby.
Hollywood Suite will air the Canadian broadcast premiere of The Burning Season, directed by Sean Garrity and starring Sara Canning (The Vampire Diaries) and Jonas Chernick (My Awkward Sexual Adventure). The film will premiere on Hollywood Suite’s 2000s Movies Channel on Aug. 20. Telling a story of hope set against a cycle of self-destruction through infidelity, betrayal and love, the film received critical acclaim across its festival and theatrical release, winning Best Feature Film from the Writers Guild of Canada, Best Screenplay at the Canadian Film Fest, and the Borsos Award for Best Screenplay at the Whistler Film Festival.
Asian Television Network (ATN) has acquired the Canadian distribution rights for one of India’s most popular OTT streaming platforms – Sony LIV. Owned by Sony Pictures Networks India, it carries content from local networks, including Bollywood blockbusters, television series, reality shows, comedy and original programming. Sony LIV will be available via TELUS. ATN subscribers will have access to all of Sony LIV’s content at special rates when bundled with ATN Sony Linear Entertainment Channels.
MTM 18+ has launched a new report which delves into SVOD subscriptions in Canada. Highlights from Gauging Demand For On Demand include that: Nearly four out of five anglophone households (78%) and more than seven out of 10 francophone households (72%) subscribe to at least one SVOD service. Although Netflix remains the most popular, its share has declined, dropping to 52% from 59% among anglophones and to 60% from a peak of 72% among francophones in the fall of 2022. The report also finds advertising is increasingly being integrated into SVOD content. Around 21% of anglophone and 26% of francophone Crave viewers are choosing a cheaper subscription option that includes ads. Similarly, 17% of both anglophone and francophone Netflix viewers see ads, as do 13% of anglophone and 10% of francophone Disney+ viewers.
The Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) has announced a new initiative in collaboration with Reel Green at Creative BC, aimed at encouraging ISO program applicants to adopt environmentally sustainable production practices through an Indigenous lens. Creative BC and ISO will each contribute $100,000 towards these sustainability initiatives. The program will launch Aug. 28 as part of the ISO Production Program. Applicants must be based in B.C. and can apply for up to $20,000 to support the hiring of a sustainability coordinator, green workshops, energy efficiency, waste reduction, eco-friendly transportation and sustainable set design and construction.
