Fremantle said it signed a first-look deal with producer Nicholas Weinstock’s Invention Studios.
Weinstock, previously creative head of Ben Stiller’s Red Hour Films, is building Invention Studios to create television series and movies with a focus on diversity, originality and boldness. The company said it is currently producing several dozen series and films.
Shows he developed, produced or executive produced include Escape at Dannemora for Showtime, Queenpins for Paramount Plus, Severance on Apple TV Plus and In the Dark for The CW and Netflix.
"Nicky embodies the independent spirit we champion at Fremantle. His creative passion is an inspiration to us and to the artists who work with him. Invention Studios is a welcome addition to the family of leading producers from around the globe who call Fremantle home,” said Dante Do Loreto, president of scripted programming at Fremantle.
Lorenzo De Maio of De Maio Entertainment was instrumental in bringing the deal together, Fremantle said. De Maio Entertainment will be a strategic advisor and partner across Invention’s slate.
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Fremantle will also support the continued expansion of Weinstock's other creative venture, Craft Services, an online network and support system for emerging writers and directors worldwide.
"I'm thrilled to partner with a company as progressive and expansive as Fremantle on a wide range of television series for both the American and international markets, given their vast global reach and our shared excitement about championing brave voices and authentic storytelling from all over the world,” said Weinstock, CEO of Invention Studios. “CEO Jennifer Mullin and her excellent teams, including Dante and my friend Lorenzo, are ideal partners in Invention's mission to support groundbreaking writers, directors, and narratives of all kinds." ■
