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Red Arrow acquires 44 Blue

German production group Red Arrow Entertainment has made its second investment in the US this month, acquiring reality producer 44 Blue Productions.

Wahlburgers is among 44 Blue's top titles

Wahlburgers is among 44 Blue’s top titles

Red Arrow has taken a 65% stake in the LA-based firm, which was founded in 1984 and specialises in documentary series, factual entertainment, celeb-reality, lifestyle and action-adventure programming.

It comes after the German company further strengthened its presence in the US  this month by taking a minority stake in LA-based prodco Band of Outsiders.

Red Arrow now has nine US companies and the addition of 44 Blue broadens its factual entertainment portfolio, the company said.

Among the series 44 Blue currently produces for US broadcast and cable networks A&E, E!, Animal Planet and MSNBC are Wahlburgers, Nightwatch, Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry, Pit Bulls & Parolees and Lockup.

Jan Frouman, chairman and CEO of Red Arrow Entertainment Group, said: “Working together with 44 Blue is a great opportunity for Red Arrow to partner with a dynamic, successful and highly collaborative company.”

“Our partnership with Red Arrow immediately unlocks global distribution and access to the kind of scale that will allow us to leverage our formats and expand our storytelling to new audiences around the world,” said Rasha Drachkovitch, co-founder and CEO of 44 Blue Productions.

“We’re looking forward to continuing to create top-notch content with one of the industry’s global leaders and accelerate our innovation in areas such as digital and virtual reality,” added Stephanie Noonan Drachkovitch, co-founder and president of 44 Blue Productions.

As part of the acquisition of 44 Blue, Red Arrow will also gain access to Ovrture, the virtual reality studio launched in 2015 to produce 360º, virtual reality and immersive content for broadcasters including A&E and MSNBC, as well as brands and digital platforms.

44 Blue Productions will continue to be led by Rasha and Stephanie Drachkovitch. Red Arrow International will distribute the company’s programmes internationally.

In the US, Red Arrow already owns Half Yard Productions, Nerd TV, Kinetic Content, Fabrik Entertainment, Dorsey Pictures and Left/Right Productions, while scripted companies Cove Pictures and Mad Rabbit have US offices.

In 2015, the group launched Ripple Entertainment, a digital media company based in LA. Red Arrow also took a minority stake in LA-based prodco Karga Seven Pictures last November.

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