Lupin star Omar Sy launches Carrousel Studios with Thomas Benski, Louis Leterrier
L-R: Thomas Benski, Louis Leterrier and Omar Sy
French actor Omar Sy (Lupin), former Pulse Films CEO Thomas Benski and Hollywood director Louis Leterrier have joined forces to launch a studio and media company called Carrousel Studios.
The trio described their new company – which will be based in Paris, with offices in London, LA and Senegal – as an “artists-first” outfit that will make scripted TV series and movies.
Carrousel will develop and produce content across multiple genres, including action, thrillers, sci-fi, fantasy and comedy. Sy, Benski and Leterrier said the prodco would also be a home to emerging and established creative talent looking to make passion projects in a “creatively and financially rewarding manner.”
Incorporating in-house marketing and communications departments, Carrousel will embrace branded content opportunities.
The leadership trio plan to pool their collective creative experience to “disrupt and revamp” the entertainment industry, by modernising the process of developing, financing and producing content.
They plan to do this by taking advantage of tax credits, subsidies, and other European incentives. CAA Media Finance sourced the finance for the launch of the company.
Sy, Benski, and Leterrier intend to leverage their contacts to attract talent behind and in front of the camera to develop TV and film projects with Carrousel.
Sy is best known for his starring role as professional thief Assane Diop in Netflix’s hit French mystery thriller Lupin, the success of which led to Sy signing a multi-year feature film deal with the streamer. He also has a first-look deal with Warner Bros Discovery’s SVoD service Max to develop series for multiple markets, with an emphasis on French-speaking territories.
Benski, meanwhile, co-founded London-based Pulse Films in 2005 alongside Marisa Clifford. In March 2022 they both stepped down, six years after selling a controlling interest to Vice Media Group. His production credits include Sky crime drama Gangs of London and Apple TV+ music documentary Beastie Boys Story.
Leterrier has directed Hollywood blockbusters such as The Incredible Hulk and Fast X, as well as Netflix fantasy series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.
In a joint statement, Sy, Benski and Letterier said: “Carrousel will have a modern approach to making global content in an artists-first environment. This principle is the driving force and the culture of our company. It is not just for us but also for our creative partners and will transmit this joy to our audience.
“We have a great deal of respect for our diverse backgrounds and varied experiences, and what they both bring to the company.”
