Anton to supercharge TV series slate after $108m BlackRock investment

BBC/HBO copro His Dark Materials
European producer and financier Anton has secured over €100m (US$108m) in new financing through a group of investors led by US asset management giant BlackRock.

Sébastien Raybaud
Anton founder and CEO Sébastien Raybaud said the funds will allow the company to significantly expand its slate of TV series and feature film productions.
The cash injection coincides with a phase of “significant growth” at Anton, which has invested in high-end TV content including the BBC’s The Pursuit of Love and His Dark Materials, as well as kids’ programming such as Shaun the Sheep and Paddington.
The €100m has been secured through a group of institutional investors, led by funds and accounts managed by BlackRock.
Anton was advised on the transaction by Access Media Advisory Ltd and Latham & Watkins and Nauta. BlackRock was advised by FTI Consulting and Clifford Chance.
Established in 2011, Anton made an immediate impact by signing a €180m slate funding deal with France’s StudioCanal – which Anton claims was the first of its kind in Europe.
The company now has almost 500 TV and film titles in its library, including Greenland, starring Gerard Butler, gang drama McMafia and The Night House.
“We have an amazing development and production team in place focused on creating high-quality, premium entertainment. Partnering and working with the very best A-list cast and top-tier filmmakers, our goal is to produce films and series across all commercial genres on a global scale,” said Raybaud.
“This exciting investment from BlackRock allows us to greenlight more ambitious projects and expand these partnerships with exceptional film and TV producers. We have built a fantastic, well-capitalised company with a bold vision. We are ready to execute our future growth strategy.”
Paul Braude, chief investment officer and head of BlackRock’s Direct Private Opportunities Group, said: “We have been impressed by Anton’s success to date and are pleased to contribute to its ongoing growth.
“Our investment approach seeks out unique, compelling opportunities outside of core private markets, and we see significant potential in television and film.”