LeBron James’ SpringHill Co., ‘Kardashians’ producer in talks to merge
LeBron James’ production company, the SpringHill Co., is in talks to merge with Fulwell 73, the London-based studio behind “The Kardashians,” according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Financial details of the potential agreement were not immediately available.
The SpringHill Co. declined to comment.
Tech scion David Ellison’s Skydance Media will gain control of Paramount, marking the end of the Redstone family’s reign over the storied studio.
The companies have been in negotiations for months, but the merger is not a done deal, according to Bloomberg, which was first to report the news. Both companies are looking to expand their live and unscripted programming slates and amplify their reach across Europe and the U.S.
Founded in 2020 by the Lakers superstar and his longtime business partner Maverick Carter, the Los Angeles-based SpringHill Co. has three arms of its business.
SpringHill Entertainment produces scripted and unscripted film and television projects and is known for “Space Jam: A New Legacy” starring James, NBC’s “The Wall” game show and the recently released Netflix film “Rez Ball” about a Native American basketball team.
The company, which boasts roughly 200 employees, has dipped into the consumer product and media brand space with Uninterrupted for athletes, and also provides consulting services through the Robot Co. agency.
New York private equity firm RedBird Capital, Nike, Epic Games and Fenway Sports Group acquire roughly half of James and Maverick Carter’s L.A.-based production company.
SpringHill Co. in 2021 secured a private equity-led investment to fuel its growth in film, TV, video games, consumer products and live events. The deal, led by New York-based RedBird Capital Partners, valued SpringHill at $725 million.
At the time, there was a spree of investment in celebrity-backed production companies, which gave lofty valuations to firms such as Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine. The market for such deals began to cool as the demand for content amid the streaming wars contracted.
Fulwell 73 was founded by producers Ben Winston, Leo Pearlman, Ben Turner and Gabe Turner, adding former “Late Late Show” host James Corden as a partner in 2017. The company is known for producing unscripted TV series and specials, including Hulu’s “The Kardashians,” “Carpool Karaoke,” “Adele: One Night Only” and the Grammy Awards.
A SpringHill-Fulwell deal would mark the latest in a wave of corporate mergers that have shaken up Hollywood in recent years. The news comes several months after Paramount Global merged with David Ellison’s Skydance, combining the forces of legacy brands such as Paramount Pictures, CBS, MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon with popular film franchises such as “Star Trek” and “Mission: Impossible.”
Times staffer Valerie Hood contributed to this report.
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