Fremantle has struck a two-year, first-look deal with Nine Hours, the new production label set up by Edward Berger, director of the Oscar-nominated “All Quiet on the Western Front,” and his partner Luke Rivett.
Netflix drama “All Quiet on the Western Front” recently scored nine Oscar nominations, including best picture, and a record 14 BAFTA nominations. Berger’s other directing credits include “Patrick Melrose,” “Your Honor,” “ The Terror” and Fremantle’s “Deutschland 83.”
The two-year deal will see Fremantle become the primary home for all of Nine Hours’ television projects. It will also give the super-indie second look access to Berger’s new film pipeline. The new production company was launched by Berger and Rivett with producer Jeanne Tremsal.
The deal with Berger was spearheaded by Fremantle’s Christian Vesper, who was recently promoted to CEO of global drama, and Seb Shorr, executive VP of commercial and business affairs. Lorenzo De Maio assisted on the deal.
Berger said: “Great drama comes from filmmakers who have an undeniable urge to tell their story. We intend to find and nourish these filmmakers in their endeavors to bring their grounded, intelligent and cinematic vision to the screen. We couldn’t have found a more exciting partner than Fremantle for this dream.”
Vesper added: “We have long admired Edward’s talent and creative vision since working with him on the Emmy-nominated series ‘Deutschland 83.’ We are honored that he has chosen to partner with us as he launches his new label Nine Hours and at such a seminal moment in his career.”
Berger is represented by Range Media Partners, Casarotto Ramsay & Associates Ltd and CAA.
The agreement with Berger’s Nine Hours is the latest creative partnership from Fremantle. The company also has partnerships with Angelina Jolie, Sinestra’s Johan Renck & Michael Parets, Nicholas Weinstock, Sarah Condon and the Larrain Brothers, as well as ongoing collaborations with writers and directors including Luca Guadagnino, Paulo Sorrentino, Neil Cross and Michael Winterbottom.
Fremantle claims it now produces three times more scripted series outside the U.S. and U.K. than any major U.S. studio. In 2022, the company delivered more than 100 drama series and 33 movies, and took majority stakes in drama production companies such as Dancing Ledge Productions (“The Salisbury Poisonings”), Element Pictures (“Normal People”), Lux Vide (“Medici”) and Richard Brown’s Passenger (“This England”).
On the film side, Fremantle’s recent credits include the Oscar-nominated “The Hand of God” from The Apartment Pictures, which picked up the Grand Jury prize at the Venice Film Festival, and Wildside’s “Le Otto Montagne” (“The Eight Mountains”), which won the Jury Prize at Cannes. The company’s production companies also delivered “Bones & All” and “The Eternal Daughter.” Fremantle was recently at Sundance with the documentary “Kim’s Video.”
(Pictured, L-R: Edward Berger, Christian Vesper, Jeanne Tremsal, Luke Rivett)
