Endemol Shine Sets Up German Scripted Label Ahead of Banijay Acquisition (EXCLUSIVE)

By Manori Ravindran

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “Black Mirror” and “Peaky Blinders” producer Endemol Shine Group has set up a new scripted label in Germany, Variety can reveal.

Based in Berlin and led by joint CEOs Nanni Erben and Gunnar Juncken, MadeFor Film will focus on both high-end TV series and feature films for the domestic and international markets, as well as co-productions within the wider , as well as with other platforms and partners.

Endemol Shine’s expansion into Germany follows Banijay’s $2.2 billion acquisition of the production-distribution powerhouse in October.

The deal, currently in the anti-trust period, is expected to close this summer. At that point, Endemol Shine’s MadeFor will join Banijay’s existing German production banners, including Brainpool, Good Times and Banijay Prods. Germany, which have largely focused on unscripted content. It is as yet unclear whether some of Banijay’s production subsidiaries in the territory may be merged following the deal’s closure.

Author Ralf Husmann, who adapted NBC comedy “The Office” for Germany, will join as showrunner, while producers Rima Schmidt and former Dynamic Television exec Tasja Abel will also board the senior team.

MadeFor Film will join Endemol Shine’s scripted portfolio, which is led by Lars Blomgren, head of scripted for EMEA.

“We are excited to collaborate and bring MadeFor’s home-grown content to the world stage as we collaborate and leverage Endemol Shine’s unique global and local axis,” said Blomgren.

Endemol Shine Group’s other EMEA labels include Filmlance and Rubicon in the Nordic territories, NL Films in the Netherlands, ES Fiction in France and Diagonal in Iberia.

Recent and forthcoming non-English-language scripted series from the firm include Sweden’s “Caliphate” (SVT), Spain’s “The Idhun Memories” (Netflix), India’s “Bombay Begums” (Netflix), as well as theatrical release “Penoza” out of the Netherlands.