Entertainment One Ltd. announced plans Friday to acquire Alliance Films, a leading independent film distributor in sa国际传媒, Britain and Spain, for approximately $225 million.
Completion of the transaction would establish eOne as the largest independent film distributor in both the Canadian and U.K. markets.
Alliance Films is one of the top five independent filmed entertainment companies in the world and is a leading multinational distributor, co-financier and film producer.
Its member companies include Alliance Films and Alliance Vivafilm (sa国际传媒); Momentum Pictures (U.K.) and Aurum Producciones (Spain).
Entertainment One Ltd. specializes in the acquisition, production and distribution of film and television content in sa国际传媒, the U.S. and several other countries.
Alliance Films has several films being showcased this week at the Toronto International Film Festival, including opening-night film Looper.
Other Alliance films at the festival include Place Beyond the Pines, Hyde Park on the Hudson, Dredd, Anna Karenina, and Seven Psychopaths.
eOne has released 152 films this year including The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1, We Need to Talk About Kevin and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.
"As a result of the acquisition, eOne will be a more competitive business in each of the geographic markets that we serve, allowing us to act as a more valuable partner for content producers," said eOne president and CEO Darren Thorpe.
Entertainment One is also a leading independent television production studio in sa国际传媒. It delivered 237 half-hours of original television in various genres in its last fiscal year.
Completion of the acquisition is conditional on approval from the Canadian Competition Bureau.
