A pair of major players in unscripted programming are in talks to merge.
SpringHill, the production company founded by NBA star LeBron James and Maverick Carter, and Fulwell 73, the company founded by producers Ben Winston, James Corden, Leo Pearlman, Ben Turner, and Gabe Turner, have been in talks for a few months, a source familiar with the talks confirms to The Hollywood Reporter.
The deal, if it happens, would give the combined company enhanced scale in unscripted programming and in sports, where both companies are active players. SpringHill is behind shows like The Playbook for Netflix and The Crossover for Disney+, as well as films like Space Jam: A New Legacy.
Fulwell is a live programming specialist, with credits including the Grammy Awards, and a number of concert specials from the likes of Adele and Elton John. The company also produces The Kardashians for Hulu, and is behind sports-related projects like the ESPN docuseries Clutch: The NBA Playoffs.
Bloomberg first reported the talks.
SpringHill counts RedBird Capital, Fenway Sports Group and Epic Games as investors, while Fulwell counts Eldridge and Corden as investors (the company previously produced Corden’s Late Late Show for CBS).
The entertainment industry is going through a content pullback, with scale top of mind for many in the business. That is being felt at the corporate level, of course, with speculation about deals involving Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate, or Comcast’s cable channels, but also at the production company level, where the slowdown is being felt most acutely.
Even companies founded by people like James, or with a track record like Fulwell, are not immune to the pressures.