Angelina Jolie and Fremantle agree on international filmmaking, television and documentary deal
Director, Oscar award-winning actress and Special Envoy for the UN refugee agency, Angelina Jolie, has signed a multi-year international filmmaking agreement with leading global creator, producer and distributor, Fremantle, part of RTL Group.
Under the three-year agreement, which commences immediately, Jolie and Fremantle will jointly develop a sophisticated, powerful, and internationally focused slate of feature films, documentaries, and original series in which she will produce, direct, and/or star - based on each individual project.
Angelina Jolie and Fremantle share a global perspective on important storytelling, championing underserved and diverse voices from across the world. This is reflected in this deal which also extends into local language projects in partnership with Fremantle’s production companies and acclaimed filmmaking talent operating in 26 territories around the world. This includes supporting other writers and directors regionally to help them get their projects made.
Under the deal, Jolie will Produce and Direct the feature film Without Blood, this May in Italy. Jolie adapted the script from the acclaimed international bestselling novel by Alessandro Baricco - an unforgettable fable about war, revenge, memory, and healing.
In addition to Without Blood Angelina Jolie and Fremantle are also working on upcoming feature projects, documentaries and original series that will be announced soon.
Along with Fremantle Global CEO Jennifer Mullin, Group COO and Continental Europe CEO Andrea Scrosati, Lorenzo De Maio of De Maio Entertainment will be a strategic advisor and partner across the slate, using his extensive experience to optimize strategy and maximize each project’s impact and success.
The deal further underlines Fremantle’s ongoing commitment to producing high-quality original drama series and feature films working with the very best talent from across the globe. In 2021 alone, Fremantle delivered 62 dramas and produced 14 feature films including The Investigation from Tobias Lindholm and The Mosquito Coast from Neil Cross, Paolo Sorrentino's critically acclaimed The Hand of God which won two awards at the Venice Film Festival and recently received an Oscar nomination, Penelope Cruz starred L’immensità, and Ole Bornedal’s The Shadow in My Eye.
The stellar talent line-up currently working with Fremantle on film and drama projects includes Luca Guadagnino, Michael Winterbottom, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Tebogo Malope, Kirill Serebrennikov, Afua Hirsch, Felix van Groeningen, Shira Haas, Alice Rohrwacher, Saverio Costanzo and Steven Knight to name just a few.
Angelina Jolie is repped by WME and attorneys Robert Offer and Lindsey Strasberg at Sloane, Offer, Weber and Dern LLP.
Angelina Jolie says: "To have the freedom to tell important stories and bring them to a global audience is at the heart of this agreement with Fremantle. I am excited to be working with such a passionate and forward-looking team that has an international perspective."
Thomas Rabe, CEO of RTL Group, says: "Working with a global star like Angelina Jolie is evidence and a result of the great creative success of our global content business. Fremantle has firmly established itself as a home and attractive partner for the best creative minds, especially in the areas of fictional productions and documentaries. Another recent example of Fremantle's outstanding creative performance is the film The Hand of God, produced for Netflix and directed by Paolo Sorrentino – it has recently been nominated for the 2022 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. Building on these successes, we at RTL Group will continue to accelerate Fremantle's growth – both organically and through M&A – and are targeting a revenue of €3 billion for Fremantle by 2025."
Jennifer Mullin, Global CEO, Fremantle says: "We are thrilled to be partnering with Angelina, joining creative forces in the next phase of her extraordinary career as a producer, director, actor and humanitarian. Fremantle and Angelina share the passion and ambition of telling compelling stories from everywhere in the world, for everyone in the world. We embrace and support the creative independence of our partners and look forward to working with Angelina to bring powerful and unique stories to a global audience."