Astral Projection is the production company from Academy Award-winning actress Rachel Weisz and British executive producer Polly Stokes. Rachel has starred in films such as The Constant Gardener, Disobedience and The Favourite, while Polly has worked on productions such as American Honey, Wild Rose and The Nest.

The three-year partnership, spearheaded by Christian Vesper, will see Fremantle become the primary home for all of Astral Projection’s TV and film projects, with Fremantle’s Global Drama division and international distribution team closely involved. The deal also includes the joint development of TV and film projects.

Christian Vesper, CEO Global Drama at Fremantle, says: “We’ve been admirers of Polly and Rachel’s careers for some time. The breadth, scale, and acclaim of their combined body of work across both television and film is truly impressive and I’ve no doubt this is going to be a fruitful and exciting partnership. I couldn’t be happier to welcome them to the Fremantle family and start collaborating on world-class projects together.”

Astral Projection’s slate of productions includes Dead Ringers, a six-part psychological thriller for Amazon, in which Rachel Weisz plays both lead roles. Polly Stokes, a former Creative Executive at Film4, and Rachel Weisz have a long-standing relationship and are working on a variety of projects across TV and film.

Rachel Weisz, Executive Producer at Astral Projection, says: “We are thrilled to have found such experienced and trusting partners in Fremantle. As soon as we met Christian and Seb Shorr, we knew they were a perfect fit for our taste and energy and that this would be a brilliant home for Astral.”

Polly Stokes, Executive Producer at Astral Projection, adds: “We want to tell stories that are surprising and affirming — that find joy in unexpected and daring places. We were immediately taken by Fremantle’s reach, across film and TV, and their deep faith in exceptional talent. We can’t wait to begin this chapter.”

The partnership with Astral Projection is the latest creative collaboration announced by Fremantle. In February 2024, RTL Group’s content powerhouse entered into a first-look deal with Me+You Productions, a UK-based production company founded by BAFTA- and Emmy-award-winning filmmakers Richard Yee and Krishnendu Majumdar. The deal was secured following a collaboration on original TV drama Alice & Jack, starring award-winning actors Andrea Riseborough and Domhnall Gleeson.