Fiction
Banijay-backed CreAsia Studios unveils crime thriller and space reality show
BANGKOK: CreAsia Studios is stretching the boundaries of Asian entertainment—from the crime lab to outer space.
At the True Visions Now event in Bangkok, the Banijay Asia–EndemolShine India-backed studio unveiled two sharply contrasting yet equally ambitious projects, signalling its intent to push format innovation across scripted and unscripted television.
The first, My Chef In Crime, is an original crime thriller that fuses forensic science with food. Set against the backdrop of diverse Asian culinary cultures, the series explores how culinary science intersects with crime-solving, offering a fresh spin on the well-worn investigative genre. Backed by a strong cast, the show promises high suspense, originality and a distinctly regional flavour rarely seen in crime drama.
The second reveal went even bigger. Race to Space – Thailand is a reality series with a literal mission: to find and send the first Thai citizen into space. Designed as both entertainment and national milestone, the show will see Thai participants compete for the chance to become astronauts, turning space travel from distant aspiration into televised reality. The project is being developed in collaboration with the Space Exploration and Research Agency.
Both shows have been in development for some time, and the Bangkok event marked the first public unveiling of images and teasers, offering an early glimpse into their scale and ambition.
Deepak Dhar, founder and group ceo of Banijay Asia and EndemolShine India, described the moment as a milestone for CreAsia Studios, pointing to the breadth of storytelling, from grounded, science-led crime to aspirational, future-facing reality—as a reflection of where Asian content is headed.
From dissecting crimes through cuisine to launching dreams into orbit, CreAsia’s message is clear: safe bets are out, bold formats are in—and the ambition is only getting bigger.
Fiction
Banijay merges with All3Media in $6.65 billion deal
Marco Bassetti will lead the combined company as CEO
PARIS: Six years after acquiring Endemol Shine at the height of the pandemic, Banijay has struck again. The European production heavyweight is merging with All3Media in a deal that will create a television titan with $6.65 billion in revenue and redraw the contours of a fast-consolidating market.
The combined company will trade under the Banijay name and be owned 50 per cent each by Banijay Group and RedBird IMI, which acquired All3Media in 2024. The transaction is expected to close by autumn, subject to regulatory approvals.
Banijay Entertainment CEO Marco Bassetti, will take the top job at the enlarged group. All3Media CEO Jane Turton becomes deputy CEO. RedBird IMI CEO Jeff Zucker will serve as chairman.
The logic is scale. Broadcasters are commissioning less, streamers are tightening budgets and global buyers are fewer but bigger. Against that backdrop, heft matters. The merged entity will generate roughly $6.65 billion in revenues based on 2024 figures, giving it sharper elbows in rights negotiations and deeper pockets for franchise-building.
“Entrepreneurialism, ambition and creativity” remain core to Banijay’s DNA, Bassetti said, flagging plans to invest more heavily in new intellectual property, live events and emerging platforms. Turton struck a similarly bullish note, pointing to All3Media’s journey from a 2003 start-up to a global supplier of hit formats and high-end drama.
Between them, the two groups control a formidable slate. Banijay’s catalogue spans MasterChef, Big Brother, Survivor, Black Mirror, Peaky Blinders and Deal or No Deal. All3Media’s labels include Studio Lambert, producer of The Traitors and Squid Game: The Challenge; Two Brothers, behind The Tourist; and Neal Street, currently producing the forthcoming Beatles biopics directed by Sam Mendes for Sony.
The back catalogue is equally muscular. Banijay Rights holds some 220,000 hours, while All3Media International adds around 35,000 hours, forming one of the industry’s largest libraries.
Banijay, controlled by French entrepreneur Stéphane Courbit and listed in Amsterdam, counts more than 130 production companies across 25 territories. All3Media operates over 40 labels, with strong positions in the UK, US and Germany. The enlarged group will also lean into live entertainment, building on Banijay’s Balich Wonder Studio, which produced the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, and the Independents.
The deal marks a shift in tone. As recently as October, Bassetti suggested that mergers and acquisitions were not a priority. But the drumbeat of consolidation has grown louder. Mediawan has moved for Peter Chernin’s North Road. David Ellison’s Paramount has agreed to a $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros, with plans to combine HBO Max and Paramount plus. ITV has explored selling its media and entertainment arm to Comcast-owned Sky, though talks have reportedly slowed.
