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Eureka Productions bosses Chris Culvenor and Paul Franklin have created a new production company that’s got a deal in place with Fremantle, the production giant that owns their previous biz, Eureka Productions.
Fremantle, which has a majority stake in The Mole maker Eureka Productions, has struck a three-year deal with Culvenor and Franklin’s new venture, Eureka Studios. Though both companies will use the Eureka brand, only Eureka Productions sits inside the Fremantle fold as Eureka Studios is not owned by the RTL-backed producer and distributor.
Rikkie Proost is being promoted from Chief Creative Officer to CEO of Eureka Productions following the move. However, Culvenor and Franklin will “remain actively involved in current productions and closely associated with the Eureka Productions slate”.
Eureka Studios launches with a three-year deal with Fremantle. The company will devise and develop new content that Fremantle and its subsidiary producers, including Eureka Productions, will produce and sell. Focus will be on unscripted formats, developing original ideas in gaming, sports-adjacent content and scripted shows, all of which Fremantle will distribute internationally.
In 2021, Fremantle acquired Eureka Productions, which makes shows in the U.S. and Australia, where it now oversees all Fremantle unscripted. With headquarters in LA and Sydney, the company has produced shows such as ABC’s Holey Moley, Netflix’ Dating Around and The Mole, Max’s Full Bloom and Fox’s The Floor and The Quiz With Balls among others. Over in Australia, it makes Farmer Wants a Wife and Australian Idol for Seven.
“Founding and growing Eureka Productions has been an incredible journey,” said Culvenor and Franklin. “Together with Fremantle and our exceptionally talented teams and partners, we have built a leading force in unscripted entertainment. As we expand our focus to this exciting new initiative, we remain fully connected to our production business, which will thrive under Rikkie’s brilliant leadership. The launch of Eureka Studios marks a major new creative venture at the heart of Fremantle’s global business, and we look forward to building a pipeline of bold original formats for the international market.”
Fremantle CEO Jennifer Mullin said the “three-year partnership will enable us to develop exciting content for our audiences worldwide”.
“Chris and Paul are true visionaries and since our collaboration began in 2016, have brought some of the most creative productions to our pipeline. I am equally delighted that Rikkie has taken the role of CEO, Eureka Productions and look forward to working together more closely as he continues the success of the label with shows such as, Farmer Wants a Wife, The Floor and Australian Idol,” she added.
Proost, Eureka Productions’ new CEO, added: “It’s been an incredible ride working with Paul and Chris over the past six years and I’m thrilled we get to evolve together in this new dynamic era of entertainment. At Eureka Productions we will continue to do what we do best; deliver world-class content, created by world-class people, to our valued partners and global audiences.”
