Peter Chernin’s global multi-genre studio The North Road Company has acquired Turkish film and TV powerhouse Karga Seven Pictures in its first major move to expand its international market footprint.
The company, which is an offshoot of Red Arrow Entertainment Group, originated as a factual content creator in the U.S. before moving into Turkish scripted films and series. Their most recent standout products are Netflix’s original hits “Midnight at the Pera Palace” and “Rise of Empires: Ottoman.” But they now produce many of Turkey’s top shows, including “Hekimoglu” — adapted from the U.S. series “House.”
Karga Seven’s founders — Emmy-nominated producers Sarah Wetherbee, Emre Sahin and Kelly McPherson — will remain in leadership roles, according to a statement. Wetherbee and Sahin will serve as global co-CEOs with McPherson as head of English-language content, alongside industry veteran and newly hired Ömer Müjdat Özgüner, who will now serve as Karga Seven’s Turkey CEO.
“The leadership team will be fully supported with North Road’s strategic resources and infrastructure to continue to grow the company. Sahin and Wetherbee will report into North Road President Jan Frouman, who led the deal for North Road and oversees growth strategy with a focus on international expansion,” the statement said.
“Given its sheer volume of globally relevant and high-quality content, Turkey is a perfect fit with North Road’s broader international strategy, and the addition of Karga Seven to our studio is a significant accomplishment,” Chernin noted in the statement.
“In a short time, Sarah, Emre and Kelly have established Karga Seven as the most compelling premium player in the region, and Jan, the team and I are incredibly excited about our partnership and collective plans to aggressively expand the business,” he added.
Sahin commented: “Producing both in Turkey and internationally, our passion has always been finding ways to bridge our two worlds. From the types of stories we are drawn to, to discovering new regional talent with a fresh POV, to creating a global creative hub in the region, there is and always has been incredible potential in Turkey.”
“We couldn’t be happier to join the North Road team and work with Peter, Jan and their impressive group. They instantly recognized the vision and saw the potential of this partnership. With their support and global expertise, we are beyond excited to embark on this next chapter together,” Sahin went on to note.
North Road’s portfolio comprises its London-based international division, led by Frouman and Kristin Jones, who is president of the outfit’s international film and TV unit. It also includes Chernin Entertainment, the scripted TV and film company behind titles such as “Ford v Ferrari,” “Hidden Figures” and “New Girl.” Then there is unscripted group Red Arrow Studios, whose portfolio includes “Love Is Blind” and “The Ultimatum” and a premium nonfiction unit led by New York-based studio Words + Pictures. North Road’s recent releases include Netflix’s “Luther” and the final season of Apple TV+’s “Truth Be Told.”
Deadline reported the news first.
