Industry

Reese Witherspoon and Mediawan, the leading independent global studio, have partnered to acquire Hello Sunshine from Candle Media. The transaction brings Hello Sunshine into Mediawan’s international network of production companies, creating new opportunities to develop and distribute content for audiences worldwide. The partnership will focus on Hello Sunshine’s core strengths in premium film and television and Reese’s Book Club, while exploring new storytelling formats and distribution models. The deal also reinforces Mediawan’s strategy of building a global network of leading creative companies while preserving their creative independence and distinct identities.
“Mediawan has built a global, independent studio by putting creators first. That has always been my vision for Hello Sunshine,” said Reese Witherspoon, Founder of Hello Sunshine. “I’m investing alongside Mediawan and joining Pierre-Antoine Capton and his teams because this is the perfect home for this new media landscape. It’s also a homecoming. Peter Chernin and Jesse Jacobs believed in Hello Sunshine from day one. I’m deeply proud of what our incredible team has built, and grateful to Blackstone and Candle Media for their partnership and unwavering support. The best is still ahead.”

Hello Sunshine co-founder Seth Rodsky will join the company’s board alongside Witherspoon and representatives from Mediawan.

Mediawan Expands Its Global Production Network
The acquisition is part of Mediawan’s broader strategy to bring together leading independent production companies under one roof, providing access to greater resources, scale and international opportunities while maintaining their creative autonomy. Hello Sunshine joins a growing Mediawan ecosystem spanning nearly 100 production labels, including Chernin Entertainment, Plan B Entertainment, See-Saw Films, Kinetic Content, Wiedemann & Berg, Palomar, Our Films, Drama Republic, Chapter2 and Chi-Fou-Mi, alongside other leading companies across the US, UK, Europe and beyond. The combined group is behind internationally successful and award-winning titles, including Adolescence, Backrooms, F1, Slow Horses, Call My Agent!, Apex, Miraculous, Love Is Blind, New Girl, The Greatest Showman and the Planet of the Apes franchise.

Hello Sunshine adds a distinctive female-focused creative brand, an established track record in premium entertainment and Reese’s Book Club, which has built a direct relationship with millions of highly engaged readers and consumers.  In return, Mediawan’s international reach, resources and creative relationships across major production hubs on five continents will give Hello Sunshine new opportunities to develop its intellectual property and bring its stories to audiences worldwide.
“Mediawan has thrived by bringing together the best creative companies and giving them the resources, scale, and independence to tell great stories,” said Pierre-Antoine Capton, co-founder and CEO of Mediawan Group. “Led by a generational talent in Reese, Hello Sunshine has an extraordinary track record of telling premium stories through film and TV and forming strong connections with audiences through Reese’s Book Club. Bringing these creative brands together, giving producers access to a broader pool of talent, IP and resources, while preserving their independence is what differentiates Mediawan. It strengthens what we can offer both talent and buyers, and Hello Sunshine brings a distinctive creative identity and a direct audience relationship that makes the whole group stronger.”
“Reese and her team have built Hello Sunshine into the premier company for women’s storytelling, which makes it a powerful addition to Mediawan’s unparalleled portfolio,” said Peter Chernin, board member of Mediawan, and Scott Manson, CEO of Mediawan in North America. “We see a tremendous opportunity to pair Reese and her team’s creative vision with Mediawan’s deep understanding of talent and global reach.”