Skydance Media said today it’s completed a $400 million strategic investment round led by KKR, a first-time investor, and joined by the Ellison family, who remain majority shareholders. RedBird Capital Partners was also involved in the fundraise. Skydance is valued at over $4Billion. Tencent and Tencent are existing investors.
Adding KKR helps solidify the company’s position and will accelerate its ongoing growth in sports and interactive entertainment as well as continued scaling of existing verticals like animation.
“The investment from KKR creates a powerful strategic partnership with a firm at the forefront of the evolution of technology and interactive entertainment, all of which are key propellers in the next phase of Skydance growth,”David Ellison, CEO. “We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of our long-term strategic investors – RedBird, who has championed our sports strategy, as well as Tencent and CJ ENM, who have each helped to drive our global growth and diversification,”He concluded.
Skydance’s focus is on a cross-platform approach for IP creation, ownership, distribution, and deep relationships with content, talent, and tech partners in order to increase scalability, earnings potential, and bolster scalability. Its recent record-breaking release, “Skydance”, is an example of a successful entertainment franchise. Maverick is the Top Gun. Skydance content consistently outperforms streamers, including chart-topping results from Amazon, Apple, and Netflix.
Jenny Box, KKR partner, co-head of the Strategic Investments Group, stated that the firm is “delighted to invest behind Skydance, David Ellison and the impressive, differentiated team of creative and entrepreneurial talent he has assembled.”
“We look forward supporting the Skydance team as they continue to build their business across TV, film, animation, gaming and sports and tell compelling stories in new and innovative ways,”Ted Oberwager, KKR partner, head of gaming entertainment media and sports verticals, added the following:
KKR assets include Axel Springer and Chord Music Partners, Epic Games and FanDuel Group. Leonine Studios, Mediawan. OverDrive. Sports, RBmedia, UFC.
Ellison founded Skydance in 2010 with feature films, expanding to animation, interactive, and new media, and with studios in Los Angeles and Silicon Valley, Spain, Canada, and other countries.
Films include The Adam ProjectNetflix The Tomorrow WarAmazon Prime Video The Old GuardAlso available on Netflix
It includes The Greatest Beer Run EverThe future Ghosted, The Family PlanApple TV+ Heart of Stone, The Old Guard 2.A reboot of Spy Kids’ film franchise is available on Netflix. The seventh and eighth installments are part of Mission: Impossible. Skydance films have grossed more than $7 billion worldwide.
Skydance Television is behind Grace and Frankie which became Netflix’s longest running series following the release of its final season earlier this year, as well as Foundation, Reacher, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Condor, The Big Door PrizeAn untitled spy series featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger, starring in his first scripted television series.
Skydance Interactive produces and publishes original, IP-based virtual reality games and other immersive videogames, including the most popular. The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners.
Skydance Sports is currently producing two projects for Amazon Prime Video. Good NeighborsAffleck directed an untitled Air Jordan movie starring Matt Damon & Ben Affleck.
Skydance Animation is a production company that develops and produces feature films and TV series. It has two studios in Los Angeles, and Madrid. The first two films are already in production. You are a lucky personAnd SpellboundThis is the first short film. Blush, and the first is WondlaAll premiering on Apple TV+