Peter Chernin’s film and TV studio, North Road Company, has successfully acquired Karga Seven Pictures. Karga Seven Pictures is one of the leading TV and film studios in Turkey.
According to Deadline, the plan is for Karga Seven to use resources from North Road Company to further develop their company with Sahin and Wetherbee reporting to Jan Frouman, president of North Road and a major catalyst to this deal.
Karga Seven was founded by Emmy-nominated producers Sarah Wetherbee, Emre Sahin, and Kelly McPherson. Wetherbee and Sahin will work together as Global Co-CEOs while McPherson will serve as Head of English-Language Content. He will work with industry veteran Ömer Müjdat Özgüner who will take on the role of Turkey CEO.
The Istanbul and Los Angeles-based studio is best known for its period piece Rise of Empires: Ottoman and Turkish drama Midnight at the Pera Palace. The company also produces various hit Turkish series, such as Hekimoglu, an adaptation of the U.S. series House.
“Producing both in Turkey and internationally, our passion has always been finding ways to bridge our two worlds.” Sahin stated, “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.”
Based in London, North Road’s international endeavors have been led by the company’s Frouman and President of International Film & TV Kristin Jones. The lineup includes Chernin Entertainment, best known for producing Ford Vs Ferrari, Hidden Figures, and New Girl; Red Arrow Studios, known for their unscripted series, such as Love Is Blind; and their nonfiction studio led by Words + Pictures.
“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.” stated Chernin. The owner of North Road went on to describe the Karga Seven as “the most compelling premium player in the region.”