On July 25, 2024, Newen Studios (“Newen”) announced that it signed an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Johnson Production Group (“JPG”), one of the major players in the packaging, financing, production and distribution of TV movies worldwide. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Following closing, which took place on July 31, 2024, founding President, Timothy O. Johnson, will continue to lead JPG, which he created in 1992. Present in all popular genres (thriller, action and romantic comedy, drama), JPG packages, finances and distributes over 40 movies each year with worldwide successes such as Christmas at Pemberley Manor, Love on the Slopes, Falling in Niagara, Hotwired in Suburbia, and Noel Next Door.

JPG, headquartered in Vancouver, packages, finances, and distributes television content to networks, studios and streamers. It specializes in various types of programming including romances, thrillers, holiday and true crime tv movies.

Newen Studios, a subsidiary of the TF1 Group, is one of the leading companies in audiovisual and film production and distribution in Europe, with over 50 production companies and labels.

Torys acted as Canadian counsel to Newen with a team led by Guillaume Lavoie and that included Ana Ioanas, Sophie Desmond and Isabella Picui (corporate/M&A), Ed Fan and Denver Bandstra (IP), Richard Johnson and Benjamin Mann (tax).