Endor Productions, the television and film production company behind Vienna Blood, State of Play, Restless and Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot is to close after 26 years.
Seven.One Studios, which has owned Endor for the last 12 years, said it had taken the decision to shutter the outfit due to “the persistently difficult” market for productions in the international scripted sector.
In a statement to Screen’s sister title Broadcast, the ProSiebenSat.1 Media company said: “Endor will not make any further investments in new developments but will focus exclusively on the completion of current productions.
“This decision was made after long and careful consideration. Our top priority now is to manage the upcoming process responsibly, especially with regards to employees, customers and business partners.
“Endor has created outstanding entertainment for numerous TV channels and platforms, including the internationally successful series Vienna Blood. We have decided with a heavy heart to close Endor Productions, which is expected to take place during the course of the year.”
Broadcast understands that the roles of Endor’s eight-strong staff, which includes managing director Carlo Dusi, head of development Jen McConnell and head of production Eamon Fitzpatrick, are at risk of redundancy. A Seven.One Studios spokesman said the company is “currently in discussion with the eight Endor employees”.
Expansive slate
Founded by former Bafta chair Hilary Bevan Jones in 1998, Endor has crafted an expansive slate of TV and film titles for myriad domestic and international buyers including Amazon, BBC, Channel 4, ORF, PBS, StudioCanal, ZDF, Epix, Fox and Sky.
The indie is best known for shows such as ZDF and ORF co-produced period crime drama Vienna Blood, which is currently prepping its fourth outing with BBC2 and PBS boarding once again.
Endor is one of the co-producers behind upcoming Amazon original Anansi Boys, based on the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name, and is also readying BBC feature drama But When We Dance.
Its other major credits include BBC1 period espionage drama Restless, adapted by William Boyd from his own novel, two-series Fox spy thriller Deep State and, further back, BBC1 shows Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot and political thriller State of Play. Endor won regional Baftas for 2018 gothic drama film Gwen, directed by William McGregor.
In 2012, Bevan Jones oversaw the sale of her indie to Seven.One predecessor Red Arrow Studios (then Red Arrow Entertainment Group).
Dusi, who joined the indie in 2021 as strategy director and exec producer, took up the leadership reins in 2022, with Bevan Jones stepping back into an exec producer-at-large role.
Endor has a number of projects in the works, including an adaptation of Tony Parsons’ Your Neighbour’s Wife with A+E Media Group and Swedish-US outfit Stockholm Syndrome.
Seven.One confirmed that it is currently in discussion with Dusi about projects in active development, with the latter “considering progressing them within a new, independent set-up” outside of the company.
Seven.One retains a production presence in the UK through Married At First Sight and Love Is Blind UK label CPL Productions. Previous label Cove Pictures closed in 2022.
The spokesman added: “With its seven production companies in Germany, the UK, Denmark and Israel and its international distribution business Red Arrow Studios International, Seven.One Studios has a broad portfolio of program genres and continues to be excellently positioned, domestically and internationally.”
It is the latest long-running British television producer to close its doors following the recent demise of Zig Zag Productions, Icon Films, RDF, Great Scott Media, Topical Television and Youngest Media.
This story was first published in Screen’s sister publication Broadcast
No comments yet