Access Entertainment, a division of Access Industries, the global media, industrial and technology group owned by US industrialist Len Blavatnik, has taken a 24.9% stake in Bad Wolf – the international film and television production company behind the forthcoming adaptation of Philip Pullman’s epic His Dark Materials.

Launched by Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner in July 2015 in association with Welsh Government, Bad Wolf is co-sited in South Wales and Los Angeles, producing high- end television drama for the international market. Welsh Government’s decision to back Bad Wolf was based on their strategy of developing an ongoing relationship with the television and film industry. Access Entertainment’s investment in Bad Wolf is a further boost to the Welsh Economy.

In addition to His Dark Materials, Bad Wolf is also in the midst of producing A Discovery of Witches, based on the best-selling novels by Deborah Harkness, and an adaptationSince its launch in May 2016, Access Entertainment has quickly developed strategic connections with film, theatre and music businesses, allowing Bad Wolf to benefit from the wider structure of the group while growing its own business. It was this framework and the strong creative leadership from Danny Cohen and Len Blavatnik that made Access Entertainment the obvious partner for Bad Wolf.

Chief Executive of Bad Wolf, Jane Tranter, said: “This investment is a fantastic endorsement of our vision for Bad Wolf and Welsh Government’s strategy for the industry. Access Entertainment is a bold and ambitious company who shares our appetite for drama of scale. Joining forces with Len Blavatnik and Danny Cohen was absolutely central to our decision. We have had a long and productive relationship with Danny over the years and Len is a true visionary who immediately understood what Bad Wolf stands for. With this partnership, we are supremely well positioned to take Bad Wolf to the next stage of its expansion.”

Len Blavatnik, founder and chairman of Access Industries, said: “We established Access Entertainment to work with the world’s best creative talent and support them in realising their ambitions. We are delighted to partner with the Bad Wolf team at this critical stage in their development.”

Danny Cohen, President, Access Entertainment said: “I’m very excited to be forming this new partnership with Bad Wolf. Jane and Julie are brilliant television executives, highly creative and with an appetite for projects of global scale and impact. I’m very confident that Bad Wolf will produce outstanding work in the coming years –and we are looking forward to going on this journey with them.”

The architect of the partnership with Access Entertainment was Chief Operating Officer Miles Ketley, who has been with the company since its early days. On completion of the deal and the first phase of Bad Wolf, he will step down to become a partner in a new media investment firm.

ABOUT ACCESS ENTERTAINMENT

Launched in May 2016, Access Entertainment is a division of Access Industries focused on investments across the entertainment sector with a concentration in premium-quality television, films, digital content and theatre. It is led by Danny Cohen, the former Director of BBC Television and Controller of BBC One. The company’s mission is to deliver the highest quality creative content and partner with the very best talent in the world.

Founded in 1986 by Len Blavatnik, an American entrepreneur and philanthropist, Access Industries is a privately-held industrial group with strategic investments in the United States, Europe and South America. With corporate offices in New York, London and Moscow, its holdings include a number of market-leading companies in the Natural Resources and Chemicals, Media and Telecommunications, Technology and E-commerce, and Real Estate sectors. For more information visit www.accessindustries.com.