Candle Media extends acquisition spree with Spanish-language studio Exile Content

Kevin Mayer

Blackstone-backed Candle Media’s acquisition spree continues as the Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs-led firm has bought Spanish-language studio Exile Content.

Founded in 2019 by former Univision and Televisa CCO Isaac Lee, LA-based Exile produces feature film, scripted and unscripted television, music and audio content for global Spanish speaking audiences. Lee and Exile’s current senior management team will continue to oversee day-to-day operations at the firm, which also has offices in Mexico City, Madrid, and Miami.

Recent Exile projects include the series Todo Va A Estar Bien, co-produced with Diego Luna for Netflix, docuseries Un Sueño Real in partnership with journalist Ana Pastor for HBO and true-crime podcast Sacred Scandal in partnership with iHeartMedia.

Upcoming productions meanwhile include Gente Sana, a six-part docuseries hosted by J Balvin for NBC Studios for Peacock, scripted series The Illusionist Club in partnership with Moxie 88, and feature film The Coup in partnership with AP productions.

Exile also recently announced a development deal with Academy Award-winner Benicio del Toro, acquired Dixo, a Spanish-language podcast network and production company, and launched two new divisions – Exile Music, backed by world-renowned Colombian artist Fonseca, and Exile Kids, focused on Spanish-language animation and family entertainment.

Mayer and Staggs praised Exile as “an emerging leader in Spanish-language content, with deep relationships with exceptional artists and creators, broad cross-platform production, audience engagement and social commerce expertise.”

Lee meanwhile added that: “Exile’s vision is to create content that not only resonates with Spanish-speakers, but also with universal audiences” and that partnering with Candle Media would allow the firm to accelerate its strategy.

This latest deal for the rapidly expanding Candle Media follows a string of major acquisitions for the firm, including Fauda producer Faraway Road Productions in January, Reese Witherspoon’s Big Little Lies producer Hello Sunshine in August 2021 a $3bn agreement for CoComelon outfit Moonbug last November and a minority stake in Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Studios.