BBC Studios acquires Brutal Media amid “increased appetite” from Spanish market

Killer Book Club (Source: Netflix)

BBC Studios has acquired Brutal Media, the Spanish production company behind Asalto Al Banco Central for Netflix.

Brutal Media will continue to develop and market its slate of original IP in Spain as well as producing local adaptations of the unscripted and scripted formats in the BBC Studios catalogue. BBC Studios will distribute and produce Brutal Media formats outside of Spain.

Founders Raimon Masllorens and Nèlida Sanchez will continue to lead the local team.

BBC Studios said that the deal would allow it to “respond to the increased appetite for BBC content from Spanish audiences and support Brutal Media’s ambitions to export original creative IP from Spain to the wider international market.”

Financial terms were not disclosed, with the deal continuing BBC Studios’ acquisition push this week, following its takeover of Australian prodco Werner Film Productions.

The deal brings the total number of markets in which BBC Studios has a production base to 12 and comes as part of its plans to double the size of its business by 2027-2028. As well as the Werner Film deal earlier this week, BBC Studios took full control of streaming service BritBox International a few weeks ago, while in June, the company bought Big Love and The First Years producer STV in the Nordics.

Founded in 2009, Brutal Media is also behind The Academy for Sony Pictures Television, Vintage for 3cat, as well as Killer Book Club and Welcome To Eden for Netflix.

Jacob de Boer, EVP, Global Entertainment at BBC Studios, said: “This agreement with Brutal Media is the natural next step for BBC Studios to expand our presence in the Spanish market.”