Sunderland film studio backer Fulwell 73 merges with LeBron James' media company

The company planning a £450m film studio in Sunderland is to merge with a production company set up by American basketball legend LeBron James.

Fulwell 73, the makers of sports documentary Sunderland ‘Til I Die and the forthcoming reboot of the Byker Grove children’s TV show, is merging with the SpringHill Company, which was set up by LeBron James and his business partner Maverick Carter and has produced a number of award-winning programmes.

The deal has been described in the US as a “mega-merger” which will create a major player in the film and TV industry. It has come as work continues to set up the Crown Works Studio on Sunderland’s riverside, which aims to create thousands of jobs and bring a number of lucrative TV and film productions to the North East.

The Crown Works project, which has seen Fulwell 73 raise £450m with finance partners Cain International, won backing from the previous Government in last year’s Budget, with the scheme confirmed by new Chancellor Rachel Reeves last month. It is hoped that construction work can begin on the project before the end of this year.

The merger between Fulwell 73 and SpringHill will also see the combined firm raise $40m (£31.6m) from its existing investors to help the new company grow.

Fulwell 73 partners Ben Winston, Leo Pearlman, Ben Turner, Gabe Turner and James Corden released a statement saying: “Since Fulwell 73’s inception, we’ve tried to make content that entertains, informs, and excites, while sparking conversations around the world. That’s the mantra at The SpringHill Company as well.

“Together, we’ll continue doing what we do best, and now we’ll do it as a global entertainment studio with more to offer our partners. We recognize the major shifts under way in entertainment and the world and we’re excited to build a company with The SpringHill Company that’s designed for the future.”

Maverick Carter, CEO of The SpringHill Company, added: “At The SpringHill Company, we’ve always given athletes, artists and brands a platform to tell meaningful and diverse stories in all forms and formats, from digital-native shows and IRL experiences to streamed series and theatrically released movies.

“We found like-minded partners in Fulwell 73, partners who understand this business and the critical importance of building opportunities for talent across the media and entertainment landscape. Like everyone, we see the ways audience behavior is shifting and the demands on storytellers are evolving. We are excited for those changes and feel ready to adapt alongside the Fulwell 73 team.”

Fulwell 73 - which is named in homage to Sunderland’s FA Cup win in 1973 - was founded in 2005 and has produced a number of high profile TV shows including The Kardashians, Carpool Karaoke and The Grammys. The SpringHill Company has produced programmes including Bafta-award winning drama Top Boy, a number of American sports documentaries and game show The Wall.

LeBron James is one of America’s biggest sports stars, winning three Olympic gold medals and being the leading points scorer in the history of the National Basketball Association.