PALO ALTO — Sheppard Mullin advised Beverly Hills-based Relativity Media on its new U.S. joint venture with Paris-headquartered EuropaCorp, which will pay approximately $130 million over six years for a 50 percent stake. EuropaCorp tapped Hogan Lovells and French firm JeantetAssociés AARPI for legal counsel.
The agreement provides support for U.S. distribution of both studios’ film slates. The studios may also coproduce and cofinance future film projects. The deal was attractive to both parties, according to a statement by Relativity CEO Ryan Kavanaugh and EuropaCorp CEO Christophe Lambert, as it will enable Relativity to expand its film production while leveraging its marketing and distribution platform to help EuropaCorp “maximize visibility” in the United States.
