Netflix certainly isn’t letting the grass grow under their feet. With the increasing popularity of their streaming services, and the quality of productions they are attracting major filmmakers and actors to work alongside with their original projects. The latest comes in the form of Valerian director Luc Besson, in which he is in talks with the streaming service to produce and direct several movies and the next few years.
The deal would see the projects labelled as Netflix originals with an estimated budget of $30 million. That’s not all the deal could include, with the financial issues surrounding Besson’s Eurocorp – Currently, Eurocorp’s library and a number of other assets are being held in escrow by JP Morgan – Netflix is also looking to by into the library and taking over franchises such as Taken, Transporter and Taxi with a view to possibly buying stakes in the Paris-based company.
However, with Eurocorp’s debt estimated at $280 million and a library estimated at $186 Million, Netflix has a battle on their hands as others including Lionsgate have shown an interest in acquiring the library. Netflix would also take on worldwide distribution rights except for China where Eurocorp already has a solid and longstanding deal with Fundamental but also because Netflix is not permitted to operate in China.
If a deal can be made between Besson and Netflix, the French filmmaker would join the likes of Martin Scorsese, Damien Chazelle and Duncan Jones who have all ventured into business with Netflix as a distribution line for their work.
