NBCUniversal has rebranded its international production business to better align with Universal Studio Group and sister studios UCP, Universal Television and Universal Television Alternative Studio.
Under the rebrand, NBCUniversal International Studios will now be known as Universal International Studios. Variety understands that the change is purely cosmetic and little else is changing structurally on the international side. The shift solely impacts the production operations, and distribution group NBCUniversal International Global Distribution will remain titled as such.
The U.K.-based Universal International Studios houses a number of production companies, including “Downton Abbey” and “The Last Kingdom” producer Carnival Films, “Made in Chelsea” outfit Monkey Kingdom and “We Are Lady Parts” producers Working Title Television. The company also has a joint production venture in place with Working Title Television and Heyday Television. It also owns an equity stake in “Family Law” producers Lark Productions.
Pearlena Igbokwe, chairman of Universal Studio Group, said: “We want the marketplace to know we are truly Universal. As a unified studio group, home to world-leading talent, we have access to enviable resources within the NBCUniversal ecosystem. So, with our international studio now more aligned than ever, we are firmly positioned to truly harness the global power of our four studio divisions to create more ground-breaking original series for local and global audiences.”
Aside from its own production companies, the studio also partners with third-party production companies, broadcasters, networks and platforms. Shows to emerge from these partnerships include “Transplant” (Sphere Media/CTV/NBC), “Pretty Hard Cases” (Cameron Pictures/CBC/IMDb TV) and the upcoming cyber-thriller “The Undeclared War” (Playground Entertainment/Channel 4/Peacock) from seven-time BAFTA winner Peter Kosminsky.
The studio is also a leading supplier of programming for NBCUniversal-owned streamer Peacock. The platform renewed British comedy and Channel 4 co-production “We Are Lady Parts” for a second season earlier this week, and also signed up for a second helping of BBC co-production “The Capture.”
