Fremantle agrees first-look deal with new Aussie prodco Lantern Pictures

L-R: Andrew Lambert, Jane Manning and Sarah Lambert of Lantern Pictures

Fremantle Australia has entered into a multi-year deal giving it the first option to develop projects on fledgling Australian prodco Lantern Pictures’ slate.

Lantern Pictures was founded in early 2024 by Andrew Lambert, Jane Manning and Sarah Lambert, the writer and showrunner behind series Love Child, Lambs of God and The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart.

It recently received Screen Australia enterprise funding to develop its slate and the showrunner model.

Fremantle’s head of scripted, Carly Heaton, said the pact was negotiated with the aim of building a shared slate of projects that will be showrun by Sarah Lambert.

“It’s all about aligning with amazing talent,” said Heaton. “Fremantle and Lantern are creatively aligned, so this partnership feels natural and right. I am excited to see what we can create together as I’m a huge admirer of Sarah’s work and have wanted to collaborate with her for a long time. Her love of story and her passion for character driven narrative is unsurpassed.”

Under the deal, Lantern Picture gains access to Fremantle’s production development team and distribution network.

Other companies that have first-look deals with Fremantle include Kristen Stewart’s Nevermind Pictures, Me+You Productions, Pablo and Juan de Dios Larraín’s Fabula and Ash Atalla’s Roughcut Television.