DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A Qatar-based media group that has already moved into international sports broadcasting has purchased a 100-percent stake in the film studio Miramax, part of its expansion into the entertainment business.
The beIN Media Group, which earlier spun off from Doha’s Al-Jazeera network, bought the studio famous for “Pulp Fiction,” “No Country for Old Men” and “The English Patient” from investors including Colony Capital and the Qatar Investment Authority, the Gulf nation’s sovereign wealth fund.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed in a statement announcing the purchase late Wednesday. The beIN network did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.
“Miramax is a successful film and television company, providing a strong and recognizable brand, a unique library and industry expertise that complement beIN Media Group’s plans to grow across the entertainment industry and develop new content production,” Nasser Al-Khelaofi, beIN’s chairman and CEO, said in the statement.
Producers Harvey and Bob Weinstein founded Miramax in 1979, naming it after their parents Miriam and Max. They built it into one of the most successful independents in the movie business, churning out many of the hits of 1990s independent cinema.
Walt Disney Co. acquired Miramax in 1993 for some $60 million. Disney sold the studio in 2010 to a group of investors for $660 million.
The move to purchase Miramax comes as beIN expands its presence across the world after purchasing rights to broadcast European football leagues and other sports. Qatar itself is spending tens of billions of dollars ahead of hosting the 2022 World Cup.
But the purchase also comes as Qatar faces pressure from low global oil and gas prices, which fuel its economy.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less