The award-winning studio behind the ‘Iyanu’ franchise plans to expand its IP pipeline, building on recent deals with George R.R.Martin, the Bob Marley estate, and Simon & Shuster.
HarbourView Equity Partners (HarbourView), an alternative asset management company focused on investment opportunities in the music, entertainment, media, and sports ecosystem, with approximately $2.67B in regulatory assets under management, is leading a $30-million investment in award-winning studio Lion Forge Entertainment (Lion Forge).
The Steward Family and Polarity are investors in the round and continue to be the majority owners of Lion Forge Entertainment.HarbourView’s investment is part of a new $30 million minority investment in Lion Forge, which plans to use the invested capital to scale and expand its IP portfolio and premium franchise pipeline, reinforcing the studio’s core lines of business and fueling key organic growth initiatives across the studio’s business verticals.“We believe that content has the extraordinary power to influence the world,” said Sherrese Clarke, founder and CEO of HarbourView Equity Partners.
“This is a unique moment in the kids & family space and Lion Forge is seizing an opportunity to lean into its ability to tell compelling stories authentically and cultivate global franchises at scale.This synchronizes with our vision of how the next generation of multiplatform media companies can grow – by introducing fresh images, ideas and paradigms that reflect the evolving world in which we live and creating culturally authentic and socially relevant content.” “Sherrese is a trailblazing investor, leading a culture-driving company.Her knowledge and track record will be immensely additive as we continue to scale our company and properties,” said David Steward II.
“This is a validating moment for our young company.The synergy between the shrewd investment strategy of HarbourView and the franchise-building blueprint at Lion Forge will enable us collectively to optimize opportunities at the nexus of entertainment, culture and content and grow into a category defining leader from a position of strength.” Stephanie Sperber, President and Chief Creative Officer of Lion Forge Entertainment, added, “We work with incredible creators and exceptional IP, and the backing of HarbourView will allow us to develop and invest in expanding our library.Sherese and her team see what we see – an opportunity in the marketplace for premium kids, family and YA franchises, which motivates us to double down on what we believe we do best – create global content and build franchises.” Founded by David Steward II, Lion Forge Entertainment develops and produces animated and live-action content targeting kids & family, YA and adult audiences, building on the success of earlier Lion Forge Animation projects including the Oscar-winning 2019 short, .
The studio’s latest series has become a breakout cross-platform success on HBO Max and Cartoon Network, debuting as the number one series among kids on Cartoon Network and is a Top 10 Kids & Family series on HBO Max.Season 2 of the epic animated fantasy series, along with two feature films expanding its universe, were greenlit by Cartoon Network and HBO Max earlier this year.The first film, , debuted last month.
Lion Forge has a multi-year first-look deal with Nickelodeon covering animated series and features; initial projects in development include series in partnership with the Bob Marley Estate, in partnership with Simon & Schuster, and in partnership with Mostapes.Additional strategic partnerships include an alliance with Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House, to develop series and features based on select children’s books.Lion Forge also recently joined forces with George R.
R.Martin () to adapt the renowned novella into an adult animated feature film; set a partnership with TalesVision to expand their short-form YouTube sensation, into a premium long-form series; entered into a first look deal with Oware to identify and develop global kids & family and YA content; and is working with Rebel Girls to develop content around Rebel Girls Sports in the unscripted space.HarbourView’s investment in Lion Forge accentuates the firm’s commitment to targeting the optimal execution for its growing LP base and comes on the heels of numerous major deals.
Last month, HarbourView closed $500 million in debt financing from KKR through a private securitization backed by its diversified, scaled music portfolio.This latest financing expanded on the nearly $500 million in debt financing HarbourView secured in 2024 from KKR-managed insurance vehicles and accounts and other investors.Additional deals closed by HarbourView recently include an $85 million investment alongside Bpifrance in Animaj, the French AI-powered media company specializing in kids & family entertainment, and a partnership with Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios, Flavor Unit and Jesse Collins Entertainment, to finance a slate of Hip Hop biopics, starting with a Queen Latifah biopic, which followed an investment in Usher’s 2024 concert film “Rendezvous in Paris.” Established in 2021, HarbourView Equity Partners has built a diverse portfolio featuring thousands of titles spanning numerous genres, eras, and artists.
With data analytics and value creation at its core, the firm seeks to deliver differentiated returns in partnership with the creative ecosystem.The firm has acquired over 70 music catalogs encompassing over 35,000 songs across both master recordings and publishing income streams.The investment was facilitated by Participant Capital.
Lion Forge Entertainment is represented by Activist Artists Management, who advised on the transaction.Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
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