TORONTO – Bell Media streaming service Crave and award-winning producer New Metric Media announced Wednesday they are following up the success of Letterkenny and spinoff show Shoresy with a new multi-year creative partnership with award-winning actor, creator and producer Jared Keeso.
The exclusive content deal encompasses 49 new episodes for Crave, including Letterkenny spinoffs, and the development of all-new series with Keeso.
In addition to the content commitment, the companies continue to collaborate on existing and new ancillary brand extensions, including merchandise and live productions, a Bell Media press release says.
“We are thrilled to extend the legacy of Jared Keeso through this creative pact with our partners at New Metric Media,” Justin Stockman, vice-president of content development and programming at Bell Media, said in the release. “Letterkenny and Shoresy are consistently among the most-watched series on Crave, which is a testament to Jared’s creative vision, and keen ability to create groundbreaking, culturally relevant content. This deal marks a starting point of what’s sure to be another defining era in comedy.”
“We are excited to break new comedic ground on this landmark pact with creative powerhouse Jared Keeso and our content partners at Crave,” said Mark Montefiore, founder and CEO of New Metric Media. “This deal exponentially builds our 360-degree comedy ecosystem strategy for many years to come.”
Letterkenny, Crave’s first-ever original series, premiered in 2016 and has delivered 81 episodes and eight specials, amassing 12 Canadian Screen Awards along the way. Shoresy was recently renewed for a third season, bringing its total episode count to 18.
The Letterkenny phenomenon has expanded its reach beyond the small screen with merchandise including Funko POPs, Letterkennyopoly, and Puppers Golden Lager, as well as live productions including the Letterkenny Live! North American tour and the live standup comedy shows Letterkenny Presents.
New Metric Media handles international distribution for Letterkenny and Shoresy and has licensed the shows in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Germany and Scandinavia.
For any new projects coming out of the new creative pact, Bell Media is the distributor, while New Metric Media is the exclusive sales agent, according to the release.
Photo of Letterkenny’s Jared Keeso borrowed from Bell Media’s website.
