The Acorn Media Group has announced the purchase of a majority stake in Agatha Christie’s literary estate.
Acorn Media currently distributes the Poirot and Marple ITV titles on DVD and blu-ray, but has recently expanded into original programming with Foyle’s War.
Acorn Media Group Chairman Peter Edwards: “This is a momentous occasion for Acorn Media and a gratifying one for me personally. While we are keenly aware of the financial and strategic worth of this transaction for Acorn Media, we are also grateful to partner with the Agatha Christie family in the promoting and protecting of their family legacy.”
This gives them the rights to more than 80 novels and short story collections, 19 plays, a film library of nearly 40 TV films, and iconic characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, among many others.
Acorn now has 64%, with the remaining 36% still belonging to Agatha Christie family with Mathew Prichard, Agatha Christie’s grandson, as the Chairman of Agatha Christie Limited.
Prichard: “My family and I are delighted to be forming a new partnership with Acorn Media, which I am sure will continue the successful history of the company, and produce much more Agatha Christie material for fans everywhere, particularly in the U.S. I remain grateful to my colleagues at Chorion for nearly 13 years of fruitful partnership.”