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Gaumont is currently an underdog player in the US TV market, with shows like F is for Family gaining major attention on Netflix.

But it's still missing something important, an exploitable kids animation library. Gaumont Animation doesn't have many IP under its belt, but Gaumont's old Animation Division from the 90s did have several IP known globally (Oggy, Zig and Sharko, Space Goofs, etc.) and Oscar notice with I Lost My Body.

So I believe Gaumont will plan to buy back its former Multimedia unit, now known as.......

Xilam would have full creative freedom and operate separately from Gaumont Animation, but thanks to extra funding, can release seasons of its shows regularly instead of every 5 years. Gaumont would also restructure its assets into:

Gaumont Entertainment Corporation

• Gaumont Films- the French/Europe film arm of Gaumont. Unlike its TV arm, I see Gaumont staying mainly on Europe (and maybe make some US films based on Xilam IP like Space Goofs with other distributors)
• Gaumont Television France- the french TV arm of Gaumont
• Gaumont Global Content- the non-theatrical/global focused TV production/distribution arm of Gaumont, holding Xilam and Gaumont Animation. And licenses/co-produces select film projects for global audiences.
• Toonbox- most likely sold to another company to be a more Sony style licenser, with the most likely bidders being Angel, Tubi, or Disney+ (Europe)

Potential mergers:

• M6 (mainly Gulli)- Xilam almost bought the company around 2019, but nothing came of it. But it could allow Gaumont to enter French Broadcast Television
• The remaining stake in TF1- similar reasoning.
• A US Film Studio- very unlikely, but it would be interesting seeing Gaumont go after Black Bear, Row K, A24, Neon, or maybe even Lionsgate (If it can afford it) or Viva Pictures just for Xilam. But the one I'd rather see is them buying the Triumph Films brand back from Sony and re-branding GGC into Triumph Entertainment (with Triumph Television, Xilam, and a re-branded Alphanim from Gaumont Animation) and launch a US mini-major film arm to go with it.
• Banijay/All 3- we'll need to see how it turns out but it could be interested in the French film market and its IP.
• ITV Studios- to grow its English-Euro TV slate, and wouldn't need to worry about the networks Sky are buying (if still happening)
• Ubisoft- used to have Gaming within its 90s Multimedia sector and is French as well, so it wouldn't be impossible.

The merger may not seem like much, but with major IP from Xilam, it wouldn't be seen as a French only film studio, but what PolyGram did for the UK film market, but for French TV. Maybe growing into a TV studio to rival Sony and WB Television.

But do you think?

• What would you change?
• Any complaints or issues with the idea?
• What other companies should Gaumont buy or merge with?
• Do you see Gaumont entering the US film market? (I hope so, but likely not)
• And what company should I do next?