Jeffrey Katzenberg's WndrCo Raises $1 Billion for Mobile Content Platform

Jeffrey Katzenberg’s tech startup WndrCo has completed a billion-dollar capital raise for the mobile-first content platform that it announced earlier this year.

Currently titled “NewTV,” the platform counts every major Hollywood studio as an investor, as well as tech giant Alibaba, the company said Tuesday.

“It is exciting to see Hollywood embracing this new technology distribution platform built for the way we watch today,” Katzenberg said in a statement.

Also Read: Jeffrey Katzenberg Raises Nearly $600 Million for New Mystery Venture

“With NewTV, we’ll give consumers a user-friendly platform, built for mobile, that delivers the best stories, created by the world’s top talent, allowing users to make the most of every moment of their day,” added NewTV CEO Meg Whitman, former head of Hewlett Packard Enterprise and onetime California gubernatorial candidate.

Studio investors include Disney, Entertainment One, Fox, ITV, Lionsgate, MGM, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Viacom and Warner Media. The series round was led by strategic investors The Goldman Sachs Group, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Liberty Global and Madrone Capital.

Reports last fall said Katzenberg was seeking around $2 billion for his first financing round, as analysts marveled at his ability to secure facetime with leading content and distribution companies all seeking to build or acquire similar platforms.

Disney CEO Bob Iger, whose monolith is currently developing an OTT streaming service, said Tuesday he was “pleased to be part of this promising venture that will serve audiences with high-quality, short-form content designed especially for mobile viewing.”

No slate titles or talent deals were immediately announced.

Whitman joined the NewTV venture in January, stepping down from her duties as CEO at HPE. She remains on that board, and also holds board seats with Dropbox, Proctor & Gamble, Teach For America and The Nature Conservancy.

Katzenberg is a longtime Hollywood C-suite figure, having served as chairman at Disney, then founding DreamWorks where he headed the animation operation.

16 Disney Live-Action Remakes of Animated Hits in the Works (Photos)

Disney will be pumping out live-action versions of their animated classics for a long time time to come. Here's a list of titles in the works, including the release date of the original.
"Jungle Cruise"

Okay, okay, "Jungle Cruise" might not count as live-action film based on a previously animated classic, but it is based on a ride at Disneyland, so we're going to include it. Plus, we'll take any chance to talk about Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt in the same sentence. It will hit theaters July 24, 2020.
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"The Little Mermaid"
So now we're getting into films that are in some stage of development but haven't necessarily been slated for release. After all, Disney has so many untitled films slated, it's hard to count. But a live-action version of "The Little Mermaid" has been long discussed, as it is arguably one of the most popular and profitable movies in Disney's vault. Rob Marshall is on board direct, with Halle Bailey set to star as Ariel and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula.
Disney
"Pinocchio"

"Pinocchio" is also in the works, with Tom Hanks playing Geppetto.
Getty Images/Disney
"Snow White"
Forget her sister -- the original baddest chick in the Disney animated kingdom is coming back for her own standalone film. It was announced at the end of October 2016.
Disney
"The Jungle Book 2"
This is a no-brainer follow-up to Favreau's hit from spring 2016, based on the animated classic released in 1967.
Disney
"Snow White"
Forget her sister -- the original baddest chick in the Disney animated kingdom is coming back for her own standalone film. It was announced at the end of October 2016.
Disney
"Aladdin"
"Hercules"
Disney
"Peter Pan"
Neverland will get a practical set if Disney has its way updating the 1953 animated film.
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"James and the Giant Peach"
In one of the more interesting adaptations, this beloved Roald Dahl book became a quirky claymation hit for Disney in 1996 with director Henry Selick. Heavy dramatist director Sam Mendes was attached to take a stab at it, but he has since dropped out.
YouTube
"Hunchback"

In early 2019, a live-action film based on 1996's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" was announced. Tony-winning playwright David Henry Hwang was tapped to pen the script, with Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz handling the music.
Disney
"Tinker Bell"

This movie has also been in the works for quite some time, with Reese Witherspoon attached as the cute little fairy from "Peter Pan."
Disney
"Bambi"

In January 2020, Disney hired Geneva Robertson-Dworet (“Captain Marvel") and Lindsey Beer (“Sierra Burgess Is a Loser”) to write the script for the live-action remake of the 1942 animated classic.
"Oliver Twist"
While Disney never formally made a direct animated take on Charles Dickens' beloved orphan, the studio did release the adorable 1988 "Oliver and Company," inspired by Dickens' tale but told with animals. The studio also made a small-screen live-action version in 1997 with Richard Dreyfuss.
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"Lilo & Stitch"

This project was announced in October 2018 with Mike Van Waes attached to pen the script. Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich of Rideback are producing. In November of last year, it was announced that Jon M. Chu was in early talks to direct.
Disney
"The Lion King" Sequel

In September, it was announced that Barry Jenkins would direct the follow-up to Jon Favreau's 2019 hit. The logline is being kept under wraps, but Deadline reported that the film will explore the mythology of the other characters in Pride Rock, including Mufasa’s origin story.

No release date for the next film has been set, and it’s unclear when production would begin. No cast has been set either.

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The studio is raiding its vault to remake classics including ”The Little Mermaid“

Disney will be pumping out live-action versions of their animated classics for a long time time to come. Here's a list of titles in the works, including the release date of the original.

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16 Disney Live-Action Remakes of Animated Hits in the Works (Photos)

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