Wednesday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Paramount’s Dutton Ranch gets extension

Paramount+ has extended Yellowstone spin off Dutton Ranch into a second season.

The Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser-starring show amassed 12.9 million viewers globally in the seven days following its premiere, Paramount said, making it the biggest original series launch in Paramount+ history.

The series tracks Yellowstone characters Beth and Rip as they fight to build a future together in Texas, battling locals to gain a foothold in the ruthless ranching industry.

Paramount Television Studios and 101 Studios produce.

Cineflix Rights strikes 250-hour deal in France

French streamer CMA Media has acquired a 250-hour package of shows from Cineflix Rights, including true crime shows Cult Justice, Cold Blood and Homicide: Hours to Kill S3.

Other deals include Bell Media in Canada taking Kobe: The Making of a Legend, while domestic sibling Quebecor Content has added Top of the Block alongside S7 of Property Brothers.

Sabrina Ayala, sales consultant for Iberia, Italy, French-speaking Europe, and French Canada, brokered the deals.

Ponies brought to a halt on Peacock

Peacock has axed its Moscow-based scripted series Ponies after just one season.

The show was set in the 1970’s and followed two ‘persons of no interest’ - aka Ponies - who become CIA agents in Russia after their husbands appear to be mysteriously killed.

David Iserson and Susanna Fogel created the series and were showrunners, with Universal TV acting as studio.

ProSieben’s SevenVentures invests in mobility firm

SevenVentures, the investment arm of ProSiebenSat.1 Media, is taking a stake in Munich-based mobility company Finn as part of a media-for-equity deal.

Financial details have not been revealed but the investment involves media worth “mid double-digit millions” and comes amid a broader €100m (£86m) Series D funding round for Finn.

It will provide expanded ad reach for the mobility firm, which is now valued at north of €1bn.