The established film and television production company Bavaria Film is undergoing a restructuring and will be divided into two separate, autonomous entities. This decision, announced by Chief Executive Christian Franckenstein to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, follows consensus reached by the company’s boards after two years of discussion.
The split will separate the entire production department from the assets, including all real estate and the operational studios on the site. Franckenstein explained that the original structure had become too complex and was no longer competitively compliant.
Bavaria Film’s existing shareholders are the public broadcasters WDR, SWR, MDR, and BR, alongside the Free State of Bavaria, which is represented through the LfA funding bank. The supervisory board, led by WDR Program Director Jörg Schönenborn, approved the restructuring.
The company has been feeling the impact of market changes and declining production budgets for some time, and its revenue recently stagnated. According to Franckenstein, the 2025 revenue stood at €308 million, resulting in a slim profit of just eight million euros. “This is a historic turning point” Franckenstein stated. “Bavaria Film in its previous configuration is now history”.
The 28-hectare campus in Geiselgasteig, Munich, is planned to remain largely a media hub. However, the new real estate division will require new capital. Franckenstein confirmed that the search for investors-potentially media or tech companies, as well as real estate investors-is underway, with a broker commissioned and marketing scheduled to launch in the summer.
Co-CEO Julia Reuter echoed the sentiments, noting that on their side, “complexity consumes creativity”. She expects an upswing for the production segment following the division. The objective of the streamlined setup is to make the production area more efficient and clearly defined.
Bavaria Film and its predecessors were founded in 1919 and have a long history, having produced major films such as “Das Boot” and “Die unendliche Geschichte”.
