Candle Media, the next-generation media company designed for the digital age and backed by investment capital from funds managed by Blackstone's flagship private equity business, announced the closing of negotiations to acquire Exile Content Studio, a global entertainment company that creates Spanish and English premium content on multiple platforms.

Led by its Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs, two of the entertainment industry's top executives, Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, Candle Media works to position leading entertainment companies for accelerated and sustainable growth in the marketplace by operating successfully at the intersection of content, community and commerce.

From the company, they highlight:

Candle is an independent and friendly home for creators, brands and innovative franchises of high quality that define categories.

“Exile has established itself as a leader in Spanish-language content, with close relationships with exceptional artists and creators, extensive multi-platform production, close relationships with its digital audiences, and digital commerce expertise. We are thrilled to be a part of the tremendous growth Exile has ahead of it,” said Mayer and Staggs.

About Exile Content Studio

Exile was founded in 2019 by Isaac Lee, a renowned Chief Content Officer at Univision and Televisa, with the goal of creating content that showcases the experiences and voices of diverse Spanish-speaking communities around the world.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, it quickly grew into a world-class studio producing feature films, television shows, scripted and unscripted, music products, podcasts, and innovative business with digital communities.

The Exile team has led content production for the world's largest Spanish-language media companies with responsibility for movie studios, OTT service, broadcast and cable networks, music, news and digital. The company includes award-winning talent across all genres and formats.

“Exile's vision is to create content that not only resonates with Spanish speakers, but also universal audiences. We have spent the last three years building a very strong network of creative talent and intellectual property, and partnering with Candle will allow us to accelerate our strategy,” stated Lee.

Lee's management team will continue to oversee Exile's day-to-day operations.

Some of the most recent Exile productions:

• The series “Todo Va Estar Bien,” co-produced with Diego Luna for Netflix.
• The documentary series “Un Sueño Real,” in association with the journalist Ana Pastor for HBO.
• “Gente Sana,” a six-part documentary series hosted by J Balvin for NBC Studios on Peacock.
• The scripted series “The Illusionist Club,” in association with Moxie 88.
• The feature film “The Coup,” in association with AP Productions.
• “Sacred Scandal” crime podcast, in association with iHeartMedia.
• The launch of the Lil' Heroes NFT collection in collaboration with Spanish artist Edgar Plans.

Exile New Products 

Among its most recent moves, Exile acquired Dixo, a Spanish-language podcast network and production company. 

It also launched two new divisions: Exile Music, backed by world-renowned Colombian artist Fonseca, and Exile Kids, focused on Spanish-language animation and family entertainment. Additionally, he recently announced a development deal with Academy Award winner Benicio del Toro.

For its part, Exile also owns the intellectual property of the famous character “Manolito Gafotas,” whose books have been translated into more than 20 languages in 22 countries.