Release the Hounds pair form prodco

The co-creators of horror-gameshow Release the Hounds have formed Dr Pluto, a new UK prodco that is backed by FremantleMedia.

Sam Pollard (top) and James Abadi (below) developed Release the Hounds while at Gogglebox, the Sony-backed prodco that was recently wound up.

Announcing the new company, the Dr Pluto founders said they want to reinvigorate a creative process that has become ‘too heavily bound by genres and time slots’.

FremantleMedia has a 25% stake in the new business and an option to increase its stake.

Pollard said: “James and I delineate ourselves by an ideology rather than by a genre: that ideology is original, subversive, clever and playful. We’ve created the character of Dr Pluto to personify these values.”

Abadi said: “As well as developing cross-genre, we want to develop the very idea of genre.”

He added that there is a feeling in the industry that change is needed: “We’re not the only ones who want change,” he said. “There is real desire within the industry for a new wave of bravery and creativity and we want to be at the vanguard.”

FremantleMedia has been actively buying into prodcos around the world in recent times and Dr Pluto will join its creative network.

Caroline Murphy, director of strategy and M&A, FremantleMedia, said: “Sam and James have a big vision for Dr Pluto, they are bold and disruptive and exactly the kind of creative talent we want in our network.”