BuzzFeed Sells Huge Library of Shows, Including ‘Hot Ones,’ to FilmRise

Episodes of Sean Evans’ “Hot Ones,” the hit YouTube series in which celebs try to ingest increasingly spicy buffalo wings, have a new home.

FilmRise, the film, TV and streaming network, acquired worldwide digital media rights to a library of content from BuzzFeed Studios, including past episodes of “Hot Ones.” All told, the library deal comprises more than 1,200 hours of content, including other titles such as “BuzzFeed Unsolved: True Crime,” “BuzzFeed Unsolved: Supernatural” and “Worth It.”

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BuzzFeed previously licensed many of those shows to Hulu in the U.S., and for now those titles will remain on Hulu, a BuzzFeed spokeswoman said.

“Hot Ones” originally launched in 2015 on YouTube and immediately became a viral sensation. The show, which BuzzFeed picked up through the acquisition of Complex, recently marked its 300th episode. Past guests have included Jennifer Lawrence — who said she “violently” vomited after appearing on the show — Charlize Theron, Gordon Ramsay, Ricky Gervais, John Mayer, Billie Eilish and the members of NSYNC.

“BuzzFeed and Complex carry a library of content that taps into the zeitgeist of today’s culture by taking an innovative perspective to traditional formats, whether that be the unique way ‘Hot Ones’ approaches the classic talk show format or ‘BuzzFeed Unsolved’ takes on the true crime genre,” said Jonitha Keymoore, VP of Global Content Acquisitions at FilmRise. “These titles already have a strong audience following and now, we are thrilled to bring them to everyone, worldwide.”

Nick Wang, senior VP of business development and partnerships at BuzzFeed, commented, “This deal with FilmRise marks a milestone for our series and our studio. We’re excited to expand the footprint of our series to audience across digital platforms around the globe.”

FilmRise is a New York City-based film and television studio and operator of the FilmRise Streaming Network, a portfolio of ad-supported streaming apps and FAST channels. FilmRise distributes content worldwide, invests in original content and works with digital creators to help them monetize their libraries in the greater streaming space. The company was founded in 2012 by veteran producers and financiers Danny Fisher, Jack Fisher and Alan Klingenstein.

Pictured above: Comedian John Mulaney on the 300th episode of “Hot Ones”

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