Bleecker Street Acquired by Outerlight Entertainment, Formerly First Look

Bleecker Street, the indie distribution label behind releases like Alex Gibney’s documentary “Musk,” Mike Leigh’s “Tender Loving Care,” Guy Nattiv’s “The Liberation,” last year’s “Spinal Tap II,” “Rebuilding,” and many more titles, has been acquired by Outerlight Entertainment, formerly known as First Look. The acquisition comes after the distributor’s founder and then-CEO, Andrew Karpen, died from an aggressive form of brain cancer at the age of 59 in May 2025. The Bleecker Street brand joins Outerlight’s Topic Studios, but the two labels will continue to operate separately. Bleecker Street CEO Kent Sanderson and its president and chief marketing officer Tyler DiNapoli will remain with the banner. The release announcing the deal also states that Bleecker plans to retain control of its current slate without disruption, along with its other acquisitions, filmmaker relationships, and marketing and distribution operations. “Bleecker Street is growing, and our ambition is to continue scaling the company while staying true to what has always made us distinctive,” said Sanderson in a statement. “Outerlight shares our belief in the power of cinema and the importance of theatrical moviegoing, and its long-term backing gives us additional capacity to pursue the opportunities we see across our core film business as well as compelling new avenues in the film space. We’re excited about what we can build from here.” Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. Among Outerlight’s portfolio, the company also owns Topic Studios and Puzzle Pictures, with investments in MHz Choice and Passionflix. More to come…