Variety reports that Wheelhouse has acquired Anomaly Entertainment.
Anomaly was originally founded in 2017 by former Discovery Channel commissioners Matthew Kelly and Michael Sorensen. With the acquisition, Kelly and Sorensen will continue to create series and formats across the spectrum. They will also work with Wheelhouse’s sports and investment divisions.
“Few people in the world have had as much success as Matt and Mike on both sides of the buyer-seller aisle,” said Wheelhouse CEO Brent Montgomery. “We see not only a great cultural fit, but also new strength in the Wheelhouse ecosystem, especially in our broader work with athletes, entertainers and creators.”
Anomaly is best known for producing consistent “Shark Week” programming during the annual Discovery programming block. They have produced 40 “Shark Week” shows over the past nine years, including “Shaq Does Shark Week,” “Great White Abyss,” “Jackass Shark Week,” “Shark Trip: Eat, Pray, Chum,” and more. The company also produces “KPop Shark Heroes” starring Ken Jeong and Lei Ami.
“Anomaly has been looking for a partner to help us strategically scale and grow for the future, and landing on Wheelhouse is a full-circle moment,” Kelly and Sorensen said in a joint statement. “We have known Brent for a long time, and he and Wheelhouse not only recognized the value of the business we created, but also created content that elevates talent, especially today’s top creators and athletes, and tells their stories in an exciting and authentic way. We are excited to be part of the Wheelhouse family and are eager to expand Anomaly to new platforms while delivering even greater capabilities to our clients and collaborators.”
Anomaly is a major supplier to Warner Bros. Discovery Channels, including Discovery Network, TLC, ID, HGTV, and Food Network, while also producing programming for Netflix, HBO Max, ESPN+, and NFL Films. They have teamed up with a wide range of celebrities and creators across their projects, including Mark Rober, Tiffany Haddish, Snoop Dogg, Ludkaris, and more.
Anomaly is currently producing series for Discovery, TLC, HGTV, and Food Network, and has numerous other projects in development for streamers and networks.
Prior to launching Anomaly, Kelly and Sorensen were both buyers and producers at Discovery, where they each served as vice president of production and development. They appeared on shows such as “Gold Rush,” “Amish Mafia” and “Skywire Live with Nick Wallenda.”
