On Wednesday, Canal+ announced its strategic emphasis on boosting profits within its European operations and making significant improvements at the African pay-TV powerhouse MultiChoice, which the company recently acquired. This initiative includes a commitment to profitable growth and revitalizing subscriber numbers, particularly after the recent closure of its streaming service, Showmax. While releasing its full-year results for 2025, the parent company of StudioCanal also introduced two key partnerships focused on artificial intelligence, along with an ambitious new collaboration with Sky to foster the development of English-language dramas. “Sky and Canal+ share the same storytelling DNA and ambition to create globally successful Intellectual Property,” the company stated.
Starting in June, Canal+ will utilize technology from OpenAI to enhance content search and discovery within the Canal+ app. This rollout signifies a major advancement aimed at offering a more intuitive, intelligent, and personalized experience for users.
In partnership with Google Cloud, Canal+ has initiated a multi-year collaboration centered on artificial intelligence. This upcoming implementation will deploy Google Cloud’s leading generative AI capabilities across European and African markets, thus opening a new chapter of creative opportunities for the company. Canal+ expects to deliver a “tailor-made entertainment experience informed by Google Cloud’s video indexing technology,” which will significantly enhance the indexing of its vast content library.
Wednesday’s Sky-Canal+ agreement is described as a strategic co-commissioning partnership dedicated to creating premium English-language scripted content. It aims to merge complementary creative talent, shared investments, and international reach to support ambitious storytelling initiatives.
The two companies plan to collaborate on at least two projects annually over the initial three years, jointly financing approved projects to provide a platform for both established and emerging talents. They are set to begin developing a new slate of “tentpole projects” in the upcoming months, emphasizing that this cooperative model aims for wide distribution across Europe and beyond, ensuring a strong market presence for U.K.-led narratives with international appeal.
Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada remarked, “Previous collaborations such as The Young Pope and Zero Zero Zero exemplify the success we can achieve together through this ambitious partnership.”
Sky’s Group CEO, Dana Strong, highlighted the excitement of expanding their existing collaboration with Canal+, stating, “Both Sky and Canal+ have a proven track record in creating premium drama, and through this partnership, we will combine our creative ambitions and expertise at scale.”
Saada added, “We are entering 2026 from a position of strength, clarity, and confidence. Now, we will focus on executing our strategy.”
He continued, “In Europe, we will concentrate on enhancing profitability. In Africa, we aim to position ourselves effectively to reap the continent’s growth potential and transform MultiChoice. We anticipate listing Canal+ on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange soon, marking a significant milestone for our company.”
In terms of content, the company will persist in “enhancing our entertainment platform and content variety,” as demonstrated by its acquisition of a majority stake in Italian producer and distributor Lucky Red. Overall, Canal+ plans to leverage the synergies created from its new scale while maintaining a focus on cost discipline and using AI tools to boost operational efficiency and the entertainment platform through its partnerships with Google Cloud and OpenAI, the CEO concluded.
Full-year 2025 financial results met or exceeded expectations, excluding the acquisition of MultiChoice, Canal+ reported on Wednesday. For 2026, the company forecasts an adjusted EBIT of €735 million and more than €250 million in free cash flow, prior to VAT settlement payments and other restructuring expenses.
