Germany’s MoviePilot Purchased by French Webedia Promoting U.S. Expansion

French online publishing company Webedia, already owner of 15 websites with 21 million unique visitors per month, has purchased Germany’s largest film dedicated website MoviePilot.de. The deal has earned Moviepilot’s investors a net of about $20 million, freeing up the founders to focus on the more popular MoviePilot.com which reaches American audiences.

Founded in 2007, Moviepilot boasts being among the world’s fastest growing film communities. The German site, the company’s first launch, recorded 5 million unique users and 11 million hits per month in the first quarter of 2014, but that is dwarfed by the 40 million monthly views that the U.S. site garners. Selling the control of the German site has awarded the company the opportunity to focus its attention on the American market.

“We are delighted with the success of the Moviepilot management team in recent years,” said lead investor Bernhard Gold. “Webedia is the perfect partner for MoviePilot.de in Germany, while the founders can concentrate on U.S. expansion.”

Already in control of sites ranging from Brazil to the Middle East and throughout Europe, Webedia is new to the German market in its quest to become an international leader in online entertainment. The U.S. business for MoviePilot will continue working out of Berlin and Los Angeles.