Byron Allen's Freestyle Digital Media acquires mystery thriller The Third Degree for July release on major streaming platforms

Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution arm of Byron Allen's Allen Media Group, has acquired the North American video-on-demand rights to The Third Degree, a psychological mystery thriller set for release on digital HD internet, cable and satellite platforms on July 10, 2026, with a DVD release to follow on July 14.

The acquisition was negotiated directly with the filmmakers and sales agent Giulia Prenna of Mind the GAP Productions, with Freestyle Digital Media securing rights to distribute the film across the major North American digital platforms that Allen Media Group accesses through its distribution infrastructure.

The Third Degree centres on a writer-director named William who invites three former classmates from an English dramatic academy to star in a murder mystery he has written. The group convenes to rehearse inside an old London theatre where hidden secrets and personal histories among the cast begin to surface. Their real-life tensions unfold alongside the story of the play itself, which is set in 1922, and the line between the two begins to blur in increasingly dangerous ways. The film is directed by Ryan Little from a screenplay by McKay Daines, who also produced alongside Steven A. Lee. The cast includes James Barrington, Eric Geynes, Tom Hutch and Nicola Posener.

"The Third Degree is a psychological puzzle box wrapped in a classic murder mystery," Little said. "It explores the dark side of ambition when the characters they create refuse to stay on the page. It is a story about control, manipulation, and the deadly consequences of blurring art with real life."

The acquisition extends Allen Media Group's consistent pattern of adding independent genre titles to Freestyle's digital catalogue. Freestyle Digital Media distributes across platforms including iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Google Play, Tubi, Peacock and Xumo, giving independent productions access to the full breadth of the North American digital streaming ecosystem without requiring a theatrical release.

Allen, 63, founded Allen Media Group in 1993, originally as Entertainment Studios, and has built it into one of the largest Black-owned media companies in the United States. The group operates 11 television networks including The Weather Channel, which Allen acquired from IBM for $300 million in 2018, as well as local television stations in major markets across the country. Allen Media Group's television station portfolio grew significantly when Allen acquired Byron Allen Media, adding CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox and MyNetworkTV affiliates in markets including San Francisco, Houston, Miami and Seattle. Allen's net worth is estimated at approximately $10 billion, making him one of the wealthiest Black Americans in business and one of the most prominent independent media owners in the United States.

Freestyle Digital Media operates as the independent film distribution wing of the group, acquiring and distributing feature films across genre categories including thriller, horror, action and documentary. Its model allows independent filmmakers to access major digital platforms without the costs or timelines associated with traditional theatrical distribution. The Third Degree represents one of several acquisitions Freestyle has completed in the first half of 2026 as the division continues building its digital catalogue.