Howard and Karen Baldwin launch HKT Entertainment & Sports Group with backing from Thessalon First Nation

WASHINGTON, 13 OCTOBER 2026 —

Hollywood Powerhouse HKT Entertainment & Sports Group Launches With Historic Indigenous Backing, Marking First Canadian First Nations Investment in Film Fund

The move comes as part of a broader reckoning in Canada’s entertainment sector, where First Nations communities—long marginalized in film and media—are now positioning themselves as active stakeholders rather than passive subjects. Thessalon First Nation, an Ojibwe community in Ontario’s Algoma District, is leveraging its share of the 2023 CAD$10 billion settlement—a historic backdated payment of annuities promised under the 1850 Robinson-Huron Treaty but withheld for 150 years—to co-finance HKT.

This is the first time a First Nation has directly invested in a film fund, marking a turning point for Indigenous representation behind and in front of the camera.

At its core, HKT will develop commercial entertainment projects rooted in First Nations narratives, alongside mainstream content across film, television, digital media, podcasts, Broadway, live events, and sports programming. The company’s inaugural slate includes a multi-season epic series in the vein of Roots, chronicling the history and origins of First Nations peoples, developed in direct collaboration with community members.

This project alone underscores HKT’s dual mission: to produce award-winning, marketable content while ensuring Indigenous voices shape its creative direction.

The Broadway revival of Damn Yankees—a production spearheaded by George Steinbrenner’s granddaughter Haley Swindal and starring Neil Patrick Harris, Austin Scott, and Julianne Hough—will serve as HKT’s first major theatrical venture. The revival, which earned 13 Helen Hayes Award nominations (winning eight, including Best Musical) after a sold-out run at Washington’s Arena Stage, demonstrates HKT’s ambition to bridge Hollywood’s commercial machine with Indigenous cultural storytelling. The company’s founders emphasize that sustainability—not just financing—is key.

"Independent filmmaking has traditionally required producers to reinvent the wheel every time," Howard Baldwin told reporters. "This fund gives us an opportunity to build something more sustainable: a home for commercial projects we believe in and a pipeline for getting those stories made."

Todd Slater, whose 150-film credits include recent hits like The Optimist and Bella, framed HKT as more than a financing vehicle. "The objective isn’t simply to finance and develop movies and television series," he said.

"It’s to build a disciplined investment platform and content-focused multimedia company around an experienced producing operation." Slater highlighted the diversification benefits of a portfolio-driven approach, where capital flows into films, TV, digital content, and emerging media formats—all under HKT’s production infrastructure.

For Thessalon First Nation, the partnership represents both economic empowerment and cultural reclamation. In a statement, the community described HKT as an opportunity to "participate directly in the global entertainment business alongside an experienced Hollywood team." The alignment with HKT’s values—perseverance, opportunity, and the triumph of the human spirit—resonated deeply, the statement noted, adding that the collaboration would ensure stories are told "on our own terms."

The Baldwins, whose producing credits span Academy Award-nominated films like Ray and Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story, as well as sports documentaries such as Swimming Upstream and The Game of Their Lives, bring decades of industry clout to the venture. Karen Baldwin reinforced the collaborative ethos: "Our partners aren’t simply investing in a collection of films and television or new media.

We’re building a business together—and we want that business to stand for something." The emphasis on shared values over purely financial returns reflects a growing trend in Hollywood, where impact investing and cultural authenticity are increasingly intertwined.

The launch of HKT arrives against the backdrop of Canada’s ongoing reconciliation efforts, where the entertainment industry—long accused of appropriating Indigenous narratives—is now being courted as a vehicle for economic justice. The CAD$10 billion settlement, part of broader treaty obligations, has unlocked new capital for First Nations to invest in sectors traditionally dominated by non-Indigenous entities.

Thessalon’s decision to back HKT is a strategic gambit: by partnering with seasoned producers, the community gains access to global distribution networks, while HKT gains authentic, commercially viable content with built-in audience appeal.

Industry observers note that HKT’s model could serve as a blueprint for other First Nations seeking to monetize their cultural heritage without compromising creative control. "This isn’t just about funding a few films," said Slater.

"It’s about creating an ecosystem where Indigenous stories are not only told but thrive in every medium." The company’s expansion into sports programming—a sector where Indigenous athletes and histories have been historically underrepresented—further broadens its scope, potentially attracting partnerships with leagues and broadcasters eager to diversify their content.

As HKT prepares to announce additional projects, including the Roots-style series and potential international co-productions, the company’s founders stress that scalability and cultural integrity will remain non-negotiable. "We’re not in the business of tokenism," Howard Baldwin said.

"We’re in the business of storytelling that matters—both artistically and commercially." With Thessalon First Nation’s backing and the Baldwins’ industry pedigree, HKT is poised to redefine how Indigenous narratives are produced, distributed, and consumed in the global entertainment market.

The next phase will see HKT finalizing its first slate of productions, with early talks underway for international co-financing deals and streaming partnerships. The company’s Broadway revival of Damn Yankees is set to premiere in early 2027, while the First Nations epic series remains in development, with community consultations ongoing.

For an industry long criticized for its treatment of Indigenous peoples, HKT’s launch offers a rare glimpse of collaboration over exploitation—one that could reshape Hollywood’s relationship with Canada’s First Nations for decades to come.