MUMBAI: Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp has shown keen interest in buying out Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), including their James Bond franchise.

Also interested are Sony, Time Warner Inc and Qualia Capital LLC even as MGM has put itself up for sale.

There are talks of the film studio going to a News Corp, Time Warner and Qualia Capital in a joint deal.

MGM has mandated a restructuring specialist to help the ailing company turnaround. The studio faces debt obligations of $3.7 billion stemming from its 2005 buyout, plus payments on a $250 million revolving credit facility due in April next year.

Creditors of the studio are hoping to get at least $2 billion from a single buyer or by selling the assets separately.

It was only last week that MGM, in a statement, had said that it was exploring a potential sale of the company as lenders extended the payback time till 31 January. It said its other options include operating as a stand-alone entity or forming strategic partnerships.

MGM was purchased from majority owner Kirk Kerkorian for $2.85 billion by a group including private equity firms Providence Equity Partners; TPG; DLJ Merchant Banking Partners, a unit of Credit Suisse; and Quadrangle Group; and media firms Sony and Comcast Corp. The group also assumed a debt of $2 billion.

The risk now is that MGM might well end up being broken up, but a decision has to emerge by 31 January when the bankers are going to step in.