Waiting period expires to pave way for major indie acquisition.

Entertainment One has announced that it now has clearance to acquire Alliance Films for CAD$225m ($228m) as the applicable waiting period under the Canadian Competition Act has expired.

The indie merger will create a group operating across Canada, the UK, Benelux, Australia, the US and Spain.

The deal for Alliance will give it Canadian rights to around 11,000 titles including The Hunger Games.

The agreement was first announced in September, following months of speculation. eOne CEO Darren Throop then told Screen that it would be “some months” before the company announced the personnel makeup of the combined Entertainment One - Alliance Films operation.