Lionsgate Home Entertainment

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lionsgate Home Entertainment
TypeDivision
IndustryHome video
PredecessorVidmark Entertainment
Trimark Home Video
Artisan Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment
Founded2001 (2001)
Headquarters
Santa Monica, California
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
ProductsHome video
ServicesFilm distribution
ParentLionsgate
DivisionsFamily Home Entertainment (2004–2005)
Lionsgate Family Entertainment (2005–present)
Vestron Video
SubsidiariesManga Entertainment US
Websitewww.lionsgate.com

Lionsgate Home Entertainment (formerly Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment and Lions Gate Home Entertainment) is the home video distribution arm of Lionsgate.

Background[]

Before LGHE was formed, the company's video releases were distributed by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment. Lionsgate Films decided to create two home video labels: Avalanche Home Entertainment, which released smaller Canadian B-movies on video and DVD; and Sterling Home Entertainment (a joint venture with Scanbox International, a Danish film company), which released American low-budget movies on video and DVD in the late 1990s. In June 2000, Lionsgate purchased Trimark Pictures and its in-house home video unit. These three companies: Avalanche, Sterling, and Trimark Home Video were merged into Lions Gate Home Entertainment in 2001. In 2003, Lionsgate acquired Artisan Entertainment, thus expanding Lionsgate's home video library.

Its library of more than 8,000 films owes some of its size to output deals with other studios. Mainly concerned with the distribution of the Lions Gate film library, it also distributed Mattel's Barbie-branded videos, as well as Clifford the Big Red Dog videos from Scholastic, Stickin' Around videos from Nelvana, and MGA Entertainment,.[1] Lionsgate Home Entertainment also previously distributed videos from HIT Entertainment[2] and Jim Henson Home Entertainment[3] until 2012 and 2014 respectively when the studios made new deals with Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment. Through Artisan, the company also released the back catalog of ITC Entertainment until 2013, when ITC's successor-in-interest ITV Studios Global Entertainment signed a deal with Shout! Factory.

In 2001, in Quebec it was renamed Crystal Films, and in Ontario and other provinces, Maple Pictures.

In August 2001, Lions Gate Home Entertainment signed a deal with DIC Entertainment to distribute their back catalogue of animated titles on video and DVD in the United States, replacing DIC's long time partner Buena Vista Home Entertainment.[4] The partnership only lasted a year, as in 2003 DIC started to distribute their shows through the Sterling Entertainment Group (no connection to the ex-Lionsgate subsidiary Sterling Home Entertainment) and later other distribution companies like Shout! Factory, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and NCircle Entertainment.

Lionsgate's movies are released on DVD, Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray as well as on the PSP through Universal Media Disc.

Since 2012, LGHE started distributing Summit Entertainment releases as a result of Lionsgate acquiring that company.

On August 4, 2008, Lionsgate announced that it had completed a deal with Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment to acquire the distribution rights to several ABC Studios/Touchstone Television shows including According to Jim, Reaper, Hope & Faith, 8 Simple Rules and Boy Meets World.[5]

Until 2012, Lionsgate also distributed most of the theatrical properties held by Republic Pictures on DVD under license from Paramount Pictures. The deal also expanded to include some non-marquee films originally released by Paramount themselves. Recently, with the folding of Republic, Lionsgate's function was transferred to Olive Films.

On February 11, 2011, Lionsgate and StudioCanal made an agreement to release 550 titles from the Miramax film library worldwide.[6] Following ViacomCBS' acquisition of a 49% stake in Miramax, Paramount Home Entertainment took over the home media rights to the Miramax catalog.

On December 8, 2016, Lionsgate acquired Starz Inc. making Lionsgate the parent company of the North American branches of Anchor Bay Entertainment and Manga Entertainment.[7] The former was folded into Lionsgate Home Entertainment shortly after the buyout and the latter is planned to be relaunched in the near future.[8]

On June 30, 2021, Lionsgate's distribution deal with 20th Century Studios Home Entertainment expired, and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment became the new distributor for Lionsgate's releases in North America, which began on July 1, 2021.[9]

Past names[]

  • Vidmark Entertainment (1984–1997)
  • Trimark Home Video (1997–2000)
  • Family Home Entertainment (1980–2005)
  • U.S.A. Home Video (1983–1986)
  • International Video Entertainment (1986–1990)
  • LIVE Home Video (1990–1995)
  • LIVE Entertainment (1995–1998)
  • Artisan Entertainment (1998–2004)
  • Vestron Video (1981–1992, 2016–present)
  • Children's Video Library (1985–1988)
  • Celebrity Home Entertainment (1986–1998)
  • Just for Kids Home Video (1987–2000)
  • Anchor Bay Entertainment (1985–2017)

References[]

  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ Arnold, Thomas K. (March 25, 2008). "Lionsgate joins the HIT parade". The Hollywood Reporter.
  3. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ "DIC Teams With Lions Gate In Home Video Deal". Animation World Network.
  5. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved November 17, 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ "Lionsgate, Studiocanal and Miramax Enter Into Home Entertainment Distribution Agreements". Yahoo! Finance. February 11, 2011.
  7. ^ Lieberman, David (December 8, 2016). "Lionsgate Closes Deal To Buy Starz". Deadline. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  8. ^ "Manga". www.manga.com.
  9. ^ "Lionsgate Teams with Sony in New Multi-Year Home Entertainment Pact". February 26, 2021.

External links[]

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