Starz Distribution
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| Founded |
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| Headquarters | Burbank, California, USA |
Key people | Chris Albrecht, CEO |
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| Website | www |
Starz Distribution (formerly IDT Entertainment, and Starz Media) is the motion picture, animation, television, and home video operating unit of Starz Inc. (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB). Starz Distribution develops, produces, and acquires original programming content (STARZ and AMC), feature films (The Weinstein Company, Anchor Bay Films, RADiUS-TWC), anime (Manga Entertainment) and other filmed entertainment. Distribution methods include DVD, digital formats and traditional television.[1]
On January 4, 2011, The Weinstein Company purchased a 25% stake in the operating unit. While not including TV rights, the deal spans Blu-ray, DVD and VOD, pay-per-view and digital distribution and covers up to 20 TWC and Dimension titles per year. They include The King's Speech, Blue Valentine and Company Men.[2]
Subsidiaries
Starz Distribution's subsidiaries include:
- Anchor Bay Entertainment - distribution division for DVDs and videos.
- Digital Production Solutions (DPS)
- Global Animation Studio - a division of DPS.
- DKP Studios - ownership interest - 3-D animation, and special effects production.
- Starz Media Sales
- Manga Entertainment - distribution of anime.
Minority Stakes
Starz Distribution's minority stakes include:
- Arc Productions - animation and special effects production.
- Archie Comics Entertainment, LLC (5%): entertainment and licensing arm of Archie Comics Publications, LLC;
- POW! Entertainment, Inc. (Minority interest): Stan Lee's production company;
- POW! Entertainment, LLC: subsidiary of POW! Inc.;
- QED Production
- Vanguard Animation (Minority interest);
- Joint venture with NorthStar Entertainment Group, Inc., a subsidiary of the Christian Broadcasting Network.
Animated films
Starz Distribution/IDT Entertainment have been in charge of the animation production for the following films:
- Hair High (2004; with Plymptoons)
- The Happy Elf (2005; with Film Roman & NBC)
- Hellboy: Sword of Storms (2006; with Revolution Studios)
- Everyone's Hero (2006; with 20th Century Fox)
- Stan Lee Presents: Mosaic (2007; with POW Entertainment & Anchor Bay)
- The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie (2008; with Big Idea Productions & Universal Pictures)
- Space Chimps (2008; with Vanguard Animation & 20th Century Fox)
- Dante's Inferno: An Animated Epic (2010; with Production I.G)
- The Legend of Secret Pass (2010; with JC2 Animated Entertainment)
- Gnomeo & Juliet (2011; with Touchstone Pictures)
- Dead Space: Aftermath (2011; with Pumpkin Studio, Visceral Games, & Electronic Arts)
Live-action films
- Jericho (2001)
- It Waits (2006)
- Room 6 (2006)
- Queen Sized (2008)
- Lower Learning (2008)
- Blue Seducton (2009)
- Table for Three (2009)
- The Dog Who Saved Christmas (2009)
- A Nanny for Christmas (2010)
- The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation (2010)
- Bolden! (2011) (distributor only; produced by Lionsgate Films)
- The Dog Who Saved Halloween (2011)
History
In May 2004, IDT Entertainment purchased a minority share in POW! Entertainment with exclusive distribution rights to POW's animated DVD properties and joint development of 6 cartoon films.[3] On May 16, 2006, IDT agreed to sell its IDT Entertainment division to Liberty Media "for all of Liberty Media's interests in IDT, $186 million in cash and the assumption of existing indebtedness."[4] On August 31, 2006, the sale of all of IDT Entertainment's US operations and several international operations was completed. "The remainder of the deal, to include the Canadian and Australian operations, is expected to be closed in the next few weeks after regulatory approval has been given."[5] This sale was completed on September 29, 2006.[6] On January 4, 2011, Starz, LLC has agreed to sell 25% of Starz Media to The Weinstein Company.[7] On January 11, 2013, Liberty Media Corp completed the "spin-off" of its Starz Entertainment segment as a separate entity. Under this new structure, the entity that was known as "Starz Media" became Starz Distribution.[8]
References
- ^ "Starz (STRZA.O)". Reuters. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ "Weinstein Company Acquires 25 Percent Stake in Starz Media". The Hollywood Reporter. January 4, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ Graser, Marc (May 7, 2004). "IDT joins Lee in POW! to distrib toon DVDs". Daily Variety. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
- ^ IDT Corporation - Press Releases
- ^ UK Film and Television News - Liberty Completes First Stage of IDT Acquisition
- ^ "Liberty Completes Final Stage of IDT Entertainment Acquisition". IDT Corporation. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
{{cite web}}:|archive-url=is malformed: flag (help) - ^ "Weinsteins Buy 25% Stake In Starz Media". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ "Liberty Media Corporation and Starz Announce Completion of Spin-Off". Reuters. Retrieved January 11, 2013.