Shout! Factory is an American home video and music company founded in 2002 as Retropolis Entertainment. Its video releases include previously released feature films, classic and contemporary television series, animation, live music, and comedy specials. Shout! Factory also owns and operates Shout! Studios, Westchester Films, Timeless Media Group,

Biograph Records Biograph Records is a record label founded in 1967 by Arnold S. Caplin that specialized in early American ragtime, jazz, and blues music. Its reissues includes Bunny Berigan, Bing Crosby, The California Ramblers, Ruth Etting, Benny Goodman, Ear ...

, Majordomo Records, and Video Time Machine.

History

Retropolis Entertainment was founded in April 2002 by Bob Emmer, Garson Foos, and Richard Foos, three principals from

Rhino Records A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species ...

, as the company was negotiating with the five majors for distribution. After selling Rhino to

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

, the three set out to launch a new retro pop culture label. The company's first product was ''Red, White & Rock'', a joint release with

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

station WQED-TV that was produced with

Warner Strategic Marketing Warner Strategic Marketing is a record label that is part of the Warner Music Group. It specializes in compilation albums, much like sister division Rhino Entertainment Company. Unlike Rhino, it does not reissue classic albums in the WMG catalog ...

. In August 2002, Retropolis acquired

. Other early releases included blues and jazz CDs from the Biograph label, a

Fats Domino Antoine Dominique Domino Jr. (February 26, 1928 – October 24, 2017), known as Fats Domino, was an American pianist, singer and songwriter. One of the pioneers of rock and roll music, Domino sold more than 65 million records. Born in New O ...

CD and DVD, and several documentaries (''Superstar: The Life And Times of

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the Art movement, visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore th ...

'', ''What Happened To Kerouac?''). Retropolis was renamed Shout! Factory in April 2003. At that time, Shout had signed a press and distribution agreement with

Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainmen ...

. In 2004, Shout! released ''

Freaks and Geeks ''Freaks and Geeks'' is an American teen drama, teen comedy-drama television series created by Paul Feig and executive producer, executive-produced by Judd Apatow that aired on NBC during the 1999–2000 United States network television schedul ...

'' on DVD, the first television series released on DVD for the company. With 18 episodes, it became one of the most expensive DVDs to produce, costing over a million dollars in music licensing. That same year, they released William Shatner's album ''

Has Been ''Has Been'' (2004) is William Shatner's second musical album after 1968's ''The Transformed Man''. The album was produced and arranged by Ben Folds and most of the songs are co-written by Folds and Shatner, with Folds creating arrangements fo ...

'' and '' SCTV'' box sets. In 2004, Shout! Factory released an expanded two-disc version of

Jim Croce James Joseph Croce (; January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973) was an American folk and rock singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he released five studio albums and numerous singles. During this period, Croce took a series of odd jobs to p ...

's first record, the '' Facets album''. In 2004, Shout! purchased the rights to the animated series '' Home Movies'' and released each season set, and ultimately a complete series box. Other notable releases included a pair of ''

The Electric Company ''The Electric Company'' is an American educational children's television series produced by the Children's Television Workshop (CTW, now known as Sesame Workshop). It was co-created by Paul Dooley, Joan Ganz Cooney, and Lloyd Morrisett. The ...

'' multidisc sets, the re-envisioned

Herb Alpert Herb Alpert (born March 31, 1935) is an American trumpeter who led the band Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass in the 1960s. During the same decade, he co-founded A&M Records with Jerry Moss. Alpert has recorded 28 albums that have landed on the ...

's ''Whipped Cream & Other Delights Rewhipped'', a series of ''

Elvira's Movie Macabre ''Elvira's Movie Macabre'' (titled on-screen as ''Movie Macabre with Elvira, Mistress of the Dark'' in its original run), or simply ''Movie Macabre'', is an American hosted horror movie television program that originally aired locally from 1981 ...

'' DVDs and the first of what would be three cover CDs with

Matthew Sweet Sidney Matthew Sweet (born October 6, 1964) is an American alternative rock/power pop singer-songwriter and musician who was part of the burgeoning music scene in Athens, Georgia, during the 1980s before gaining commercial success in the 1990 ...

and Susanna Hoffs, called '' Under The Covers Vol. 1''; Sweet himself was also added as a featured solo artist. Shout! acquired the rights to several other television series like ''

Punky Brewster ''Punky Brewster'' is an American Situation comedy, sitcom television series about a young girl (Soleil Moon Frye) being raised by a foster parent (George Gaynes). The show ran on NBC from September 16, 1984, to March 9, 1986, and again in Broad ...

'', ''

The Weird Al Show ''The Weird Al Show'' is an American television show hosted by "Weird Al" Yankovic. Produced in association with Dick Clark Productions and taped at NBC Studios, it aired on Saturday mornings on the CBS TV network. The show ran for one season, fr ...

'', and ''

America's Funniest Home Videos ''America's Funniest Home Videos'', also called ''America's Funniest Videos'' (abbreviated as ''AFV''), is an American video clip television series on ABC, based on the Japanese variety show ''Fun TV with Kato-chan and Ken-chan''. The show featur ...

''. In 2005, Shout! Factory obtained the rights to Herb Alpert's catalog, launching the Herb Alpert Signature Series of CDs. These included '' The Lonely Bull'', '' South of the Border'', ''Lost Treasures'', ''

Whipped Cream & Other Delights ''Whipped Cream & Other Delights'' is a 1965 album by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, called "Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass" for this album, released on A&M Records. It is the band's fourth full album and arguably their most popular release. This ...

'' and others. They also got the rights to talk show host Dick Cavett's library and started releasing theme sets focused on rock icons,

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

(including all his visits to the show),

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

and

Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...

, and others. They also jumped into children's animation with a deal with

DIC Entertainment DIC Entertainment Corporation (; also known as DIC Audiovisuel, DIC Enterprises, DIC Animation City, DIC Entertainment, L.P., and DIC Productions), branded as The Incredible World of DIC, was an international film and television production com ...

. '' C.O.P.S. The Animated Series'' and '' Heathcliff And the Catillac Cats'' were the first releases from that deal. On the sports side, they entered into a licensing deal with

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

, releasing themed and

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...

DVDs through 2010 and then again from 2016 till present. By 2007, classic TV on DVD was a major focus, with season sets of '' Blossom'' ''

McHale's Navy ''McHale's Navy'' is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from October 11, 1962, to April 12, 1966, on the ABC television network. The series was filmed in black and white and originate ...

'' and '' Ironside'', an authorized collection of ''

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'' is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from October 3, 1952, to April 23, 1966, and starred the real-life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was brought to television, where it ...

'', and themed and actor-specific editions of ''

Inside the Actors Studio ''Inside the Actors Studio'' is an American talk show that airs on Ovation. The series premiered in 1994 on Bravo where it aired for 22 seasons and was hosted by James Lipton from its premiere until 2018. It is taped at the Michael Schimmel C ...

'' hitting shelves. Meanwhile, they also started releasing Mickey Hart's catalogs. In March 2008, Shout! bought the

Hightone Records HighTone Records was an American independent record label based in Oakland, California, United States. HighTone specialized in American roots music including, country, rockabilly, western swing, blues and gospel. The label was created by Larry ...

catalog and added artists

Tom Russell Thomas George Russell (born 1947/1948) is an American singer-songwriter. Although most strongly identified with the Americana music tradition, his music also incorporates elements of folk, rock, and the cowboy music of the American West. Man ...

, Joe Ely, and

Rosie Flores Rosie Flores (born September 10, 1950) is an American rockabilly and country music artist. Her music blends rockabilly, honky tonk, jazz, and Western swing along with traditional influences from her Tex-Mex heritage. She currently resides in Au ...

to its brand. At the same time, the company was ramping up its place as a children's animation destination and continuing with a TV on DVD schedule. It took over the '' Mystery Science Theater 3000'' DVD series and released a 20th Anniversary set and have continued to put out box sets of episodes never before released on DVD. In 2009, Shout! reached another milestone when it struck a deal with children's TV producers

Hasbro Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational conglomerate holding company incorporated and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of K ...

, releasing the original ''

Transformers ''Transformers'' is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Tomy, Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the Autobots and the Decepticons, two alien robot factions at war that can transform into other forms ...

'' and ''

G.I. Joe ''G.I. Joe'' is an American media franchise and a line of action figures owned and produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier ( U.S. Army), Ac ...

'' animated-series box sets. That same year, it released the first '' My Little Pony'' DVD, ''My Little Pony: Twinkle Wish Collection''. Shout! continued to release several Hasbro properties, including the series '' My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'', until January 1, 2019, when it released its last DVD for that series, ''Hearts and Hooves''. In 2011, Shout! Factory made another landmark deal when they struck a deal with

Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...

to release the live action sitcom ''

Hey Dude ''Hey Dude'' is an American Western comedy series that aired from July 14, 1989 to August 30, 1991 with a total of 65 half-hour episodes produced over five seasons. The show was originally broadcast on Nickelodeon. The series, aimed primarily t ...

'' and the animated Nicktoons ''

Rocko's Modern Life ''Rocko's Modern Life'' is an American animated television series created by Joe Murray for Nickelodeon. The series centers on the surreal life of an anthropomorphic Australian immigrant wallaby named Rocko and his friends: the eccentric stee ...

'', ''

Aaahh!!! Real Monsters ''Aaahh!!! Real Monsters'' is an American animated television series developed by Klasky Csupo for Nickelodeon. The show focuses on three young monsters—Ickis, Oblina, and Krumm—who attend a school for monsters under a city dump and learn to ...

'', ''

Hey Arnold! ''Hey Arnold!'' is an American animated comedy television series created by Craig Bartlett. It originally aired on Nickelodeon from October 7, 1996, to June 8, 2004. The show centers on fourth grader Arnold Shortman, who lives with his grandpar ...

'', ''

The Angry Beavers ''The Angry Beavers'' is an American animated television series created by Mitch Schauer for Nickelodeon. The series revolves around Norbert and Daggett Beaver, two young beaver brothers who have moved out of their parents' home to become bache ...

'', ''

CatDog ''CatDog'' is an American animated television series created by Peter Hannan for Nickelodeon. The series follows the life of yellow conjoined brothers of different species, with one half of the resultant animal being a cat and the other a dog. ...

'', ''

The Wild Thornberrys ''The Wild Thornberrys'' is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, Steve Pepoon, David Silverman, and Stephen Sustarsic for Nickelodeon. The series portrays an American family of wildlife documentary ...

'', ''

The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius ''The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius'' (sometimes shortened to ''Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius'' or commonly ''Jimmy Neutron'') is an American CGI-animated television series. The second installment in the '' Jimmy Neutron'' franchise, it ...

'', and '' Danny Phantom''. In May 2012, Shout! Factory signed an agreement with

Saban Capital Group Saban Capital Group LLC is an American investment firm based in Los Angeles, California focused on media, entertainment, and communications investments. Formed in 2010 by Haim Saban, Saban Capital Group owns Saban Films, part of Univision Comm ...

to distribute the '' Beetleborgs'', '' Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation'', ''

Power Rangers ''Power Rangers'' is an entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live-action superhero television series, based on the Japanese tokusatsu franchise '' Super Sentai''. Produced first by Saban Entertainment, second by BVS E ...

'' and ''

VR Troopers ''VR Troopers'' is a syndicated live action superhero-adventure television series produced and distributed by Saban Entertainment from 1994 to 1996. The show tried to profit from the fascination with virtual reality in the mid-1990s as well as th ...

'' catalogs. It also started releasing titles by Marvel (''Super Hero Squad Show'', ''Marvel Knights''). In the same month, the company acquired Oregon-based home entertainment company

Timeless Media Group Shout! Factory is an American home video and music company founded in 2002 as Retropolis Entertainment. Its video releases include previously released feature films, classic and contemporary television series, animation, live music, and comedy ...

, adding more programs to its expanding catalog, such as ''

The Red Skelton Show ''The Red Skelton Show'' is an American television comedy/variety show that aired from 1951 to 1971. In the decade prior to hosting the show, Richard "Red" Skelton had a successful career as a radio and motion pictures star. Although his televi ...

'', ''

Peter Gunn ''Peter Gunn'' is an American private eye television series, starring Craig Stevens as Peter Gunn with Lola Albright as his girlfriend, Edie Hart. The series aired on NBC from September 22, 1958, to 1960 and on ABC in 1960–1961. The seri ...

'', ''

The Gene Autry Show ''The Gene Autry Show'' is an American western/cowboy television series which aired for 91 episodes on CBS from July 23, 1950 until August 7, 1956, originally sponsored by Wrigley's Doublemint chewing gum. Overview Series star Gene Autry had a ...

'', '' The Virginian'', ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

'', '' Laramie'', and ''

The Roy Rogers Show ''The Roy Rogers Show'' is an American western television series starring Roy Rogers. 100 episodes were broadcast on NBC for six seasons between December 30, 1951 and June 9, 1957. The episodes were set in the prevailing times (1950s) in the st ...

'', among others. In June 2012, Shout! Factory announced a horror label called Scream Factory, specializing in classic and cult horror films on discs such as '' Halloween II'', '' Halloween III: Season of the Witch'', ''

They Live ''They Live'' is a 1988 American science fiction action horror film written and directed by John Carpenter, based on the 1963 short story "Eight O'Clock in the Morning" by Ray Nelson. Starring Roddy Piper, Keith David, and Meg Foster, the fil ...

'', ''

The Howling ''The Howling'' is a 1977 horror novel by Gary Brandner. It was the inspiration for the movie ''The Howling'' (1981), although the plot of the movie was only vaguely similar to that of the book. Brandner published two sequels to the novel, '' T ...

'', '' Lifeforce'', '' Deadly Eyes'', and others. The horror titles, both new and old, were licensed from major studios such as

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

, and

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a ...

. In mid-June 2012, Shout! and

Fred Seibert Frederick (Fred) Seibert (born September 15, 1951) is an American television producer, co-founder of MTV and the CEO of FredFilms, an animation production company based in Burbank, California. His official biography states he has led five (working ...

acquired Video Time Machine, a year and genre media-based iOS app, from Original Victories Inc. In July 2013, Shout! Factory acquired the U.S. and Canadian distribution rights to the

ITC Entertainment The Incorporated Television Company (ITC), or ITC Entertainment as it was referred to in the United States, was a British company involved in production and distribution of television programmes. History Incorporated Television Programme Compan ...

library as part of a deal with

ITV Studios Global Entertainment ITV Studios is a British multinational television production and distribution company owned by the British television broadcaster ITV plc. It handles production and distribution of programmes broadcast on the ITV network and third-party broadca ...

2014–present

In 2014, the success Shout! was having with complete-series box sets of such series as ''

All in the Family ''All in the Family'' is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS for nine seasons, from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. Afterwards, it was continued with the spin-off series ''Archie Bunker's Place'', which picked up where ''All in ...

'', '' Route 66'', and ''

Barney Miller ''Barney Miller'' is an American sitcom television series set in a New York City Police Department police station on East 6th St in Greenwich Village. The series was broadcast on ABC Network from January 23, 1975, to May 20, 1982. It was created ...

'' extended to such properties as ''

The Bob Newhart Show ''The Bob Newhart Show'' is an American sitcom television series produced by MTM Enterprises that aired on CBS from September 16, 1972, to April 1, 1978, with a total of 142 half-hour episodes over six seasons. Comedian Bob Newhart portrays a p ...

'', ''

Hill Street Blues ''Hill Street Blues'' is an American serial police procedural television series that aired on NBC in prime-time from January 15, 1981, to May 12, 1987, for 146 episodes. The show chronicles the lives of the staff of a single police station loca ...

'', and a Blu-Ray release of ''

Pee-Wee's Playhouse ''Pee-wee's Playhouse'' is an American television series starring Paul Reubens as the childlike Pee-wee Herman that ran from 1986 to 1990 on Saturday mornings on CBS, and airing in reruns until July 1991. The show was developed from Reubens's po ...

'' and ''

The Jeffersons ''The Jeffersons'' is an American sitcom television series that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, to July 2, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. ''The Jeffersons'' is one of the longest-running sitcoms in history, ...

''. On May 8, 2014, Shout! announced their acquisition of the rights to ''

WKRP in Cincinnati ''WKRP in Cincinnati'' is an American sitcom television series about the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working ...

'', with the intention of restoring all four seasons of the show "complete" (i.e. complete as legally possible) with their original musical scores. The 2014 release was a monumental event for fans of the show since the original DVD release in 2007 had been mired in squabbles regarding music rights. That same year, Shout! became the distributor of

Super Sentai is a Japanese superhero team metaseries and media franchise consisting of television series and films produced by Toei Company, and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi ("Sentai" is the Japanese word for "task force" or "fighting squadron"). The ...

in North America. Beginning the following year, Shout! released ''

Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger is a Japanese ''tokusatsu'' television series and the sixteenth installment in the long-running ''Super Sentai'' metaseries of superhero programs. Produced by Toei and Bandai, it aired on TV Asahi from February 21, 1992 to February 12, 1993, wi ...

'' under the name ''"Super Sentai Zyuranger: The Complete Series"'' with English subtitles.. In October, Shout! acquired Westchester Films, an independent film company whose library includes the films of

John Cassavetes John Nicholas Cassavetes ( ; December 9, 1929 – February 3, 1989) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. First known as a television and film actor, Cassavetes also helped pioneer American independent cinema, writing and direc ...

, Elia Kazan, and

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

, as well as some early

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stud ...

films that were previously owned by the films' producers.

IFC Midnight IFC Films is an American film production and distribution company based in New York. It is an offshoot of IFC owned by AMC Networks. It distributes mainly independent films under its own name, select foreign films and documentaries under its ...

signed with Scream Factory by February 2015 for home distribution. On February 5, 2015, Shout! Factory launched its flagship TV ad-supported streaming services online and via Roku. Available shows and movies included 16

Werner Herzog Werner Herzog (; born 5 September 1942) is a German film director, screenwriter, author, actor, and opera director, regarded as a pioneer of New German Cinema. His films often feature ambitious protagonists with impossible dreams, people with u ...

films,

Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...

cult films and TV shows including ''

Father Knows Best ''Father Knows Best'' is an American sitcom starring Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin. The series, which began on radio in 1949, aired as a television show for six seasons and 203 episodes. Created by ...

'' and ''

It's Garry Shandling's Show ''It's Garry Shandling's Show'' is an American sitcom that was initially broadcast on Showtime from September 10, 1986 to May 25, 1990. It was created by Garry Shandling and Alan Zweibel. The series is notable for breaking the fourth wall. S ...

''. In June, a minority stake in the company was taken by Cinedigm, while extending their home entertainment platform distribution agreement. Cinedigm and Shout would then relaunch the Factory's streaming service and cross market each other streaming services. On November 10, 2015, Shout! announced that it had acquired the rights to '' Mystery Science Theater 3000'' from Best Brains Inc. and launched a "Bring Back MST3K" Kickstarter with the goal of producing up to 12 new feature-length episodes of the series, with series creator

Joel Hodgson Joel Hodgson (born February 20, 1960) is an American writer, comedian and television actor. He is best known for creating '' Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (''MST3K'') and starring in it as the character Joel Robinson. In 2007, ''MST3K'' was list ...

serving as executive producer. In January 2016,

Concord Bicycle Music Concord Music Group was an American independent music company based in Beverly Hills, California, with worldwide (including the U.S.) distribution through Universal Music Group. The company specialized in recordings (Fearless Records, Concord Re ...

bought the Hightone from the company. The same year, Shout! Factory had released '' The Crush'' of 1993 under subsidiary brand Scream Factory and ''

Long Way North ''Long Way North'' (french: Tout en haut du monde, lit=At the very top of the world) is a 2015 French-Danish animated film directed by Rémi Chayé. The film premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where it won the Audience ...

''. The following year, Shout! (via its Westchester Films division) acquired the domestic rights to the entire library of

Morgan Creek Productions Morgan Creek Entertainment is an American film production company that has released box-office hits including '' Young Guns'', '' Dead Ringers'', '' Major League'', ''True Romance'', '' Ace Ventura: Pet Detective'', '' The Crush'', '' Robin Hood: ...

(with the exception of the original '' Young Guns'', which is still owned by

Lionsgate Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, doing business as Lionsgate, is a Canadian-American entertainment company. It was formed by Frank Giustra on July 10, 1997, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is currently headquartered ...

, successor to the film's international distributor,

Vestron Pictures Vestron Pictures was an American film studio and distributor, a former division of Austin O. Furst, Jr.'s Vestron Inc., that is best known for their 1987 release of '' Dirty Dancing''. The company is a defunct successor corporation of the earli ...

). On January 10, 2017, Shout Factory acquired the worldwide television format and ancillary rights to ''

Starcade ''Starcade'' is an American game show where contestants competed against one another by playing arcade video games. The series originally aired on WTBS from 1982 to 1983, followed by a run in syndication for the following season. The series w ...

'' with plans to reboot the series. On January 17, Shout! Factory announced their acquisition of the broadcast and home media distribution rights for the first three ''

Digimon Adventure tri. is a Japanese adventure anime film series produced by Toei Animation. Celebrating the 15th anniversary of the '' Digimon'' franchise, the six-part series serves as a direct sequel to the first two television series, ''Digimon Adventure'' and ...

'' films with plans for a dual-language release on DVD and Blu-ray. On May 18, Shout! Factory acquired the North American distribution rights to ''

In This Corner of the World is a manga series written and illustrated by Fumiyo Kōno which ran from 2007 to 2009 in ''Weekly Manga Action''. It follows the life of Suzu Urano, a young bride with her new family living on the outskirts of Kure City during the Secon ...

'', with a

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

theatrical release to take place on August 11, 2017, co-released by Funimation Films. In October 2017, it was revealed that Shout! Factory would be the distributor for

GKIDS GKIDS is an American film distributor based in New York with, according to the ''Los Angeles Times'', a focus on "sophisticated, indie" animation. GKIDS releases critically acclaimed, mostly hand-drawn, international films—such as the works o ...

' re-releases of

Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio headquartered in Koganei, Tokyo."Studio Ghibli Collection - Madman Entertainment". ''Studio Ghibli Collection - Madman Entertainment''. Retrieved 2020-12-14. It is best known for its animated feature films, and h ...

films formerly owned by Disney in the US (although Disney has the Asian (including Japan/China/Taiwan) distribution rights themselves, thus replacing the titles' original Japanese theatrical distributors such as

Toho is a Japanese film, theatre production and distribution company. It has its headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Osaka-based Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group. Outside of Japan, it is best known as the producer ...

, Toei and

Shochiku () is a Japanese film and kabuki production and distribution company. It also produces and distributes anime films, in particular those produced by Bandai Namco Filmworks (which has a long-time partnership—the company released most, if not ...

); afterwards, Shout! began distributing other GKIDS films. On November 13, 2017, Shout! Factory announced the formation of

Shout! Studios Shout! Factory is an American home video and music company founded in 2002 as Retropolis Entertainment. Its video releases include previously released feature films, classic and contemporary television series, animation, live music, and comedy ...

, a production and distribution arm that specializes in content development. The first films to be distributed under the new banner include '' Humor Me'', ''

Big Fish & Begonia ''Big Fish & Begonia'' () is a 2016 Chinese animated epic fantasy film written, produced and directed by Liang Xuan and Zhang Chun. The first animated feature film of B&T Studio collaborating with Studio Mir, it is a joint investment by B&T and ...

'' (partnering with Funimation Films again for theatrical distribution) '' The House of Tomorrow'', ''

Izzy Gets the F*ck Across Town ''Izzy Gets the F*ck Across Town'' is a 2017 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Christian Papierniak. The film stars Mackenzie Davis as a woman at rock bottom who must find her way across Los Angeles in order to crash her ex-boyfr ...

'', and ''

Basmati Blues ''Basmati Blues'' is a 2017 American romantic comedy musical film, directed by Danny Baron, in his directorial debut from a screenplay by Baron and Jeff Dorchen. It stars Brie Larson and Utkarsh Ambudkar in lead roles with Scott Bakula, Donald ...

'', all slated for a 2018 premiere. In addition to film projects, Shout! Studios will also develop original television productions. In March 2018, Shout! Factory acquired the New Horizons film library from its founder

; Shout! will distribute this catalogue in North America, Europe, Russia and Australia. Shout! also expanded its U.S. and Canadian distribution deal with ITV Studios Global Entertainment to cover over 135 films and TV series from ITV's library. In August, Shout! struck a deal with Sesame Workshop to distribute the ''

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) ...

'' home video library, taking over from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. In February 2021, Shout! Factory made a deal with animation studio

Laika Laika (russian: link=no, Лайка; – 3 November 1957) was a Soviet space dog who was one of the first animals in space and the first to orbit the Earth. A stray mongrel from the streets of Moscow, she flew aboard the Sputnik 2 space ...

to release their films on home entertainment in the US. This deal includes Laika's first four films, originally released by Focus Features, as well as brand new bonus material and packaging for each release. In February 2022, Shout! Factory acquired the US distribution rights to the TV series '' ALF''. On August 9, 2022, Shout! Factory signed a worldwide distribution deal with

The Jim Henson Company The Jim Henson Company (formerly known as Muppets, Inc., Henson Associates, Inc., and Jim Henson Productions, Inc.; commonly referred to as Henson) is an American entertainment company located in Los Angeles, California. The company is known for ...

to bring thirteen of Henson's programmes and specials to home entertainment and streaming platforms in all territories.

Licensing deals

, Shout! Factory has agreements with

NBCUniversal NBCUniversal Media, LLC is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate corporation owned by Comcast and headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, United States. NBCUniversal is primaril ...

20th Century Studios Home Entertainment 20th Century Studios Home Entertainment (commonly referred to as 20th Home Video, or 20th Home Entertainment, formerly known as 20th Century-Fox Video, CBS/Fox Video, Fox Video, and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment) is a home video label of Wa ...

(via

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

, excluding '' FernGully: The Last Rainforest'' in 2022),

, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment,

Paramount Home Entertainment Paramount Home Entertainment (formerly Paramount Home Media Distribution, and originally Paramount Home Video) is the home video distribution arm of Paramount Pictures, a division of Paramount Global. The division oversees PPC's home entertainme ...

, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment,

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (formerly Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Video, MCA/Universal Home Video, MCA Home Video, MCA Videodisc and MCA Videocassette, Inc.) is the home video distribution division of Am ...

(and its subsidiary Entertainment One),

Eleven Arts Eleven Arts is a film production and distribution company based in Los Angeles, California. The company has Japanese executives and has "a largely Japanese lineup". It specializes in importing anime from Japan to the United States. Company hist ...

, Sesame Workshop,

IFC Films IFC Films is an American film production and distribution company based in New York. It is an offshoot of IFC owned by AMC Networks. It distributes mainly independent films under its own name, select foreign films and documentaries under its ...

ITV Studios ITV Studios is a British multinational television production and distribution company owned by the British television broadcaster ITV plc. It handles production and distribution of programmes broadcast on the ITV network and third-party broadca ...

CBS Home Entertainment CBS Home Entertainment (formerly CBS Video Enterprises, Inc., MGM/CBS Home Video, CBS/Fox Video and CBS Video, currently branded as CBS DVD for DVD releases and CBS Blu-ray for Blu-ray releases) is a home entertainment company owned by Paramoun ...

Motion Picture Corporation of America Motion Picture Corporation of America (MPCA) is an American film production company that focuses on production, acquisition, and distribution of low-budget films. History MPCA was founded in 1986 by longtime business partners Brad Krevoy and S ...

The Tornante Company The Tornante Company, LLC is an American privately held investment firm founded in 2005 and owned by former Paramount Pictures and The Walt Disney Company CEO Michael Eisner. Tornante invests in, acquires, and operates media and entertainmen ...

, the estate of Stephen J. Cannell and

StudioCanal StudioCanal S.A.S. (formerly known as Le Studio Canal+, Canal Plus, Canal+ Distribution, Canal+ D.A., Canal+ Production, and Canal+ Image and also known as StudioCanal International) is a French film production and distribution company that owns ...

. Releases under these agreements have included the complete Joss Whedon/John Cassaday series of ''Astonishing X-Men'', plus ''Thor & Loki: Blood Brothers'' and ''Iron Man: Extremis'' on DVD and Blu-ray; the original ''

'', ''

'', '' Jem'' and '' My Little Pony'' cartoons, '' My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic'', ''

'', ''

'', some Nickelodeon series like ''

'', ''

'', '' Danny Phantom'', ''

'', ''

'' (under a former agreement with

), and ''

Gravity Falls ''Gravity Falls'' is an American mystery comedy animated television series created by Alex Hirsch for Disney Channel and Disney XD. The series follows the adventures of Dipper Pines ( Jason Ritter) and his twin sister Mabel ( Kristen Schaal) ...

'' (under a former agreement with

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc., doing business as Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, is the home entertainment distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company. The division handles the distribution of Disney's films, television series, an ...

). In mid-2012, Shout! Factory announced a horror sub-label called Scream Factory, specializing in classic and cult horror films such as '' Halloween II'', '' Halloween III: Season of the Witch'', ''

'', ''

'', '' Lifeforce'', ''

The Return of the Living Dead ''The Return of the Living Dead'' is a 1985 American comedy horror film written and directed by Dan O'Bannon in his directorial debut, and starring Clu Gulager, James Karen, Thom Matthews and Don Calfa. The film tells the story of how a ware ...

'', and others being released to DVD and Blu-ray. In July 2020, Shout! Factory announced to have struck a multi-year deal with Alliance Entertainment and Mill Creek Entertainment that granted them the exclusive SVOD and AVOD digital rights to the

Ultra series ''Ultraman'', also known as the , is the collective name for all media produced by Tsuburaya Productions featuring Ultraman, his many brethren, and the myriad monsters. Debuting with '' Ultra Q'' and then ''Ultraman'' in 1966, the series is o ...

, 1,100 episodes and 20 films acquired by Mill Creek the previous year. Shout! Factory will stream the catalogue in the United States and Canada through their services, Shout! Factory TV and Tokushoutsu.

Related companies

In 2012, Shout! Factory acquired Oregon-based home entertainment company

, adding programs to its ever-expanding catalog: ''

'', ''

'', '' The Virginian'', ''

'', '' Laramie'', and ''

'', among others. Shout! Factory also acquired blues/roots label

HighTone Records HighTone Records was an American independent record label based in Oakland, California, United States. HighTone specialized in American roots music including, country, rockabilly, western swing, blues and gospel. The label was created by Larry ...

and continued to oversee its back catalog until 2016 when

bought the label.

Releases

Scream Factory

Shout Select

Shout! Factory Kids

TV series

Roger Corman's Cult Classics

Units

* Majordomo Records – an indie record label formed as an imprint and partnership with Shout! Factory * Roger Corman's Cult Classics – sub-label started in 2010 *

– sub-label acquired in 2012 * Scream Factory – sub-label started in 2012 * Shout Select – sub-label started in 2016 * Shout! Factory TV – streaming service * Scream Factory TV - horror movie streaming service * Shout! Cult - cult movie streaming service * Shout! Studios – film and TV production and distribution arm started in November 2017 * Westchester Films – distributor of classic films from

, Elia Kazan, and material once distributed by

(all part of the holdings of Westchester's predecessor company

Castle Hill Productions Castle Hill Productions was an independent television and film distribution company handling classic and independent films whose library spans eight decades. History Founded in 1978 by Julian Schlossberg, Castle Hill Productions revived and re ...

), as well as the

and

libraries.

References

External links

* {{Authority control 2002 establishments in California American companies established in 2002 Entertainment companies established in 2002 American record labels Home video companies of the United States Reissue record labels Record labels established in 2002 Privately held companies based in California Companies based in Los Angeles Film distributors of the United States Entertainment companies based in California