# Rainbow (company)

Rainbow S.p.A. is an Italian studio founded by Iginio Straffi and co-owned by Viacom (later Paramount Global) from 2011 to 2023. Rainbow has collaborated with Viacom/Paramount's other company, Nickelodeon, on multiple shows, including Winx Club and Club 57. The studio is based in Loreto, Marche and was founded by Straffi in 1995. Rainbow began as an animation studio, providing creative services for larger companies until it secured enough funds for original productions.
In February 2011, Viacom purchased 30% of the company for 62 million euros (US$83 million), leaving the remaining 70% to Iginio Straffi. Viacom's Nickelodeon networks broadcast Rainbow's shows worldwide, and Rainbow acts as the licensing agent for Nickelodeon's shows in Italy. Nickelodeon's American studios have also collaborated with Rainbow on several productions, including Winx Club from 2011 to 2015 and Club 57 in 2019.
In 2015, Rainbow purchased fellow animation studio Bardel Entertainment. In 2017, Rainbow acquired a majority stake in Gruppo Iven S.p.A., which owns the production company Colorado Film.
In April 2018, Straffi and Viacom listed the company on the Italian stock exchange. The listing followed years of consideration regarding which country's stock market to enter (the United States or Italy). According to Straffi, this presented "a real dilemma" as Viacom was already listed on an American stock exchange, but Rainbow performed best in European countries. Straffi and Viacom withdrew Rainbow from the stock market in May 2018, citing a lack of suitable market conditions.
After almost 12 years of co-ownership, Paramount sold its stake back to Straffi in January 2023. While Nickelodeon will continue to be a broadcast partner for the studio, the purchase allows Straffi full control of Rainbow's new projects.

## Filmography
### Television series

| Show | Start date | Co-production |
| Tommy & Oscar | 2000–2002 | Rai Fiction |
| Prezzemolo | 2002–2003 | Gardaland |
| Colorado | 2003–2019 | RTI |
| Winx Club | 2004–2019 | Rai Fiction (seasons 1-7) Nickelodeon (seasons 5-7) Rai Ragazzi (season 8) |
| Monster Allergy | 2005–2009 | Rai Fiction |
| Huntik: Secrets & Seekers | 2009–2012 | RTI |
| PopPixie | 2010–2011 | Rai Fiction |
| Crazy Block (pilot) | 2014 | Nickelodeon |
| Regal Academy | 2016–2018 | Rai Fiction |
| Maggie & Bianca: Fashion Friends | 2016–2017 | Rai Fiction Nickelodeon (pilot only) |
| World of Winx | 2016–2017 | Rai Fiction |
| Eccezionale veramente | 2016–2017 | Colorado Film |
| 44 Cats | 2018–2021 | Rai Ragazzi Institute of Antoniano |
| Club 57 | 2019–2021 | Rai Ragazzi Nickelodeon |
| Enjoy - Ridere fa bene | 2020 | RTI |
| Fate: The Winx Saga | 2021–2022 | Archery Pictures Young Blood Productions |
| Summer & Todd: Happy Farmers | 2021–present | RTVE Motion Pictures |
| Pinocchio and Friends | 2021–present | Rai Ragazzi Toonz Media Group |
| Mermaid Magic | 2024 | Bardel |
| Gormiti - The New Era | 2024 | Rai Fiction Giochi Preziosi |
| Honolulu | TBA | RTI |

### Films

| Movie | Released | Distributor | Co-production |
| Tommy and Oscar: The Movie | 2007 | Miramax | Rai Cinema |
| Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom | 2007 | 01 Distribution Miramax Paramount Pictures | Rai Cinema |
| Winx Club 3D: Magical Adventure | 2010 | Medusa Film Paramount Pictures | Sky Cinema |
| Gladiators of Rome | 2012 | Medusa Film Paramount Pictures | Mediaset Premium Sky Cinema |
| Winx Club: The Mystery of the Abyss | 2014 | 01 Distribution Paramount Pictures | Rai Cinema |
| Tiro libero | 2017 | Linfa Crowd 2.0 | Linfa Crowd 2.0 |
| Classe Z | 2017 | Medusa Film | Medusa Film |
| The Girl in the Fog | 2017 | Medusa Film | Medusa Film |
| Daughter of Mine | 2018 | 01 Distribution | Rai Cinema |
| My Big Gay Italian Wedding | 2018 | Medusa Film | Medusa Film |
| No Kids | 2018 | Medusa Film | Medusa Film |
| When Mom Is Away | 2018 | Medusa Film | Medusa Film |
| The Nest | 2019 | Medusa Film | Medusa Film |
| Into the Labyrinth | 2019 | Medusa Film | Medusa Film |
| Me contro Te - Il film: La vendetta del Signor S | 2020 | Warner Bros. | Warner Bros. |
| Cambio tutto! | 2020 | Medusa Film Amazon Prime Video | Colorado Film |
| When Mom Is Away... With the Family | 2020 | Medusa Film Amazon Prime Video | Colorado Film |
| Me contro Te - Il film: Il mistero della scuola incantata | 2021 | Warner Bros. | Warner Bros. |
| A Classic Horror Story | 2021 | Netflix | Colorado Film |
| My Name is Vendetta | 2021 | Netflix | Colorado Film |
| Me contro Te - Il film: Persi nel tempo | 2022 | Warner Bros. | Warner Bros. |
| Il mammone | 2022 | Medusa Film | Medusa Film |
| Il pataffio | 2022 | 01 Distribution | Rai Cinema UMédia Vivo Film |
| The Price of Family | 2022 | Netflix | Colorado Film |
| Tre di troppo | 2023 | Warner Bros. | Warner Bros. |
| Me contro Te - Il film: Missione Giungla | 2023 | Warner Bros. | Warner Bros. |
| Me contro Te - Il film: Vacanze in Transilvania | 2023 | Warner Bros. | Warner Bros. |
| 50km all'ora | 2024 | Eagle Pictures | Sony Pictures International Productions |
| The Tearsmith | 2024 | Netflix | Colorado Film |

## Other divisions

Rainbow founded Tridimensional, a magazine publishing division, in 2004. A 3D animation division, Rainbow CGI, was formed in 2006. Rainbow also established Witty Toys, a toy division, in 2008.