Entertainment One

Entertainment One Ltd., also known as eOne, is a Canadian multinational media distribution company and a subsidiary of American toy manufacturer Hasbro. Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the company is primarily involved in the acquisition, distribution, and production of entertainment content, including films, television series, and music. The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange until was acquired by Hasbro in December 2019.
==History==
===Establishment===
eOne began operations in 1973 in Ontario, Canada, as Records on Wheels (ROW) Limited, founded and operated by Vito Ierullo and Don Ierullo, focusing on retail sales of recorded music. In the late 1970s, ROW began to distribute recorded music for third-party retailers in Canada. For more than 20 years, entertainment content distribution became the company’s primary focus as the company expanded into video, purchasing one of Canada’s largest home entertainment distributors, Video One Canada, Ltd., from its then-parent, Standard Broadcasting Corporation. In November 2003, the company was listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange as ROW Entertainment Income Fund.
In June 2005, ROW Entertainment Income Fund acquired the American independent music distributor and home entertainment publisher Koch Entertainment. In 2007, the company, now known as the Entertainment One Income Fund, accepted a $188 million public equity takeover by Marwyn Investment Management to fund its expansion; the company was listed on London’s Alternative Investment Market as Entertainment One Ltd.
===Expansion===
In 2007, Entertainment One acquired Montreal-based film distributor Seville Pictures and UK distributor Contender Entertainment. The same year, the company secured its first film output agreement with Summit Entertainment, handling distribution in Canada and the United Kingdom. Acquisitions continued in 2008 with the purchase of the Benelux distributor RCV Entertainment. The same year, eOne acquired the television studios Blueprint and Barna-Alper, and international television distributor Oasis International.
Acquisitions continued in 2008 with the purchase of the Benelux distributor RCV Entertainment. The same year, eOne acquired the television studios Blueprint and Barna-Alper, and international television distributor Oasis International.
On May 28, 2012, eOne placed a bid to purchase the Canadian film distributor Alliance Films from Goldman Sachs Group and Investissement Quebec. The deal was completed on January 9, 2013, giving eOne Canadian distribution rights for titles from Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Weinstein Company, Lionsgate Films and Focus Features. Also that same year, eOne had its first appearance on the LSE's FTSE 250, as well as completing an exclusive multi-year distribution agreement with AMC and SundanceTV to handle international distribution for all original scripted series.
On May 28, 2014, eOne announced a strategic investment in interactive agency Secret Location; the firm would continue to operate independently under the leadership of James Milward (President, Executive Producer and Founder), and partners Pietro Gagliano (Creative Director and SVP) and Ryan Andal (Technical Director and SVP).
On June 2, 2014, eOne acquired Phase 4 Films; its CEO Berry Meyerowitz was named as head of eOne's U.S. film distribution business and North American family entertainment business. On July 17, the company acquired Paperny Entertainment. On August 28, 2014, eOne acquired Force Four Entertainment.
On January 5, 2015, eOne acquired a 51% stake in The Mark Gordon Co.; Gordon was named CEO of the studio, which planned to produce and finance future film and television projects by Gordon and others in an effort by eOne to increase its prominence in the United States. eOne will have an option to acquire the remainder of the studio beginning in 2022. On September 9, 2015, eOne revived the Momentum Pictures brand (which was previously used by Alliance UK) and announced that it had entered into a multi-picture deal with Orion Pictures to jointly acquire films for "specialized theatrical releases" in the U.S., and targeted international releases, focusing on ancillary and digital distribution.
On September 30, 2015, eOne acquired a 70% stake in British animation studio Astley Baker Davies—producers of the animated children's series Peppa Pig.
On December 16, 2015, eOne, Steven Spielberg, Reliance Entertainment, and Participant Media officially announced a joint venture known as Amblin Partners. eOne serves as an investor, while the majority of its films will be distributed by Universal Pictures.
On January 7, 2016, eOne made a strategic investment in Sierra Pictures and on January 20, 2016, the company acquired Dualtone Music Group.
On March 8, 2016, eOne acquired music recording, publishing and artist management company Last Gang, and announced Chris Taylor would join the company in the new role of President, Entertainment One Music.
On March 24, 2016, eOne acquired a 65% interest in David Garfinkle and Jay Renfroe’s unscripted production company Renegade 83.
On August 10, 2016, eOne rejected an offer to be acquired by British television broadcaster ITV plc for £1 billion ($1.3 billion US). eOne considered the offer to be "fundamentally undervalued".
On August 17, 2016, eOne announced it completed its investment in digital studio Secret Location.
On September 12, 2016, eOne announced its acquisition of UK-based music management company Hardlivings.
===Acquisition by Hasbro===
On August 22, 2019, American toy and media company Hasbro announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire Entertainment One for US$4 billion. eOne's CEO Darren Throop cited that its goals to "unlock the power and value of creativity" were "[aligned] with Hasbro's corporate objectives", and would be enhanced by access to Hasbro's properties and merchandising capabilities. eOne's Canadian operations will be structured in such a way as to maintain eligibility for Canadian content classification. The purchase was approved by shareholders on October 17, 2019.
The deal was approved by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. On November 21, 2019, the United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority announced that it would investigate the purchase under British competition law, to determine if it would result in a lessening of competition. The sale was completed on December 30, 2019.
==Divisions==
===Films===
eOne Films acquires film content rights and distributes these across multiple territories including Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Benelux, Austalia, New Zealand and the United States.
Distribution channels include theatrical distribution, home entertainment through DVD/Blu-ray rental and retail, television, and digital downloading service.
eOne’s Global Film Group is led by President Steve Bertram, who is based in Los Angeles.
In May 2015, Entertainment One consolidated its feature film creative development, production, and international sales activities under the new banner Entertainment One Features (eOne Features). The division aims to produce and fully finance six to eight films annually, in addition to its existing territorial acquisitions. The division also includes a boutique sales outfit, Seville International, which is based in Montreal. eOne Features is led by President Xavier Marchand, who reports to Steve Bertram.
On January 7, 2016, eOne made a strategic investment in Sierra Pictures.
On September 9, 2016, eOne announced it entered into a first look co-financing and international distribution deal for feature films with Tucker Tooley under his film and production company Tooley Productions. The first project under the deal will be a film adaptation of Harlan Coben’s novel Fool Me Once, starring and produced by Julia Roberts under her Red Om Films banner.
On September 23, 2016, Xavier Dolan’s film Juste la fin du monde was announced as Canada’s entry in the Best Foreign Language Film category for the 2017 Academy Awards. The film has been sold worldwide by eOne’s Seville International sales arm, and is distributed in Canada by eOne/Les Films Seville.
===Television===
Notable Entertainment One television productions include: Hung for HBO, Mary Mary on WeTV, Call Me Fitz on DirecTV, The Bridge on CTV, Rookie Blue on ABC and Global, Haven on Syfy, and Hell on Wheels on AMC, David Spade’s Fameless on TruTV, Nellyville on BET, Rogue on DirecTV, The Book of Negroes miniseries on CBC and BET, Saving Hope on CTV and Ion Television, and Bitten on Space and SyFy.
as of 2019, it's the world's largest television production and distribution company measured by library and revenue (along with Time Warner's Warner Bros. Television).
Entertainment One’s sales catalogue includes such series as: David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef; Sky Living’s The Enfield Haunting; and AMC’s Halt and Catch Fire, The Walking Dead and Fear The Walking Dead, due to a 2013 multi-year international output deal agreement between the firm and AMC Networks and Sundance Channel.
eOne’s Television division is led by Chief Executive Officer John Morayniss, based in Los Angeles.
===Music===
With staff in New York, LA, Toronto and Nashville, eOne Music US, formerly E1 Music/Koch Records, is generally regarded as the largest independent music label in North America. Since its inception as Koch Records, eOne Music US has charted over 100 albums on Billboard's Independent Chart, surpassing the number of titles charted by all other U.S. independent label and was the number one independent label according to Billboard for four consecutive years. The music division covers all musical genres from rap, adult-contemporary, rock, urban, country, children's and classical. eOne owns the catalog for seminal rap label, Death Row as well as indie rock label, Dualtone (Lumineers, Shakey Graves).eOne acquires Nashville's Dualtone Music Group The music business has recently expanded into management and music publishing.eOne signs global publishing admin deal with ole
eOne Music Canada is a full service record label and distribution company, with its own in-house marketing and publicity team and a sales staff across the country. Artist roster includes Emilie-Claire Barlow, Jason Blaine, Dan Talevski, Die Mannequin, Matt Dusk, Diemonds, The Standstills, Rival Sons, Devin Townsend, Jesse Cook and 2015 Polaris Music Prize winner Buffy Sainte-Marie. Director of Media Relations for Canada, Eric Alper, is also a CTV Music Correspondent and host of the music-based interview program @ThatEricAlper on SiriusXM.
On March 8, 2016, Entertainment One announced the appointment of leading music industry attorney and music industry entrepreneur, Chris Taylor, to the role of President, Entertainment One Music. The company also shared that Taylor will bring his independent recording, publishing and artist management company Last Gang to eOne, whose impressive roster includes record label clients Death From Above 1979, Chromeo and Ryan Hemsworth, and management clients Lights and Arkells. The announcement was made by Darren Throop, President & Chief Executive Officer, Entertainment One.
===Family & Licensing===
Based in the United Kingdom and Canada, eOne Family (formerly E1 Kids) creates, produces and distributes children’s entertainment with partners including Nick Jr and Channel 5, in 190 territories including the United States, Scandinavia, France and Germany. eOne Family’s Peppa Pig franchise is one of the most popular pre-school brands in the UK, surpassing over £100 million in retail sales in the 2009 financial period.
On September 18, 2015, eOne Family’s newest preschool series, PJ Masks, premiered on Disney Channel and Disney Junior in the U.S.
eOne’s Licensing division, based in the United Kingdom and Los Angeles and extending to New York and Hong Kong, promotes brands across multiple platforms, reaching all demographics. eOne Licensing manages a full spectrum of branded opportunities at every stage, from product development to launch, through continual brand innovation.
eOne’s Family and Licensing divisions are led by Managing Director Olivier Dumont, based in London.
===Distribution===
eOne's Distribution division delivers, through both physical and digital channels, eOne’s own and third party content to over 3,000 retail partners through its networks across Canada and the United States.e1 music news The division provides distribution services to a wide range of content producers, including some major Hollywood studios.
The division manufactures and distributes home media releases in the United States, Canada, and Quebec, operating as eOne Distribution US, eOne Distribution Canada, and Videoglobe1, respectively.
==Partners==
Through various deals and terms, eOne has a distribution deal with the following companies, whether in full or in part:
===Film===
* AutoMatik
* CBS Films
* DreamWorks Pictures 
*Miramax
* Exclusive Media(all titles except End of Watch, released by VVS Films)
** Hammer Films
* FilmNation Entertainment(most titles, limited released by VVS Films)
* Universal Pictures 
** Focus Features
** FilmDistrict 
* Rhombus
* StudioCanal
* The Weinstein Company
** RADiUS-TWC
** Dimension Films
* SinemArt
* Wrekin Hill Entertainment
* The Judy Garland Company
===Television===
* A&E Networks
** A&E
** Crime and Investigation Network
** Lifetime
* AMC Networks
** AMC
** SundanceTV
** WE tv
* Australian Broadcasting Corporation
* APTN
* AXN
* BBC
** BBC America
** UKTV
* Bell Media
** The Comedy Network
** CTV
** HBO Canada
** The Movie Network
** Space
* Blue Ant Media
** Cottage Life
** Travel + Escape
* Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
** CBC Television
** documentary
* CBS Corporation
** CBS
** The CW
** Showtime
* Channel 4
* Corus Entertainment
** Movie Central
** OWN
** Teletoon
** W Network
** Food Network
** Global
** History
** Mystery TV
** Showcase
** Slice
* Discovery Communications
** Discovery Channel
** Discovery Life
** Investigation Discovery
* Disney Media Networks
** ABC
* El Rey Network
* Epix
* Fox Entertainment Group
** FX
** Fox International Channels
** National Geographic Channel
* Hallmark Channel
* Hoodwink Entertainment
* Time Warner
** HBO
** HBO Latin America Group
** Turner Broadcasting System
*** HLN
*** truTV
* Knightscove Entertainment
* MAVTV
* NBCUniversal
** Cloo
** E!
** Fearnet
** NBC
** Syfy
** NBCUniversal International Networks
* Out of Africa Entertainment
* PBS
* Rogers Media
** City TV
** OLN
* Scripps Networks Interactive
** Cooking Channel
** Great American Country
** HGTV
** Travel Channel
* Starz
* Super Channel
* TM International
* TVOntario
* Up TV
* Viacom
** BET
** Channel 5
** CMT
** Comedy Central
** Logo TV
** MTV
** Spike
** VH1
===Music===
*
EMP Label Group
**EMP Underground
===Sport===
*AS Roma
==Productions==
===Films===
* 2 Guns (2013) (UK and Canadian distribution only)
* 12 Years a Slave (2014) (UK distribution only, co-production with Summit Entertainment, Regency Enterprises, River Road Entertainment, Film4 and Plan B)
* The 5th Wave (2016)
* The Age of Adaline (2015)
* As You Like It
* The Babadook (2014)
* Better Living Through Chemistry (2013)
* Big Eyes (2014)
* Burnt (2015)
* Calvary
* Concussion (2015) (But Sony Pictures Only, co-production with Columbia Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures and Scott Free Productions)
* Dallas Buyers Club (2014)
* Divergent
* The Divergent Series (UK and Canadian distribution)
* The Duff (2015)
* Eye in the Sky (2015)
* The F Word (2013)
* The Fifth Estate (2013) (UK and Benelux countries distribution only)
* Foxcatcher (2014) (UK distribution only)
* Free Birds (2013) (UK and international distribution only, co-production with Relativity Media and Reel FX Animation Studios)
* The Hunger Games series (Canadian distribution)
* Freeheld (2015)
* Imagine (2014)
* Insidious: Chapter 2
* Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)
* Jobs (2013) (Canadian home video distribution only)
* John Wick (2014)
* Justin and the Knights of Valour (2013) (only in the UK)
* The Little Prince (2015)
* Maps to the Stars (2014) (UK and Canadian distribution)
* Mr. Turner (2014)
* Mommy (2014)
* Nightcrawler (2014) (UK distribution only)
* Parched (2015)
* The Prodigies (2012) (Canadian home video distribution only)
* Race (2016) (Canadian distribution only)
* The Raid 2: Berandal (2014) (UK and Canadian distribution)
* Reasonable Doubt (2014)
* Riddick (UK and Canadian distribution only)
* The Rover (2014) (UK distribution only)
* Secret in Their Eyes (2016)
* The Signal (2014)
* Spectre 2015 (co-productions James Bond with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Columbia Pictures)
* Spotlight (2015)
* The Tempest
* That Awkward Moment (2014) (UK distribution only, also Benelux countries)
* The Theory of Everything (2014)
* Triple 9 (2015)
* Trumbo (2015)
* Twelfth Night
* The Walk (2015) (But Sony Pictures Only, co-production with Tristar Pictures, TriStar Productions and ImageMovers)
* The Water Diviner (2014)
* Woman in Gold (2015)
* Midnight Special (2016) (UK distribution only, co-production with Warner Bros. Pictures)
* Arrival (2016) (UK distribution only)
* 20th Century Women (2016) (UK distribution only)
===TV series===
* The Adventures of Sinbad
* Arctic Air
* Being Erica
* Being Human
* The Best Years
* Bitten
* Book of Negroes
* Call Me Fitz 
* Cimarron Strip
* City of Vice
* Degrassi (Canadian distribution only)
* Ellery Queen
* Fear the Walking Dead
* From Dusk till Dawn: The Series
* Glue
* Grafters
* Halt and Catch Fire
* Hap and Leonard
* Haven
* Hell on Wheels
* Heartland
* Hiccups
* Hung
* InSecurity
* It Takes a Thief
* King
* Little Mosque on the Prairie
* Lost Girl (season 1 only, Canada only)
* Made in Canada
* Manchild
* Matador
* McCallum
* McLeod's Daughters
* Men with Brooms
* Mile High
* Monsters
* New Street Law
* Nite Tales: The Series
* Primeval: New World
* Rambo: New Blood
*Ransom
* ReGenesis
* Republic of Doyle
* Rookie Blue
* Sanctuary
* Saving Hope
* Show Me Yours
* Strictly Confidential
* Testees
* The Baron
* The Bridge
* The Code (working title – 2016)
* The Enfield Haunting 
* The Firm (NBC TV series)
* The Hunger
* The Omega Factor
* The Street
* The Walking Dead
* This Hour Has 22 Minutes
* Trailer Park Boys (season 9-present)
* You Me Her (2016)
===Upcoming series===
* The Architecture of Heaven
===Kids/family===
*Babar
*Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom
*Bod
*Cupcake and Dino: General Services
*Fingerbobs
*Firehouse Tales
*The Flumps
*Hector's House
*Humf
*Peppa Pig
*PJ Masks
*Majority Rules!
*Mary, Mungo and Midge
*My Little Pony: Pony Life!
*Ninja Express
*Roobarb
*Steady Eddie
*Timbuctoo
*Tractor Tom
*Transformers: Cyberverse
*Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy
*Winston Steinburger and Sir Dudley Ding Dong (2016)
*The Wiggles
==Acquisitions and targets==
Since listing on AIM, eOne has made a series of acquisitions.
*In June 2007, eOne acquired Contender Entertainment Group, one of the largest distributors of TV content in the UK (now operates as eOne UK)
*In August 2007, eOne acquired Seville Entertainment Inc. for an undisclosed sumSeville Entertainment
 (now operates as Les Films Séville)
*In January 2008, eOne acquired the Netherlands-based distributor RCV Entertainment (now operates as eOne Benelux)
*In July 2008, eOne acquired TV producers Blueprint Entertainment and Barna-Alper Productions as well as domestic distributors Oasis International and Maximum Films.Playback on-line
 (Barna-Alper now operating as eOne Television, Maximum Films amalgamated into eOne Films Canada while Maximum Film International was amalgamated into Les Films Séville, all others closed)
*In April 2011, eOne acquired Australian distribution company Hopscotch for £12.9 million. (now operates as eOne Australia)
*In January 2013 eOne acquired Alliance Films. and ceased operation of it and its subsidiaries (Momentum Pictures and Maple Pictures, excpet for Aurum Producciones, now operating as eOne Spain). In 2015, they relaunched Momentum Pictures in Toronto.
*In June 2014 eOne acquired Phase 4 Films.
*In July 2014, eOne acquired Paperny Entertainment.
*In August 2014, eOne acquired Force Four Entertainment.
*In May 2014, eOne made a strategic equity investment in interactive agency Secret Location, which continues to operate independently.
*In January 2015, eOne acquired a 51% stake in The Mark Gordon Company, the production studio behind such TV series as Quantico, Grey’s Anatomy, Army Wives, Ray Donovan and Criminal Minds; and films such as Steve Jobs, Source Code, The Day After Tomorrow, and Speed.
*In September 2015, eOne acquired a controlling stake on Astley Baker Davies thus increasing it's ownership of the preschool franchise Peppa Pig.
*In March 2016, eOne announced the appointment of leading music industry attorney and music industry entrepreneur, Chris Taylor, to the role of President, Entertainment One Music. The Company also shared that Taylor will bring his independent recording, publishing and artist management company Last Gang to eOne, whose impressive roster includes record label clients Death From Above 1979, Chromeo and Ryan Hemsworth, and management clients Lights and Arkells.
==Former names and logos==
Records on Wheels Logo.webp|Records On Wheels Limited (1970–1980)
ROW Limited Logo.webp|ROW Entertainment (1980–2005)
Entertainment One Income Fund Logo.webp|Entertainment One Income Fund (2005–2009)
E1 Entertainment Logo.webp|E1 Entertainment (2009–2010)
Entertainment One 2010.webp|Entertainment One (2010–2015)
Entertainment One 2015.svg.png|Entertainment One (2015–)
EOne (1).png|Alternative variant (2015–)
==References==
==External links==
*
*UK Official site
Category:Media companies of the United States
Category:Film production companies of the United States
Category:Entertainment One
Category:Hasbro
Category:2019 merges and acquisitions