Melissa Boag, svp of family entertainment at Shout!, said: “We’ve been huge fans of Laika, [its president and CEO] Travis Knight, and his extraordinary team. Their legendary ingenuity, independent spirit, and compelling storytelling have inspired us and continue to entertain audiences worldwide. We’re incredibly excited about this new opportunity with Laika and look forward to presenting these beloved films with enlightening extras and lavish packaging to fans and collectors everywhere.”
David Burke, Laika’s chief marketing officer, added: “We’re delighted to launch our partnership with Shout! Factory. Their ability to maximize value for legacy titles by bringing films to entirely new audiences well after their theatrical release cycle is unparalleled in the industry. We look forward to a long and impactful relationship with these industry leaders.”
Laika has received widespread acclaim and its fanbase is wide, but its films have seen diminishing returns at the box office. Missing Link grossed only $26.3 million worldwide on a reported $100 million-plus budget. But the studio is at work on a new, as-yet-unannounced film. Last week, it revealed that it is funding the construction of a stop-motion studio at Maryland’s Bowie State University.
Shout! Factory (and its development and distribution arm Shout! Studios) have a big presence in animation. Films it has recently released or acquired include the forthcoming Chinese title The Legend of Hei, the Brazilian feature Tito and the Birds, and the library of American indie animation legend Bill Plympton.
