Rainbow S.p.A.
 | |
| Type | Production company |
|---|---|
| Founded | April 1995 |
| Founder | Iginio Straffi |
| Headquarters | |
Key people | Iginio Straffi (Founder/CEO) |
| Products | Television series, films |
| Owner | Paramount Global (30%, 2011–2023)[1] Iginio Straffi (100%, 2023–present) |
| Parent | Paramount Networks EMEAA (30%, 2011–2023) Iginio Straffi (100%, 2023–present) |
| Subsidiaries | Bardel Entertainment Gruppo Iven S.p.A. (Colorado Film) Rainbow CGI Moviement Talent Agency Tridimensional Witty Toys |
| Website | rbw.it |
Rainbow S.p.A. is an Italian studio founded by Iginio Straffi. Viacom (now known as Paramount Global) became a co-owner of the studio in 2011. Rainbow has collaborated with Viacom/Paramount's other company, Nickelodeon, on multiple shows, including Winx Club and Club 57.[2] 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),[3] leaving the remaining 70% to Iginio Straffi.[4][5] Viacom's Nickelodeon networks broadcast Rainbow's shows worldwide[6] and Rainbow acts as the licensing agent for Nickelodeon's shows in Italy.[7] Nickelodeon's American studios have also collaborated with Rainbow on several productions, including Winx Club from 2011 to 2015 and Club 57 in 2019.[2]
In 2015, Rainbow purchased fellow animation studio Bardel Entertainment.[8] In 2017, Rainbow acquired a majority stake in Gruppo Iven S.p.A., which owns the production company Colorado Film.[9]
In 2018, Straffi and Viacom listed the company on the Italian stock exchange.[10] The listing followed years of consideration regarding which country's stock market to enter (the United States or Italy).[11] According to Straffi, this presented "a real dilemma" as Viacom was already listed on an American stock exchange,[11] but Rainbow performed best in European countries.[11] Straffi and Viacom withdrew Rainbow from the stock market in May 2018, citing a lack of suitable market conditions.[12]
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.[13] The buyout does not affect the seasons of Winx Club that Nickelodeon produced, as the copyright is still registered to Paramount.[14]
Filmography[edit]
Television series[edit]
| Show | Start date | Co-production |
|---|---|---|
| Tommy and Oscar | 2000–2002 | Rai Fiction |
| Prezzemolo | 2002–2003 | Gardaland |
| Colorado | 2003-2019 | RTI |
| Winx Club | 2004–2019 | Rai Fiction (seasons 1-7) Nickelodeon[15] (seasons 5-7) Rai Ragazzi (season 8) |
| Monster Allergy | 2005–2009 | Rai Fiction |
| Huntik: Secrets & Seekers | 2009–2012 | RTI |
| PopPixie | 2010–2011 | Rai Fiction |
| Mia and Me | 2012–2015 | M4E |
| Crazy Block (pilot)[16] | 2014 | Nickelodeon[16] |
| Regal Academy | 2016–2018 | Rai Fiction |
| Maggie & Bianca: Fashion Friends | 2016–2017 | Rai Fiction Nickelodeon (pilot only)[17] |
| World of Winx | Rai Fiction | |
| Eccezionale veramente | Colorado Film | |
| 44 Cats | 2018–present | Rai Ragazzi Institute of Antoniano |
| Club 57 | 2019–2021 | Rai Ragazzi Nickelodeon[18] |
| 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 | Rai Ragazzi Toonz Media Group | |
| Honolulu | 2021 | RTI |
| Mermaid Magic | TBA | Bardel |
Films[edit]
| Movie | Released | Distributor | Co-production |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tommy and Oscar: The Movie | 2007 | Rai Fiction | Miramax |
| Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom | 01 Distribution Paramount Pictures |
Rai Fiction | |
| Winx Club 3D: Magical Adventure | 2010 | Medusa Film Paramount Pictures |
Sky Cinema |
| Gladiators of Rome | 2012 | Sky Cinema Mediaset Premium | |
| Winx Club: The Mystery of the Abyss | 2014 | 01 Distribution Paramount Pictures |
Rai Fiction |
| Tiro libero | 2017 | Linfa Crowd 2.0 | |
| Classe Z | Medusa Film | Colorado Film | |
| The Girl in the Fog | |||
| Daughter of Mine | 2018 | 01 Distribution | Rai Fiction |
| My Big Gay Italian Wedding | Medusa Film | Colorado Film | |
| No Kids | |||
| When Mom Is Away | |||
| The Nest | 2019 | ||
| Into the Labyrinth | |||
| Me contro Te - Il film: La vendetta del Signor S | 2020 | Warner Bros. | |
| Cambio tutto! | Medusa Film Amazon Prime Video |
Colorado Film | |
| 10 giorni con Babbo Natale | |||
| A Classic Horror Story | 2021 | Netflix | |
| Me contro Te - Il film: Il mistero della scuola incantata | Warner Bros. | ||
| Me contro Te - Il film: Persi nel tempo | 2022 | ||
| Il mammone | |||
| My Name is Vendetta | Netflix | Colorado Film | |
| The Price of Family | Sony Pictures, RTI | ||
| Me contro Te - Il film: Missione Giungla | 2023 | Warner Bros. | |
| Tre di troppo | |||
Other divisions[edit]
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.
References[edit]
- ^ Vivarelli, Nick (4 February 2011). "Viacom takes stake in Rainbow". Variety.
- ^ a b Ramos-Weiner, Maribel (20 November 2018). "Iginio Straffi de Rainbow: Tuvimos una influencia muy importante en la historia de Club 57 para garantizar su atractivo en Europa". Produ.com (in Spanish).
- ^ "Straffi's Rainbow: Europe's Largest Animation House Has Growing Pains" (PDF). VideoAge International. October 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 24, 2017.
In 2011, 16 years after Straffi founded Rainbow, Viacom gained 30 percent ownership of the animation division... for 62 million euro ($83 million), thus valuing the company at $277 million.
- ^ Vivarelli, Nick (February 26, 2011). "Winx creator in the pink: Viacom draws on Italian animation shop". Variety. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
- ^ Serafini, Domenico (November 5, 2014). "I dolori di Rainbow per arrivare prima in Europa". Millecanali. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
- ^ Minardi, Sabina (24 February 2011). "Winx, le fatine fanno il botto". L'espresso (in Italian).
- ^ Rusak, Gary (April 2011). "Rainbow to rep Nick, lands new master toy deal" (PDF). Kidscreen. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 15, 2011.
- ^ "Rainbow buys Canadian animation studio Bardel". Kidscreen. 5 October 2015.
- ^ Andrea, Montanari (21 August 2017). "Rainbow-Viacom compra la Colorado" (PDF). MF Milano Finanza. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Winx take to the stock exchange". Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata. 12 April 2018.
Rome: The shares will be put on sale by Straffi and Viacom Holdings Italia.
- ^ a b c "Rainbow ripensa alla Borsa". Bebeez.it (in Italian). 3 November 2015.
- ^ "The Winx Withdraw from the Stock Market". 22 May 2018.
The Rainbow studio based in Loreto, Marche, 30% of which belongs to Viacom, decided to go public... However, investors have not responded with the awaited enthusiasm
- ^ Bianchi, Nicole (24 January 2023). "Good Morning, Cinecittà!". Cinecittà News (in Italian).
- ^ "Copyright Catalog: Winx Club - Eps. 726". Library of Congress.
- ^ "Nickelodeon Announces JAKKS Pacific as Master Toy Licensee for Innovative Girls Brand: Winx Club".
Winx Club is a co-production with Rainbow S.p.A. and Nickelodeon.
- ^ a b "Crazy Block - Nick Animated Shorts". YouTube. December 8, 2018. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13.
- ^ Magliaro, Alessandra (19 July 2015). "Rainbow, oltre Winx, 1/a serie con attori". Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (in Italian). Archived from the original on 20 July 2015.
- ^ "Riprese della serie tv americana per ragazzi "Club 57" a Monopoli" (in Italian). 23 September 2018.
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