Toho to Acquire Award-Winning North American Animation Distributor GKIDS - GKIDS Films
gkids.com
GKIDS TO OPERATE AS A WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY UNDER COMPANYFOUNDER/CEO ERIC BECKMAN AND PRESIDENT DAVE JESTEADT Los Angeles, California, October 15, 2024 – Japanese entertainment leader Toho Co., Ltd. announced today that it has reached an agreement to acquire a 100% equity share of GKIDS, Inc., the Academy Award-winning North American animation producer and distributor. Financial […]

How will this change US/NA distribution of films? Will it affect licensing of content in the future?

  • wjs018@ani.socialMEnglish
    10·
    2 months ago

    Wow, this is big. GKIDS handles a lot of the NA distribution for the most popular anime films (Ghibli, Shinkai) already, but this gives Toho a direct line in and allows them to integrate the existing distribution network and contacts that GKIDS has.

    My biggest hope is that this can mean more theatrical screenings of anime films with less of a delay from the domestic Japanese release. I know that is a bit optimistic of me though.

    • zabadoh@ani.socialEnglish
      3·
      2 months ago

      Hopefully they’ll start by changing that awful name.

      Animation, Japanese or not, isn’t just for kids.

      • wjs018@ani.socialMEnglish
        2·
        2 months ago

        You got me curious, so I did some quick searching to figure out where the name came from and found a random fandom wiki that said it stands for “Guerrilla Kids International Distribution Syndicate.” Just in case anybody was curious like I was.