Garson Foos, CEO of Shout! Studios

Source: Shout! Studios

Garson Foos, CEO of Shout! Studios

Shout! Studios has acquired distributor Gravitas Ventures under its strategy to build the library as it continues to acquire and distribute film and television through for its multi-platform operation.

Shout! Studios and Gravitas Ventures will operate as two distinct brands and continue to distribute from their respective catalogues.

The transaction gives Shout! access to more than 3,300 scripted, non-scripted, and sports-related narrative features, documentaries, and television titles. According to reports there had been talk of lay-offs at Gravitas for a while, highlighting the ongoing challenges in the independent sector.

Nolan Gallagher founded Gravitas in 2006 and the company’s recent films include Mack & Rita starring Diane Keaton, The King‘s Daughter starring Pierce Brosnan and Kaya Scodelario, Queen Bees starring Ellen Burstyn and James Caan, and Vanguard with Jackie Chan.

Garson Foos, CEO of Shout! Studios said the acquisition marked the next step in its expansion of the Shout catalogue. Shout! Studios backer Oaktree Capital Management acquired Gravitas Ventures from its owner Anthem Sports & Entertainment.

Salem Partners acted as the exclusive financial and investment banking advisor to Anthem Sports & Entertainment and Gravitas Ventures, led by Ivar Combrinck. Sheppard Mullin acted as exclusive legal advisors to Anthem Sports & Entertainment, led by Shaun Clark and Aerin Snow. Greenberg Traurig acted as exclusive legal advisors to Shout Studios, led by Ben Einbinder and Daniel Black.

Shout! Studios operates two imprints – Scream Factory for genre horror films and television, and Shout! Kids for family animation and live-action entertainment – and operates streaming service Shout! TV and its portfolio of FAST channels.

Original films include Old Henry with Tim Blake Nelson, western The Dead Don’t Hurt starring Viggo Mortensen and Vicky Krieps, and Shekhar Kapur’s What’s Love Got To Do With It starring Lily James, and Emma Thompson.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

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