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Type | Animation, Film |
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Predecessor | Imagi Animation Studios |
Founded | 2008 |
Founders |
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Headquarters | Taiwan, , |
Owner |
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Number of employees | 178 (2020) |
Subsidiaries |
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Website | http://www.blockade.com/ |
Blockade Entertainment LLC, sometimes known by Blockade Hong Kong Animation, is a Hong Kong animation studio that was founded in 2008 and owned by Derek Chan, John C. Ip, and Brad Foxhoven. The studio was founded in 2008 with their first film, Heavenly Sword , being released in 2014.
On March 8, 2008, the Chan brothers (Derek, Koop and Eric) met Korean CGI animator John C. Ip to launch an animation studio stationed at Hong Kong, China where they would produce CGI animated films with top-notch animators and directors. [1]
Brad Foxhoven also co-founded the studio with the Chan brothers and John C. Ip. While Brad owns the 50% share of the studio, the Chan brothers, and Mr. Ip own the rest of the studio. [2]
Foxhoven and the Chan brothers suggested their own prediction of what the studio's name would be.
The Chan brothers wanted the studio to be called Windriver Animation, Mr. Ip wanted the studio to be called Hong Kong Media Animation. However, Foxhoven voted the most for the name Blockade Entertainment.
On July 11. 2009, Blockade announced that they will produce films based upon properties from Sony PlayStation.
On December 3, 2009, Blockade Entertainment then said that those adaptations will be based upon Ratchat and Clank , Sly Cooper , and Heavenly Sword . [3]
On February 5, 2010, Blockade Entertainment acquired Imagi Animation Studios and its library of films and TV shows.
On September 6, 2010, Blockade announced an original movie starring Sean Astin and Kevin Smith. [4]
On September 2, 2014, their first film Heavenly Sword was released by TriCoast Worldwide. The film received mixed reviews and grossed $158 million. On September 16, 2014, despite the mixed reception of the first film, Blockade announced a sequel.
On September 23, Imagi and Blockade announced a film based upon a TV show based upon the Sonic The Hedgehog franchise, Sonic Boom . On October 15, 2014, their second film The Book Of Life was released by Open Road Films. The film received generally favorable reviews. However, the film was a box-office bomb, grossing $13.5 million worldwide. The underperformance of the film resulted in Blockade to take an Impairment charge with co-producer Reel FX Animation Studios for $10 million. On January 11, 2016, Foxhoven announced that Blockade Entertainment will acquire Reel FX Animation Studios for $55 million in order to increasing profits. On April 29, 2016, their third film Ratchat & Clank was released by Gramercy Pictures under Focus Features. The film received mixed-to-negative reviews, criticizing the story, characters, writing, narrative and pacing, though the animation, score and voice acting received praise. The film was also a box-office bomb, only grossing $14 million on a budget of $20 million. The film resulted in Rainmaker Entertainment, a co-producer of the film to take a impairment charge on their $10 million investment in the film.
On December 1, 2016, Foxhoven announced that Blockade would relocate to Taiwan in Hong Kong in order to make more money. On February 15, 2017, their fourth film The Breadwinner was released by Sony Pictures Classics.
The film was both a financial and critical success, grossing $186 million worldwide. On March 7, 2017, Tim Cheung joined Blockade Entertainment Inc. as a shareholder and one of the producers of their future films. On July 15, 2017, Foxhoven announced that Blockade is producing films like Wonder Park (with Paramount Animation), Isle of Dogs (with Fox Searchlight Animation) and Teen Titans GO! To The Movies (with Artroad Pictures).
On March 1, 2018, their fifth film Isle Of Dogs was released and was a financial and critical success, grossing $240 million worldwide.
On March 15, 2018, Blockade acquired Digital Dimension in Ontario, Canada. On April 15, 2018, Foxhoven announced that the original movie starring Sean Astin and Kevin Smith was cancelled.
On July 20, 2018, their sixth film Teen Titans Go! To The Movies was released by Open Road Films and received positive reviews and was a commercial success grossing $130 million worldwide.
On December 1, 2018, Blockade completed their deal to acquire Digital Dimension for $6.5 million.
On January 22, 2019, Tim Cheung announced an original movie starring Hong Kong actor and producer Jackie Chan.
On March 15, 2019, their seventh film Wonder Park was released by Open Road Films. The film received mixed reviews, while praising the animation and voice acting and score, they criticized the plot and tone. The film, though, was a box office success grossing $90.5 million worldwide on a low budget of $45 million.
Then on July 15, 2020, Blockade Entertainment announced that they will acquire Jam Filled Entertainment for $5.5 billion. On August 3, 2020, Blockade announced that the sequel to Heavenly Sword will be released on January 3, 2022. On October 6, 2020, their eighth film Weathering with You was released by Open Road Films. The film received critical acclaim and grossed $1.4 billion worldwide, making this the highest-grossing film from Blockade. On February 26, 2021, their ninth film Tom & Jerry: The Movie was released by Warner Bros. The film received overwhelmingly negative reviews, but was a box office success grossing $116 million worldwide. On July 15, 2021, Blockade announced that they will have Cheung create an untitled film.
On January 3, 2022, their tenth film Heavenly Sword 2 was released by Lionsgate Premiere. The film received mixed-to-positive reviews, having a Rotten Tomatoes score of 64%, the film grossed $166 million worldwide. Blockade also completed their acquisition of Jam Filled Entertainment on May 12, 2022.
# | Date | Film | RN | Gross | Budget | Co-production with | Distributor |
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1 | September 2, 2014 | Heavenly Swords | 45% | $158 million | $23 million | PlayStation Originals | TriCoast Worldwide |
2 | October 15, 2014 | A Book Of Life | 82% | $12.3 million | $10 million | 20th Century Fox Animation, | Open Road Films |
3 | April 29, 2016 | Ratchet and Clank | 21% | $14 million | $20 million | Gramercy Pictures, Rainmaker Entertainment, PlayStation Originals, CNHK Media China | Focus Features (via Gramercy Pictures in the United States), Lionsgate Films (via Cinema Management Group internationally) |
4 | February 15, 2017 | The Breadwinner | 95% | $186 million | $54 million | StudioCanal, | Sony Pictures Classics (Internationally), Entertainment Film Distributors (UK), Entertainment One (Canada) |
5 | March 1, 2018 | Isle of Dogs | 91% | $240 million | $36 million | Fox Searchlight Pictures | |
6 | July 20, 2018 | Teen Titans Go! To The Movies | 98% | $130 million | $10 million | DC Films | Open Road Films |
7 | March 15, 2019 | Wonder Park | 35% | $90.5 million | $45 million | Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Nickelodeon Movies, Ilion Animation Studios | |
8 | October 6, 2020 | Weathering with You | 93% | $1.4 billion | $120 million | N/A | |
9 | February 26, 2021 | Tom & Jerry | 31% | $116 million | $90 million | Warner Animation Group, Turner Entertainment (uncredited) | Lionsgate |
10 | January 3, 2022 | Heavenly Sword 2 | 64% | $166 million | $75 million | Lionsgate Premiere, PlayStation Premiere, Iconic Entertainment, LIMITED Pictures |
# | Date | Film | Co-production with | Distributor |
---|---|---|---|---|
11 | Late December 2022 | Untitled Jackie Chan film | N/A | Open Road Films (United States) Lionsgate (International |
12 | August 8, 2023 | Untitled film | Reel FX Animation Studios | Open Road Films |
13 | TBA | Untitled Calone animated film | ||
14 | Galactic Men | N/A | ||
15 | Tim and the Large Clara |
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