New Line Television

Last updated

New Line Television
Company type Division
Industry Television production
Founded1988;36 years ago (1988) in New York City, United States
Defunct2008;16 years ago (2008)
FateFolded into Warner Bros. Television
Successor Warner Bros. Television
Headquarters,
United States
Owner Warner Bros. Discovery
Parent New Line Cinema

New Line Television was the television production arm of the film studio of the same name. It was active for about 20 years from 1988 to 2008.

Contents

History

The company was founded in 1988 to produce Freddy's Nightmares , a television series based on the studio's Nightmare on Elm Street film series. Following the series's cancellation in 1990, New Line launched its own television unit a year later. [lower-alpha 1]

In 1990, New Line bought a majority stake in Robert Halmi, Inc. Entertainment, a production company specializing in Television films and miniseries. [1] [2] RHI was sold to Hallmark Cards in 1994, shortly after New Line had been acquired by Turner Broadcasting System. [3] New Line once had a television distribution shop, New Line Television Distribution, which was previously affiliated with RHI. On October 21, 1992, New Line and RHI was in negotiations to handle management of RHI catalog product. [4]

On February 15, 1999, producer Trilogy Entertainment Group had inked an exclusive development deal with the studio to produce television projects, mostly for syndication, cable and the networks. [5] On April 28, 2000, it was announced that Matthew Blackheart: Monster Smasher, a program New Line is planning on to debut for syndication would debut instead on the Sci-Fi Channel, eventually making it into a made-for-TV movie. [6]

Turner merged with Time Warner on October 10, 1996. On June 16, 2000, it signed an affiliation production contract with Warner Bros. Television to produce network series for a two-year period. [7] From October 2006, MGM Television began distributing New Line's films and television series.

On February 28, 2008, New Line Cinema was merged with Warner Bros. and hence ceased to exist as a separate entity. In turn, New Line Television was folded into Warner Bros.'s television division. [8]

Warner Bros. Television would later revive the New Line brand in 2016 as a speciality producer for new and upcoming television adaptations based on New Line’s forte.

Television series produced

TitleYearsNetworkNotes
Freddy's Nightmares 1988–1990 Syndication with Stone Television
Based on the 1984 film A Nightmare on Elm Street and its sequels by New Line Cinema
Court TV: Inside America's Courts 1993–1997with Court TV
The Mask: Animated Series 1995–1997 CBS with Film Roman, Dark Horse Entertainment and Sunbow Entertainment
Based on the 1994 film The Mask by New Line Cinema
Dumb & Dumber 1995 ABC with Hanna-Barbera Productions
Based on the 1994 film Dumb and Dumber by New Line Cinema
Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm 1996 USA Network with Film Roman, Threshold Entertainment and USA Studios
Based on the 1995 film Mortal Kombat by New Line Cinema
Mortal Kombat: Konquest 1998–1999 TNT with Threshold Entertainment
Based on the 1995 film Mortal Kombat by New Line Cinema
Breaking News 2002 Bravo with Trilogy Entertainment Group
The Twilight Zone 2002–2003 UPN with Spirit Dance Entertainment, Trilogy Entertainment Group and Joshmax Production Services
Masterminds 2003–2007 History Television with Red Apple Entertainment
Amish in the City 2004 UPN with Stick Figure Productions
Kitchen Confidential 2005 Fox with Hemingson Entertainment, Darren Star Productions and 20th Century Fox Television
Blade: The Series 2006 Spike with Phantom Four Films and Marvel Entertainment
Based on the 1998 film Blade and its sequels by New Line Cinema
The Real Wedding Crashers 2007 NBC with Katalyst Films
Friday: The Animated Series MTV2 with Cubevision and MTV Animation
Based on the 1995 film Friday and its sequels by New Line Cinema
High School Confidential 2008 WE tv with Herizon Productions
Family Foreman TV Land

Television distribution series

Notes

  1. Freddy's Nightmares was distributed in syndication by Lorimar-Telepictures from 1988–1989. Warner Bros. purchased Lorimar-Telepictures in 1989 and assumed distribution for the remainder of the series's run.

Related Research Articles

Lorimar Productions, Inc., later known as Lorimar Television and Lorimar Distribution, was an American production company that was later a subsidiary of Warner Bros., active from 1969 until 1993, when it was folded into Warner Bros. Television. It was founded by Irwin Molasky, Merv Adelson, and Lee Rich. The company's name was a portmanteau of Adelson's then wife, Lori and Palomar Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turner Broadcasting System</span> American media conglomerate (1965–2019)

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. was an American television and media conglomerate founded by Ted Turner in 1965. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it merged with Time Warner on October 10, 1996. As of April 2022, all of its assets are now owned by Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). The headquarters of Turner's properties are largely located at the CNN Center in Downtown Atlanta, and the Turner Broadcasting campus off Techwood Drive in Midtown Atlanta, which also houses Turner Studios. Some of their operations are housed within WBD's corporate and global headquarters inside 30 Hudson Yards in Manhattan's West Side district, and at 230 Park Avenue South in Midtown Manhattan, both in New York City, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Line Cinema</span> American film and television production company

New Line Productions, Inc., doing business as New Line Cinema, is an American film and television production studio owned by Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). Since 2008, it has been operating as a unit of Warner Bros. Pictures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warner Bros. Television Studios</span> Television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment

Warner Bros. Television Studios is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of Warner Bros.. Since 2006, it is one of the two companies that serve as television production arms of The CW, alongside Paramount Global's subsidiary CBS Studios; it also serves as a television production arm of DC Comics and distribution arm of HBO, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. Warner Bros. Television Studios also produces shows for other networks & streaming services.

<i>Freddys Nightmares</i> American horror anthology television series (1988–1990)

Freddy's Nightmares is an American horror anthology television series, which aired in syndication from October 1988 until March 1990. A spin-off from the A Nightmare on Elm Street film series, each episode is introduced by Freddy Krueger, and features two different stories, with eight of them throughout the series actually having Freddy Krueger as the main antagonist. The pilot episode was directed by Tobe Hooper, and begins with Krueger's prosecution on child-murdering charges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telepictures</span> American television show and filmmaking company

Telepictures is an American television show and filmmaking company, currently operating as a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Television Studios. Telepictures was established in 1978 by David Salzman, Michael Jay Solomon, and Michael Garin as a television syndication firm.

Extra is an American syndicated news broadcasting newsmagazine that is distributed by Warner Bros. Television Distribution and premiered on September 5, 1994. The program serves as a straight rundown of news headlines and gossip throughout the entertainment industry, providing coverage of events and celebrities; however, since 2013, it has also placed an even greater emphasis on interviews and insider previews of upcoming film and television projects. As of 2023, the program's weekday broadcasts are anchored by Billy Bush, with the weekend editions co-anchored by Melvin Robert and Mona Kosar Abdi.

Lorimar-Telepictures Corporation, Inc. was an entertainment company established in 1985 with the merger of Lorimar Productions, Inc. and Telepictures Corporation. Headquartered at the former Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios in Culver City, California, its assets included television production and syndication, feature films, home video, and broadcasting.

Halcyon Studios, LLC., formerly known as Sonar Entertainment, RHI Entertainment, Hallmark Entertainment, Qintex Entertainment, HRI Group and Robert Halmi Inc., is an American entertainment company specializing in the production and distribution of scripted television content, part of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. It was founded in 1979 by Robert Halmi Jr. and Robert Halmi Sr. (1924–2014) as Robert Halmi, Inc. The company uses the direct-to-series model for TV series.

Roadshow Entertainment is an Australian home video, production and distribution company that is a division of Village Roadshow that distributes films in Australia and New Zealand. Their first release was Mad Max. Roadshow Entertainment is an independent video distributor in Australia and New Zealand.

Keith Samples is an American filmmaker and former syndication executive.

Bill Todman Jr. is an American media executive. He began his career working for his father, Hall of Fame television producer Bill Todman.

ThunderCats is an American media franchise, featuring a fictional group of cat-like humanoid aliens. The characters were created by Tobin "Ted" Wolf and featured in an animated television series named ThunderCats, running from 1985 to 1989, which was animated by Japanese studio Pacific Animation Corporation, and co-produced by Rankin/Bass Productions.

The Lorimar Sports Network, or LSN, was an American ad hoc television network providing syndicated college football and basketball. It was based at Lorimar's original headquarters in Culver City, California, with an additional office in Dallas, Texas. It was in operation from 1983 until 1986.

Vertigo Entertainment is an American film and television production company based in Los Angeles, founded in 2001 by Roy Lee and Doug Davison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Jay Solomon</span>

Michael Jay Solomon is an American businessman, and entertainment executive. Solomon's career spans more than 50 years in the media and content distribution business. He is the founder and president of several publicly and privately held companies which are listed in his Bloomberg profile. Solomon has founded or sits on the board of philanthropic organizations benefiting education, public health, and the arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warner Bros. Pictures</span> American film studio

Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company of the Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment. The studio is the flagship producer of live-action feature films within the Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group unit, and is based at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California. Animated films produced by Warner Bros. Pictures Animation are also released under the studio banner.

David Elliot Salzman is an American television producer and businessman. Salzman has been involved in a number of industries that include television news and entertainment, feature films, live theater, sports, and musical events.

References

  1. Citron, Alan (June 6, 1990). "Qintex Entertainment to Sell Virtually All of Its Assets". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  2. "BUSINESS PEOPLE; President for TV Unit At New Line Cinema". The New York Times . November 16, 1991. Retrieved September 16, 2009.
  3. Lippman, John (April 27, 1994). "Hallmark to Buy TV Movie Producer RHI Entertainment". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  4. Huff, Richard (October 21, 1992). "RHI talking to New Line about handling catalog". Variety. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  5. Littleton, Cynthia (February 16, 1999). "Trilogy inks with New Line". Variety. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  6. Bernstein, Paula; Grego, Melissa (April 28, 2000). "NL's 'Monster' out of syndie, onto Sci Fi". Variety. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  7. Adalian, Josef; Schneider, Michael (June 16, 2000). "New Line, WB TV link up". Variety. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  8. "It's Official - New Line Cinema is Dead!". FirstShowing.net. February 28, 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2009.