Rainbow S.p.A.

Last updated

Rainbow S.p.A.
Company type S.p.A.
FoundedApril 1995;29 years ago (April 1995)
Founder Iginio Straffi
Headquarters
Key people
Iginio Straffi (CEO)
Products
  • Television series
  • Films
Owner Iginio Straffi
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 (later 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 . [1] 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.

Contents

In February 2011, Viacom purchased 30% of the company for 62 million euros (US$83 million), [2] leaving the remaining 70% to Iginio Straffi. [3] [4] Viacom's Nickelodeon networks broadcast Rainbow's shows worldwide, [5] and Rainbow acts as the licensing agent for Nickelodeon's shows in Italy. [6] Nickelodeon's American studios have also collaborated with Rainbow on several productions, including Winx Club from 2011 to 2015 and Club 57 in 2019. [1]

In 2015, Rainbow purchased fellow animation studio Bardel Entertainment. [7] In 2017, Rainbow acquired a majority stake in Gruppo Iven S.p.A., which owns the production company Colorado Film. [8]

In April 2018, Straffi and Viacom listed the company on the Italian stock exchange. [9] The listing followed years of consideration regarding which country's stock market to enter (the United States or Italy). [10] According to Straffi, this presented "a real dilemma" as Viacom was already listed on an American stock exchange, [10] but Rainbow performed best in European countries. [10] Straffi and Viacom withdrew Rainbow from the stock market in May 2018, citing a lack of suitable market conditions. [11]

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. [12] [13]

Filmography

Television series

ShowStart dateCo-production
Tommy & Oscar [14] [15] 2000–2002 Rai Fiction
Prezzemolo 2002–2003 Gardaland
Colorado2003–2019 RTI
Winx Club 2004–2019Rai Fiction (seasons 1-7)
Nickelodeon [16] (seasons 5-7)
Rai Ragazzi (season 8)
Monster Allergy 2005–2009Rai Fiction
Huntik: Secrets & Seekers 2009–2012RTI
PopPixie 2010–2011Rai Fiction
Crazy Block (pilot) [17] 2014Nickelodeon [17]
Regal Academy 2016–2018Rai Fiction
Maggie & Bianca: Fashion Friends 2016–2017Rai Fiction
Nickelodeon (pilot only) [18]
World of Winx 2016–2017Rai Fiction
Eccezionale veramente2016–2017Colorado Film
44 Cats 2018–2021Rai Ragazzi
Institute of Antoniano
Club 57 2019–2021Rai Ragazzi
Nickelodeon [19]
Enjoy - Ridere fa bene2020RTI
Fate: The Winx Saga 2021–2022Archery Pictures
Young Blood Productions
Summer & Todd: Happy Farmers2021–presentRTVE
Motion Pictures
Pinocchio and Friends 2021–presentRai Ragazzi
Toonz Media Group
HonoluluTBARTI
Merlinda – The Secret of Deep Ocean Bardel [20]
Gormiti - The New Era [20]

Films

MovieReleasedDistributorCo-production
Tommy and Oscar: The Movie2007 Miramax Rai Cinema
Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom 2007 01 Distribution
Paramount Pictures
Rai Cinema
Winx Club 3D: Magical Adventure 2010 Medusa Film
Paramount Pictures
Sky Cinema
Gladiators of Rome 2012Medusa Film
Paramount Pictures
Mediaset Premium
Sky Cinema
Winx Club: The Mystery of the Abyss 201401 Distribution
Paramount Pictures
Rai Cinema
Tiro libero2017Linfa Crowd 2.0Linfa Crowd 2.0
Classe Z2017Medusa FilmMedusa Film
The Girl in the Fog 2017Medusa FilmMedusa Film
Daughter of Mine 201801 DistributionRai Cinema
My Big Gay Italian Wedding 2018Medusa FilmMedusa Film
No Kids2018Medusa FilmMedusa Film
When Mom Is Away 2018Medusa FilmMedusa Film
The Nest2019Medusa FilmMedusa Film
Into the Labyrinth 2019Medusa FilmMedusa Film
Me contro Te - Il film: La vendetta del Signor S2020 Warner Bros. Warner Bros.
Cambio tutto!2020Medusa Film
Amazon Prime Video
Colorado Film
When Mom Is Away... With the Family 2020Medusa Film
Amazon Prime Video
Colorado Film
Me contro Te - Il film: Il mistero della scuola incantata2021Warner Bros.Warner Bros.
A Classic Horror Story 2021 Netflix Colorado Film
My Name is Vendetta 2021NetflixColorado Film
Me contro Te - Il film: Persi nel tempo2022Warner Bros.Warner Bros.
Il mammone2022Medusa FilmMedusa Film
Il pataffio202201 DistributionRai Cinema
UMédia
Vivo Film
The Price of Family 2022NetflixColorado Film
Tre di troppo2023Warner Bros.Warner Bros.
Me contro Te - Il film: Missione Giungla2023Warner Bros.Warner Bros.
Me contro Te - Il film: Vacanze in Transilvania2023Warner Bros.Warner Bros.
50km all'ora2024 Eagle Pictures Sony Pictures International Productions
The Tearsmith 2024NetflixColorado Film

Other divisions

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.

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Winx Club is an animated series co-produced by Rainbow SpA and later Nickelodeon. It was created and directed by Italian animator Iginio Straffi. The show is set in a magical universe that is inhabited by fairies, witches, and other mythical creatures. The main character is a fairy warrior named Bloom, who enrolls at Alfea College to train and hone her skills. The series uses a serial format with an ongoing storyline. It premiered on 28 January 2004, becoming a ratings success in Italy and on Nickelodeon networks internationally.

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<i>Winx Club</i> season 2 Season of television series

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Iginio Straffi is an Italian animator and former comic book author. He is the founder and president of Rainbow SpA, which he co-owned alongside the American media company Paramount Global from 2011 until 2023. Straffi is the creator of the studio's animated series Winx Club and Huntik: Secrets & Seekers, as well as the co-creator of its comic book series Maya Fox.

<i>Huntik: Secrets & Seekers</i> Italian TV series

Huntik: Secrets & Seekers is an Italian animated television series created by Iginio Straffi, the creator of Winx Club. It was produced by Rainbow, a studio co-owned by Straffi and Viacom at the time of the show's conclusion. The series is about four adventurers who are part of a group called the Huntik Foundation, led by their top operative Dante Vale. Each episode takes place in a different historical city and features magical elements inspired by European mythology. The characters are designed in a style that combines Japanese anime with Western animation.

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References

  1. 1 2 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).
  2. "Straffi's Rainbow: Europe's Largest Animation House Has Growing Pains" (PDF). VideoAge International . October 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 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.
  3. Vivarelli, Nick (26 February 2011). "Winx creator in the pink: Viacom draws on Italian animation shop". Variety . Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  4. Serafini, Domenico (5 November 2014). "I dolori di Rainbow per arrivare prima in Europa". Millecanali (in Italian). Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  5. Minardi, Sabina (24 February 2011). "Winx, le fatine fanno il botto". L'espresso (in Italian).
  6. Rusak, Gary (April 2011). "Rainbow to rep Nick, lands new master toy deal" (PDF). Kidscreen . Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2011.
  7. "Rainbow buys Canadian animation studio Bardel". Kidscreen . 5 October 2015.
  8. Montanari, Andrea (21 August 2017). "Rainbow-Viacom compra la Colorado" (PDF). MF Milano Finanza . Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  9. "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.
  10. 1 2 3 "Rainbow ripensa alla Borsa". Bebeez.it (in Italian). 3 November 2015.
  11. "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
  12. Vivarelli, Nick (4 February 2011). "Viacom takes stake in Rainbow". Variety .
  13. Bianchi, Nicole (24 January 2023). "Good Morning, Cinecittà!". Cinecittà News (in Italian).
  14. "Tommy & Oscar". La Repubblica (in Italian). 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  15. Cucciniello, Cristina (4 June 2003). "Tommy e Oscar, ancora insieme". www.film.it (in Italian). Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  16. "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.
  17. 1 2 "Crazy Block - Nick Animated Shorts". YouTube . 8 December 2018. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021.
  18. 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.
  19. "Riprese della serie tv americana per ragazzi "Club 57" a Monopoli" (in Italian). 23 September 2018.
  20. 1 2 Ilaria Ravarino (25 September 2023). "Alla corte di Iginio Straffi, il Re Mida del cinema italiano". The Hollywood Reporter Roma (in Italian). Retrieved 12 October 2023.