Rainbow S.p.A.

Rainbow S.p.A.
FormerlyRainbow S.r.l. (1995-2018)
Company typePrivate
FoundedApril 1995; 29 years ago (April 1995)
FounderIginio Straffi
Headquarters
Loreto, Ancona, Italy
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Iginio Straffi (CEO)
Products
  • Television series
  • Films
OwnerIginio Straffi
Subsidiaries
  • Bardel Entertainment
  • Gruppo Iven S.p.A.
  • (Colorado Film)
  • Rainbow CGI
  • Moviement Talent Agency
  • Tridimensional
  • Witty Toys
Websiterbw.it

Rainbow S.p.A. is an Italian studio founded by Iginio Straffi and co-owned by Viacom (later Paramount Global) from 2011 to 2023. 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.

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

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Television series

[edit]
Show Start date Co-production
Tommy & Oscar[14][15] 2000–2002 Rai Fiction
Prezzemolo 2002–2003 Gardaland
Colorado 2003–2019 RTI
Winx Club 2004–2019 Rai Fiction (seasons 1-7)
Nickelodeon[16] (seasons 5-7)
Rai Ragazzi (season 8)
Monster Allergy 2005–2009 Rai Fiction
Huntik: Secrets & Seekers 2009–2012 RTI
PopPixie 2010–2011 Rai Fiction
Crazy Block (pilot)[17] 2014 Nickelodeon[17]
Regal Academy 2016–2018 Rai Fiction
Maggie & Bianca: Fashion Friends 2016–2017 Rai Fiction
Nickelodeon (pilot only)[18]
World of Winx Rai Fiction
Eccezionale veramente Colorado Film
44 Cats 2018–2021 Rai Ragazzi
Institute of Antoniano
Club 57 2019–2021 Rai Ragazzi
Nickelodeon[19]
Enjoy - Ridere fa bene 2020 RTI
Fate: The Winx Saga 2021–2022 Archery Pictures
Young Blood Productions
Summer & Todd: Happy Farmers 2021–present RTVE
Motion Pictures
Pinocchio and Friends Rai Ragazzi
Toonz Media Group
Mermaid Magic[20] 2024 Bardel[21]
Honolulu TBA RTI
Gormiti - The New Era [21]

Films

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Movie Released Distributor Co-production
Tommy and Oscar: The Movie 2007 Miramax Rai Cinema
Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom 01 Distribution
Miramax
Paramount Pictures
Winx Club 3D: Magical Adventure 2010 Medusa Film
Paramount Pictures 		Sky Cinema
Gladiators of Rome 2012 Mediaset Premium
Sky Cinema
Winx Club: The Mystery of the Abyss 2014 01 Distribution
Paramount Pictures 		Rai Cinema
Tiro libero 2017 Linfa Crowd 2.0
Classe Z Medusa Film
The Girl in the Fog
Daughter of Mine 2018 01 Distribution Rai Cinema
My Big Gay Italian Wedding Medusa Film
No Kids
When Mom Is Away
The Nest 2019
Into the Labyrinth
Me contro Te - Il film: La vendetta del Signor S 2020 Warner Bros.
Cambio tutto! Medusa Film
Amazon Prime Video 		Colorado Film
When Mom Is Away... With the Family
Me contro Te - Il film: Il mistero della scuola incantata 2021 Warner Bros.
A Classic Horror Story Netflix Colorado Film
My Name is Vendetta
Me contro Te - Il film: Persi nel tempo 2022 Warner Bros.
Il mammone Medusa Film
Il pataffio 01 Distribution Rai Cinema
UMédia
Vivo Film
The Price of Family Netflix Colorado Film
Tre di troppo 2023 Warner Bros.
Me contro Te - Il film: Missione Giungla
Me contro Te - Il film: Vacanze in Transilvania
50km all'ora 2024 Eagle Pictures Sony Pictures International Productions
The Tearsmith Netflix Colorado Film

Other divisions

[edit]

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.

References

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  1. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c "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. ^ a b "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. ^ "Mermaid Magic on Netflix from August 22". Rainbow SpA. 10 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  21. ^ a b 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.
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