WildBrain Ltd. is a Canadian media, animation studio, production, and brand licensing company, mostly associated as an entertainment company. The company is known for owning the largest independent library of children's television programming, including the assets of acquisitions such as Cookie Jar Group, Epitome Pictures, and Wildbrain Entertainment among others, distribution rights to the Jay Ward Productions and Ragdoll Productions libraries.
The company was founded in 2006 as DHX Media, via a merger between Decode Entertainment and the Halifax Film Company. The company subsequently acquired other studios and assets, acquired the Canadian specialty service Family Channel in 2014 to expand into broadcasting, and established the YouTube multi-channel network WildBrain (now WildBrain London) in 2016. Building upon the strength of the division, the entirety of the company was rebranded as WildBrain in 2019.
History + The evolution of WildBrain Year Event 1968 FilmFair London is founded 1971 DIC Audiovisuel is founded 1972 Strawberry Shortcake brand is first developed 1974 CPLG is founded 1976 CINAR and Colossal Pictures are founded 1982 DIC Enterprises is founded 1984–1985 Ragdoll Productions is founded 1986–1987 Andy Heyward takes over DIC Enterprises and renames it DIC Animation City with help from both Bear Stearns & Co and Prudential Insurance CoJean Chalopin retains DIC Audiovisuel and establishes Créativité et Développement 1988 Studio B Productions is founded 1992 Epitome Pictures is founded 1993 Capital Cities/ABC purchases DIC Animation City, renaming it DIC Entertainment 1994 Both Wild Brain and Red Rover Studios were founded 1995 Platinum Disc Corporation is founded 1996 The Walt Disney Company purchases Capital Cities/ABC, which included DIC Entertainment as wellCINAR buys FilmFair's library 1997 Decode Entertainment is founded 1999 Wild Brain acquires Colossal Pictures' employee base 2000 Andy Heyward re-acquires DIC Entertainment from The Walt Disney Company with help this time around from both Bain Capital and Chase Capital Partners 2001–2002 Nerd Corps Entertainment and Kidrobot are foundedFilmFair London closesDIC Entertainment rebrands themselves onscreen as The Incredible World of DIC 2004 Halifax Film Company is foundedMichael Hirsh takes over CINAR and renames it as Cookie Jar Group 2005 Platinum Disc Corporation merge as Echo Bridge Home Entertainment 2006 Decode and Halifax Film merge as DHX MediaDIC Entertainment acquires CPLGRagdoll Productions forms a joint-venture with BBC Worldwide called Ragdoll WorldwideWild Brain acquires stake in Kidrobot 2007 DHX Media buys Studio B ProductionsWild Brain becomes Wildbrain Entertainment 2008 Cookie Jar Group purchases and folds DIC EntertainmentHouse of Cool absorbs Red Rover Studios 2010 DHX Media buys Wildbrain EntertainmentPeanuts Worldwide is foundedDecode Entertainment rebrands as DHX Media TorontoHalifax Film becomes DHX Media Halifax 2011 DHX Media Toronto, Studio B Productions and Red Rover Studios close 2012 DHX Media buys Cookie Jar GroupWildbrain Entertainment acquires Kidrobot as a whole 2013 DHX Media acquires Ragdoll Worldwide from Ragdoll Productions and BBC Worldwide; despite that though, Ragdoll Productions themselves remain independent 2014 DHX Media buys Epitome Pictures, Nerd Corps, and Echo Bridge Home Entertainment's family content library, as well as Family, the Canadian English and French Disney Junior channels, and the Canadian version of Disney XDCookie Jar Group shuts downNational Entertainment Collectibles Association acquires Kidrobot from Wildbrain Entertainment 2016 The WildBrain multi-channel network launchesStudio B and Nerd Corps merge as DHX Studios Wildbrain Entertainment closes 2017 DHX Media buys Peanuts Worldwide and Strawberry Shortcake 2018 DHX Media Halifax becomes Island of Misfits 2019 DHX Media rebrands as WildBrainEpitome Pictures closesthe WildBrain MCN becomes WildBrain Spark 2020 CPLG becomes WildBrain CPLG 2021 Echo Bridge folds into SP Distribution 2023 WildBrain acquires House of Cool 2024 WildBrain Spark merged into its parent company as WildBrain London 2025 WildBrain announces closures of its television channelsWildBrain sells Peanuts Worldwide (41% stake to Sony Pictures and Sony Music Japan)2026Wildbrain acquires Personality AI As DHX Media
In May 2006, the Toronto-based Decode Entertainment merged with the Halifax-based Halifax Film Company as DHX Media, which went public on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE) and the London Alternative Investment Market (AIM). Decode's Neil Court stated that becoming a public company would allow it to raise capital for new ventures, and stated that they planned to pursue the establishment of a licensing division for consumer products. On March 25, 2008, DHX Media acquired Bulldog Interactive Fitness. The name, "DHX" drives from the combination of the names Decode and Halifax. On September 29, 2008, Entertainment One announced its intentions to purchase the company for US$63.2 million, with the deal set to close in December. The deal would fall through after Entertainment One's stock prices fell by 61%.
After the merger, Decode, Halifax Film, and Studio B Productions initially maintained their respective brands. On September 8, 2010, the company announced that all of its subsidiaries would be brought under the DHX Media branding. On September 14, 2010, DHX Media acquired the American animation studio Wildbrain Entertainment, producer of shows such as Poochini, Higglytown Heroes, and Yo Gabba Gabba!.
On August 20, 2012, it was announced that DHX Media would acquire Cookie Jar Group for CA $111 million, a deal which would make DHX the world's largest independent owner of children's television programming. The acquisition was completed on October 22, 2012.
In May 2013, DHX introduced three premium, subscription-based channels on YouTube; DHX Junior, DHX Kids, and DHX Retro. DHX's then executive chairman Michael Hirsh stated that the offerings were meant to leverage the company's library and the growth of digital distribution in the children's television market. DHX was among the first 30 content partners for YouTube's premium channel platform.
On September 16, 2013, DHX acquired Ragdoll Worldwide—a joint venture between British production company Ragdoll Productions, and BBC Worldwide that managed and licensed Ragdoll Productions properties (such as Teletubbies and In the Night Garden) outside the United Kingdom—for US$27.7 million.
Expansion into broadcasting, subsequent partnerships On November 28, 2013, DHX announced that it would acquire four children's specialty television channels from the former Astral Media for , consisting of Family Channel, Disney Junior (English), Disney Junior (French), and Disney XD. The networks were being sold as a condition of Bell Media's 2013 acquisition of Astral Media; its purchase of the networks marked DHX's first foray into television broadcasting. The deal was approved by the CRTC on July 24, 2014, and closed on July 31, 2014. The channels were incorporated into a new unit, DHX Television.
In early 2014, DHX Media acquired Epitome Pictures, the company that produced the post-2001 entries of the Degrassi franchise, but Epitome did not own international distribution rights. In November, DHX purchased 117 children's and family titles from US distributor Echo Bridge Home Entertainment. The acquisition comprised about 1,200 half-hours including the international distribution rights to Degrassi, as well as Instant Star and The L.A. Complex (two other Epitome productions), as well as distribution rights to an additional 34 series. Other shows in the purchase included Lunar Jim, Beast Wars: Transformers and Cookie Jar's Emily of New Moon. Nerd Corps Entertainment, a computer animation studio founded by former Mainframe Entertainment producers Asaph Fipke and Chuck Johnson, also the makers of Slugterra, was acquired by DHX Media on December 24.
In April 2015, Corus Entertainment announced that it had acquired Canadian rights to the program library of Disney Channel and its associated brands as part of a deal with the Disney–ABC Television Group; DHX's existing deal with Disney, which covered programming across the four DHX Television services, ended in January 2016. DHX's Disney-branded channels were re-branded as Family Jr. and Télémagino in September 2015.
In August 2015, DHX reached an output deal with AwesomenessTV; the deal includes rights to its programming for Family Channel, along with plans to co-develop new, original content for DHX to distribute and merchandise internationally. In December 2015, DHX reached an output deal with DreamWorks Animation, which included Canadian rights to its original animated television series, and a pact to co-produce 130 episodes of animated programming for the Family networks, with DHX handling Canadian distribution and DreamWorks handling international distribution. Also that month, DHX established a development deal with Mattel to co-develop and handle global sales for content in the Little People and Polly Pocket franchises, as well as HiT Entertainment properties owned by them such as the Bob the Builder and Fireman Sam franchises, including television and digital video programming.
In February 2016, DHX consolidated most of its studio operations under the new division DHX Studios, with operations in Vancouver, Halifax, and Toronto. DHX also announced that it would open a new 60,000 square-foot studio in Vancouver to consolidate its 2D and CGI animation studios.
In April 2016, DHX Media announced the formation of a new London-based multi-channel network under the WildBrain name. On September 21, 2016, DHX cut a deal with Air Bud Entertainment (founded by Robert Vince) distribute the Air Bud library of 15 films, including the newest Air Bud production Pup Star.
Peanuts and Strawberry Shortcake acquisition, reorganizations On May 10, 2017, DHX announced that it had acquired the entertainment division of Iconix Brand Group for . The purchase gave DHX full ownership to the Strawberry Shortcake franchise and, more prominently, an 80% majority stake in Peanuts Worldwide.
On October 2, 2017, the company announced that it was evaluating strategic alternatives, including a potential sale, following a review of its finances. DHX's debt had increased following the Iconix acquisition, and the company reported a net loss of during its fiscal fourth quarter.
On May 14, 2018, DHX announced that it would sell a 39% stake (approximately 49% of its total ownership) in Peanuts Worldwide to its Japanese licensee Sony Music Entertainment Japan for . The sale would be used to help cover DHX's debt.
On September 24, 2018, DHX announced that it had concluded its strategic review and decided against selling the company, and that it planned to prioritize investments into digital content (including short-form digital content for WildBrain, and premium long-form content for subscription streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video and Netflix), to reflect changes in viewing habits. On the same day, the company also reported a revenue of CA $434.4 million for its fiscal 2018 (up from CA $298.7 million in its fiscal 2017).
In November 2018, DHX announced the sale of its Halifax animation studio to IoM Media Ventures, a new company led by former DHX CEO Dana Landry. The Halifax animation studio had been operating on a loss. The sale was completed on December 21, 2018.
In February 2019, the company announced plans to consolidate its operations into two internal subsidiaries for "improved focus and strategic flexibility", focused on studios and networks, and global content assets (including digital) respectively. During its investors' call, then CEO Michael Donovan stated that the company had slightly downsized its slate of productions to "focus on the shows we think have the greatest potential, particularly with respect to consumer products".