 | |
| Rainbow | |
| Formerly | Rainbow S.r.l. (1995-2018) |
| Company type | Private |
| Founded | April 1995; 30 years ago (April 1995) |
| Founder | Iginio Straffi |
| Headquarters | |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Iginio Straffi (CEO) |
| Products |
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| Owner | Iginio Straffi |
| Subsidiaries |
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| Website | rbw.it |
Rainbow S.p.A. is an Italian studio founded byIginio Straffi and co-owned byViacom (laterParamount Global) from 2011 to 2023. Rainbow has collaborated with Viacom/Paramount's other company,Nickelodeon, on multiple shows, includingWinx Club andClub 57.[1] The studio is based inLoreto, 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, includingWinx Club from 2011 to 2015 andClub 57 in 2019.[1]
In 2015, Rainbow purchased fellow animation studioBardel 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 theItalian 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]
| Title | Years | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tommy & Oscar[14][15] | 2000–2002 | Rai 1 | co-production withRai Fiction |
| Prezzemolo | 2002–2003 | Italia 1 | co-production withGardaland |
| Colorado | 2003–2019 | co-production with Colorado Film and 3Zero2 | |
| Winx Club | 2004–2019 | Rai 2/Rai Gulp Nickelodeon (International) | Rai Fiction (seasons 1-7),Nickelodeon Animation Studio (seasons 5–7)[16] andRai Ragazzi (season 8) |
| Monster Allergy | 2005–2009 | Rai 2 M6 (France) Kika (Germany) | co-production withFuturikon and Rai Fiction |
| Huntik: Secrets & Seekers | 2009–2012 | Rai 2 | co-production withRai Fiction and Big Bocca Productions (season 1) |
| PopPixie | 2010–2011 | co-production withRai Fiction | |
| Mia and Me[17][18] | 2012–2023 | Rai 2/Rai Gulp Kika (Germany) | seasons 1–2 only co-production withHahn & m4e Productions,Rai Fiction (seasons 1–2) andMarch Entertainment (season 1) Currently owned byStudio 100 International[19] |
| Crazy Block (pilot)[20] | 2014 | Nickelodeon[20] | |
| Regal Academy | 2016–2018 | Rai Yoyo Nickelodeon (International) | co-production with Rai Fiction |
| Maggie & Bianca: Fashion Friends | 2016–2017 | Rai Gulp Netflix (International) | co-production with Rai Fiction and Nickelodeon (pilot only)[21] |
| World of Winx | co-production withRai Fiction | ||
| Eccezionale veramente | La 7 | co-production Colorado Film | |
| 44 Cats | 2018–2021 | Rai Yoyo Nickelodeon (International) | co-production withRai Ragazzi andInstitute of Antoniano |
| Club 57 | 2019–2021 | Rai Gulp Nickelodeon (United States) | co-production withNickelodeon Productions,Rai Ragazzi and Cinemat Nickelodeon[22] |
| Enjoy - Ridere fa bene | 2020 | RTI | |
| Fate: The Winx Saga | 2021–2022 | Netflix | co-production with Archery Pictures and Young Blood Productions |
| Summer & Todd: Happy Farmers | 2021–present | Rai Yoyo Clan (Spain) | co-production withMotion Pictures |
| Pinocchio and Friends[23] | Rai YoYo | co-production withRai Ragazzi and Toonz Media Group[24] | |
| Mermaid Magic[25] | 2024 | Netflix | co-production withBardel Entertainment[26] |
| Gormiti: The New Era | Rai 2 | co-production withGiochi Preziosi[26] andRai Kids | |
| Winx Club: The Magic Is Back | 2025–present | Rai 2 Netflix | co-production withRai Kids |
| Comic | First issue | Last issue |
|---|---|---|
| Maya Fox | October 2008 | 2011 |
| Movie | Released | Distributor | Co-production |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tommy and Oscar: The Movie | 2007 | Miramax | Rai Cinema |
| Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom | 01 Distribution (Italy) Paramount Home Entertainment (International) | ||
| 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 | |
Rainbow foundedTridimensional, a magazine publishing division, in 2004. A 3D animation division,Rainbow CGI, was formed in 2006. Rainbow also establishedWitty Toys, a toy division, in 2008.
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.
Rome: The shares will be put on sale by Straffi and Viacom Holdings Italia.
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
Winx Club is a co-production with Rainbow S.p.A. and Nickelodeon.
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