Lionsgate Home Entertainment

Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Name	Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Parent	Lionsgate
Founded	0 1998
Headquarters	Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Key people	Jim Packer (President, Worldwide Television & Digital Distribution)
Industry	Home video
Products	DVD, Blu-ray, Ultra HD Blu-ray, Video on demand
Owner	Lionsgate

Contents

History
Distribution and operations
Film and television library
Digital and streaming initiatives
Marketing and promotions
See also

Lionsgate Home Entertainment. It is the home media distribution division of the global entertainment conglomerate Lionsgate. Established in 1998, the division is responsible for the worldwide distribution of feature films, television series, and original content on physical media and through digital retailers. It manages one of the industry's most extensive and commercially successful libraries, encompassing titles from its parent studio, acquired properties, and strategic output deals with other producers.

History

The division was formed shortly after Lionsgate (then Lions Gate Entertainment) became a publicly traded company, initially focusing on distributing its growing slate of independent films on VHS and early DVD. A significant early success was the home video release of the controversial and profitable *American Psycho* in 2000. The division's scope expanded dramatically with Lionsgate's acquisition of Artisan Entertainment in 2003, which brought the lucrative *Saw* franchise and a vast library including titles like The Blair Witch Project. Further growth came through the purchase of Mandate Pictures in 2007 and the landmark acquisition of Starz Inc. in 2016, which added the extensive Starz original programming catalog. Key executives like Jim Packer and Ron Schwartz have overseen its evolution into a digital and physical media powerhouse.

Distribution and operations

Operating from its headquarters in Santa Monica, California, the division manages a complex global supply chain for physical media through partnerships with replicators like Technicolor SA and distributors such as StudioCanal in certain international territories. It holds long-term output deals for physical and digital distribution with major production entities, including Blumhouse Productions and A24, bringing films like *Get Out* and Everything Everywhere All at Once to market. The division also distributes content from third-party studios and the extensive libraries of Starz and Lionsgate Television, ensuring a consistent pipeline of product to major retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, and Amazon.

Film and television library

The division's library is a cornerstone of its value, featuring thousands of titles spanning multiple genres and decades. Its crown jewels include blockbuster franchises like *The Hunger Games*, *John Wick*, and *Twilight*, which have generated billions in home entertainment revenue. The library also boasts acclaimed television series from Starz such as *Outlander* and *Power*, along with cult classic films from the Artisan Entertainment acquisition like *The Texas Chain Saw Massacre*. This diverse collection is continually refreshed with new releases from Lionsgate Films and partner studios.

Digital and streaming initiatives

Pioneering early moves into digital sell-through, the division was a founding partner of UltraViolet and later migrated its users to the Movies Anywhere platform. It maintains a dominant presence on electronic sell-through (EST) platforms like iTunes, Google Play, and Vudu, and licenses content to major subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services including Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. The integration with Starz has facilitated bundled offerings and the direct-to-consumer distribution of original series through the Starz app. The division also experiments with premium video-on-demand (PVOD) windows for films like The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.

Marketing and promotions

The division employs aggressive, genre-specific marketing campaigns, particularly for its horror franchises like *Saw* and The Blair Witch Project, often utilizing limited-edition steelbook packaging and collectible merchandise. It frequently partners with major retail chains for exclusive content and early release promotions. For catalog titles, it leverages anniversaries and pop culture moments with 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray restorations of classics such as Dirty Dancing and *Total Recall*. Its promotional strategies are closely tied to broader Lionsgate theatrical releases and television premieres on Starz.