Entertainment One (Lionsgate Canada)

Overview

Entertainment One (eOne) was a Canadian-founded independent entertainment company that distributed and produced film and television content across North America, the UK, and international markets. At its peak, eOne distributed approximately 200 to 300 films per year across its territories, making it one of the most prolific independent distributors outside the major studio system. The company no longer operates under the eOne name: Lionsgate acquired eOne's film and television assets from Hasbro for $500 million in December 2023, and the Canadian operation was rebranded as Lionsgate Canada in June 2024.

Today, the former eOne operations are integrated into Lionsgate Studios Corp. (NYSE: LION), which became a separately traded public company in May 2025 following its separation from Starz. Lionsgate now holds a library of more than 20,000 film and television titles. The former eOne film division operates under Lionsgate Films, the television division under Lionsgate Television, and the unscripted assets under Lionsgate Alternative Television. Lionsgate Canada continues as a Canadian subsidiary with its own board of directors, headquartered at 134 Peter Street in Toronto.

History

Origins and Growth (1973 to 2019)

The company that became eOne was founded in 1973 as Records On Wheels Limited, a Canadian music distributor. It evolved through several name changes (ROW Entertainment, E1 Entertainment) before becoming Entertainment One. Under CEO Darren Throop, the company expanded aggressively through acquisitions: Contender Entertainment Group (UK, 2007), Koch Entertainment (US, 2007), Alliance Films (Canada, 2013), and Phase 4 Films (2014), among others. These acquisitions built a pan-territorial distribution infrastructure spanning Canada, the UK, Benelux, Australia, and other markets.

eOne's film division handled wide-release commercial films, independent acquisitions, and its own productions. Key releases included The King's Speech (2010, Canadian distribution), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011), Spotlight (2015, Canadian distribution), Hell or High Water (2016), and Unbroken (2014, UK distribution). The company also built a significant children's content business, most notably Peppa Pig and PJ Masks.

Hasbro Acquisition (2019 to 2023)

Hasbro acquired eOne in 2019 for approximately $4 billion, intending to use eOne's production and distribution infrastructure to develop film and television content based on Hasbro properties (Monopoly, Clue, Transformers). The integration proved difficult. By November 2022, Hasbro announced it would sell most of eOne's film and television assets to focus on its core franchise brands. The children's content division (Peppa Pig, PJ Masks) was retained by Hasbro and folded into Hasbro Entertainment.

Lionsgate Acquisition (2023 to Present)

Lionsgate acquired eOne's film and television assets from Hasbro for $500 million. The deal closed on December 27, 2023. The acquisition added eOne's library and operations to Lionsgate's existing distribution infrastructure. In June 2024, the Canadian operation was rebranded from eOne Canada to Lionsgate Canada, with Jocelyn Hamilton as president.

On May 6, 2025, Lionsgate completed its separation from Starz, becoming Lionsgate Studios Corp. (NYSE: LION), a standalone content company. The company reported Motion Picture segment revenue of $651.9 million and segment profit of $187.1 million for Q4 of fiscal year 2026, driven by the theatrical and ancillary performance of The Housemaid (nearly $400 million worldwide box office) and strong library sales.

eOne UK

Entertainment One UK Limited continues to operate as a British subsidiary within the Lionsgate structure. The company posted sales of 176 million pounds in the year to December 26, 2023, with pre-tax losses of nearly 23.5 million pounds. In July 2025, HM Revenue and Customs issued a winding-up petition against eOne UK over an unpaid tax bill, which Lionsgate settled. The company described the issue as a clerical error. eOne UK's unscripted TV division produces shows including Amazon Prime Video's Married to the Game and Discovery+'s Adam Richman Eats Football.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For Canadian Filmmakers

Lionsgate Canada (the former eOne Canada) continues to acquire and produce content for the Canadian market and for international co-production. The company maintains relationships with Hallmark, Amazon, and other platforms. Productions that previously went through eOne's Canadian distribution pipeline now flow through Lionsgate's infrastructure. Canadian filmmakers seeking distribution should approach Lionsgate Canada's Toronto office, though the company's acquisition slate is now integrated with Lionsgate's broader international distribution strategy.

For International Filmmakers

The eOne brand no longer exists as an acquisition entity. Filmmakers who previously pitched to eOne at festivals or markets should now approach Lionsgate Films for theatrical distribution and Lionsgate Television for scripted television. Lionsgate's acquisition behaviour differs from eOne's: Lionsgate typically buys finished films at festivals (Sundance, Toronto, Cannes) and also finances and produces in-house. The company's recent theatrical releases include The Housemaid (2025), Now You See Me: Now You Don't (2025), and the upcoming Michael (a biopic of Michael Jackson).

Library and Catalogue

The combined Lionsgate library exceeds 20,000 titles, including the former eOne catalogue. Titles released within three years of the December 2023 acquisition are valued and amortised individually; older titles are amortised as part of the library on a straight-line basis over 5 to 10 years. For rights enquiries related to former eOne titles, filmmakers should contact Lionsgate's distribution team.

What Was Not Acquired

The Peppa Pig and PJ Masks children's properties were not part of the Lionsgate acquisition. These remain with Hasbro under Hasbro Entertainment. Filmmakers seeking information about those properties should contact Hasbro directly.

Notable Productions

eOne's film division handled wide-release commercial films, independent acquisitions, and its own productions. Key releases included The King's Speech (2010, Canadian distribution, Academy Award for Best Picture), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011), Spotlight (2015, Canadian distribution, Academy Award for Best Picture), Hell or High Water (2016), and Unbroken (2014, UK distribution). The company also built a significant children's content business, most notably Peppa Pig and PJ Masks. Under Lionsgate, recent theatrical releases include The Housemaid (2025), Now You See Me: Now You Don't (2025), and the upcoming Michael (a biopic of Michael Jackson). The combined Lionsgate library exceeds 20,000 titles, including the former eOne catalogue. eOne also distributed Medici: Masters of Florence (starring Richard Madden) through eOne On Demand, and I Feel Pretty (starring Amy Schumer) through eOne ANZ.

House Style and Genre Focus

eOne built a pan-territorial distribution infrastructure spanning Canada, the UK, Benelux, Australia, and other markets through acquisitions including Contender Entertainment Group (UK, 2007), Koch Entertainment (US, 2007), Alliance Films (Canada, 2013), and Phase 4 Films (2014). At its peak, eOne distributed approximately 200 to 300 films per year across its territories, making it one of the most prolific independent distributors outside the major studio system. The company's identity spanned commercial wide releases, independent acquisitions, and original productions across film and television. The children's content division (Peppa Pig, PJ Masks) was retained by Hasbro and folded into Hasbro Entertainment, and is not part of Lionsgate's current operations.

How They Typically Find Talent and Take Submissions

The eOne brand no longer exists as an acquisition entity. Filmmakers who previously pitched to eOne at festivals or markets should now approach Lionsgate Films for theatrical distribution and Lionsgate Television for scripted television. Lionsgate's acquisition behaviour differs from eOne's: Lionsgate typically buys finished films at festivals (Sundance, Toronto, Cannes) and also finances and produces in-house. The Canadian operation was rebranded as Lionsgate Canada in June 2024, with Jocelyn Hamilton as president, headquartered at 134 Peter Street in Toronto. Lionsgate Canada continues as a Canadian subsidiary with its own board of directors. Lionsgate Studios Corp. (NYSE: LION) became a separately traded public company in May 2025 following its separation from Starz. Titles released within three years of the December 2023 acquisition are valued and amortised individually; older titles are amortised as part of the library on a straight-line basis over 5 to 10 years.

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See Also

For understanding how territorial distribution deals work in independent film, see Distribution Deals Explained. To model revenue across territories, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For information on other distributors in the directory, see the Industry Directory.