Free Association

What Free Association does

Free Association is a privately held film, television, and live entertainment production company headquartered in Los Angeles and founded in 2010 by actor Channing Tatum and writer-director Reid Carolin. The company was formally rebranded under its current name in 2014 when manager Peter Kiernan joined as a partner, consolidating a decade-long creative collaboration into a dedicated production entity. Free Association develops, packages, and produces content across feature films (Magic Mike, Magic Mike XXL, 22 Jump Street, White House Down, Logan Lucky, Dog, Fatherhood, 6 Balloons, 10 Years), television series (Comrade Detective for Amazon Prime Video, Step Up: High Water), documentaries (War Dog: A Soldier's Best Friend for HBO), and live entertainment (Magic Mike Live in Las Vegas).

The company operates as a content originator rather than a vertically integrated studio: it sources IP, attaches talent, and packages projects for distribution to major studios and streaming platforms including Amazon MGM Studios, Netflix, Warner Bros, Sony Pictures, HBO, and MRC. Revenue is generated through production fees, backend participation, and licensing arrangements negotiated with these distribution partners, supplemented by ticket-driven revenue from Magic Mike Live. Recent activity centers on a multi-party Isle of Man feature film and companion docuseries package co-produced with Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment, Entertainment 360, Box to Box Films, and Mediawan, and acquired by Amazon MGM Studios for global release.

Free Association does not publicly disclose financial results. The company raised $45 million in growth funding led by Alignment Growth in April 2026, following a $2 million round from Atwater Capital in 2019, indicating institutional investor confidence in the expanding production slate. With a team of 11–50 employees, the company maintains a boutique operating model that relies on a tight core of co-founders, prestige co-production partnerships, and franchise IP (notably Magic Mike) as its primary economic engines.

Name

Free Association

Legal name

Free Association

Website

https://freeassociation.la

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Free Association is a private film, television, and live entertainment production company founded by Channing Tatum and Reid Carolin, producing franchises and original content for major studios and streaming platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Feature Film Production: Develops and produces feature films through co-financing arrangements with major studios and independent financiers. Generates revenue through production fees, backend participation, and distribution licensing deals.
2. Television Production: Creates television series for streaming platforms and networks. Revenue derived from development deals, production fees, and licensing of completed series.
3. Live Entertainment: Magic Mike Live Las Vegas show represents a live entertainment extension of the Magic Mike franchise, creating ongoing revenue through ticket sales and related experiences.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Free Association is a film and television production company that develops, packages, and produces feature films, television series, documentaries, and live entertainment for major studios and streaming platforms. The company operates through co-financing arrangements and development deals with partners such as Warner Bros, Sony, Amazon MGM Studios, Netflix, HBO, and MRC, generating revenue via production fees, backend participation, and content licensing deals. Its portfolio spans the Magic Mike and 22 Jump Street franchises, original features such as Logan Lucky, Dog, and Fatherhood, television series such as Comrade Detective and Step Up: High Water, and the Magic Mike Live Las Vegas show.

Product overview

Free Association is a film and television production company established in 2010 by Channing Tatum and Reid Carolin. The company operates as a single unified production studio producing feature films (Magic Mike franchise, 22 Jump Street franchise, Logan Lucky, White House Down, Dog, Fatherhood, 6 Balloons, 10 Years), television series (Comrade Detective for Amazon Prime Video, Step Up: High Water), documentaries (War Dog: A Soldier's Best Friend for HBO), and live entertainment (Magic Mike Live in Las Vegas). The portfolio also includes upcoming projects such as Isle of Man (feature film with Amazon MGM Studios) and a related docuseries about the Isle of Man TT motorcycle races.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Magic Mike Live: A live stage show experience based on the Magic Mike franchise, performed in Las Vegas.

Products and services

• Magic Mike 2012 Steven Soderbergh-directed film starring Channing Tatum, based on his real-life experience as a male entertainer. Produced by Free Association for theatrical release.
• Magic Mike XXL 2015 sequel to Magic Mike, directed by Gregory Jacobs, continuing the story of the male entertainment industry. Theatrical feature produced by Free Association.
• 22 Jump Street 2014 comedy sequel starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Theatrical feature produced by Free Association.
• White House Down 2013 action thriller starring Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx, directed by Roland Emmerich. Theatrical feature produced by Free Association.
• Logan Lucky 2017 heist comedy directed by Steven Soderbergh, starring Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, and Daniel Craig. Theatrical feature produced by Free Association.
• Dog 2022 drama film starring Channing Tatum. Theatrical feature produced by Free Association.
• Fatherhood 2021 drama film. Theatrical feature produced by Free Association.
• 6 Balloons 2018 drama film starring Abbi Jacobson and Dave Franco, streaming on Netflix. Feature film produced by Free Association and licensed to Netflix.
• 10 Years 2012 drama film starring Channing Tatum, directed by Jamie Linden. Theatrical feature produced by Free Association.
• Comrade Detective 2017 Amazon Prime Video series created by Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka, starring Channing Tatum and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Television series produced by Free Association for Prime Video.
• Step Up: High Water 2017 TV series based on the Step Up film franchise, created by Holly Sorensen. Television series produced by Free Association.
• War Dog: A Soldier's Best Friend 2017 HBO documentary directed by Deborah Scranton about military working dogs. Documentary produced by Free Association for HBO.
• Magic Mike Live Live Las Vegas stage show based on the Magic Mike franchise, featuring male entertainment performances generating ticket sales revenue.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple successful franchise launches including Magic Mike (box office hit), 22 Jump Street sequels, and Logan Lucky
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Entertainment 360coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026Entertainment 360 co-produces the Isle of Man film project, providing production support and financing alongside Free Association, Plan B, and Amazon MGM Studios.
• Amazon MGM StudioscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 5 June 2025Amazon MGM Studios acquired the Isle of Man film and docuseries package for distribution, providing financing, theatrical release, and streaming distribution through Prime Video platform.
• Big BeachmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2017Marc Turtletaub and Peter Saraf's Big Beach (known for Little Miss Sunshine, Loving) partnered with Free Association to develop 'Gorilla and the Bird' bipolar disorder memoir as a television series.
• Box to Box FilmsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBox to Box Films (founded by Formula 1: Drive to Survive creators) produces the Isle of Man TT docuseries alongside Free Association and other partners, bringing documentary expertise to the project.
• MediawanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean media company Mediawan co-produces the Isle of Man TT docuseries, bringing international production capabilities and European market expertise.
• Imagine EntertainmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRon Howard and Brian Grazer's Imagine Entertainment co-produces the Splash remake with Free Association, bringing production expertise and studio relationships to the project.
• MRCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia Rights Capital (MRC) has a television development deal with Free Association for original series production.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Plan B Entertainment: Brad Pitt's talent-anchored production company with a similar model of packaging A-list talent-driven projects for major studios. Plan B is a current co-producer with Free Association on the Isle of Man project, making it both a peer and a direct collaborator.
• A24: Independent film and television production company that develops and produces original IP for theatrical and streaming distribution, with a similar emphasis on creative-driven slates. Both companies serve as prestige-leaning suppliers to major studios and streamers.
• Imagine Entertainment: Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's production company with a comparable talent-anchored model and a deep slate of feature films and television. Imagine is also an active co-production partner with Free Association (Splash remake).
• MRC (Media Rights Capital): Independent studio that finances and produces film and premium television for global platforms. MRC holds an active television development deal with Free Association and serves both as peer and partner.
• Bad Robot: J.J. Abrams' production company that produces film, television, and limited series for major studios and streamers. Similar in being a talent-anchored, content-first production entity with broad studio distribution relationships.
• Hello Sunshine: Reese Witherspoon's production company that builds content franchises across film, television, and book/author IP. Operates with a similar celebrity-anchored creative-development model producing for major streamers and studios.
• 21 Laps Entertainment: Shawn Levy's production company that produces film and television, with strong studio relationships and a similar focus on developing director/talent-driven commercial projects. Comparable size and operating model to Free Association.

Broad incumbents

• Skydance Media: Larger diversified production company producing tentpole film and television for major studios, including direct partnerships with Paramount. More established and broader portfolio, but operates in the same production-for-major-studios category.
• Participant Media: Larger impact-focused production company that produces film and television for major distributors. Operates a content-development model comparable to Free Association's, though at a larger scale and with broader distribution reach.
• Lionsgate: Independent major studio with a sizable film and television production operation that frequently partners with and licenses to leading streamers. Functions as both a potential acquirer of Free Association's projects and a structural peer in the indie production-for-studios segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/freeassocla
• Facebookfacebook.com/Free-Association-1924862474505373
• Instagraminstagram.com/freeassocla
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/free-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Free Association