Saban Films
Saban Films is a Los Angeles-based film acquisition and distribution company founded in 2014 that acquires commercial, talent-driven feature films for North American theatrical and VOD release through Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions, with a 300+ title library distributed across 10+ international territories.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Saban Films does
Saban Films is a Los Angeles-based film acquisition and distribution company founded in 2014 by Haim Saban through Saban Capital Group (a private investment firm specializing in media and entertainment). The company acquires commercial, talent-driven feature films and distributes them across North America via theatrical and video-on-demand (VOD) channels, releasing approximately 8 to 10 titles per year. Saban Films has accumulated a library of more than 300 films since launch — including 148 titles released by the end of 2021 — spanning genres such as Westerns, action thrillers, horror, crime thrillers, and comedic features, frequently headlined by established actors such as Pierce Brosnan, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, Nicolas Cage, John Travolta, Al Pacino, Jason Momoa, and Melissa Leo. Saban's buying activity has accelerated, with five separate North American acquisitions announced in May 2025 alone and continued title pickups through early 2026.
Rather than building proprietary theatrical or digital infrastructure, Saban Films runs a partner-led distribution model. Lionsgate serves as the company's primary North American studio distribution partner; Roadside Attractions co-releases a meaningful share of the slate theatrically (including Fuze, Lucky Strike, Crawlers, The Unholy Trinity, King Ivory); and a network of eight-plus international partners handles territorial distribution — Altitude Film Sales in UK/Ireland and beyond (10-12 films annually under a 2022 expanded deal), WW Entertainment in Benelux, Ascot Elite in Switzerland, Splendid in Germany/Austria, ACE Entertainment in France, Key2Media in Spain, Mis.Label in Scandinavia, and Defiant Screen Entertainment in Australia/NZ. Release strategies range from mid-scale theatrical launches to day-and-date theatrical/VOD windows, adapted to each film's commercial profile.
The company is privately held (Saban Films LLC, California), an affiliate of Saban Capital Group, and employs 11-50 people. Its capital structure centers on a $60 million senior credit facility with East West Bank, extended through 2030 after a decade-long relationship, providing acquisition financing. Leadership includes Haim Saban (Founder), Bill Bromiley (Vice Chairman, founding President), Shanan Becker (Co-President/CFO), Jonathan Saba (Co-President, formerly Chief Content Officer), Azniv Tashchyan (Chief Accounting Officer), David Wardle (SVP Business & Legal Affairs), and Sarah Corrigan (Senior Director of Distribution, ex-Tubi). No equity funding rounds, AI/technology platforms, or proprietary technical capabilities are disclosed; the underlying 'technology' is the human-driven acquisition process, partner network, and rights portfolio.
Saban Films firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Saban Films
- Legal name
- Saban Films LLC
- Website
- https://sabanfilms.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Saban Films is a Los Angeles-based film acquisition and distribution company founded in 2014 that acquires commercial, talent-driven feature films for North American theatrical and VOD release through Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions, with a 300+ title library distributed across 10+ international territories.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Saban Films industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Film Distribution
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (512120)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Distribution Rights & Windowing Management (Theatrical/TV/Streaming/Home) (MPADALAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- International Sales & Licensing (Territory Pre-Sales) (MPADAJAC), Territory & Language Rights (International, Dubbing/Subtitling) (MPADALAH)
Keywords
Where Saban Films is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Saban Films business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Theatrical Distribution Revenue: Revenue generated from theatrical releases of acquired films in North American theaters, often in partnership with Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate.
- VOD/Streaming Distribution Revenue: Revenue from video-on-demand and streaming platform distribution, including day-and-date releases alongside theatrical.
- Film Licensing and Territory Sales: Licensing of distribution rights for various international territories through distribution partners.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Saban Films product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Saban Films acquires North American (and in some cases worldwide) distribution rights to commercial, talent-driven feature films and releases them through theatrical exhibitions, day-and-date VOD windows, and international territory licensing. The company targets 8 to 10 high-quality feature films per year, accumulating a catalog exceeding 300 films since 2014, with Lionsgate serving as studio distribution partner and Roadside Attractions co-releasing theatrical titles.
Product overview
Saban Films is a boutique North American film acquisition and distribution company offering a unified film distribution platform. The company acquires commercial, talent-driven feature films and distributes them across multiple platforms, ranging from day-and-date VOD releases to mid-scale traditional theatrical releases, in conjunction with Lionsgate as studio partner. The portfolio includes recent acquisitions like Western 'The Unholy Trinity' starring Pierce Brosnan and Samuel L. Jackson, horror films 'Traumatika' and 'Strange Harvest', action-thrillers 'Knox Goes Away' and 'Darkness of Man', Nicolas Cage westerns 'The Old Way' and 'Butcher's Crossing', Kevin Smith's 'The 4:30 Movie', and various other genre films. The company operates through partnerships with Roadside Attractions for theatrical releases and maintains international distribution deals with Altitude for UK/Ireland and other regional partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Film Distribution Services Saban Films acquires and distributes commercial, talent-driven feature films across North America in conjunction with Lionsgate, offering theatrical releases, day-and-date VOD releases, and multi-platform distribution strategies tailored to each film's commercial characteristics.
- The Unholy Trinity Western action film starring Pierce Brosnan and Samuel L. Jackson, released in partnership with Roadside Attractions.
- King Ivory Opioid action-thriller starring Ben Foster and Melissa Leo, scheduled for theatrical release with Roadside Attractions.
- Redux Redux Sci-fi revenge thriller written and directed by Kevin and Matthew McManus, featuring a multiverse concept with small visual continuity changes.
- Traumatika Experimental horror film co-written and directed by Pierre Tsigaridis about demonic possession and night terrors.
- Strange Harvest Gruesome horror film directed by Stuart Ortiz about detectives hunting a sadistic serial killer tied to a dark cosmic force.
- Knox Goes Away Neo-noir thriller directed by and starring Michael Keaton as a contract killer with dementia, co-starring Al Pacino and James Marsden.
- Classified / Darkness of Man Action-spy thriller starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as an Interpol agent, directed by James Cullen Bressack; also referenced as the CIA thriller 'Classified' starring Aaron Eckhart under the same Saban Films page.
- Butcher's Crossing Western drama starring Nicolas Cage as an 1870s buffalo hunter, based on the novel by John Williams.
- The Old Way Western starring Nicolas Cage as an old gunslinger facing revenge from the son of a man he murdered.
- The Last Manhunt Western based on true events starring Jason Momoa as Willie Boy, following a love story and manhunt in 1909 Wild West.
- High Rollers Casino heist film starring John Travolta as a master thief, directed by Randall Emmett.
- The 4:30 Movie Kevin Smith comedy about teens theater-hopping in the 1980s.
- Clean Up Crew Crime thriller starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Melissa Leo, and Antonio Banderas about a crime scene clean-up crew finding a cash briefcase.
- Hellfire Action-thriller starring Stephen Lang, Harvey Keitel, and Dolph Lundgren, directed by Isaac Florentine.
- Cash Out Heist thriller starring John Travolta as a professional thief robbing a bank with his brother.
- Dusk for a Hitman Thriller about the most feared hitman in Montreal underworld being hunted by former accomplices and police.
- The Portrait Horror thriller starring Virginia Madsen and Natalia Cordova-Buckley about a woman obsessing over a mysterious portrait.
- Nandor And The Talking Mongoose Paranormal comedy starring Simon Pegg, Minnie Driver, and Christopher Lloyd investigating a family's claim of a talking animal.
- Kane Crime thriller about a crime boss with multiple personalities in a gang war, starring Tammin Sursok.
Quantifiable outcome
- 148 films released by end of 2021
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Saban Films
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Saban Films technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Saban Films partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Altitude Film SalescoreSaban Films and Altitude expanded their global distribution deal beyond the UK and Ireland. The alliance, originally set up in 2020, partners on a slate of 10-12 films annually. Altitude brings films to market, beginning at the American Film Market.
- LionsgatecoreLionsgate serves as Saban Films' primary studio distribution partner for North American theatrical releases, handling distribution alongside Saban's own distribution infrastructure.
- Roadside AttractionscoreRoadside Attractions co-releases films with Saban Films for North American theatrical distribution. Recent co-releases include 'The Unholy Trinity', 'King Ivory', 'Crawlers', 'Lucky Strike', 'Fuze', and 'The Last Manhunt'.
- WW EntertainmentminorDistribution partner for Benelux territories (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg).
- Ascot EliteminorDistribution partner for Switzerland.
- SplendidminorDistribution partner for Germany and Austria.
- ACE EntertainmentminorDistribution partner for France.
- Key2MediaminorDistribution partner for Spain.
- Mis.LabelminorDistribution partner for Scandinavia.
- Defiant Screen EntertainmentminorDistribution partner for Australia and New Zealand.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Saban Films competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Lionsgate: Lionsgate is Saban Films' primary North American studio distribution partner and a major independent studio with film and TV operations. While Lionsgate operates as a broad incumbent with a much larger portfolio, the partnership arrangement and overlapping genre distribution focus make it a directly comparable peer in the indie film distribution space.
Direct peers
- Roadside Attractions: Roadside Attractions is Saban Films' most active co-distribution partner, jointly releasing titles like 'The Unholy Trinity', 'King Ivory', and 'Crawlers'. Both are boutique North American distributors focused on commercial specialty films, operating at similar scale with overlapping theatrical release strategies.
- A24: A24 is a leading independent film production and distribution company specializing in premium specialty and genre films for North American and global audiences. Both A24 and Saban Films acquire and distribute indie theatrical features, though A24 operates at a meaningfully larger scale with stronger brand equity.
- NEON: NEON is an independent film distribution and production company that acquires and releases arthouse and genre films in North America. NEON directly competes with Saban for premium indie acquisitions and uses similar theatrical plus VOD release strategies.
- STX Entertainment: STX Entertainment is an independent film and television studio that produces, acquires, and distributes commercial content with a star-driven, mid-budget focus similar to Saban's. Both target theatrical and VOD audiences with talent-led genre and thriller titles.
- IFC Films: IFC Films is the distribution arm of AMC Networks focused on independent and genre films in North America. Sarah Corrigan, Saban's Senior Director of Distribution, previously worked at IFC Films, and both companies pursue similar specialty theatrical and VOD release strategies.
- Bleecker Street: Bleecker Street is an independent film distribution company that acquires and releases specialty films in North America, frequently in partnership with major studios. Bleecker Street's focus on commercial indie theatrical releases closely mirrors Saban's core business model.
- Altitude Film Distribution: Altitude Film Distribution is a UK-based film distribution and sales company that is both Saban's international partner (handling 10-12 films annually) and a comparable indie distributor. Both companies operate in film acquisition and territory sales for talent-driven commercial films.
- Magnolia Pictures: Magnolia Pictures is an independent film distribution company that acquires and releases theatrical and VOD titles in North America. Magnolia's broad indie distribution portfolio, including genre and documentary content, overlaps with Saban's slate strategy.
- Vertical Entertainment: Vertical Entertainment is an independent film distribution company focused on theatrical and VOD releases of mid-budget commercial and genre films. Vertical's slate profile, with day-and-date release strategies and genre emphasis, is closely comparable to Saban's.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Saban Films social profiles
Digital presenceSaban Films compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Saban Films financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Saban Films leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Saban Films funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Saban Films M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Saban Films
What does Saban Films do?
Saban Films acquires North American (and in some cases worldwide) distribution rights to commercial, talent-driven feature films and releases them through theatrical exhibitions, day-and-date VOD windows, and international territory licensing. The company targets 8 to 10 high-quality feature films per year, accumulating a catalog exceeding 300 films since 2014, with Lionsgate serving as studio distribution partner and Roadside Attractions co-releasing theatrical titles.
Is Saban Films a public or private company?
Saban Films is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Saban Films founded?
Saban Films was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Saban Films based?
Saban Films is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Saban Films make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Theatrical Distribution Revenue is the primary driver. The others are VOD/Streaming Distribution Revenue and film Licensing and Territory Sales.
Who are Saban Films's main competitors?
Lionsgate is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Roadside Attractions, A24, NEON, STX Entertainment, IFC Films, Bleecker Street, Altitude Film Distribution, Magnolia Pictures and Vertical Entertainment.
Does Saban Films have an API?
No public API is recorded for Saban Films.
What industry is Saban Films in?
Saban Films's product category is Independent Film Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADALAG, Distribution Rights & Windowing Management (Theatrical/TV/Streaming/Home), with a secondary code of MPADAJAC, International Sales & Licensing (Territory Pre-Sales). Its NAICS code is 51212 and its SIC code is 7822.