LIGHTBOX ENTERTAIMENT

What LIGHTBOX ENTERTAIMENT does

Lightbox Entertainment, also operating as Lightbox Animation Studios, is a privately held animation studio founded in Madrid, Spain in 2008 by Nicolás Matji (CEO) and Enrique Gato (Director). The studio produces 3D CGI animated feature films, television series, and commercials, and has expanded into live-action docuseries production. Its flagship intellectual property is the Tadeo Jones franchise — comprising the 2012 film 'Tad, the Lost Explorer' (the most successful Spanish animated feature in history, distributed in 40+ countries with $50M+ in box office across Europe and Latin America), two sequels (2017, 2023), a 26-episode TV series ('Discover with Tad'), and merchandising extensions. Additional productions include 'Capture the Flag' (2015, distributed worldwide by Paramount Pictures in a first-of-its-kind deal for a Spanish film) and the 2026 Apple TV+ docuseries 'Twisted Yoga' produced with Ladywell Films.

The studio's production stack relies on industry-standard 3D CGI tools — Maya, Substance Painter, Zbrush, Arnold, Redshift, Nuke, Houdini, Motion Builder, and Shotgrid — with a mature pipeline spanning pre-production, character FX, animation, lighting, compositing, matte painting, and motion capture workflows. Headcount is small (11–50 employees), consistent with a boutique production entity. The studio also operates Lightbox Academy, a training arm for emerging animation talent.

Revenue is generated through multiple streams: one-time licensing of feature film rights to distributors (Paramount Pictures, Telecinco Cinema), TV series licensing and royalties, franchise merchandising, professional services for commercial/animated advertising content, and production services for streaming platforms (Apple TV+). Pricing is negotiated project-by-project under B2B production and distribution agreements, with no publicly disclosed pricing. The studio's customer base comprises a small set of enterprise partners — Paramount Pictures, Apple TV+, Telecinco Cinema, Ikiru Films, Angel Studios, and Ladywell Films — and its end audience is family-oriented entertainment consumers, primarily in Spain, Europe, and Latin America, with growing worldwide reach via streaming.

Name

LIGHTBOX ENTERTAIMENT

Legal name

Lightbox Animation Studios

Website

https://lbox.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lightbox Entertainment is a Madrid-based animation studio producing the Tadeo Jones franchise of animated feature films, TV series, and commercials, serving international distributors and streaming platforms including Paramount Pictures and Apple TV+.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animation Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Animated Feature Film Production (MPADACAH)

Keywords

• Animated feature films
• 3D animation production
• CGI animation services
• Film production studio
• TV series production

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Feature Film Production: Lightbox Animation produces animated feature films that are distributed theatrically and digitally worldwide. Revenue is generated through distribution deals with major studios, box office revenue share, and licensing agreements. Films include the Tadeo Jones franchise, Capture the Flag, and other animated features.
2. TV Production & Licensing: Production of TV series and animated content including 'Discover with Tad' (26 episodes) and TV adaptations of feature film franchises. Revenue generated through licensing to broadcasters and streaming platforms.
3. Merchandising & Franchise Rights: The Tadeo Jones franchise has become a major brand with its own TV show and merchandising. The studio benefits from franchise extensions beyond the screen, creating international brands and intellectual property with long-term revenue potential.
4. Commercial Production: Production of commercials and branded content for external clients. The studio creates animated advertising content as part of their commercial work.
5. Docuseries Production: Lightbox produces documentary content for streaming platforms. They produced 'Twisted Yoga' docuseries for Apple TV+ in association with Ladywell Films, demonstrating diversification into live-action documentary production.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Lightbox Entertainment is a Madrid-based animation production studio that creates theatrical-quality animated feature films, television series, commercials, and documentary content. The studio produces its own original IP — most notably the Tadeo Jones franchise — and also provides end-to-end CGI animation production services (modeling, rigging, surfacing, lighting, compositing, matte painting, motion capture) to other studios and platforms. Content is monetized through distribution deals with major studios and streaming platforms such as Paramount Pictures, Telecinco Cinema, and Apple TV+.

Product overview

Lightbox Entertainment (operating as Lightbox Animation Studios) is an animation studio and production company founded in Madrid in May 2008. The company produces high-end animated feature films and television content, with its flagship franchise being the Tadeo Jones series including Tad, the Lost Explorer (2012), Tadeo Jones and the Secret of King Midas (2017), and Tadeo Jones and the Emerald Tablet (2023). Additional productions include Capture the Flag (2015), The Snow Globe (short film), and collaborative work on King of Kings. The company also produced the docuseries Twisted Yoga for Apple TV+ (2026). Their service offerings span full CGI animation production including character design, modeling, rigging, animation, lighting, compositing, and matte painting, with notable franchise brands recognized internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tad, the Lost Explorer (Las Aventuras de Tadeo Jones) 2012 theatrical animated feature film following Tad, a construction worker who dreams of becoming an archaeologist, as he embarks on an expedition to Peru to save the lost city of Paititi. The most successful Spanish animated feature of all time.
• Capture the Flag (Atrapa la Bandera) 2015 animated feature film about Mike Goldwing, a 10-year-old who attempts to retrieve the flag Armstrong left on the moon in 1969 to save his family from the 'Goldwing curse.' First Spanish movie distributed internationally by Paramount Pictures.
• Tadeo Jones and the Secret of King Midas 2017 theatrical sequel where Tad travels to Las Vegas to pursue a relationship with Sara, only to have her kidnapped during the unveiling of a papyrus leading to King Midas' collar.
• Tadeo Jones and the Emerald Tablet 2023 theatrical feature film where Tad accidentally destroys a sarcophagus and unleashes a spell endangering his friends, embarking on an adventure to break the mummy's curse.
• The Snow Globe Short film produced and developed by Lightbox Animation Studios.
• Discover with Tad (TV Series) Animated television series featuring 26 episodes, extending the Tadeo Jones franchise to broadcast and streaming.
• Animation Production Services Full-service CGI animation production services offering character animation, environments and props, surfacing and texturing, lighting and compositing, matte painting, and motion capture for feature films and television productions, provided to external clients and partners.
• Twisted Yoga (Docuseries) Three-part true crime docuseries following young yoga students involved with Romanian guru Gregorian Bivolaru, produced for Apple TV+ in association with Ladywell Films and directed by Rowan Deacon.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50+ million USD box office for 'Tad, the Lost Explorer'
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ladywell FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2026Ladywell Films is the co-production partner with Lightbox Entertainment for the Apple TV+ docuseries 'Twisted Yoga'. This three-part true crime docuseries follows young yoga students involved with Romanian guru Gregorian Bivolaru and was directed by Rowan Deacon.
• Simon Chinn and Jonathan ChinnminorOthers · 5 March 2026Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Simon Chinn and Jonathan Chinn are featured in the 'Twisted Yoga' docuseries, bringing high-profile talent credibility to the production.
• Angel StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLightbox Animation collaborated with Angel Studios to create backgrounds and animations for some scenes of the 'King of Kings' animated feature film.
• Telecinco CinemacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelecinco Cinema is a key production partner for Lightbox Animation on multiple feature films including 'Capture the Flag' (2015), 'Tadeo Jones and the Secret of King Midas' (2017), and 'Tadeo Jones and the Emerald Tablet' (2023).
• Ikiru FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIkiru Films co-produced 'Tadeo Jones and the Secret of King Midas' (2017) and 'Tadeo Jones and the Emerald Tablet' (2023) alongside Lightbox Animation and Telecinco Cinema.
• Paramount PicturescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParamount Pictures distributed 'Capture the Flag' worldwide - the first time Paramount distributed a Spanish movie internationally. This represents a significant distribution partnership for Lightbox's international expansion.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Reel FX Animation Studios: US-based independent animation studio that produced 'Free Birds' and 'The Book of Life'. Comparable as an independent studio producing theatrically released family animation features outside the major-studio system.
• Ilion Animation Studios: Madrid-based animation studio that produced 'Planet 51' (2009), the first Spanish animated feature to receive a wide international theatrical release. Closest direct comparable to Lightbox given shared geography, scale, and family-animated feature focus.
• BRB Internacional: Long-standing Spanish animation company behind 'David the Gnome', 'Dogtanian' and 'Bernard'. Comparable regional animation studio with both original IP and co-production history in family entertainment.
• Aardman Animations: UK-based independent stop-motion and animation studio behind 'Shaun the Sheep', 'Wallace & Gromit' and 'Chicken Run'. Comparable as an independent, founder-led animation studio producing award-winning family films with strong international distribution.
• Zinkia Entertainment: Spanish animation producer behind 'Pocoyó', a globally distributed preschool animated series. Comparable to Lightbox as a Spain-based studio that built an internationally recognized animated IP and operates across TV and licensing.
• Angry Films: Spanish animation studio (Tad, the Lost Explorer pre-debut — note: Lightbox itself produced this). Included as a comparable small Madrid-based CGI animation service/production shop operating in the same talent pool and supply chain.

Broad incumbents

• Skydance Animation: US-based animation studio (Luck, Spellbound) backed by Skydance Media. Comparable as a newer, well-capitalized independent feature-animation studio competing for global streaming and theatrical deals, including with Apple TV+.
• Paramount Animation: Paramount Pictures' in-house animation label and Lightbox's distribution partner for 'Capture the Flag'. Comparable as both an animation producer/competitor and as the channel that delivered Lightbox's first worldwide theatrical release.
• Illumination: Global family-animation studio (Despicable Me, Minions, The Secret Life of Pets) and a leading force in theatrical family animation. Comparable as the dominant category competitor whose release cadence shapes the competitive window Lightbox must navigate.

Others

• Telecinco Cinema: Mediaset España's film production arm and Lightbox's core co-production partner across multiple features. Included as a key ecosystem partner/funder rather than a direct competitor, since it shares investment risk on Lightbox films.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lbox_es
• Facebookfacebook.com/lightboxentertainmentsl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lightbox-entertainment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 LIGHTBOX ENTERTAIMENT