Dark Horse Entertainment
Dark Horse Entertainment is a US-based film and TV production company that licenses and adapts comic book IP from parent publisher Dark Horse Comics into films, series, and podcasts for major studios and streaming platforms. Founded 1992 in Milwaukie, Oregon; subsidiary of Embracer Group since 2022.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersMilwaukie, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Dark Horse Entertainment does
Dark Horse Entertainment is a US-based film and television production company founded in 1992 by Mike Richardson as a spin-off of Dark Horse Comics. Its core business is the licensing and adaptation of Dark Horse Comics' intellectual property—including Hellboy, The Umbrella Academy, Sin City, 300, The Mask, Timecop, and Polar—into theatrical films, premium streaming series, cable television, animated programming, and select podcast content. The company operates on two revenue streams: IP licensing and royalties from comic properties licensed to studios and streamers, and production services where Dark Horse serves as executive producer on adaptations. Its customers are major entertainment buyers including Netflix, Syfy, Paramount Network, Universal Cable Productions, Lionsgate, Warner Bros., Apple Original Films, and Millennium Media, with first-look deals in place with Netflix and UCP.
The company is headquartered in Milwaukie, Oregon, and operates as a B2B content production studio rather than a technology or software platform. Its go-to-market is relationship-driven licensing and first-look deals with studios and streaming platforms, supplemented by industry event presence (e.g., Comic-Con) and a corporate website. Active productions include Netflix's The Umbrella Academy (4 seasons), Syfy's Resident Alien, Paramount's Coyote, and the Hellboy: The Crooked Man feature film, alongside newer developments such as an Apple Original Films adaptation of Last Flight Out and the Weaponized investigative podcast with Cadence13.
Since 2022, Dark Horse Entertainment has operated as a subsidiary of Swedish holding company Embracer Group. In March 2026, Embracer removed founder Mike Richardson as CEO and installed gaming executive Jay Komas as interim CEO, signaling a strategic intent to strengthen cross-vertical collaboration across Embracer's publishing, games, film, and merchandise portfolio. The company does not publicly disclose revenue or pricing; deals are negotiated project by project.
Dark Horse Entertainment firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dark Horse Entertainment
- Legal name
- Dark Horse Entertainment
- Website
- https://dhentertainment.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Dark Horse Entertainment is a US-based film and TV production company that licenses and adapts comic book IP from parent publisher Dark Horse Comics into films, series, and podcasts for major studios and streaming platforms. Founded 1992 in Milwaukie, Oregon; subsidiary of Embracer Group since 2022.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dark Horse Entertainment industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film and Television Production Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Licensed & Franchise Comics Publishing (Film/TV/Game Tie-ins) (MPAJAGAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Western Comic Books Publishing (Superhero, Indie) (MPAJAGAB)
Keywords
Where Dark Horse Entertainment is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Milwaukie
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Dark Horse Entertainment business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- IP Licensing and Royalties: Dark Horse licenses its comic book IP (characters, stories, world-building) to film studios, TV networks, and streaming platforms for adaptation into movies and television series. Revenue comes from licensing fees, backend participation, and royalties on successful productions.
- Film and TV Production: The company serves as a production company on adaptations of its IP, earning production fees and potentially participating in backend profits from successful theatrical releases and streaming shows.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels3 records
Dark Horse Entertainment product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dark Horse Entertainment develops, produces, and licenses film and television adaptations of intellectual property from its sibling comic book publisher, Dark Horse Comics. The company secures first-look deals with major streaming platforms and cable networks, and serves as executive producer on theatrical films, series, animated programming, and podcasts based on its catalog of comic book properties.
Product overview
Dark Horse Entertainment is a film and television production company that develops and produces adaptations of properties from its comic book publishing parent company, Dark Horse Comics. The company operates as a content production studio rather than a software platform. Its portfolio spans theatrical films, television series (network and streaming), animated programming, and podcasts. Key active productions include Netflix's 'The Umbrella Academy' and Syfy's 'Resident Alien,' while legacy franchises include 'Hellboy,' 'The Mask,' and 'Timecop.' The company also produces original programming and has first-look deals with major streaming and cable networks.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Umbrella Academy
Quantifiable outcome
- 45 million household viewers in first month for The Umbrella Academy Season 1
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Dark Horse Entertainment
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Dark Horse Entertainment technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Dark Horse Entertainment partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.
- Apple Original FilmsmajorApple Original Films and Chernin Entertainment are developing an adaptation of Marc Guggenheim's Last Flight Out graphic novel from Dark Horse Comics. Described as a major event film, action-heavy, in early production stages with Sam Hargrave negotiating to direct.
- Ketchup EntertainmentmajorKetchup Entertainment acquired distribution rights to Millennium Media's Hellboy: The Crooked Man film starring Jack Kesy. The superhero horror movie is a reimagining based on the Dark Horse Comics character created by Mike Mignola.
- Millennium MediamajorMillennium Media is producing Hellboy: The Crooked Man, a new installment in the Hellboy franchise. Brian Taylor set to direct with production starting March 2023. The franchise continues to expand Hellboy's world through beloved comic issues.
- Cadence13minorCadence13 (Audacy company), a premium podcast studio, partnered with Dark Horse Entertainment to launch the WEAPONIZED podcast with Jeremy Corbell and George Knapp. The investigative podcast explores UFOs, strange phenomena, and conspiracies with government whistleblowers and scientists.
- NetflixcoreNetflix signed a first-look deal with Dark Horse Entertainment, giving Netflix first look at IP for both film and TV adaptations. The partnership builds on previous collaborations including The Umbrella Academy (4 seasons) and Polar film. Mike Richardson, Keith Goldberg, and Paul Schwake signed on to produce under this deal.
- Universal Cable Productions (UCP)coreUCP signed a first-look deal with Dark Horse Entertainment to develop and produce scripted programming from Dark Horse's comic book library. The deal focuses on both existing IP and new material, with direct involvement from comic creators. Projects include The Umbrella Academy and Resident Alien.
- SyfycoreSyfy has picked up multiple Dark Horse adaptations including Resident Alien (renewed for Season 2, described as most-watched new cable drama) and Dark Matter (13-episode series).
- Paramount NetworkmajorParamount Network ordered Coyote, a 10-episode scripted drama series from Sony Pictures Television with Michelle MacLaren directing and Michael Chiklis starring. Dark Horse Entertainment serves as executive producer.
- Amblin TVmajorAmblin TV co-produces the Resident Alien series with Dark Horse Entertainment, Universal Cable Productions, and Syfy. Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank of Amblin TV serve as executive producers.
- LionsgatemajorLionsgate distributed Hellboy (2019) starring David Harbour, Milla Jovovich, Ian McShane, and Daniel Dae Kim. Production handled by Millennium Films, Lawrence Gordon Productions, and Dark Horse Entertainment.
- Warner Bros. PicturesmajorWarner Bros. Pictures distributed The Legend of Tarzan (2016), with Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg serving as executive producers. Based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' character with Dark Horse comic adaptation.
- Constantin FilmmajorConstantin Film produced and distributed Polar (2019), adapted from Victor Santos' Dark Horse Comics graphic novel Polar: Came from the Cold. The action-thriller starred Mads Mikkelsen on Netflix.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Dark Horse Entertainment competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Image Comics: Image Comics is an independent comic publisher with a deep IP catalog (The Walking Dead, Spawn, Saga) that has been adapted into film, TV, and streaming. It is directly comparable to Dark Horse as a non-Marvel/DC comic publisher whose content has been successfully adapted to screen.
- Skybound Entertainment: Skybound Entertainment is the entertainment arm of Robert Kirkman's Skybound, responsible for adapting The Walking Dead and other Image/Skybound comic IP across TV, film, and games. It is the most direct comparable to Dark Horse Entertainment as a comic-IP-to-screen adaptation studio with first-look deals and multi-format franchises.
- Millennium Media: Millennium Media is the production company producing Hellboy: The Crooked Man with Dark Horse Entertainment. It is a directly comparable mid-budget genre film production company that co-develops and produces adaptations of third-party IP for studio distribution.
- IDW Media Holdings: IDW Media is a comic publisher (TMNT, Locke & Key) with a film/TV division that adapts its IP for screen. It is directly comparable to Dark Horse as an independent comic publisher pursuing film and TV adaptations of its catalog.
- BOOM! Studios: BOOM! Studios is an independent comic publisher whose IP has been adapted to screen, including Something Is Killing the Children on Netflix. It competes directly with Dark Horse as a mid-tier comic publisher pursuing first-look streaming deals and theatrical adaptations.
Broad incumbents
- Lionsgate: Lionsgate is both a distribution partner of Dark Horse (Hellboy 2019) and a vertically integrated studio with its own genre IP (Saw, John Wick, Twilight). It is comparable as a mid-major studio that licenses, produces, and distributes genre film/TV franchises.
- Blumhouse Productions: Blumhouse is a genre-focused (horror, sci-fi, thriller) film and TV production company known for low-budget/high-return model. While not comic-based, it is highly comparable to Dark Horse's genre specialization and B2B production studio model serving studios and streamers.
- Legendary Entertainment: Legendary Entertainment produces and finances film/TV adaptations of third-party IP (e.g., Pacific Rim, Dune, Godzilla), making it highly comparable to Dark Horse's model of licensing comic/genre IP into theatrical and streaming productions. Like Dark Horse, it operates a portfolio approach across multiple franchises rather than a single in-house IP universe.
- A24: A24 is an independent film/TV production and distribution company producing genre and auteur content for theatrical and streaming platforms. Like Dark Horse, it operates as a B2B content supplier to major streamers and networks without owning its own broadcast distribution.
Emerging players
- Valiant Entertainment: Valiant Entertainment is an independent comic publisher (Bloodshot, X-O Manowar) pursuing film and TV adaptations of its superhero catalog. It is an emerging peer to Dark Horse as a smaller comic-IP holder seeking to license adaptations, though at a smaller scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Dark Horse Entertainment social profiles
Digital presenceDark Horse Entertainment financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dark Horse Entertainment leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Dark Horse Entertainment funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dark Horse Entertainment 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 Dark Horse Entertainment
What does Dark Horse Entertainment do?
Dark Horse Entertainment develops, produces, and licenses film and television adaptations of intellectual property from its sibling comic book publisher, Dark Horse Comics. The company secures first-look deals with major streaming platforms and cable networks, and serves as executive producer on theatrical films, series, animated programming, and podcasts based on its catalog of comic book properties.
Is Dark Horse Entertainment a public or private company?
Dark Horse Entertainment is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Dark Horse Entertainment founded?
Dark Horse Entertainment was founded in 1992.
Where is Dark Horse Entertainment based?
Dark Horse Entertainment is headquartered in Milwaukie, United States, in the North America region.
How does Dark Horse Entertainment make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. IP Licensing and Royalties are the primary driver. The others are film and TV Production.
Who are Dark Horse Entertainment's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, Millennium Media, IDW Media Holdings and BOOM! Studios. Broad incumbents are Lionsgate, Blumhouse Productions, Legendary Entertainment and A24. Valiant Entertainment is listed as an emerging player.
Does Dark Horse Entertainment have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dark Horse Entertainment.
What industry is Dark Horse Entertainment in?
Dark Horse Entertainment's product category is Film and Television Production Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAGAH, Licensed & Franchise Comics Publishing (Film/TV/Game Tie-ins), with a secondary code of MPAJAGAB, Western Comic Books Publishing (Superhero, Indie).