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Crunchyroll, Adult Swim Announce Toonami Programming Partnership With Distribution Deal
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
Adult Swim and Crunchyroll announced a new programming partnership and expanded distribution deal on Tuesday. Crunchyroll will now be a "premiere content partner" for Adult Swim's Toonami programming block, which airs on Saturday nights. The companies will collaborate on licensed content, co-productions, and distribution opportunities.
Crunchyroll general manager Joanne Waage noted that the company's "mission is to grow anime globally," and the Adult Swim partnership will help further that goal because "Toonami has been incredibly influential in the growth of anime here in the U.S." The announcement also stated that Adult Swim reaches about 94 million households, and Crunchyroll has 45 million registered users with 2 million streaming subscribers.
WarnerMedia, the new content company created after AT&T's acquisition of Time Warner last June, announced a reorganization of its divisions earlier this month that will bring many of its subsidiaries and brands — including Otter Media (Ellation, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, VRV), Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and Boomerang — into a single "Global Kids & Young Adults" unit.
Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara will have oversight of all WarnerMedia-licensed consumer products in the company's effort to launch an "integrated, global approach to all our kids and animation businesses." Tsujihara stated that there will be chance for WarnerMedia brands to collaborate, with opportunities to release new animated TV and digital projects in coordination with Warner Animation Group features.
Crunchyroll and Adult Swim announced in November that they are partnering with Alcon Entertainment to produce an anime series based on Blade Runner 2049, the sequel to the 1982 Blade Runner film. The series, titled Blade Runner — Black Lotus, will have 13 episodes. Adult Swim will have worldwide distribution rights to an English-dubbed version outside of Asia, and will air it in the United States on its Toonami block. Crunchyroll will stream the anime worldwide.
Source: Press release
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