Optimum Releasing (1999–2011) The company was founded in October 1998, and began operation as Optimum Releasing in May 1999. The company, at the time, was exclusively a theatrical distributor, holding distribution of new releases and UK rights to the back catalogues of other companies. Optimum's first theatrical release was a restored version of
The Third Man, licensed from
Le Studio Canal+, and was released in July of that year, on the same weekend as the anticipated UK release of
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. The company launched a Home Entertainment division in 2004, and released material under several banners: • Optimum Home Entertainment (Used for mainstream DVD and Blu-ray releases) • Optimum Classic (Used for re-releases of back catalogue films) • Optimum World (Used for
world cinema releases) • Optimum Asia (Used for Asian &
Anime releases) Optimum released over two hundred films a year and were one of the most prominent distributors in the independent film and world cinema market in the United Kingdom since the closure of
Tartan Films in June 2008. In May 2006, Optimum Releasing was acquired by French film producer and distributor
StudioCanal, a subsidiary of
Vivendi's
Canal+ Group, for £22–25 million, marking a re-entry into an international market for StudioCanal. Since then, StudioCanal now releases films from their back catalogue (including those from the
Carolco Pictures and
EMI Films libraries) through Optimum Releasing under the Optimum Classic banner. Some of the last titles released under the Optimum Releasing name include
Kill List,
The Guard, and a re release of
Whisky Galore!.
StudioCanal UK (2011–present) In September 2011, Optimum Releasing was rebranded under the
StudioCanal name.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,
Tyrannosaur, ''
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, The Awakening, and W.E. were among the first films released under the new name. As of 2023 with the release of The Boy and the Heron'', Elysian Film Group officially took over as Ghibli's distributor in the United Kingdom and Ireland. In 2023, after
Pathé exited the UK theatrical film market and shut down its UK distribution, StudioCanal acquired the distribution rights to films previously by Pathé including
Chicken Run (in partnership with
DreamWorks Pictures),
James and the Giant Peach and
The Magic Roundabout. ==References==