Funko Acquires U.K. Studio Evil Corp For $4 Million
Toy maker Funko has acquired the Bath, U.K.-based animation production studio A Large Evil Corporation. Funk paid “approximately $4 million” for the company.
The two companies had been working together on animation projects since 2014, including a series of Marvel-themed cg animated shorts that debuted last year, such as the one below:
Founded in 2006, Evil Corp will now operate under the name Funko Animation Studios. The studio founder, Guy Thomson and Seth Watkins, will stay on as general managers.
“Since 2014 we have produced the majority of our animated product videos with this innovative and fantastically creative studio and we are excited to move this function in house,” said Brian Mariotti, CEO of Funko. “We have seen firsthand how well received these shorts are from our fans and we look forward to continuing to produce these high caliber product videos while also creating original Funko content.”
Last month, Funko became a public company, launching an IPO that delivered the worst-first day return on Wall Street in 17 years. A month-and-a-half later, its stock price is trading at $7.14, up just a few cents from its troubled launch.