Madman Entertainment
Tim Anderson and Paul Wiegard opened Madman Entertainment in 1996. They started as a mail order business selling imported anime titles on VHS tapes. The founders watched Manga Entertainment succeed in the United States and United Kingdom before launching their own venture. Their first DVD release was Ghost in the Shell, which arrived in 1995. This made them the second Australian distributor to author DVDs in-house. By 1998, they began sending anime to television outlets like SBS TV. Neon Genesis Evangelion aired during this period of expansion.
On the 1st of May 2006, Funtastic Limited bought Madman Group for an undisclosed sum. The deal aimed to secure media rights to titles where Funtastic held toy rights. Tim Anderson and Paul Wiegard signed employment agreements after the purchase. They remained on Madman's board of directors throughout the ownership change. Five years later, Funtastic announced its intention to sell Madman on the 4th of March 2014. Market value had dropped to half of its carrying value by that time. Original founders Tim Anderson and Paul Wiegard purchased the company back from Funtastic on the 31st of July 2014. A small group of investors joined them in buying Madman Entertainment for another undisclosed amount.
Madman manages live-action titles through labels including Madman Films, Directors Suite, and Madman Sports. Children's entertainment flows through Planet Mad and Mad4Kids labels. The company operates a theatrical distribution arm called Madman Cinema. In April 2008, they announced a collaboration with British company Warp Films. Their plan involved making at least two films together over three years starting with Tyrannosaur. On the 23rd of February 2008, Madman reached a distribution deal with Viz Media to release manga titles in Australia and the United States. This agreement ended in April 2016 when Simon & Schuster took over distribution of Viz's catalogue. Madman ceased all manga title distribution after this point.
The company launched Madman Screening Room as a video on demand streaming service in 2008. School Rumble became the first title available on the platform. They began releasing Blu-ray Disc titles starting with The Transformers: The Movie in June 2009. DocPlay arrived later as a dedicated documentary streaming service on the 1st of December 2016. It started as a subscription-only service containing 130 documentary titles. Twenty of those were Australian productions. Screen Australia provided Enterprise funding program support on the 29th of November 2016. This allowed revenue-sharing models for filmmakers on the platform. ABC Commercial joined DocPlay through an agreement on the 23rd of July 2019 adding 180 hours of factual content from their library.
APRA AMCOS filed a lawsuit against Madman streaming services on the 11th of July 2023. The organization claimed DocPlay and Garage Entertainment failed to pay licenses for music used on platforms' titles. Proceedings settled swiftly with both services becoming among the first streaming services to reach agreement with APRA AMCOS. The deal established ongoing payment of music fees for these platforms. This legal challenge marked a significant moment in how streaming services handle music licensing in Australia. The swift resolution demonstrated the company's willingness to adapt quickly to regulatory requirements.
Common questions
When did Tim Anderson and Paul Wiegard open Madman Entertainment?
Tim Anderson and Paul Wiegard opened Madman Entertainment in 1996. They started as a mail order business selling imported anime titles on VHS tapes.
Who bought Madman Group from the founders on the 1st of May 2006?
Funtastic Limited bought Madman Group for an undisclosed sum on the 1st of May 2006. The deal aimed to secure media rights to titles where Funtastic held toy rights.
What labels does Madman use to manage children's entertainment?
Children's entertainment flows through Planet Mad and Mad4Kids labels under Madman management. These labels operate alongside other divisions like Madman Films and Madman Sports.
Which streaming service did Madman launch in 2008 with School Rumble as the first title?
The company launched Madman Screening Room as a video on demand streaming service in 2008. School Rumble became the first title available on the platform.
When did APRA AMCOS file a lawsuit against Madman streaming services?
APRA AMCOS filed a lawsuit against Madman streaming services on the 11th of July 2023. The organization claimed DocPlay and Garage Entertainment failed to pay licenses for music used on platforms' titles.