Cinedigm also plans to expand the distribution of Screambox to its base of third-party subscription channel partners.
Cinedigm, an American entertainment company, has acquired Screambox, a streaming service targeting the horror genre.
The service, which launched in 2015, is available across the web, mobile devices, connected TVs, and as an Amazon Prime Channel, among other outlets.
To assist the promotion of its new acquisition, Cinedigm will use its horror and thriller content library, app technology, and Matchpoint distribution platform to rapidly expand Screambox’s content offering. It will relaunch the service’s apps and expand distribution to Cinedigm’s 900+ mn globally connected device footprints. It also plans to expand the distribution of Screambox to its base of third-party subscription channel partners such as Roku, Comcast, SlingTV, Dish Network and more.
“The company anticipates the service could reach seven-figure subscriber levels within the first 36 months after the acquisition is completed, with a focus on rapid global expansion and distribution,” according to the release.
Cinedigm plans to more than double the available content on Screambox over the next 90 days.
In a statement, Chris McGurk, Cinedigm chairman, said: “The acquisition of Screambox is another huge streaming opportunity for Cinedigm. Having just acquired Fandor, which The Wall Street Journal called ‘the Netflix of independent film,’ we see that same kind of potential for Screambox in the huge, underserved horror category where millions of enthusiasts around the world are looking for a widely-distributed streaming channel with a huge volume of premium horror content. Dan March, Screambox Founder, and his team did a fantastic job in laying the groundwork for all that, and we intend to deliver on his vision.”
Erick Opeka, Chief Strategy Officer, Cinedigm, added: “Despite more than 145,000 horror films listed in ‘The Internet Movie Database’, less than 5% of the genre is currently available for fans to enjoy in a subscription environment. We plan to immediately expand that opportunity by building on top of the great foundation Screambox provides into a massive, global library of the world’s best classic, contemporary and foreign horror content — that will create a seven-figure subscriber opportunity in success.”
