Animation and visual effects studio Cinesite takes majority stake in animation and motion capture studio Squeeze, which produced the animated show Cracked and which has collaborated with giant brands such as Disney, Marvel, Universal, Warner, Ubisoft, Illumination and Supercell.
Posted at 10:11 a.m.
“This move will allow Cinesite to expand its animation content and services offering in international markets while adding motion capture and Unreal capabilities to the group to serve the video games and film industry,” we read in a press release.
“Squeeze is a fantastic addition, not only to its hit original animated series, Crackedand its internationally renowned animation portfolio, but also for its scale, its motion capture capabilities and the opportunity to reinforce the group’s dynamism in Montreal as a key player in the field of family entertainment”, says Antony Hunt, Cinesite Group CEO
Founded in 2011, Squeeze Studios has 200 employees and is based in Quebec and Montreal. Its name will survive the acquisition, as well as its management (Denis Doré, CEO and co-founder, and François Houde, Chief Financial Officer). Cinesite, headquartered in London, now has 780 employees in Canada.
Other Cinesite acquisitions include Image Engine in 2015, Nitrogen Studios (in Vancouver) in 2017, and German VFX studio Trixter in 2018.