VFX Group Cinesite Announces New $235 Million Funding Package To Fuel Further Expansion

Fast-growing London-based VFX and animation studio group Cinesite announced today that it has secured a $235 million funding package as it continues to expand.

The company’s long-time bankers, NatWest Securities and Barclay’s, led the financing – a package deal that included debt, equity and mezzanine lines from existing shareholders.

Cinesite will use the new funds “to accelerate its growth by providing clients with greater creative capacity, enabling the company to expand into new geographic and business segments, while building on its studio partnership model to expand its talent base and global footprint to extend.”

Outside of London, Cinesite has facilities in Montreal and Vancouver, as well as partner studios in Berlin, Munich (Trixter), Belgrade, Skopje (FX3X), Montreal (Squeeze Animation & L’Atelier Animation), Quebec City (Squeeze), Mumbai (Assemblage Entertainment) and Vancouver (Image Engine), making it scalable for thousands of VFX and animation artists around the world.

The deal with Assemblage was announced last month and was Cinesite’s first foray into Asia. It announced the deals with Squeeze (the animation house behind the Marvel series). What if…?), Balkan-based visual effects studio FX3X and L’Atelier Animation last summer.

Recent group loans include Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Willow, The School for Good & Evil, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Witcher S2, Matilda, Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank, Thor: Love & Thunder, The Book of Boba Fett, The Addams Family 2 & She-Hulk.

Cinesite projects in production include Iwaju (Disney+), Foundation S2 (Appeal), Poirot (20^e century studios), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Chaos (Nickelodeon), The Witcher S3 (Netflix) and I’m big (Marvel Studios).

With the new funding, the company is “well positioned with significant opportunity to capitalize on increasing demand from Hollywood studios, production companies and streaming services,” said Cinesite CEO Antony Hunt. “The platform we’ve built over the years, along with our three decades of experience, world-class talent and trusted reputation, will provide significant support as we scale and grow our business.”

“We continue to strongly support the industry and are pleased to lead the arrangement of this financing package for the Cinesite Group,” said David Munoz, head of technology, media and telecoms banking at NatWest. “The company has an established track record and excellent reputation for producing high quality animation and VFX.”