Wikipedia

Thunderbird Entertainment

(Redirected from Thunderbird Films)

Thunderbird Entertainment, Inc. was a television and animation production company headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. Founded in 2003 as Thunderbird Films, it produces scripted, unscripted, and animated programming for domestic and international broadcasters and streaming platforms.

Thunderbird Entertainment, Inc.
FormerlyThunderbird Entertainment
Thunderbird Films
TypePublic
TSX-V: TBRD
IndustryFilm
Television
Founded2003; 23 years ago (2003)
Defunct2026; 0 years ago (2026)
FateAcquired by Blue Ant Media and folded into Blue Ant Kids & Family
Headquarters
Vancouver, British Columbia
Toronto, Ontario
Los Angeles, California
Ottawa, Ontario
Key people
Jennifer Twiner McCarron
(president, CEO, and Director)
Barb Harwood
(CFO)
Matthew Berkowitz
(CCO)
Richard Goldsmith
(president, Global Distribution, and Consumer Products)
Sarah Nathanson
(general counsel)
ProductsTelevision series
Television films
RevenueIncrease $81.3 million (2020)[1]
Number of employees
1,000 (2018)[2]
SubsidiariesAtomic Cartoons
Great Pacific Media
Websitethunderbird.tv

With offices in Toronto, Los Angeles and Ottawa, the firm operates several subsidiaries, including Atomic Cartoons, Great Pacific Media, and Thunderbird Releasing. On January 28, 2026, it was announced that Blue Ant Media had completed its acquisition of Thunderbird.[3]

History

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Tim Gamble and Michael Shepard founded the company in 2003 as Thunderbird Films. In its early years, it focused on television production and international distribution of Canadian programming.[4]

In 2012, after receiving an investment from Lionsgate founder Frank Giustra,[5] Thunderbird formed a joint venture with Lionsgate known as Sea to Sky Entertainment (named after the "Sea-to-Sky" stretch of BC's Highway 99, just as Lionsgate was named after Vancouver's Lions Gate Bridge).[6] The venture made deals with director-producer R.J. Cutler and author Dennis Lehane.[7]

In April 2013, Thunderbird acquired Reunion Pictures, producer of Alice and Continuum.[8] In September 2014, the firm acquired the British independent film distributor Soda Pictures.[9][10]

In December 2014, Thunderbird purchased Vancouver-based reality television studio Great Pacific Media (GPM), producer of the Discovery Channel Canada series Highway Thru Hell. GPM continued to operate as a subsidiary of Thunderbird, and its co-founder Mark Miller was promoted to co-president of Thunderbird in 2016.[11][12]

In July 2015, Thunderbird acquired Vancouver-based animation studio Atomic Cartoons; its CEO Jennifer Twiner McCarron was promoted to president of Thunderbird in 2018.[13][14] In August 2018, it was announced that Thunderbird would go public on the TSX Venture Exchange through a reverse takeover by Golden Secret Ventures.[15]

In January 2021, Thunderbird Entertainment named Richard Goldsmith, formerly of Cyber Group Studios, as its first president of global distribution and consumer products.[16] In September, Voss Capital acquired a 10.5% stake in Thunderbird.[17]

On November 26, 2025, Blue Ant Media announced its intent to acquire Thunderbird for $63 million.[18] The transaction was completed two months later. Blue Ant subsequently reorganized its studios division in February 2026, with Great Pacific Media being folded into Blue Ant Media's unscripted division and closed, and Atomic Cartoons being placed alongside Jam Filled Entertainment in a new kids & family division led by McCarron, with Thunderbird being folded into the division.[19]

Assets

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Atomic Cartoons

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Atomic Cartoons is a Vancouver-based animation studio acquired by Thunderbird in 2015. It has produced series such as Atomic Betty,[20] Beat Bugs (with Beyond International),[21] The Last Kids on Earth,[22][23] Mighty Express (with Spin Master),[24] Molly of Denali (with WGBH-TV and CBC Kids),[25] and Pirate Express.[14][26][27]

Great Pacific Media

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Great Pacific Media was founded in May 2010 by Blair Reekie and Mark Miller. Acquired by Thunderbird in December 2014,[28] the studio focuses primarily on reality television, having produced series such as Highway Thru Hell and its Ontario-based spin-off Heavy Rescue: 401 for Discovery Channel (now USA Network),[11][29][30] Save My Reno and Worst to First for Home Network,[31][32][33] and Queen of the Oil Patch for APTN.[34][35]

In 2016, while remaining as CEO of Great Pacific Media (GPM) following its acquisition, Miller was appointed co-president of Thunderbird.[12] In 2019, three years after former Bell Media executive Paul Lewis was appointed president of GPM,[36] Wendy McKernan was named its vice president, while Lindsay Macadam (Motive) became head of a new scripted division that would focus on dramatizations of real events.[37][38]

In 2020, it was reported that Simon Barry and GPM were developing a biographical drama based on Wernher von Braun, adapted from Michael J. Neufeld's biography Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War.[39]

Thunderbird Releasing

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Thunderbird Releasing (formerly Soda Pictures) is a British film distributor formed in 2002 by Eve Gabereau and Edward Fletcher. Primarily focused on independent and arthouse films, it was acquired by Thunderbird Entertainment in 2014 and renamed Thunderbird Releasing three years later.[9][10]

Filmography

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Scripted television series

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Title Years Network Seasons Episodes Notes
Cold Squad 1998–2005 CTV 7 98 Canadian police procedural drama
Da Vinci's Inquest 1998–2005 CBC 7 91 Crime drama series
Zixx[citation needed] 2004–2009 YTV 3 39 co-production with Mainframe Entertainment and The Nightingale Company
Da Vinci's City Hall 2005–2006 CBC 1 13 Spin-off of Da Vinci's Inquest
Zigby[40] 2009–2011 Treehouse TV
ABC Kids (Australia)
ZDF (Germany)[41]		 1 52 co-production with Flying Bark Productions,[42] Avrill Stark Entertainment and Big Animation
Guilt 2016 Freeform 1 10 American adaptation of the Dutch series Overspel
Hiccups 2010–2012 CTV 2 26 Sitcom starring Nancy Robertson
Mr. Young[43] 2011–2013 YTV
Disney XD[44] (International)		 3 80 co-production with Gravy Boat Productions
Endgame[citation needed] 2011 Showcase 1 13 co-production with Front Street Pictures
Package Deal 2013–2014 Citytv 2 26 Multi-camera sitcom
Some Assembly Required[45] 2014–2016 YTV 3 58 co-production with Gravy Boat Productions and Remotey Funny Productions
Stone Undercover 2002–2004 CBC Television 2 26 Police drama series
Kim's Convenience[46] 2016–2021 CBC 5 65 co-production with Soulpepper Theatre Company
Somewhere Between 2017 ABC 1 10 Thriller series based on the South Korean drama God’s Gift: 14 Days

Factual TV series

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  • 1800 Seconds: Chasing Canada's Snowbirds
  • Air Dogs
  • Airshow
  • Animal Miracles with Alan Thicke
  • Bulging Brides
  • Campus Vets
  • Confessions: Animal Hoarding
  • Daily Planet - Segments
  • Game of Homes
  • Heroines
  • Industrious
  • The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp
  • Makeover Wish
  • Megaroof: Rebuilding BC Place
  • Miss Landmine
  • The Mistress
  • Model Killers
  • Monster Quake: Chile
  • Monster Quake: Japan
  • My Evil Sister
  • Peak to Peak
  • Prisoners of Age
  • Raising Big Blue
  • Scared of my Shadow
  • Untold Stories of the ER

Animated series

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References

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  1. ↑ "Thunderbird Entertainment Group Reports on Fiscal Year 2020 Financial Results". October 15, 2020. Archived from the original on May 30, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Thunderbird Entertainment Reports on Transformational Second Quarter". Archived from the original on May 4, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Blue Ant Media completes acquisition of Thunderbird Entertainment". Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved January 29, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Thunderbird's CEO has Disney-sized plans for the company, but is not losing sight of what really matters: her employees". The Globe and Mail. March 25, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Lionsgate Founder Frank Giustra Invests in Vancouver's Thunderbird..." Reuters. February 29, 2012. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  6. ↑ Rose, Lacey (March 13, 2012). "Lionsgate Reunites with Founder for TV Venture (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 31, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  7. ↑ Lederman, Marsha (March 13, 2012). "Frank Giustra launches Sea to Sky Entertainment". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  8. ↑ Vlessing, Etan (April 4, 2013). "MIPTV: Thunderbird Films Acquires 'Continuum' Producer Reunion Pictures (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 12, 2026. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  9. 1 2 Parfitt, Orlando. "Soda Pictures rebrands as Thunderbird Releasing". Screen. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  10. 1 2 Vlessing, Etan (September 5, 2014). "Toronto: Thunderbird Films Acquires U.K. Distributor Soda Pictures". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 20, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  11. 1 2 "Canada's Thunderbird Films Acquires Rival Great Pacific Media". The Hollywood Reporter. December 10, 2014. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  12. 1 2 Crawford, Tiffany (June 22, 2018). "Thunderbird Entertainment names Jennifer Twiner McCarron as new CEO". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on March 5, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  13. ↑ Reid, Regan. "Playback's 2018 Exec of the Year: Jennifer Twiner McCarron". Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  14. 1 2 Cummins, Julianna. "Thunderbird acquires Atomic Cartoons". Kidscreen. Archived from the original on December 20, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  15. ↑ Pinto, Jordan. "Thunderbird Entertainment to go public via Golden Secret deal". Archived from the original on December 20, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Goldsmith to head Thunderbird division". C21media. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  17. ↑ Sardi, Liza. "U.S. hedge fund acquires stake in Thunderbird Entertainment". Archived from the original on December 21, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  18. ↑ Whittock, Jesse (November 26, 2025). "Blue Ant Media To Buy 'Kim's Convenience' Producer Thunderbird Entertainment For $63M". Deadline. Archived from the original on November 26, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Blue Ant Media restructures studios business following Thunderbird, Boat Rocker acquisitions". C21media. Archived from the original on February 5, 2026. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  20. ↑ "'Atomic Betty' Redux: A Toon's Progress". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on January 12, 2026. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  21. ↑ Pinto, Jordan. "Thunderbird catches a new Netflix Beat". Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  22. ↑ Petski, Denise (February 28, 2018). "'The Last Kids On Earth' Animated Comedy Series Based On Books Ordered By Netflix". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 1, 2018. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  23. ↑ Vlessing, Etan (February 28, 2018). "Netflix Orders Animated Series 'The Last Kids on Earth'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 1, 2018. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  24. ↑ Otterson, Joe (February 11, 2020). "'PAW Patrol' Team Sets Animated Series 'Mighty Express' at Netflix". Variety. Archived from the original on April 10, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  25. ↑ Whyte, Alexandra. "PBS Kids orders animated series from Atomic Cartoons". Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  26. ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (July 8, 2015). "Thunderbird Buys Atomic Cartoons". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on December 20, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  27. ↑ Altman, Randi (September 22, 2016). "Atomic Cartoons helps brings Beatles music to kids for Netflix's Beat Bugs". Post Perspective. Archived from the original on March 31, 2025. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  28. ↑ Vlessing, Etan (December 10, 2014). "Canada's Thunderbird Films Acquires Rival Great Pacific Media". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 12, 2026. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  29. ↑ "Highway Thru Hell returns to the small screen, showcasing treacherous highways around Hope". Hope Standard. September 8, 2018. Archived from the original on September 9, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  30. ↑ Pinto, Jordan (January 28, 2019). "Discovery's Heavy Rescue: 401 hits a rating high for new season". Media of Canada. Archived from the original on November 26, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  31. ↑ Citizen, Ottawa. "Home comfort: Create the ultimate fan cave". Truro Daily. Archived from the original on October 17, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  32. ↑ Pinto, Jordan (July 14, 2016). "HGTV Canada greenlights two originals". Archived from the original on December 11, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  33. ↑ Reid, Regan (August 15, 2017). "HGTV Canada preps Worst to First". Archived from the original on August 25, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  34. ↑ Lamoureux, Mack (May 20, 2015). "Meet Fort McMurray's Two-Spirit Multi-Millionaire Pop Star". Vice. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  35. ↑ "Queen of the Oil Patch celebrates two-spirit Fort McMurray entrepreneur". CBC News. June 8, 2018. Archived from the original on July 3, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  36. ↑ "Paul Lewis". theformatpeople.com. Archived from the original on September 22, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  37. ↑ Malyk, Lauren (January 15, 2019). "Wendy McKernan upped to VP at Great Pacific Media". Archived from the original on December 1, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  38. ↑ Pinto, Jordan. "Thunderbird turns facts into fiction as scripted-content drive ramps up". Archived from the original on December 20, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  39. ↑ Pinto, Jordan. "Thunderbird developing scripted series based on Wernher Von Braun". Archived from the original on December 20, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  40. ↑ Grove, Chris (April 17, 2007). "Popular Zigby Making International Move With Co-Prod". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on December 6, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  41. ↑ "Three New Shows For Germany's ZDF". Animation World Network. April 10, 2008. Archived from the original on December 6, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  42. ↑ Ball, Ryan (February 17, 2005). "Zigby to Earn Stripes from Yoram Gross-Em.TV". Animation Magazine.
  43. ↑ Awabi, Anita (October 7, 2010). "Thunderbird, YTV line up sitcom". C21Media. Archived from the original on December 20, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  44. ↑ "Press Release – Whiz-Kids-Turned-Teen Genius Mr. Young Acquired By Disney XD Around the World". Corusent.com. Archived from the original on March 19, 2012. Retrieved July 12, 2012.
  45. ↑ Diane Wild (August 29, 2013). "Some Assembly Required in production". TV, eh?.
  46. ↑ Nestruck, J. Kelly (November 3, 2015). "Toronto's Soulpepper Theatre Company announces 2016 lineup". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
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