Cinedigm has bolstered its presence in the horror genre, purchasing 20-year-old entertainment brand Bloody Disgusting for an undisclosed amount of cash and stock.
The deal is being billed as accretive to Cinedigm's earlier acquisition of horror-focused subscription video-on-demand service Screambox in February.
"Having acquired Screambox earlier this year and having distributed hundreds of horror film and TV titles over the years, we understand the enormous potential that lies within the horror genre," said Chris McGurk, chairman and CEO of publicly traded Cinedigm.
Bloody Disgusting launched as a small internet startup in 2001, focused on reviews of movie and TV horror titles. The growing company branched out into its own horror movie label in 2011, V/H/S.
Bloody Disgusting now claims to reach 30 million unique horror users annually, blending in a podcast, a mobile app, and a sizable presence on the social internet.
Last year, Cinedigm partnered with the company to launch Bloody Disgusting TV, a free to view ad-supported streaming channel, distributed via the Roku Channel.
Under the new arrangement, Bloody Disgusting's team will be left intact to manage not only their own internet properties, but Screambox, too. Titles emerging from both Screambox and Bloody Disgusting will also be dispersed throughout Cinedigm's growing portfolio of SVOD, AVOD and FAST services.
"The acquisition of Bloody Disgusting shows Cinedigm's commitment to the genre," said Erick Opeka, chief strategy officer of Cinedigm. "The brand and the site are so much more than streaming; it's a respected brand within the horror community. In the years to come, we hope the site and streaming channel are not considered just a great source for horror content but the source for horror content."
Cinedigm shares were up more than 4% as of midday trading.
