Evil Angel (studio)

Evil Angel

Company type	Independent
Industry	Pornographic films
Founded	1989
Founder	John Stagliano
Headquarters	United States
Key people	John Stagliano (founder and CEO), John Grayson (vice president)
Products	Pornographic films, adult magazines (Evil Angel Publishing)
Owner	John Stagliano

Evil Angel is a U.S.-based independent production company and distributor specializing in pornographic films, established and owned by John Stagliano.

During the late 1980s, Stagliano alongside Evil Angel played a pivotal role in developing the gonzo pornography style. The company has collaborated with numerous esteemed directors, earning a variety of industry accolades for its productions.

Evil Angel is widely regarded as a top-tier producer of adult films in the United States, standing as a dominant force in hardcore pornographic distribution and ranking among the industry's most lucrative studios.

Origins and early development

The expansion of Evil Angel coincided with the adult industry's transition from traditional film to videotape. In the late 1970s, producing a feature-length adult movie on 35mm film could reach costs up to $350,000. However, by 1983, the advent of VCR technology prompted producers to adopt videotape formats, lowering production expenses dramatically to approximately $5,000 compared to $40,000 for film. Throughout the 1990s, Evil Angel continued to minimize costs by filming on video at roughly $8,000 per project. John Stagliano, initially without formal filmmaking experience, created his debut film Bouncing Buns in 1983 and spent six years producing content for other studios before founding Evil Angel in 1989 to distribute his own titles. The company’s name reflects Stagliano’s background as a stripper and was inspired by a nickname from a fellow performer.

Buttman persona and Gonzo innovation

The inaugural release from Evil Angel was Dance Fire (1988), featuring Stagliano among others; this title was later issued on DVD two decades afterwards. In 1989, Stagliano revolutionized adult filmmaking by simultaneously performing and operating the camera himself, introducing a first-person perspective known as Point of View (POV) pornography. This approach diverged from conventional adult films that typically concealed the camera’s presence. Under his alter ego Buttman, Stagliano took charge of writing, directing, filming, editing, and production for Adventures of Buttman. While early installments contained scripted elements, they gradually shifted toward an improvised format without traditional storylines or elaborate set designs due to budget limitations. The focus was placed on isolated sexual scenes rather than interconnected narratives, prioritizing realism over high production polish. This innovative style became synonymous with Gonzo pornography and significantly influenced the wider adult entertainment sector.

Growth and achievements

Throughout the 1990s, Stagliano solidified his status as a prominent figure within American adult cinema. In 1990, he partnered with Patrick Collins to launch the Elegant Angel label as a branch of Evil Angel. By 1991, operations expanded internationally with a production division established in São Paulo, Brazil. By 1993, Evil Angel was releasing new videotapes approximately every three weeks and generating annual revenues exceeding $1 million; sales reached around half a million videos by 1996. During this period, marketing campaigns adopted slogans such as "The Evil Empire," reflecting an expanding roster of affiliated directors.

In 1996, Collins separated Elegant Angel into an independent entity and formally ended association with Evil Angel by 1998. Their parting reportedly involved disputes; Collins criticized Stagliano’s management skills while Stagliano accused Collins of underperformance.

A 1997 report by U.S. News & World Report identified Evil Angel as the adult studio with the highest profitability. By 2007, the studio had accumulated 127 AVN Award nominations across 60 categories—marking its fourth consecutive year surpassing 100 nominations. The following year, Evil Angel secured 18 AVN awards including Stagliano’s win for "Best Director - Video" for Fashionistas Safado: Berlin.

In 2015, vice president John Grayson highlighted that transsexual-themed pornography represented the company’s most lucrative segment, generating approximately 20% higher earnings per production compared to other genres.

Legal matters

In August 2007, Evil Angel and Jules Jordan prevailed in a DVD piracy lawsuit against Kaytel Video Distribution and associated parties, obtaining a judgment exceeding $17.5 million—the largest financial award recorded in an adult content piracy case. Evil Angel was awarded $11.2 million, while Jordan received $5.3 million. The legal action was initially initiated in November 2005.

On April 8, 2008, federal obscenity charges were brought against Evil Angel and its founder John Stagliano in Washington, D.C. The case referenced films such as Storm Squirters 2 by Joey Silvera, Milk Nymphos by Jay Sin, along with a trailer for Belladonna: Fetish Fanatic 5. With legal representation from attorney Al Gelbard, noted for his expertise in obscenity defense, the company launched a defense initiative featuring a compilation DVD titled Defend Our Porn alongside the DefendOurPorn.org website to raise funds for their legal battle.

In December 2008, the BBC reported that Stagliano and Evil Angel engaged UK-based law firm Davenport Lyons to pursue monetary compensation from individuals accused of illegally downloading copyrighted content via Peer-to-Peer networks.

Directors and productions

Evil Angel operates under a distinctive business framework within the adult entertainment sector, partnering with in-house directors who retain ownership rights over their productions. Meanwhile, the company oversees manufacturing, distribution, marketing, and sales operations, taking a share of gross revenues. This strategy, advocated by founder John Stagliano, emerged as a solution to difficulties he encountered when selling content to other entities where control and profit participation were limited.

The roster of directors includes prominent figures such as Stagliano himself, Aiden Starr, Proxy Paige, LeWood, John Leslie, Rocco Siffredi, Joey Silvera, Christoph Clark, Nacho Vidal, Jonni Darkko, Jake Malone, Jay Sin, Jazz Duro, Manuel Ferrara, Lexington Steele, Mike Adriano, Steve Holmes, Uncle D, and Belladonna. Each director functions as a distinct brand with unique creative approaches that bolster Evil Angel’s competitive positioning and market presence. Former collaborators include Gregory Dark, Jules Jordan, Bruce Seven, Bionca, Alex de Renzy, and Erik Everhard.

Past directors

Gregory Dark parted ways with Evil Angel in 1995 citing "creative differences" and subsequently founded Dark Works; Evil Angel continued to distribute his projects. His notable titles comprised Sex Freaks, Snake Pit, and The Best Of Gregory Dark. He no longer directs for the company.

Jules Jordan was known for directing series like Ass Worship before leaving in 2006 to establish Jules Jordan Video.

Erik Everhard joined Evil Angel in 2005 after prior work with Anabolic Video, Diabolic Video, and Red Light District Video; he later transitioned to Jules Jordan Video.

Glenn King produced series such as "Mean Cuckold" and "ManEaters" under Evil Angel before departing in 2015 to concentrate on femdom-themed content.

Active directors

Founder and CEO John Stagliano has helmed numerous installments of the Buttman series, shot internationally in locations including New Zealand, Prague, San Diego, and London. These productions combine scripted scenarios with authentic interactions, exemplifying Evil Angel’s innovative operational model. The brand also expanded into comic books to further enhance its market influence.

John Leslie, formerly an actor turned director, began his association with Evil Angel in 1994. That same year saw Rocco Siffredi joining as a director.

Joey Silvera commenced directing for Evil Angel in 1995 and played a significant role in popularizing transsexual pornography through his 'Rogue Adventures' series. Christoph Clark became part of the company in 1997; Nacho Vidal joined in 2001; while Jonni Darkko, after founding Darkko Productions, affiliated with Evil Angel in 2004.

Manuel Ferrara—a protégé of Rocco Siffredi with an acclaimed acting career including participation in Stagliano’s Fashionistas—released his debut directorial work with Evil Angel in 2006. That same year Jake Malone entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with the company.

Belladonna was introduced to Stagliano by Nacho Vidal; Evil Angel holds exclusive distribution rights for titles produced under her Belladonna Entertainment and Deadly Nightshade Productions labels.

Jay Sin became part of the directing team in 2008 following contributions to Buttman Magazine Choice. Renowned for producing extreme anal-themed content featuring scenes such as rectal prolapse and object insertion, Sin characterizes his work as "artistic," reflecting his commitment to porn as an integral lifestyle choice.

Evil Angel Publishing

Evil Angel Publishing serves as the magazine branch of Evil Angel. In March 2007, it introduced Extra Parts, a 100-page periodical showcasing photographs from director Joey Silvera’s transgender-themed films.

Awards

Evil Angel has been honored with a wide range of industry awards, underscoring its significant presence and competitive edge in the market. Notable recognitions include:

• 1992 AVN Award for Best Film awarded to Wild Goose Chase
• 1993 AVN Award for Best Film granted to Face Dance, Parts I & II
• 1997 AVN Awards for Best Gonzo Series with Butt Row and Best Continuing Video Series for The Voyeur
• 1998 AVN Awards for Best Video Feature with Buda and Best Continuing Video Series awarded to Fresh Meat
• 1999 AVN Award recognizing Best Transsexual Release for The Big-Ass She-Male Adventure
• 2000 AVN Awards honoring Best Continuing Video Series for The Voyeur, Best Anal-Themed Series with Rocco's True Anal Stories, and Best Transsexual Release for Rogue Adventures 3: Big-Ass She-Male Adventure
• 2001 AVN Awards including Best Gonzo Series for Please!, Best Anal-Themed Series for Rocco's True Anal Stories, and Best Transsexual Release for Rogue Adventures 3: Big-Ass She-Male Adventure 7
• 2002 AVN Awards celebrating Best Anal-Themed Series with Rocco's True Anal Stories, Best Transsexual Release for Rogue Adventures 13, Best Gonzo Series awarded to Buttman, and Best Continuing Video Series for Animal Trainer
• 2003 AVN Awards recognizing Best Anal-Themed Series with Ass Worship, Best Video Feature for The Ass Collector, and Best Film for The Fashionistas
• 2004 AVN Awards including Best DVD and Top Renting Release of the Year for The Fashionistas, along with multiple series awards such as those for Ass Worship and Service Animals
• From 2005 through 2007, AVN Awards acknowledged achievements across categories like Vignette Releases, Gonzo Series, Specialty Releases, and Transsexual Releases
• 2008 XBIZ Award honoring Evil Angel as Best Studio
• Numerous AVN and XBIZ Awards from 2008 to 2016 recognizing excellence in series, specialty releases, and overall studio performance
• 2017 DVDEROTIK Award presented for Transsexual Release of the Year to Jay Sin: TS Playground 24

These distinctions highlight Evil Angel’s effective business approach, innovative product offerings, and leadership within specialized segments of the adult entertainment sector.