Neon (company)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film production and distribution |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Founder | Tom Quinn, Tim League |
| Headquarters | United States , United States |
Key people | Tom Quinn (CEO), Andrew Brown (President of Digital Distribution), Jeff Deutchman (President of Acquisitions and Production) |
| Products | Film production, film distribution |
| Parent | 30West (majority ownership) |
| Website | neonrated |
NEON Rated, LLC, operating under the trade name Neon (stylized in uppercase), is a U.S.-based independent company specializing in film production and distribution. Established in 2017 by CEO Tom Quinn alongside Tim League, co-founder of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain, the company saw League step away from daily management by 2019.
Neon's inaugural film release was Colossal (2017). The company has since become known for distributing critically acclaimed titles including I, Tonya (2017), Parasite (2019), Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019), Palm Springs (2020), Flee (2021), Spencer (2021), The Worst Person in the World (2021), Triangle of Sadness (2022), Anatomy of a Fall (2023), as well as upcoming releases such as Anora (2024), Longlegs (2024), The Seed of the Sacred Fig (2024), and The Monkey (2025).
With a global box office total of $262 million, Parasite stands as Neon's most financially successful film and was notably the first non-English language movie to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. In 2024, the release of Longlegs set a new domestic revenue record for Neon, earning $74.3 million. Additionally, Anora brought Neon its second Oscar for Best Picture.
Neon collaborates with esteemed directors such as Sean Baker, Bong Joon Ho, Julia Ducournau, Craig Gillespie, Pablo Larraín, and Céline Sciamma.
History
At the 4th Annual Zurich Summit, Tom Quinn described Neon's target audience as individuals under 45 years old who are open to content featuring violence, foreign languages, or documentary styles. Reflecting on the company's approach in 2024, Quinn characterized Neon as a nimble "startup" capable of swiftly acquiring and campaigning for films like I, Tonya, benefiting from its compact size to make rapid decisions.
In September 2017, Neon collaborated with Blumhouse Productions to oversee BH Tilt. The following year, majority ownership was acquired by 30West, the investment division of "The Friedkin Group". By February 2021, Neon partnered with Bleecker Street to create Decal, a joint venture focused on home entertainment distribution for both studios. Decal's initial release was Bleecker Street's Supernova, followed by its first acquisition—the South African horror film Gaia.
Andrew Brown, who joined Neon as SVP in 2017 and co-presides over Decal, led the launch of Neon's home entertainment division before being promoted in 2022 to President of Digital Distribution. He oversees Neon's film catalog and manages its digital platform "Neon Cinema". Prior to this arrangement, several Neon titles were distributed on home video through Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, The Criterion Collection, and Well Go USA.
During the Hollywood labor strikes in 2023, Neon maintained its promotional efforts without interruption because it is not affiliated with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and secured interim agreements from SAG-AFTRA.
In August 2023, Neon expanded its marketing and international sales divisions by recruiting former executives from A24, including Alexandra Altschuler as VP Media and Don Wilcox as VP Marketing. Additionally, Kristen Figeroid was appointed President of International Sales and Distribution; Laurel Charnetsky became VP International Acquisitions & Operations; and Dan Stadnicki took on the role of Manager of International Sales & Distribution. Further growth occurred in May 2024 with Joey Monteiro joining as EVP of International Marketing and Ashley Hirsch assuming Manager of International Sales and Marketing duties. That same month saw internal promotions: Elissa Federoff advanced to Chief Distribution Officer while Ryan Friscia became Chief Financial Officer. Since its inception, Jeff Deutchman has served as President of Acquisitions and Production at Neon.
Neon has secured distribution rights for six Palme d'Or winners consecutively at Cannes: Parasite (2019), Titane (2021), Triangle of Sadness (2022), Anatomy of a Fall (2023), Anora (2024), and It Was Just an Accident (2025). Their acquisition philosophy prioritizes proactive scouting rather than passive selection. After obtaining rights to Parasite in 2018, Neon invested $20 million in U.S. promotion and distribution efforts. The film surpassed $200 million worldwide and earned four Academy Awards including Best Picture. Similarly, Neon allocated $18 million toward marketing for Anora, which won two Oscars; other Palme d'Or recipients such as Anatomy of a Fall and Triangle of Sadness garnered multiple nominations. By March 2025, Neon had accumulated 39 Oscar nominations with 11 wins.
Quinn emphasized Cannes' increasing appeal among younger moviegoers, noting that Palme d'Or recognition strongly influenced test audiences for films like Parasite and Anatomy of a Fall. He affirmed that this prestigious award highlights daring cinema that frequently becomes a contender during awards season.
In July 2024, Neon recorded its most successful box office debut with the horror thriller Longlegs, which earned $22.6 million across 2,510 theaters. This achievement represented the largest opening weekend for an original horror title in 2024 and ranked among the top openings for an independent film that year. The promotional campaign employed guerrilla marketing tactics inspired by The Blair Witch Project, focusing exclusively on digital platforms without television advertising. Director Oz Perkins commended Neon's energetic marketing strategy. By its third weekend, Longlegs had become Neon's highest-grossing domestic release with $58.6 million—surpassing even Parasite. It also ranked as the highest-earning R-rated horror film in 2024 and the most successful indie horror title over the past decade. To extend audience engagement into August 2024, Neon partnered with Atom Tickets to provide free admission tickets to customers celebrating birthdays on the 14th day of any month.
At the 78th Cannes Film Festival held in May 2025, Neon achieved its sixth straight Palme d'Or win with Iranian director Jafar Panahi's film It Was Just an Accident. Additional honors included Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, which received the Grand Prix; Óliver Laxe’s Sirāt, awarded a Jury Prize tie; and Kleber Mendonça Filho’s The Secret Agent, recognized with Best Director and Best Actor awards.
Filmography
| Position | Movie Title | Release Year | Global Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parasite | 2019 | $262,608,117 |
| 2 | Longlegs | 2024 | $126,942,386 |
| 3 | The Monkey | 2025 | $68,511,703 |
| 4 | Anora | 2024 | $56,286,295 |
| 5 | I, Tonya | 2017 | $53,939,297 |
| 6 | Ferrari | 2023 | $43,601,123 |
| 7 | Anatomy of a Fall | 2023 | $36,051,506 |
| 8 | Immaculate | 2024 | $35,340,015 |
| 9 | Triangle of Sadness | 2022 | $26,195,743 |
| 10 | Perfect Days | 2023 | $25,609,472 |