Paramount Home Entertainment
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Home video distribution |
| Predecessor | Fotomat (for film library distribution) |
| Founded | 1979 |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Home video and digital distribution of films and television content |
| Parent | Paramount Pictures (Paramount Global) |
Paramount Home Entertainment—previously known as Paramount Home Media Distribution and originally Paramount Home Video—serves as the home video distribution arm of Paramount Pictures. It is responsible for managing Paramount Global's worldwide home entertainment and transactional digital distribution operations. This includes overseeing the sales, marketing, and distribution of content from Paramount Pictures, Paramount Players, Nickelodeon Movies, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television Studios, CBS, and Paramount Media Networks (such as Showtime, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., VH1, BET, Comedy Central), along with Paramount+. Additionally, it licenses select titles from DreamWorks Pictures (prior to 2010), Miramax, Dimension Films (before 2005), IFC Films, and Saban Films. The division also administers global licensing and digital distribution across various online, mobile, and emerging platforms.
History
Prior to establishing its own video division in 1979, Paramount distributed its film library through Fotomat. In territories like the UK and other regions, Paramount’s VHS releases were handled by CIC Video in partnership with Universal Pictures until 1999. At that point, Universal left CIC to concentrate on its PolyGram acquisition. Paramount retained CIC and rebranded it as Paramount Home Entertainment UK. In February 2015, Paramount Home Media Distribution entered into a partnership with Universal Pictures Home Entertainment for international distribution, particularly in the UK market. This collaboration concluded in July 2020 when Paramount signed new home entertainment agreements for the UK with Elevation Sales (a joint venture between StudioCanal and Lionsgate) along with other distributors including Koch Media (Plaion Pictures) for Italy, Divisa Home Video for Spain, ESC Distribution in France, and Dutch FilmWorks covering Benelux starting January 2021.
In 2008, the company introduced the direct-to-video label known as Paramount Famous Productions. Following a corporate restructuring in 2011, the division was renamed Paramount Home Media Distribution. From 2013 through 2017, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment handled distribution of Paramount titles and incorporated them into collections such as Warner Archive and the 4 Film Favorites series. In May 2019, the division reverted to its earlier name of Paramount Home Entertainment.
HD DVD and Blu-ray support
Paramount markets most of its high-definition releases under the brand Paramount High Definition, which appears on packaging and within opening sequences of films. Subsidiaries including Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films, as well as former affiliate DreamWorks, generally do not utilize this specific branding. Select releases from Paramount Vantage also carry this label.
In October 2005, Paramount became the first major studio to back both competing high-definition formats: Blu-ray and HD DVD. The studio’s initial HD DVD titles debuted in July 2006, followed by Blu-ray releases two months later. In August 2007, Paramount joined DreamWorks and DreamWorks Animation in announcing exclusive support for HD DVD. However, after other studios abandoned HD DVD and production of players ended, Paramount transitioned exclusively to Blu-ray format—issuing three titles in May 2008—and continued releasing titles solely on Blu-ray thereafter.
Paramount DVD
Paramount DVD is a dedicated sub-label for DVD formats, distinguished by a logo animation introduced in 2003 that depicts a DVD forming the iconic Paramount mountain silhouette.
Paramount High Definition
Paramount High Definition specializes in releasing Paramount's film and television content in high-definition formats, including HD-DVD and Blu-ray.
Paramount Presents
Established in 2020, Paramount Presents is a collection that features remastered classic titles from both Paramount and DreamWorks archives on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD, frequently accompanied by premium packaging and additional bonus features.
Paramount Gateway Video
Founded in 1982, Paramount Gateway Video serves as a mid-tier sublabel under Paramount Home Video, created to broaden the company’s home entertainment offerings.
Paramount Famous Productions (2007–2011)
Paramount Famous Productions operated as a PHE sub-label concentrating on direct-to-video releases, deliberately bypassing theatrical runs to efficiently serve the home entertainment audience.
Peanuts Home Entertainment (1994–2007)
Licensed from United Feature Syndicate, Peanuts Home Entertainment, originally known as Peanuts Home Video, was responsible for distributing The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show along with various Peanuts specials. Active between 1994 and 2007, it handled significant titles such as A Charlie Brown Christmas before distribution rights transitioned to Warner Home Video.