Boulder Media

Boulder Media is an Irish animation studio established in 2000 by filmmaker Robert Cullen. The company develops and produces animated television series, shorts, specials, and feature-film projects, operating from Ireland and serving the international animation market. Its business is centered on creative development and production rather than consumer-facing product sales, placing it within the specialist animation and screen-content sector. The studio operated independently for much of its early history before becoming part of Hasbro on 13 July 2016. The acquisition connected Boulder Media with a large global entertainment and toy company whose portfolio included established children’s and family properties. Under Hasbro ownership, Boulder expanded its physical presence in Ireland, opening a second Dublin location on Claremont Road in August 2017. This expansion reflected the studio’s continuing role as a production base within Ireland’s animation industry. In May 2019, Hasbro and Boulder Media announced plans for a new animation film studio. The companies sought to establish the facility at a former ferry terminal, but their bid was rejected by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. The proposal nevertheless illustrates the strategic importance attached to expanding animation-production infrastructure and developing larger-scale film capabilities. Hasbro sold Boulder Media on 1 November 2022 to Princess Pictures, an Australian media company. Princess Pictures is associated with adult-animation production through its Princess Bento joint venture with Bento Box Entertainment, whose projects include Smiling Friends, YOLO, and Koala Man. The transaction returned Boulder to independent media-company ownership while keeping it within an international production group. Boulder Media remains an active Irish animation studio, with publicly documented work spanning animated series, shorts, specials, and feature films. Detailed information about its current production slate, executive team, commercial performance, and official website is not established in the supplied reference material.

Boulder Media was founded in Ireland in 2000 by filmmaker Robert Cullen. From its establishment, the company operated as an animation studio focused on producing screen content, including animated series, shorts, specials, and feature-film projects. The available reference material does not provide a complete list of productions or detailed information about the studio's early commercial development, but it identifies Boulder as an Irish company working in the international animation sector. A major change in ownership occurred on 13 July 2016, when Boulder Media became a subsidiary of Hasbro. The transaction placed the studio within the corporate structure of a multinational entertainment and consumer-products company. Hasbro's ownership provided a connection to a broad portfolio of entertainment properties and production activities, while Boulder continued to function as an Irish animation operation. In August 2017, Boulder Media opened a second Dublin location on Claremont Road. The additional site represented an expansion of the company's local infrastructure and reinforced Dublin's role in its production activities. The supplied sources do not specify the facility's staffing levels, production capacity, or individual projects. On 7 May 2019, Hasbro and Boulder announced plans to establish a new animation film studio. The companies pursued a former ferry terminal as a potential site, seeking to extend their capabilities beyond television and shorter-form animation into film production. Their bid was not accepted by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. No completed facility at that location is identified in the supplied material. Hasbro later exited its ownership of Boulder Media. On 1 November 2022, it sold the studio to Princess Pictures, an Australian media company. Princess Pictures is associated with international television and film production and has worked in adult animation through the Princess Bento joint venture with Bento Box Entertainment. That venture is linked in the reference material to series including Smiling Friends, YOLO, and Koala Man. The sale made Boulder Media a wholly owned subsidiary of Princess Pictures and established its current ownership position. Boulder Media's documented business remains the development and production of animated screen works. It is best understood as a production studio rather than a retail brand or a standalone distributor. Publicly supplied information confirms activity across animated series, shorts, specials, and feature films, but does not establish a current catalogue, release schedule, financial results, executive roster, or official web address. Those areas require further verification.

• 2022

  Princess Pictures acquires Boulder Media

  [1]Boulder Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Hasbro sells Boulder Media to Australian media company Princess Pictures on 1 November.

• 2019

  Animation film studio proposal announced

  [1]Boulder Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Hasbro and Boulder Media announce plans for a new animation film studio, but their proposed former ferry terminal site is rejected by the local council.

• 2017

  Second Dublin location opens

  [1]Boulder Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Boulder Media opens an additional Dublin facility on Claremont Road in August.

• 2016

  Hasbro acquires Boulder Media

  [1]Boulder Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Boulder Media becomes a subsidiary of Hasbro on 13 July.

• 2000

  Boulder Media is founded

  [1]Boulder Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Filmmaker Robert Cullen establishes Boulder Media in Ireland as an animation studio.

A specialist Irish animation-production studio with international distribution and co-production potential, combining local creative and production capabilities with the resources of larger media owners.

• Television animation

  Animated television series

  Boulder Media produces animated series for television and international screen-content markets. The available reference material identifies animated series as a principal area of the studio's filmography, but does not provide a verified list of individual titles or current series in production.

• Short-form animation

  Animated shorts and specials

  The studio's documented output includes animated shorts and specials. These formats complement longer television and film projects and may be developed for broadcasters, media companies, or other distribution channels. Specific titles, commissioning partners, and release dates are not established in the supplied sources.

• Feature animation

  Animated feature films

  Boulder Media's documented filmography includes feature-film animation, and in 2019 the company and Hasbro announced plans for a dedicated animation film studio. The proposed site was not approved by the relevant local authority. The sources do not confirm a completed facility or identify specific feature titles.

• 2022

  Transfer ownership to Princess PicturesM&A

  Background

  Hasbro decided to sell Boulder Media after owning the studio since 2016.

  Action taken

  Princess Pictures acquired Boulder Media on 1 November 2022.

  Aftermath

  Boulder Media became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Australian production company and remained an active Irish animation studio.

  Source

• 2019

  Plan a dedicated animation film studioStrategy

  Background

  Hasbro and Boulder Media sought to broaden animation-production infrastructure and pursued a former ferry terminal as a possible studio site.

  Action taken

  The companies announced the planned studio and submitted a bid for the site.

  Aftermath

  Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council rejected the bid, and the supplied material does not confirm that the proposed facility was built at that location.

  Source

• 2016

  Join Hasbro's corporate groupM&A

  Background

  Boulder Media had operated as an Irish animation studio since 2000 before being acquired by Hasbro.

  Action taken

  Boulder Media became a Hasbro subsidiary on 13 July 2016.

  Aftermath

  The studio continued operating in Ireland and later expanded its Dublin presence.

  Source

• 2022

  Princess Pictures acquires Boulder Media from Hasbro[1]Boulder Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Hasbro sold Boulder Media to Australian media company Princess Pictures on 1 November 2022. The acquisition placed the Irish studio within Princess Pictures' international production group.

• 2019

  Hasbro and Boulder Media announce a planned animation film studio[1]Boulder Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Hasbro and Boulder Media announced plans for a new animation film studio and bid for a former ferry terminal site. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council rejected the bid.

• 2017

  Boulder Media opens a second Dublin location[1]Boulder Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The studio opened an additional Dublin facility on Claremont Road in August 2017, expanding its Irish production presence.

• 2016

  Boulder Media becomes a Hasbro subsidiary[1]Boulder Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Boulder Media joined Hasbro as a wholly owned subsidiary on 13 July 2016, bringing the Irish animation studio into the global entertainment company's corporate portfolio.

1. 1Boulder Mediaen.wikipedia.org