Revolver Entertainment

Revolver Entertainment is a film distribution business associated with the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. Justin Marciano founded the original United Kingdom operation in 1997 with a personal investment of £1,000. The company initially concentrated on home-video distribution before expanding into theatrical film releases and developing a catalogue that included independent films, documentaries, genre productions, music-related titles, factual programming, and commercially oriented British releases. The British business became known for handling a broad and varied slate rather than limiting itself to one cinematic genre. Its catalogue included titles such as 3000 Miles, The Mark of Cain, Mum & Dad, Waveriders, Sparkle, Destricted, Shank, Bonded by Blood, One Night in Turin, Anuvahood, The Veteran, Sket, Offender, Project Wild Thing, and American Interior. The range reflected the company’s role as an independent distributor willing to work across British cinema, international independent film, documentaries, and specialist or genre material. Revolver also developed a United States presence. Justin Marciano’s brother, Seb Marciano, formed Revolver Entertainment LLC in Los Angeles in 2007. The United States company operated separately from the British business and continued releasing films after the United Kingdom operation entered administration. Its releases included Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute in 2013, Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain in cinemas in 2014, Soulmate on video-on-demand in 2014, and An Act of War through video-on-demand, DVD, and Netflix in 2015. The United Kingdom business experienced layoffs in January 2013 and entered administration in April 2013, following reports that it had ceased trading. This marked a major break in the history of the original Revolver operation. The United States company, however, was described as continuing independently and successfully. Because the available reference material does not establish a single current corporate structure for all Revolver-branded operations, the present status of the overall brand is best treated as uncertain, with the United States entity distinguished from the former United Kingdom operation.

Revolver Entertainment began in the United Kingdom in 1997 when Justin Marciano established the company with a personal investment of £1,000. Its early business was focused on home-video distribution. Over time, the company expanded into cinema distribution, building a catalogue that covered a wide range of independent and specialist material rather than following a narrowly defined genre strategy. The British catalogue included British crime and youth films, horror and genre titles, documentaries, music-related films, historical and royal factual programming, and international independent productions. Among the releases associated with the catalogue were The Mark of Cain, Mum & Dad, Waveriders, Destricted, Shank, Bonded by Blood, One Night in Turin, Anuvahood, The Veteran, Sket, Offender, Project Wild Thing, and American Interior. This breadth was characteristic of an independent distributor working across theatrical and home-entertainment markets. Revolver’s international structure developed further in 2007 when Justin Marciano’s brother, Seb Marciano, formed Revolver Entertainment LLC in Los Angeles. The United States company was separate from the original United Kingdom operation. It later handled releases including The Magic Flute in 2013, Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain and Soulmate in 2014, and An Act of War in 2015. These releases used different distribution routes, including cinema, video-on-demand, DVD, and Netflix. The United Kingdom business encountered serious financial difficulties in the early 2010s. Layoffs were reported in January 2013, and the company entered administration in April 2013 amid reports that it had gone out of business. The administration applied to the United Kingdom operation and did not necessarily terminate the separately operating United States company. Reference material describes Revolver US as continuing independently after the United Kingdom administration. The surviving brand history therefore has two distinct phases: the United Kingdom company’s growth from a small home-video distributor into a broad film-distribution business, followed by its 2013 administration; and the continued activity of the United States company, which maintained a release programme for independent films. The available information does not provide enough evidence to determine the complete current ownership, management, or operating status of every Revolver-branded entity.

• 2015

  An Act of War receives multi-channel release

  [1]Revolver Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Revolver US distributed An Act of War through video-on-demand, DVD, and Netflix.

• 2014

  Revolver US expands its release activity

  [1]Revolver Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  The United States operation released Soulmate on video-on-demand and Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain in cinemas.

• 2013

  Revolver UK enters administration

  [1]Revolver Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Following layoffs in January, the United Kingdom operation entered administration in April.

• 2007

  Revolver Entertainment LLC established in Los Angeles

  [1]Revolver Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Seb Marciano formed the United States company Revolver Entertainment LLC, which operated independently from Revolver UK.

• 1997

  Revolver Entertainment founded in the United Kingdom

  [1]Revolver Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Justin Marciano founded Revolver Entertainment with a personal investment of £1,000. The company initially distributed home-video titles.

An independent film distributor with a broad catalogue spanning British cinema, international independent films, documentaries, factual titles, and genre productions, using theatrical, home-video, video-on-demand, DVD, and streaming-oriented release channels.

• Film distribution · 2013

  The Magic Flute

  Revolver US released Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Mozart’s opera in 2013. It represents the company’s involvement in distributing an internationally oriented film with established creative and classical-music source material.

• Film distribution · 2014

  Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain

  Revolver US released this film in cinemas in 2014. The credited cast included Kal Penn, Mischa Barton, and Martin Sheen, giving the title a profile within the company’s independent-film release programme.

• Video-on-demand distribution · 2014

  Soulmate

  Soulmate was released by Revolver US through video-on-demand in 2014. The film was produced by Neil Marshall and illustrates the company’s use of digital release channels for independent cinema.

• Film distribution · 2015

  An Act of War

  Revolver US released An Act of War in 2015 through video-on-demand, DVD, and Netflix. The film was directed by Ryan M. Kennedy and produced by Atit Shah.

• Film distribution · 2011

  Anuvahood

  Anuvahood is one of the British titles listed in Revolver’s catalogue. Its inclusion reflects the company’s distribution of contemporary British feature films alongside documentaries and specialist productions.

• Film distribution · 2010

  Shank

  Shank is a 2010 title listed in the Revolver catalogue. It forms part of the company’s British independent and genre-oriented film output.

• Documentary distribution · 2014

  Project Wild Thing

  Project Wild Thing is a 2014 documentary title included in Revolver’s catalogue. It demonstrates the distributor’s activity beyond narrative feature films.

• 2013

  Revolver Entertainment UK enters administrationOther

  Background

  The United Kingdom operation faced layoffs and reports of financial distress.

  Action taken

  Revolver Entertainment UK entered administration in April 2013.

  Aftermath

  The United Kingdom operation was separated in practical terms from Revolver US, which continued independently.

  Source

• 2007

  Establish a separate United States operationStrategy

  Background

  Revolver sought a United States presence distinct from the original United Kingdom business.

  Action taken

  Seb Marciano formed Revolver Entertainment LLC in Los Angeles.

  Aftermath

  The United States company continued operating independently and released films after the United Kingdom company entered administration.

  Source

• 1997

  Launch with a home-video distribution modelStrategy

  Background

  The newly established company began as a distributor of home-video titles.

  Action taken

  Justin Marciano founded Revolver Entertainment using a personal investment and built its initial business around home-video distribution.

  Aftermath

  The company later expanded into cinema releases and broader film distribution.

  Founder's personal investment. £1,000 (1997)

  Source

• 2015

  Revolver US distributes An Act of War across multiple home-entertainment channels[1]Revolver Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  An Act of War was released through video-on-demand, DVD, and Netflix by Revolver US.

• 2014

  Revolver US distributes Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain[1]Revolver Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Revolver US released Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain in cinemas, with Kal Penn, Mischa Barton, and Martin Sheen in the cast.

• 2014

  Revolver US releases Soulmate on video-on-demand[1]Revolver Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The United States company released Soulmate through video-on-demand; the film was produced by Neil Marshall.

• 2013

  Revolver Entertainment UK enters administration[1]Revolver Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy · Leadership change

  The United Kingdom operation entered administration in April 2013 after layoffs earlier in the year and reports that the company had ceased trading.

• 2013

  Revolver US releases The Magic Flute[1]Revolver Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The United States operation released Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

1. 1Revolver Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org