Halon Entertainment becomes independent after management buyout

Halon counts Star Wars spin-off The Mandalorian among its TV credits

Animation company Halon Entertainment, previously owned by NEP Group, has returned to independent ownership through a management buyout led by CEO Chris Ferriter.

Founded in 2003, LA-based Halon is a game cinematic, visualisation and virtual production studio. The company has worked on multiple Hollywood films including The Batman, Jurassic World, Avatar, Kung Fu Panda and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

Its TV credits include The Mandalorian for Disney+, while it has also worked on video games such as Fortnite and God of War. Last year, Halon opened a studio in Glasgow, Scotland.

Ferriter said: “As Halon has continued to grow, it became clear that independence was the right next step for our business. From the beginning, Halon has been built around helping filmmakers solve creative and technical challenges, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in real-time storytelling.

“As an independent company, we will have even greater agility to respond to the needs of our clients, invest in our people and technology, and pursue new opportunities for growth. I am grateful to NEP Group for its support over the last few years and to our clients, partners and teams for their continued belief in Halon. We’re energised and excited by what comes next.”

Graham Andrews, CEO of Creative Technology Group, part of NEP Group, said: “As Creative Technology Group and NEP plan for the future of our businesses, we recognise that, at its core, what Halon does is highly specialised and different from our core services.

“As we’ve evaluated plans, Chris and I agreed that Halon under Chris’s leadership has a tremendous opportunity ahead as an independent business, where it can devote 100% of its focus and resources to its growth.”