The Criterion Collection To Leave Long-Time Distributor Image Entertainment (RLJ) In 2014

Last month I began to hear rumbling that the Criterion Collection was leaving long-time distribution partner, Image Entertainment, in 2014. While I haven’t been able to confirm the rumor with the folks at Criterion (obviously they don’t comment on rumors), several other sources have been hearing the same rumor. Now that the January 2014 titles have been announced, and the press releases have gone out, I think it’s safe to finally post this rumor story.

Over the past two decades, the Criterion Collection has had a powerful partner in the Image Entertainment. In 2005 Criterion formalized a their relationship with Image, and in 2007, they extended it through this past July.

Last October, Image Entertainment and Acorn Media became RLJ Entertainment. Back in May, we saw 15 long time staff leave the company.

The press release for the January 2014 titles no longer list RLJ Entertainment in the credits for the releases.

From the December announcement:

And now the January announcement:

What does this mean for you, the enthusiastic art-house film collector? Hopefully not much. It remains to be seen if Criterion will move to a new distributor, or simply do it themselves. Last month we learned that Drafthouse Films was moving from Image Entertainment to Cinedigm, and I began to think that Criterion might do well with a similar move. Cinedigm has quickly proven itself to be a friend to the home video enthusiasts over the past year or two of their new mission to be a leading distributor of theatrical and home video releases.

Whatever Criterion plans to do in the coming year, distribution-wise, they have clearly shown that they have no intentions of slowing down their releases, in quality or quantity.