New Line Television
Company typeDivision
IndustryTelevision production
Founded1988; 36 years ago (1988) in New York City, United States
Defunct2008; 16 years ago (2008)
FateFolded into Warner Bros. Television
SuccessorWarner Bros. Television
Headquarters
Burbank, California
,
United States
OwnerWarner Bros. Discovery
ParentNew Line Cinema

New Line Television was the television production arm of the film studio of the same name. It was active for about 20 years from 1988 to 2008.

History

The company was founded in 1988 to produce Freddy's Nightmares, a television series based on the studio's Nightmare on Elm Street film series. Following the series's cancellation in 1990, New Line launched its own television unit a year later.[a]

In 1990, New Line bought a majority stake in Robert Halmi, Inc. Entertainment, a production company specializing in Television films and miniseries.[1][2] RHI was sold to Hallmark Cards in 1994, shortly after New Line had been acquired by Turner Broadcasting System.[3] New Line once had a television distribution shop, New Line Television Distribution, which was previously affiliated with RHI. On October 21, 1992, New Line and RHI was in negotiations to handle management of RHI catalog product.[4]

On February 15, 1999, producer Trilogy Entertainment Group had inked an exclusive development deal with the studio to produce television projects, mostly for syndication, cable and the networks.[5] On April 28, 2000, it was announced that Matthew Blackheart: Monster Smasher, a program New Line is planning on to debut for syndication would debut instead on the Sci-Fi Channel, eventually making it into a made-for-TV movie.[6]

Turner merged with Time Warner on October 10, 1996. On June 16, 2000, it signed an affiliation production contract with Warner Bros. Television to produce network series for a two-year period.[7] From October 2006, MGM Television began distributing New Line's films and television series.

On February 28, 2008, New Line Cinema was merged with Warner Bros. and hence ceased to exist as a separate entity. In turn, New Line Television was folded into Warner Bros.'s television division.[8]

Warner Bros. Television would later revive the New Line brand in 2016 as a speciality producer for new and upcoming television adaptations based on New Line’s forte.

Television series produced

Title Years Network Notes
Freddy's Nightmares 1988–1990 Syndication with Stone Television
Based on the 1984 film A Nightmare on Elm Street and its sequels by New Line Cinema
Court TV: Inside America's Courts 1993–1997 with Court TV
The Mask: Animated Series 1995–1997 CBS with Film Roman, Dark Horse Entertainment and Sunbow Entertainment
Based on the 1994 film The Mask by New Line Cinema
Dumb & Dumber 1995 ABC with Hanna-Barbera Productions
Based on the 1994 film Dumb and Dumber by New Line Cinema
Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm 1996 USA Network with Film Roman, Threshold Entertainment and USA Studios
Based on the 1995 film Mortal Kombat by New Line Cinema
Mortal Kombat: Konquest 1998–1999 TNT with Threshold Entertainment
Based on the 1995 film Mortal Kombat by New Line Cinema
Breaking News 2002 Bravo with Trilogy Entertainment Group
The Twilight Zone 2002–2003 UPN with Spirit Dance Entertainment, Trilogy Entertainment Group and Joshmax Production Services
Masterminds 2003–2007 History Television with Red Apple Entertainment
Amish in the City 2004 UPN with Stick Figure Productions
Kitchen Confidential 2005 Fox with Hemingson Entertainment, Darren Star Productions and 20th Century Fox Television
Blade: The Series 2006 Spike with Phantom Four Films and Marvel Entertainment
Based on the 1998 film Blade and its sequels by New Line Cinema
The Real Wedding Crashers 2007 NBC with Katalyst Films
Friday: The Animated Series MTV2 with Cubevision and MTV Animation
Based on the 1995 film Friday and its sequels by New Line Cinema
High School Confidential 2008 WE tv with Herizon Productions
Family Foreman TV Land

Television distribution series

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Notes

  1. ^ Freddy's Nightmares was distributed in syndication by Lorimar-Telepictures from 1988–1989. Warner Bros. purchased Lorimar-Telepictures in 1989 and assumed distribution for the remainder of the series's run.

References

  1. ^ Citron, Alan (June 6, 1990). "Qintex Entertainment to Sell Virtually All of Its Assets". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  2. ^ "BUSINESS PEOPLE; President for TV Unit At New Line Cinema". The New York Times. November 16, 1991. Retrieved September 16, 2009.
  3. ^ Lippman, John (April 27, 1994). "Hallmark to Buy TV Movie Producer RHI Entertainment". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  4. ^ Huff, Richard (October 21, 1992). "RHI talking to New Line about handling catalog". Variety. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  5. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (February 16, 1999). "Trilogy inks with New Line". Variety. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  6. ^ Bernstein, Paula; Grego, Melissa (April 28, 2000). "NL's 'Monster' out of syndie, onto Sci Fi". Variety. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  7. ^ Adalian, Josef; Schneider, Michael (June 16, 2000). "New Line, WB TV link up". Variety. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  8. ^ "It's Official - New Line Cinema is Dead!". FirstShowing.net. February 28, 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2009.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to New Line Television.
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