Halon Entertainment is now independent.
The Glendale-based production company announced in early July that it has left its parent conglomerate, broadcast and live events powerhouse NEP Group, through a management buyout led by Chief Executive Chris Ferriter.
Halon, whose portfolio includes the “John Wick,” “Star Wars” and “Planet of the Apes” franchises, shared in a LinkedIn post that the new independence will allow the company to “focus entirely on what matters most, our clients, our people and the future we’re building together.”
First established in 2003 by director Daniel Gregoire, the visualization studio is also known for its video game credits such as “Fortnite” and “God of War.”
“As Halon has continued to grow, it became clear that independence was the right next step for our business,” Ferriter said in a statement. “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.”
Graham Andrews, who leads NEP subsidiary Creative Technology Group, said in the statement that Halon’s “highly specialized” services differ from the conglomerate’s key offerings. While Halon focuses on visualization, animation and virtual production, Creative Technology specializes in supplying production technologies – from audio to interactive services – for large-scale entertainment venues, corporate events and broadcasting.
“As we’ve evaluated plans, Chris and I agreed that Halon under Chris’ leadership has a tremendous opportunity ahead as an independent business,” Andrews added. “Where it can devote 100% of its focus and resources to its growth.”
Artificial intelligence in games
Halon’s spin-off is the latest update in the company’s growth trajectory, despite headwinds in the gaming and motion pictures industry. It expanded its first international footprint in Scotland last year, investing roughly $38 million in talent with a plan to create up to 250 jobs over a three-year span.
One of its film credits, the 2025 “A Minecraft Movie,” was also a $960 million blockbuster.
The industry continues to experience lower production volumes and disruption from artificial intelligence, however. Metadata from Steam shows about one in every five new games disclosed use of AI by mid-2025, doubling from 2024, according to Boston Consulting Group Inc. Dublin-based Research and Markets, furthermore, projects the AI in visual effects market to expand by $6.84 billion from 2024 to 2029.
