Rakuten to Collaborate with Globalgate Entertainment to Advance Movie Content Development Featuring Global IPs

Tokyo, April 13, 2022 – Rakuten Group, Inc. today announced that it will collaborate with U.S.-based company Globalgate Entertainment to develop content featuring global IPs (intellectual property rights) for release both in Japan and overseas.

Globalgate’s global consortium is made up of production and distribution partners located around the world, specializing in the production and financing of content. Rakuten will join Globalgate’s global consortium, and will acquire the remake rights to Hollywood movies and other global IPs, allowing for new content production. The content produced will be implemented throughout a variety of services within the Rakuten Ecosystem, and will be released in Japan and overseas.

Koji Ando, Rakuten Group Managing Executive Officer and Communications and Energy Company Senior Vice President commented, “We are extremely pleased to partner with Globalgate to advance the development of global IP-based digital content in Japan and worldwide. Through this collaboration, we will acquire the remake rights to IPs with high global value and recognition, and work with talented creators in Japan to create world-class content. We will also leverage the Rakuten Ecosystem to distribute the newly created content around the world, sharing it with as many fans as possible. We hope that this production process creates opportunities for Japanese creators to go global, while also providing opportunities for a diversity of creators and artists to collaborate.”

Clifford Werber, Co-Founder and CEO of Globalgate, stated, “Rakuten has skillfully nurtured an enviable ecosystem with over 100 million members accessing numerous services including robust e-commerce, mobile, fintech, digital content, communications, life and leisure, sports and culture. Globalgate is immensely proud to partner with Rakuten to help elevate their prestigious content and intellectual property and further support the globalization of Rakuten’s eminently branded media and entertainment platforms.”

In addition, William Pfeiffer, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Globalgate, commented, “We are extremely proud to have Rakuten join Globalgate’s growing consortium of global production and distribution companies. Globalgate and its consortium partners will both amplify and benefit from Rakuten’s strong focus on premium content for global audiences. Furthermore, using its vast ecosystem, Rakuten will produce content based on the remake rights of Globalgate’s curated IP, allowing for the possibility of expansive marketing, promotional and monetization avenues, including advertising sponsorships and e-commerce merchandising. We’re confident our collaboration with Rakuten will further invigorate select Globalgate curated IP adapted as commercial content."

Rakuten will continue to offer a variety of entertainment experiences featuring IP content, and provide convenient and affordable services for users in Japan and overseas.


About Globalgate Entertainment
Globalgate Entertainment is a producer and financier of mainstream, local-language content with a proprietary, global consortium of top-tier production and distribution partners in key and emerging territories. Since its launch in 2016, Globalgate’s consortium partners include Lionsgate (US/UK/Canada), Televisa (Latin America), TF1 (France), Nordisk (Scandinavia), Rakuten (Japan), Lotte (Korea), Tobis (Germany), Rai (Italy), TME (Turkey), Belga Films (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg), Paris Filmes (Brazil), CineColombia/Dynamo (Colombia), Falcon (Indonesia) and Viva Communications (Philippines). Globalgate, aligned with its consortium partners, has priority access to over 21,000 titles and, from its offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Mumbai and Beijing, curates partner content and commercial intellectual property from third-party rightsholders worldwide and produces and co-finances resulting content.