Vertigo Entertainment is an American film and television production company based in Los Angeles, founded in 2001 by Roy Lee and Doug Davison. The company is best known for producing horror, thriller, and genre films, with a particular emphasis on adapting foreign-language films, video games, novels, and short films for American audiences.
History
In 2001, after leaving the film production company BenderSpink, Roy Lee co-founded Vertigo Entertainment with Doug Davison. The company initially signed a three-year first-look deal with Dimension Films. In 2004, Vertigo signed a production deal with Universal Pictures, which was later terminated in 2008 during the Writers Guild of America strike. In 2007, the studio signed a deal with Lionsgate Television for television production.
In 2010, Vertigo signed a first-look deal with Warner Bros. to produce films. In March 2013, it signed a two-year first-look deal with Fox 21 for cable projects. In December 2015, Vertigo expanded its partnership with Warner Bros. to include a two-year exclusive deal for drama and comedy series. In November 2017, the company signed a multi-year first-look deal with Sony Pictures Television covering drama, comedy, and unscripted programs. In 2020, Vertigo signed a deal with Lionsgate to produce films. In June 2024, Vertigo announced an alliance with AWA Studios to create a new horror storytelling pipeline.
Notable Film Productions
Vertigo Entertainment has been involved in numerous commercially successful and critically recognized films, including:
- The Ring (2002) – A remake of the Japanese horror film Ringu
- The Grudge (2004) – Remake of the Japanese horror film Ju-On
- The Departed (2006) – Martin Scorsese's crime drama, winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture
- The Lego Movie (2014) – Animated feature that grossed over $468 million worldwide
- It (2017) – Adaptation of Stephen King's novel, grossing over $701 million worldwide
- It Chapter Two (2019)
- Doctor Sleep (2019) – Sequel to The Shining
- Barbarian (2022) – Horror film produced on a $4–4.5 million budget that grossed over $45 million
- Five Nights at Freddy's (2023) – Video game adaptation grossing over $297 million
- A Minecraft Movie (2025) – Video game adaptation grossing over $958 million
- Companion (2025)
- Until Dawn (2025) – Video game adaptation
Television Productions
Vertigo has also produced television series, including Bates Motel (2013–2014, A&E), The Exorcist (2016, Fox), Unikitty! (2017–2020, Cartoon Network), The Stand (2020–2021, CBS All Access), Them (2021–2024, Amazon Prime Video), and It: Welcome to Derry (2025, HBO).
Business Model
Vertigo Entertainment is known for specializing in the adaptation of existing intellectual property, particularly Asian horror films remade for Western audiences, Stephen King adaptations, and video game adaptations. The company typically operates as a co-producer, partnering with major studios for distribution.
