Did Disney buy Crunchyroll?
VERDICT
CONFIDENCE
100%
Direct Answer
Sony acquired Crunchyroll from WarnerMedia/AT&T for $1.175 billion, completing the deal on August 9, 2021. No evidence exists of Disney purchasing Crunchyroll; ownership history traces from Otter Media to Sony. A fan wiki falsely claims Disney ownership, but reputable sources confirm Sony control.
What the Evidence Shows
Multiple authoritative sources detail Crunchyroll's acquisition by Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2020-2021 after it was under AT&T/WarnerMedia via Otter Media. Wikipedia, Britannica, and other records unanimously support Sony as the owner, with no mentions of Disney involvement in the purchase. The sole counterclaim appears on an unreliable fan wiki, lacking credible backing, confirming the Disney claim as false.
Why People Get This Wrong
A Fandom wiki page incorrectly states Disney owns Crunchyroll via a joint venture with Walt Disney Pictures, likely due to misinformation or confusion with Disney's separate anime content deals on Disney+. This error spreads on less reliable sites, but official histories refute it entirely.
Who owns Crunchyroll now?
Sony owns Crunchyroll, having acquired it from WarnerMedia/AT&T for $1.175 billion in August 2021. Sony integrated it with Funimation to form a unified anime service under Crunchyroll, LLC.
What happened to Funimation after Sony bought Crunchyroll?
Sony merged Funimation into Crunchyroll after the 2021 acquisition, rebranding Funimation's operations under Crunchyroll, LLC in 2022. This created a single anime streaming platform with expanded content and dubbing capabilities.
Did AT&T own Crunchyroll before Sony?
Yes, AT&T owned Crunchyroll through Otter Media and WarnerMedia from 2018 until selling it to Sony in 2021. Otter Media acquired majority control in 2014 with The Chernin Group.
Sources & Methodology
- 01
- 02
- 03
truthradar.ai · verified by AI · powered by Perplexity