Leonine Distribution

Credits

Descriptions by
CooleyBoy10, DannyTheMuppetMan, TheLogoFan2004 and AlmightyKingPrawn

Editions by
Henrynguye5, TheLogoFan2004, Thesquidgeeks and AlmightyKingPrawn

Video captures courtesy of
Ahmed Hassn, The DMB Network, BasicMasterReloaded, Fernado VII and ifrequire

Background

Universum Film GmbH is a film distribution company previously owned by the RTL Group. It was founded in 1979 to release videotapes and has no correlation with Universum Film AG. Nowadays, it distributes films together with Buena Vista International. As of 2020, the company is owned by American private equity firm KKR and has been renamed to Leonine Distribution. The company didn't have an on-screen logo until 2002.

Universum Film GmbH

1st Logo (2002-2015)

Logo: In space, we see the Solar System, with several planets (some with moons orbiting them), a Milky Way, and another planet that flies towards the others. Suddenly, the camera moves around the planets as a silver crescent slowly fades in. The planets disappear in the crescent as the text "universum" flies around it (ala the Universal Pictures logo). The crescent glows blue, as it changes into a smaller crescent with two dots near it. The words "universum" and "film" are seen next to the blue crescent. The logo slowly zooms in as a blue flash appears behind it and slowly dissipates.

Variants:

• A shortened version where the logo just shines appears on films such as Open Water 2: Adrift.
• Starting in 2010, especially on family-oriented releases from the company, the animation is slightly cheaper and there's a visible rotating Earth instead of the bigger ball next to the crescent.

Technique: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: A series of string notes and a brief synth section, that gives off the impression of being in space. The music suddenly grows more dramatic, before it turns into a powerful fanfare.

Availability: Common in German prints of movies on DVD and Blu-rays and in theaters.

2nd Logo (2015-2019)

Logo: We fade into space, with this time only stars. The camera moves to the left, where we see a close-up of a backwards transparent "m". As we move past it, we see the Earth, a nebula and a few of the planets from the last logo. The "universum film" text then flies past the globe and the screen in a mirrored fashion to the Universal logo, also transparent. When the "m" in "film" passes by, a trail of sparkles are left, which passes by the screen. The print Universum Film logo then appears, and the space backdrop fades out. A purplish-blue light then goes to the left of the screen until it's no longer visible.

Variant: There is a "night" variant where the logo is much darker.

Technique: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as the last logo.

Music/Sounds Variant: There are both low and high-pitched versions of the soundtrack.

Availability: Common in Germany. Seen on releases from Universum Film starting in 2015.

Leonine Distribution

(2019-)

Logo: We zoom through a dark black-and-white forest. A statue of a lion is seen, with a bird perched on top. Then, the bird takes off from the lion and flies into the sunrise as the forest fades into colour, where there are some tall and skinny conifer trees. The camera moves so that the space between the trees forms the word "LEONINE". When the camera slows down to a halt, the "O" flashes, transitioning to the actual Leonine logo on a black background.

Variants:

• A short version of this logo exists where it starts flashing.
• There is a version where the word "STUDIOS" appears fading in on the bottom right.

Technique: CGI animation. Done at Deli Creative Collective.

Music/Sounds: A beautiful ambient piano-driven soundtrack, with synthesized beeps interspersed throughout. This music was composed by Simon Verhoeven.

Availability: Common in Germany. Seen on releases from Leonine from 2019 onwards. Also seen on current TV and home media releases produced and/or licensed by Leonine.