Leonine Distribution (Germany)

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.

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 in a Universal-style way. 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.

Variant: In 2009, 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.

FX/SFX: Very good 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.

Editor’s Note: This clearly has some Universal inspirations. However, it's not as strong as the next logo...

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, also transparent. When the "m" in "film" passes by, a trail of sparkles are left, which pass 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 not longer visible.

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

FX/SFX: Gorgeous 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.

Editor's Note: This logo has fantastic animation and a gorgeous fanfare. This is possibly one of the best German logos, and it's certainly one of the best Universal inspirations of all time.

(2019-)


Logo: We zoom through a dark 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, where there are some tall and skinny conifer trees. The camera moves so that the space between the trees forms the wordmark "LEONINE", as the "O" flashes and the forest fades into black.

FX/SFX: Superior CGI animation, This was done by Deli Creative Collective.

Music/Sounds: A beautiful ambient soundtrack that ends with a flute. 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.

Editor's Note: This is a beautiful and worthy successor to the previous logos.