The Asylum
- Open roles
- 0
- Founded
- 1997
- Employees
- 51-200
- Offices
- 1
About The Asylum
The Asylum is an independent American film and television studio and worldwide distributor based in Burbank, California. Its work centers on low-budget, high-concept entertainment, particularly creature features, disaster movies, science fiction and horror. The company is especially associated with “mockbusters”: independently produced films whose concepts and release timing connect with public interest in major studio blockbusters.
Founded in 1997, the company initially concentrated on distributing low-budget horror and drama films for the direct-to-video market. A significant turning point came in 2005 with its in-house production of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, released around the same time as Steven Spielberg’s adaptation. An unexpected order for 100,000 units from Blockbuster helped demonstrate a market for rapidly produced, budget-conscious alternatives to major theatrical releases. That experience shaped the studio’s subsequent production and distribution strategy.
Film and television
The studio reached a wider audience with Sharknado, which premiered on Syfy in 2013 and developed into a six-film franchise. Its combination of disaster spectacle and deliberately outlandish creature concepts became a recognizable part of the company’s output. The Asylum also expanded into episodic television, producing five seasons of the zombie series Z Nation for Syfy and the related prequel series Black Summer for Netflix.
Its production capabilities span development, screenwriting, financing, principal photography and in-house post-production, including visual effects. Distribution activities cover domestic and international licensing, cable television, transactional digital platforms and streaming services. This combination allows the company to develop original productions while also managing their release across different entertainment markets.
Distribution and streaming
The company reports having produced and released more than 500 films, with a library exceeding 300 original productions, and continues to release approximately 25 features annually. Alongside film and television distribution, it operates The Asylum Movie Channel, an advertising-supported streaming network. The channel extends the studio’s distribution activities into FAST and other ad-supported digital viewing environments.
More about The Asylum
Founders and leadership
- The company was founded by David Rimawi, David Michael Latt and Sherri Strain. Rimawi and Strain previously worked as Village Roadshow executives; Latt was a filmmaker.
- As of November 2026, the executive partners are David Rimawi, CEO; David Michael Latt, President; and Paul Bales, COO. The report identifies Strain as a founder, without establishing a current executive role.
- Paul Bales was elected Chair of the Independent Film & Television Alliance for the 2025–2027 term. This is an individual industry leadership appointment.
Production model
The report describes feature shoots commonly lasting 12–15 shooting days, with completed films delivered within four months. The company has publicly maintained that it has never lost money on a title; this is a company claim rather than an independently verified financial result.
Channel audience
The supplied research reports more than two million viewing hours per month for The Asylum Movie Channel.
Notable credits
25 creditsOffices
Where The Asylum is based
- Burbank, California, United States
Burbank offices
HeadquartersAbout this office
**Headquarters & Production Office** Status: active Headquarters Address: 170 South Flower Street, Burbank, CA 91502, United States Phone: (323) 850-1214 Office webpage: https://www.theasylum.cc/index.php/about/contact Global headquarters housing executive management, development, finance, sales, distribution, post-production and in-house visual effects. The internal Faith Films distribution label operates from these same premises. --- **Office** Status: inactive / historical Address: 72 E Palm Ave, Burbank, CA Former Burbank facility used before consolidation at South Flower Street; the report does not establish a relocation or closure year.
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