Founded in 2004 as a subsidiary of the popular theater chain Alamo Drafthouse, Mondo is a company specializing in collectibles including but not limited to limited edition screen printed posters, vinyl movie soundtracks, clothing and apparel, toys, and so much more. In the years since, Mondo has grown tremendously, not only opening its own gallery but even hosting its own convention, MondoCon. In a surprise move, Mondo announced today that it has been acquired by Funko.
By now you may have heard that Mondo has a new parent company: Funko. Let’s talk about it.
For 20 years, we have poured our heart and souls into this weird little thing that Rob Jones and Tim League started in a closet in the corner of an Alamo Drafthouse lobby… then out of a closet underneath the seats of a Drafthouse auditorium (seriously). Eventually, we opened our own gallery space, and even started our own convention.
We have always loved following our passions and doing things our own way, and we’ll be forever thankful to the Alamo Drafthouse for supporting those passions and helping us grow into what we are today. But we needed a bigger boat… and that’s where Funko comes in. They understand what Mondo is today and are eager to help us become the company we want to be.
From the outside, Mondo might seem like it is changing… but on the inside much is staying the same. We remain the same team, and our goals remain unchanged. We are still the same bunch of weirdos who share an undying obsession with popular (and maybe less popular) culture, and a craving to make cool stuff with the best artists in the world.
We are still the same company that started in the theater lobby… only now with even more resources to support our vision. We can’t wait to show you what’s next.
– (Still) Your friends at Mondo.
According to Variety, the deal for Mondo was finalized the week after Memorial Day.
“Mondo’s devoted fanbase and high-end pop culture collectibles make it the perfect complement to Funko’s current portfolio of brands,” said Funko CEO Andrew Perlmutte. “By leveraging our international distribution and licensing network, we feel well positioned to expedite the growth of the Mondo brand.”
Tim League, Alamo Drafthouse founder and executive chairman, said in a statement, “Over the past few months, we searched exhaustively to find a perfect partner who saw what was unique and special about Mondo and was in a position to meaningfully invest in Mondo, nurture the team, and further its reach and vision. Funko is exactly that unicorn.” He added, “The team that made Mondo amazing is staying together, making the transition to Funko, and will continue their same work with the same creative vision.
Not dissimilar to Funko’s own humble origins, Mondo (originally called Mondo Tees) started as a 4′ x 12′ quasi-bootleg t-shirt shop located in the basement storage hallway of a single-screen movie theater. It became Mondo in 2007 when and began working with major artists and studios to forge beautifully designed licensed products.
It’s certainly an end of an era of an era and change is always the name of the game. Keep your eyes peeled to see how the new Mondo under Funko. It seems safe to say that this may be the end of the Alamo Drafthouse exclusive commemorative pint glasses. But a man can always dream…
