Weinstein Company

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Julia Teti

By Julia Teti

[14]

The Weinstein Company

345 Hudson Street New York, NY 10014 [3]

http://weinsteinco.com

Introduction

MV5BMzU5MjEwMTg2Nl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzM3MTYxNA@@._V1_UY268_CR0,0,182,268_AL_

The King’s Speech, Best Picture Winner 2011, Source: imdb.com [15]

Known for it’s numerous films; The Weinstein Company is responsible for the distribution of such movies as The Reader, The King’s Speech, and Silver Linings Playbook and within this past year Macbeth, Carol and The Hateful Eight.[1] A winner of multiple prizes when it comes to awards season, The Weinstein Company is a dominant film distributor and, though still relatively new to Hollywood, is distributing films that have received numerous critical accolades and various nominations among other accomplishments.

History

In 2005, the founders of Miramax (1979), Robert and Harvey Weinstein, launched the distribution company known as The Weinstein Company. Dimensions Films is also part of The Weinstein Company as a genre label founded in 1993 by Robert Weinstein. The Weinstein Company has received over 300 Oscar nominations and has won 81 Academy Awards in the short time since it’s founding. The Weinstein Company also is very strong in the realm of television; however, the focus here will be placed on its accomplishments and noteworthy happenings in film.[1] Headquarters for the company are located in New York, NY. The Weinstein Company does not disclose for the public it’s financial reports.

Awards and Accolades

The Hateful Eight, Source: imdb.com [16]

Known for it’s award winning films, The Weinstein Company saw a year in which none of its films were nominated in the Best Picture category, the first time since 2008.[2] The Weinstein Company has boasted films such as The King’s Speech and The Artist, both of which took home the Oscar for Best Picture. The year 2016 saw The Weinstein Company receiving ten nominations for it’s three films Carol, The Hateful Eight, and The Hunting Ground.[2] For these three films that did receive nominations, The Hateful Eight won the Oscar for Best Original Score, by Ennio Morricone.[6] Harvey Weinstein has been known to be associated with the Oscars and for campaigning heavily for his nominated films, dating back to before the founding of The Weinstein Company through the Weinstein brother’s previous company Miramax. With the issue of this awards season being equal representation of races in film, Weinstein had stated he would cause a stir with the Academy if Ennio Morricone did not win for his category.[6]

Executives [3]

Photo of Mr. Robert Weinstein (right), Co-Founder, Co-Chairman and Principal and Mr. Harvey Weinstein (left), Co-Founder, Co-Chairman and Principal [17]

Corporate Shake Ups

Erik Lomis, former Distribution Chief for The Weinstein Company, left his position as of March 2016 to pursue the role of Lead Distributor at Megan Allison’s Annapurna Pictures.[5] The news came in early March of 2016 as Lomis decided not to renew his contract with The Weinstein Company. Lomis has created positive business relationships with theatre owners and various talents in the film industry. Lomis is credited for taking Quentin Tarantino’s ambition to release The Hateful Eight in 70mm and making the idea come to fruition. Lomis is not the only associate to leave The Weinstein Company as of recently.[5]

[18]

RADiUS-TWC heads Tom Quinn and Jason Janego exited in summer of 2015.[5] Meryl Poster, former TV President, and Stephen Bruno, Marketing Chief, also dissolved their relationships with The Weinstein Company. With the loss of Janego and Quinn, The Weinstein Company is reconfiguring its boutique distributor RADiUS, responsible for such films as It Follows and Citizenfour. The Weinstein Company is currently planning to expand RADiUS day-and-date releases into new niche markets. An interviewing process has begun for the role of senior acquisitions executives to manage the VOD division. RADiUS is credited in helping The Weinstein Company with a scaled down, multi-platform release of the film Snowpiercer. The Weinstein brothers are also currently downsizing with a more focused slate of films for the 2016-year.[4]

Current Film: Jane’s Got a Gun

954a40124bdf5a69_JGAG-ONESHEET-FINAL.xxxlarge_2x

Jane Got a Gun, Source: imdb.com [19]

The Weinstein Company’s latest film to come to theaters is Jane Got a Gun, starring Natalie Portman and Joel Edgerton. The film had been hit with constant delays. In production, Jane Got a Gun’s original director, Lynne Ramsay, quit, various casting changes were made, and the loss of an original distributor, until The Weinstein Company acquired it in September of 2015.The film premiered at the Museum of Modern Art in New York on January 27, 2016. With an unknown production budget, Jane Got a Gun’s wide release date was January 29, 2016.[7] The film’s domestic gross is currently $1,513,793 and made $835,572 in its opening weekend with it’s widest release being shown in 1,210 theaters. The close date for the film was February 25, 2016.[8]

Future Projects

With a shift to television, The Weinstein Company will be releasing fewer films this year. As of now, The Weinstein Company has three films with set release dates; The Founder is being released August 5, 2016, Hands of Stone is set to be released August 26, 2016, and Lion is going to be released November 25, 2016.[10] Originally, The Weinstein Company had the release dates for The Founder and Lion switched. In previous years, The Weinstein company has seen much success when releasing it’s films around the Thanksgiving holiday, which may be the cause for the change in the McDonald’s origin story starring Michael Keaton being released in August rather than November. Lion, a more touching family story, has the advantage a very dominant cast, including Nicole Kidman, Dev Patel and Rooney Mara, who recently saw success with her second Oscar nomination for Carol, another Weinstein Company production.[9] With the changed date, this means publicity for The Founder is beginning in full swing.

[20]

The trailer for the film premiered on April 21, 2016 and a poster for the film was previously released.[13] By creating space between the two films, The Weinstein Company is offering opportunity for its films to be considered awards season bait as they are spread further apart. Further in the future, Rooney Mara will be working in another Weinstein production, portraying New Testament figure Mary Magdalene in a biopic.[12] Being eyed to play the role of Jesus Christ is Joaquin Phoenix. A deal is in the works with the actor for the Garth Davis film.[11] In terms of distribution, The Weinstein Company will be working with the production company See-Saw Films, with whom they worked with on the release of The King’s Speech, Macbeth, and this November’s Lion.[12] Helen Edmundson and Philippa Goslett write the film’s screenplay, and production is scheduled to begin this summer. The Weinstein Company is planning to release the film in 2017.[11]

Sources

[1] The Weinstein Company. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2016

[2] Piccalo, G. (2016, January 14). Oscars 2016: Where was Harvey Weinstein’s nomination? Retrieved April 24, 2016,

[3] The Weinstein Company Inc.: Private Company Information. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2016

[4] Thompson, A. (2016, March 8). The Weinstein Co. to Reconfigure RADiUS. Retrieved April 24, 2016,

[5] McClintock, P. (2016, March 10). Weinstein Co. Shake-Up: Distribution Chief Erik Lomis Exiting (Exclusive). Retrieved April 24, 2016

[6] Harvey Weinstein Jokes About Academy’s Diversity Problem. (2016, February 26). Retrieved April 24, 2016

[7] Chi, P. (2016, January 28). Natalie Portman on Making ‘Jane Got a Gun’: ‘There Was an Obstacle Every Hour, Every Day’. Retrieved April 24, 2016

[8] Jane Got a Gun (2016) – Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2016

[9] D’Alessandro, A. (2016, March 01). Weinstein Co.’s ‘The Founder’ Moves To August; ‘Lion’ To Roar During Thanksgiving Week. Retrieved April 24, 2016

[10] Upcoming Movies by Studio / Distributor. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2016

[11] Jaafar, A. (2016, April 22). Joaquin Phoenix Eyed To Play Jesus Christ In Mary Magdalene Pic. Retrieved April 24, 2016

[12] Siegel, T. (2016, February 9). Weinstein Co. in Talks to Acquire Mary Magdalene Biopic. Retrieved April 24, 2016

[13] Khatchatourian, M. (2016, April 21). Michael Keaton Builds McDonald’s Empire in ‘The Founder’ First Trailer. Retrieved April 24, 2016

[14] Weinstein Company Logo. The Weinstein Company. Retrieved April 24, 2016

[15] The King’s Speech Poster. IMDB Media. Retrieved April 24, 2016

[16] The Hateful Eight Poster. IMDB Media. Retrieved April 24, 2016

[17] Photo of Robert and Harvey Weinstein. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 24, 2016

[18] RADiUS TWC logo. Retrieved April 24, 2016

[19] Jane Got a Gun Poster. IMDB Media. Retrieved April 24, 2016

[20] The Founder Trailer. Youtube. Retrieved April 24, 2016

[21] Photo of David Glasser. Retrieved April 25, 2016

20th Century Fox (film)

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Rachel Kucharski

20th Century Fox Logo [1]

10201 W Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90064
310-FOX-INFO
http://www.foxmovies.com/

History

20^th Century Fox is one of the six biggest film studios in America and is owned by 21^st Century Fox Corporation. The company has released a number of successful films including The Sound of Music, Star Wars, Die Hard, Ice Age, and X-Men. They also distributed the two highest-grossing films of all-time, Avatar and Titanic. [1]

Avatar movie poster [1]

20^th Century Fox was founded in 1935 when Fox Films, owned by William Fox, merged with Twentieth Century Pictures. Joe Schenck took on the role of chief executive while Darryl F. Zanuck became the head of production. The company enjoyed success after the release of The Sound of Music in 1965 and Star Wars in 1977. In 1981, Marc Rich and Marvin Davis took over the company, who then sold it to News Corp., Rupert Murdoch’s company, in 1985. In 2013, News Corporation split into two companies. News Corporation became the publishing arm of the company while 21^st Century Fox became its own television/film company. 20^th Century Fox came under this company. [2]

Executives

Jim Gianopulos, Chairman and CEO [3]

Emma Watts, Production President [4]

Finances

This past February, 21^st Century Fox released their second quarter earnings report for October to December of 2015 and reported revenues of $7.38 billion. Although this was a decrease of 1% ($49 million) from the prior year, this was partially offset by the success of The Martian, which had grossed over $600 million in worldwide box office by December 31, 2016. The Martian continued to grow and ended with $630 million in worldwide box office revenue with its close date on March 17, 2016. Films released during this quarter that carried over at the box office into 2016 were The Revenant, Joy, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, and The Peanuts Movie. [5] [6]

Going into 2016, 20^th Century Fox saw strong box office revenues. The Revenant debuted with $38 million at the domestic box office that weekend. This was an unexpectedly strong open. The film was only predicted to open to less than $25 million. The revenue that opening weekend brought them close to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, grossing at $41.6 million its fourth weekend in theaters. [7] The Peanuts Movie also finished strong with worldwide revenues reaching $246 billion. [8] Another hit for 20^th Century Fox at the box office was Kung Fu Panda 3, which has grossed $504 million worldwide since its release in January. [9]

On April 25, 2016, 21^st Century Fox share prices were listed at $31.00. This is up from $22.50 on February 9^th when share prices fell by as much as 4%. This was likely due to the earnings report released on this day, which predicted that profits would fall due to the strong dollar [5]. Since then, share prices have seen a steady increase and are predicted to continue to rise. The third quarter fiscal report for 21^st Century Fox will be released on May 4, 2016. [10]

Awards Season

Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Leonardo DiCaprio win three Golden Globe Awards for The Revenant [11]

20^th Century Fox studio releases did well during the 2016 awards season. At the Golden Globes, Jennifer Lawrence won best actress in a Comedy or Musical for Joy. The Martian won Best Motion Picture for a Comedy or Musical and Matt Damon also won best actor for his role in the film. The Revenant took home the Best Motion Picture award for a Drama. Leonardo DiCaprio and Alejandro G. Iñárritu won best actor and best director, respectively. [12]

At The Academy Awards, The Revenant counted twelve nominations, the most of any film nominated. Leonardo DiCaprio won his first Oscar for Best Actor. The Revenant also won Best Cinematography and Directing. [13] The nominations and wins resulted in a boost of box office revenue for those films that were still in theaters, particularly The Revenant, that’s ticket sales increased more than 80 percent after The Academy Award nominees were announced. Between the announced nominations and Oscar Night, The Revenant brought in $113 million. The film closed with a total of $523 million worldwide. [14]

The New Superhero

20^th Century Fox’s current film in theaters is Deadpool. The film stars Ryan Reynolds and was directed by Tim Miller. Deadpool is Marvel’s new R-Rated superhero movie that features a former Special Forces operative with accelerated healing powers and an attitude problem. [15]

Deadpool has broken records since its release on February 12, 2016. It became 20^th Century Fox’s largest opening ever with $132.4 million. It also had the largest opening weekend ever for an R-rated film and the biggest opening day in February with $47.5 million. [16] So far, the film has grossed a total of $760 million thus far and is approaching its eleventh week in theaters. [17] Deadpool has been a game changer for the superhero genre. As one of the first high-budget R-rated superhero films in recent years (alongside Watchmen and Kick-Ass), there was high-risk for 20^th Century Fox in the box office. But the film was widely received and praised for its snarky humor, romance, and characters rather than big-budget action scenes. [18] Following this success, 20^th Century Fox will likely make Wolverine 3 R-rated. The film’s current release date is March 3^rd, 2017. [19]

20^th Century Fox has already confirmed Deadpool 2 for production. Tim Miller and Ryan Reynolds will return for the sequel as well as the creative team. The film is said to mimic the original in tone, keeping the same snarky humor and attitude. The film is currently rumored for release in 2017. [20]

Coming Soon

Independence Day: Resurgence movie poster [23]

This summer, 20^th Century Fox is releasing four films. X-Men: Apocalypse will open on May 27, 2016 as the ninth installment in the X-Men series with Bryan Singer as director and a host of famous cast members. To market the film, 20^th Century Fox released an X-Men Movies app as well as an “Apocalypse timeline” on their website. [21]

Independence Day: Resurgence, the sequel to the highly acclaimed Independence Day, will open on June 24, 2016 starring Liam Hemsworth and Jeff Goldblum. Ice Age: Collision Course and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates are also set to release in July. [22]

Sources

[1] Foxmovies.com. 20^th Century Fox. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
[2] 20th Century Fox Film Corporation. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
[3] Yamato, Jen. (May 16, 2014). Fox’s Jim Gianopulos Delivers USC Film Commencement Speech; Marvel’s Kevin Feige Celebrates Rejection: Transcript. Deadline. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
[4] Fleming, Mike Jr. (August 14, 2014). Fox’s Emma Watts Re-Ups For Three Years After Robust Summer. Deadline. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
[5] Earnings Release for the Quarter Ended December 31, 2015. (February 8, 2016). 21st Century Fox. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
[6] The Martian. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
[7] Fritz, Ben. (January 11, 2016). ‘The Revenant’ has surprisingly strong box-office debut. MarketWatch. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
[8] The Peanuts Movie. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
[9] Kung Fu Panda 3. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
[10] Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc. CI A. MarketWatch. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
[11] Robehmed, Natalie. (January 11, 2016).‘The Revenant’ Wins Best Picture At The 2016 Golden Globe Awards. Forbes. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
[12] Sharf, Zack. (February 24, 2016). The Indiewire 2015-16 Awards Season Winners Guide. The Indiewire. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
[13] Donnelly, Jim. (February 29, 2016). Oscar Winners 2016: See The Complete List. The Oscars. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
[14] Brueggemann, Tom. (March 11, 2016). Oscar Box Office Winners and Losers 2016. Indiewire. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
[15] Deadpool. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
[16] Garreffa, Anthony. (February 17, 2016). Deadpool becomes largest opening ever for 20th Century Fox. TweakTown. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
[17] Deadpool. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
[18] VanDerWerff, Todd. (February 15, 2016). Deadpool’s box office unexpectedly broke records. Here’s what Hollywood should learn from it. Vox. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
[19] Siegal, Jacob. (February 16, 2016). Deadpool’s success could lead to an ‘R’ rating for Wolverine 3. BGR. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
[20] Mccarthy, Tyler and Rebecka Schumann. (April 4, 2016). ‘Deadpool 2’ Confirmed By 20th Century Fox; Director And Creative Team Returning. International Business Times. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
[21] X-MEN: Apocalypse (2016). 20th Century Fox. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
[22] Coming Soon. 20th Century Fox. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
[23] Perry, Spencer. (March 8, 2016). The Aliens are Back in New Independence Day: Resurgence International Poster. ComingSoon.net. Retrieved April 26, 2016.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Posted on March 29, 2015 by John Hopkins

by JOHN HOPKINS

-Warner Brothers Logo- Courtesy of housepr.com

Corporate Headquarters

4000 Warner Blvd. Burbank, CA 91522

Phone: (818)- 954- 6000

www.warnerbros.com

History

Founded by Albert, Sam, Harry, and Jack L. Warner on April 4, 1923, Warner Bros. Entertainment is a fully integrated, broad based entertainment company that leads the industry in feature films. Warner Bros. Pictures first saw success in 1927 when the four brothers The Jazz Singer, the first synchronized-sound feature film. The company is a subsidiary of Time Warner and produces 18-22 films each year, creating little risk and maximizing productivity. Warner Bros. has released many popular films ranging from Goodfellas (1990) to classic series movies such as Star Wars (1977-2005), Harry Potter (2001-2011), and Academy Award-winning films such as American Sniper (2014), which grossed 347,300,219 domestically.

Key Executives

Kevin_Tsujihara_2014

-Kevin Tsujihara, Chairman and CEO

-Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution

-Paul Broucek, President, Music

Chris+de+Faria+2nd+Annual+Japan+Cool+Content+SYLDNhMY1I9l

-Chris deFaria, President, Animation, Digital Production and Visual Effects

-Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution

Financials

Warner Bros. Pictures maintains worldwide distribution rights as they fully finance or co-finance their films with companies such as Village Roadshow Pictures. Currently, Warner Bros. is at the top of the list for distributors as they currently have 21.1% of the market share with their overall gross being 621.2. The top grossing movie was American Sniper which grossed 345,881,971 playing in 3.885 theaters. Warner Bros. Pictures also experienced a 7 percent rise in the last quarter. In 2014, Warner Bros. Pictures made 1.56 billion domestically in the box office, totaling a 4.73 billion globally. Both of these surpassed the billion-dollar mark for the 14th year in a row.

-Courtesy of Google Finance

In Theaters

“Focus” (2015)

-“Focus” is a romantic dark comedy film written and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa.

The dark comedy film starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie took the #1 rank during the opening weekend releasing in 3,323 theaters garnering a total of $18,685,137. The film has grossed a total of 53,415,316 domestically in addition to the 94,800,000 domestically. Warner Bros. Pictures and IMAX announced they would also release the re-mastered version of the movie on February 27, 2015. The film released made 13 million in the UK, 3.1 million in Russia, and 1,765,832 in the Netherlands. This came out to a total gross of around 12 million being released in the theaters of 39 markets of other territories in the same opening weekend.

“Get Hard” (2015)

MV5BMTc3OTc1NjM0M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNjAyMzE1MzE@._V1_SX214_AL_

“Get Hard” starring Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart had a domestic gross of 72,872,676, along with 13,400,000 foreign totaling a gross amount of 86,272,676 with their budget being at 40million. In it’s opening weekend “Get Hard” took the number 2 rank behind Home (52.1 million) as the comedy grossed 33.8 million. Ferrell’s third highest opening for an action film, it was released in 3,175 theaters for the opening weekend with each theater averaging around $10,647, taking the total percent of the total gross to 46.4%. “Get Hard” premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival on March 27th.

Recently Released

“American Sniper” (2014)

“American Sniper” opened with a limited release on December 25, 2014 playing at four theaters in New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas, earning 850,000 during this limited release. The limited release was successful as it was nominated for numerous academy awards among many other awards including best picture, best actor, and best adapted screenplay. The movie won an academy award for best sound editing and an American Film Institute award for top 10 films of the year among many others. The movie the next weekend had an average of 169,277 at each venue, which proved to be the second-biggest weekend average for an action movie. The limited release was extremely successful for Warner Bros. Pictures because it earned $3.4 million in only three weekends. The film then took North America by storm on January 16 in 2015 as it grossed 30.5 million on its opening day at 3,555 different theaters. In addition to that, the movie also set an IMAX record as it earned a total of 10.6 million in the month of January. The film then expanded and reached out to 3,705 theaters and set the record for eighth largest second weekend gross. BoxOfficeMojo predicted “American Sniper” would be the highest grossing film in 2014 in just its second week released. The film remained at the top through its third week earning $30.66 million in gross earnings. Although the movie did extremely well, Warner Bros. Pictures suffered some controversy with many people believing it celebrated the bloodshed during the Iraqi war and turned it into a fairy tale. In light of the criticism, the movie received strong reviews including a 73% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Upcoming

“Entourage”

A comedy film based off the HBO TV series starring Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, and Jeremy Piven, will be released on June 5, 2015. Directed by Doug Ellin, Entourage follows the career of a movie star named Vincent Chase along with his group of friends from home, and their lives in Hollywood. The movie’s previous release date was June 12, 2015 but Warner Bros. moved it up a week.

“Arms & the Dudes”

Warner Bros has undergone principal photography on a new movie staring Oscar nominee Jonah Hill and Miles Teller directed by Oscar nominee Todd Phillips (Borat). The story chronicles two friends in their early 20’s living in Miami during the Iraqi war that make money by bidding on U.S Military government contracts. Phillips co-wrote the script along with Jason Smilovic and Stephen C. Chin based off of a rolling stone article. Bradley Cooper and Todd Phillips are producing the film under their company 22nd & Green Productions along with Mark Gordon under The Mark Gordon Company. This film is a promising project for Warner Bros. Pictures as many prominent people who have had recent successful films are involved in the movie, which gives it a great chance to become another success for Warner Bros. Productions.

Projections for Warner Bros. Pictures

With American Sniper being named the highest grossing film of 2014 and receiving numerous academy award nominations, Warner Bros. Pictures is looking towards an amazing upcoming year with the buzz that has already been created for this year. The upcoming year has already had stellar moves released by Warner Bros. including American Sniper, Focus, and Get Hard among many others. Warner Bros. The studio has numerous upcoming movies that will be sure to create a buzz including Entourage, Magic Mike, Tarzan, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Tarzan, and King Arthur. Tsujihara has also come up with an expansion plan that has Warner Bros. releasing three LEGO-branded films over the next four years coming off of the $468 million worldwide box office success that was “The Lego Movie”.

Sources

[1] “Warner Brothers – House PR.” House PR. 2015 House Public Relations, 3 Mar. 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.housepr.com/portfolio/warner-brothers/>.

[2]”The Water Diviner – WarnerBros.com – Movies.” The Water Diviner – WarnerBros.com – Movies. Warner Bros. Pictures, 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.warnerbros.com/water-diviner?sec=in>.

[3] “Paul Broucek – WarnerBros.com – The Studio.” Paul Broucek – WarnerBros.com – The Studio. Executives- Warner Bros. Pictures, 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/executives/paul-broucek>.

[4]”Time Warner.” – Investor Relations. Quarterly Summary- Time Warner, 12 Mar. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://ir.timewarner.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=70972&p=irol-reportsannual>.

[5]”Focus – Official Trailer [HD].” YouTube. YouTube, 14 Jan. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btI7yHxn1NU>.

[6]”Focus (2015) (2015) – Box Office Mojo.” Focus (2015) (2015) – Box Office Mojo. Focus Movie – Box Office Mojo, 15 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=focus2015.htm>.

[7] “Get Hard – Official Trailer [HD].” YouTube. YouTube, 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTi-h6zNDLg>.

[8] “Get Hard (2015) – Box Office Mojo.” Get Hard (2015) – Box Office Mojo. Get Hard – Box Office Mojo, 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=gethard.htm>.

[9] “American Sniper – Official Trailer [HD].” YouTube. YouTube, 15 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99k3u9ay1gs>.

[10]”American Sniper (2014) – Box Office Mojo.” American Sniper (2014) – Box Office Mojo. American Sniper – Box Office Mojo, 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=americansniper.htm>.

[11] “Entourage – Official Main Trailer [HD].” YouTube. YouTube, 15 Mar. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGSE_XPF4_g>.

[12] “Entourage (2015) – Box Office Mojo.” Entourage (2015) – Box Office Mojo. Entourage- Box Office Mojo, 4 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=entourage.htm>.

[13]”Shooting Begins on “Arms & the Dudes” From “The Hangover” Director Todd Phillips – WarnerBros.com – The Studio – News.” Shooting Begins on “Arms & the Dudes” From “The Hangover” Director Todd Phillips – WarnerBros.com – The Studio – News. Arms and Dudes- Warner Bros. Pictures, 14 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/news/shooting-begins-arms-dudes-hangover-director-todd-phillips>.

[14]”Warner Bros. Makes Its All-Digital Projection Debut Today With “The Perfect Storm” In Three Countries – WarnerBros.com – The Studio – News.” Warner Bros. Makes Its All-Digital Projection Debut Today With “The Perfect Storm” In Three Countries – WarnerBros.com – The Studio – News. About Warner Bros. Productions, 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/news/warner-bros-makes-its-all-digital-projection-debut-today-%E2%80%9C-perfect-storm%E2%80%9D-three>.

[15]”Time Warner Cable – Investor Relations – Financial Reports & Filings – Annual Meeting Materials.” Time Warner Cable – Investor Relations – Financial Reports & Filings – Annual Meeting Materials. N.p., 17 Mar. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://ir.timewarnercable.com/investor-relations/financial-reports-and-filings/annual-reports/default.aspx>.

Focus Features

Posted on December 1, 2014 by jepflieg

by John Pflieger

[21] Focus Features Logo

Focus Features is a film production and distribution company that serves at the art house film department of the NBCUniversal brand. Started in 2002, Focus Features is currently run by CEO Peter Schlessel, who took the helm in late 2013 after Focus and the FilmDistrict merged in 2013 [1]. Focus Features has had great success over the last 12 years with critically acclaimed releases like Brokeback Mountain, Dallas Buyers Club, and Lost in Translation just to name a few. The former being the most successful Focus Feature production to date, grossing $83 million and receiving 3 Academy Awards and receive nominations for 5 more along with a slue of other awards [2][3].

Financials

Catering usually to more specific audiences then some of the major production house, Focus Features is currently ranked 12^th for top grossing production companies in the 2014 year, with a total gross of $104 million, which puts them in control of 1.1% of the current market share [4]. Though falling short to its 5^th ranked older brother Universal Pictures, the smaller production company has managed to sustain an average gross of $8.7 million per release over the course of its 11 releases in 2014 [4][5]. With award season approaching, Focus has the potential to see continued growth in revenue through the beginning of 2015. With Oscar buzz surrounding actor Eddie Redmayne of Focus Features most recent release The Theory of Everything, a nomination for best actor has the potential to increase revenue by about $600,000, where a win in the category could yield nearly $6 million in increased revenue[6][7]. Though Focus is only responsible for a small portion of NBCUniversal’s $1.4 billion filmed entertainment revenue, the small production house continues to boast impressive figures[8].

Recent Releases

“The Theory of Everything “

[22] The Theory of Everything Poster

The biographical film chronicles the life of astrophysicist Stephen Hawking as he fell in love with his wife Jane, explored the science of universal time, and struggled with the debilitating neurological disease of ALS [9]. Eddie Redmayne, who plays Steven Hawking, has already been labeled by Variety as one of the main contenders for the Best Actor Academy Award[6]. The film, which opened November 7^th in a limited release to 5 theaters grossed $208,763 and continued to succeed as it hit a wide release November 26^th in 802 theaters and grossed slightly over $5 million in its wide release opening[10]. As of December 1^st the film has grossed $9.6 million and has the potential to see continued success as the holidays and award season approaches[10].

“Kill The Messenger”

[23] Kill The Messenger Poster

A political thriller starring Academy Award nominated actor Jeremy Renner, tells the story of journalist Gary Webb, who stumbles across a dark story that involves drugs and government cover-ups[11]. The film opened October 10^th in 374 theaters and grossed $941,809 in its opening weekend. At its widest relapse the film was only in 427 theaters and to date has only grossed $2.4 million, having been stifled by the Buena Vista release of “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” which was release the same day and saw far greater success[12][13].

“The Boxtrolls”

[24] The Boxtrolls Poster

This family film tells the tail of an adventure of a group of unique creatures as they raise an orphan and fight for their lives in an effort to thwart their local town villain[14]. This film has been the most successful release for Focus Features this year having grossed nearly $50 million. The feature opened September 26^th 3,464 theaters and gross $17.2 million, which accounted for 34.9% of the films total gross domestically[15]. The film went on to gross $56.2 million worldwide, making a total of $105.7 million, which is a huge success not only for Focus Films, but also for the small Oregon based stop-motion animation house Laika Studios, which carried out the animation for “The Boxtrolls.”[15][16] The small animation studio also produced “ParaNorman” and “Coraline” for Focus Features, which are both in Focus Feature’s top 5 for most successful domestic grossing films[5]. Only days after the opening of “The Boxtrolls”, Focus Features signed an agreement with Laika to work with them on 3 more feature length films[17]. This agreement proves to be especially wise when looking at the fact that all three of the films that Laika and Focus have teamed up on have grossed over $100 million world wide, making them highly profitable[17]. There is still room for more success in the coming months, seeing that “The Boxtrolls” received 13 nominations in this years Annie Awards, and is only expected to receive more nods as award season get underway[18].

Upcoming

Focus Features consistently releases 10-12 films a year, making them a highly productive production house for the scale of their operation[5]. As of now, Focus has announced a few new projects that will be coming up in 2015 which will have the potential to make quite a splash in the market place in the upcoming year.

[25] 50 Shades of Grey Poster

One of the more anticipated Focus Features releases of 2015 is the adaptation of the novel 50 Shades of Grey. The popular 3 part book series will be treated as a trilogy by focus and will follow the saga of the novels quite closely. The film is scheduled to be released on Valentines Day, offering an interesting option for holiday viewing[19].

[26] Black Sea Poster

Another highly anticipated 2015 Focus release is the upcoming release starring Jude Law, “Black Sea”. The apparent action movie casts Law as a submarine captain who is working with a team of Russian and English crew members to salvage Nazi gold in a sunken U-boat. The film is scheduled to be released January 23 of 2015[20].

Future of Focus Features

The future for Focus Features appears to be very bright. With a recent 3 film deal with Laika Studios, this is a air of optimism, because with the success of the studio’s earlier films, we can only assume that with the proper marketing and distribution the next 3 should be just as successful. Also with the “50 Shades of Grey” series on the horizon, there are multiple prospects for continued growth. As we see the success of Comcast and NBCUniversal and their continued growth, the potential for the expansion of Focus Features is exponentially increased.

Citations:

1. Focus Features Announces More Key Senior Hires, hollywoodreporter.com, RT; 12/01/14

2. Brokeback Mountain, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 12/01/14

3. Brokeback Mountain Awards, imdb.com, RT: 12/01/14

4. Studio Market Share, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 12/01/14

5. Focus Features, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 12/01/14

6. Contender: Lead Actor Preview, Variety.com, RT: 12/01/14

7. How Oscar Nominations Affect the Box Office, Businessinsider.com, RT: 12/01/14

8. Comcast Earnings Release, cmcsk.com, RT: 12/01/14

9. The Theory of Everything, Rottentomatos.com, RT: 12/01/14

10. The Theory of Everything, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 12/01/14

11. Kill the Messenger, Rottentomatos.com, RT: 12/01/14

12. Kill the Messenger, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 12/01/14

13. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 12/01/14

14. The Boxtrolls, Rottentomatos.com, RT: 12/01/14

15. The Boxtrolls, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 12/01/14

16. Laika Studios, Laikastudios.com, RT: 12/01/14

17. Focus Features, Laika Ink Three-Film Pact, hollywoodreporter.com, RT; 12/01/14

18. Boxtrolls leads Annie Award nominations, bbc.com, RT; 12/01/14

19. 50 Shades of Grey, fiftyshadesmovie.com, RT; 12/01/14

20. Black Sea, focusfeatures.com, RT; 12/01/14

21. Focus Features Logo, thewrap.com, RT; 12/01/14

22. The Theory of Everything Poster, imdb.com, RT; 12/01/14

23. Kill the Messenger Poster, imdb.com, RT; 12/01/14

24. The Boxtrolls Poster, imdb.com, RT; 12/01/14

25. 50 Shades of Grey Poster, imdb.com, RT; 12/01/14

26. Black Sea Poster, imdb.com, RT; 12/01/14

Columbia Pictures

Posted on December 1, 2014 by iwmccour

by Ian McCourt

Columbia Pictures

Image Courtesy Fortune.com [i]

Contact Information: [ii]

10202 West Washington Boulevard

Culver City, CA 90232

310-244-4000

www.sonypictures.com

Key Executives:

Michael Lynton CEO, Sony Entertainment, Chairman and CEO, Sony Pictures Entertainment

Amy Pascal Co-Chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group

Doug Belgrad President, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group President, Columbia Pictures

David Hendler Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Sony Pictures Entertainment

Michael De Luca
President, Production, Columbia Pictures

Hannah Minghella President, Production, Columbia Pictures

Executives Photos and Information Courtesy of: http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/management.html [iii]

About Columbia Pictures:

In 1918, Harry and Jack Cohn formed CBC Film Sales with an associate of theirs, Joe Brandt. CBC Film Sales (Cohn-Brandt-Cohn) then produced small-budget short films and featurettes until a few experiments with feature films and an eye for larger profits prompted them to form Columbia Pictures Corporation in 1924. Columbia established itself in the cinema world, however, with the discovery of director Frank Capra in 1927. He would bring the company many Academy Awards, including the Best Picture films “It Happened One Night” and “You Can’t Take it With You.” Columbia would continue to grow and prosper as the decades moved past, and it was bought by Coca-Cola in 1982. However, a mere seven years later, Columbia Pictures and all of its holdings were bought by the Sony Corporation in 1989. [iv] It is now a part of Sony Pictures Entertainment‘s Columbia Tristar Motion Picture Group, along with Tristar Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics and Screengems. [v]

Financials:

It is to be noted that Sony’s Financial Reports for the Pictures Division encompasses not only Columbia Pictures, but also the Tristar Pictures and Screengems studios, as well as any TV production and distribution financials. Regardless, Sony Pictures Entertainment reported that revenue decreased 3% on a constant currency (U.S. dollar) standard to 1,671 million dollars for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2014 from 1,815 million for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2013. [vi][vii] This was due to lower theatrical revenues due to fewer theatrical releases in Q2 FY14 as opposed to Q2 FY13. [viii] Sony predicts that the pictures division will make 8,100 million U.S. dollars for the total Fiscal Year ending March 31, 2015. [ix]

What’s Happening Now?

In 2014, Columbia Pictures has released nine films, three of which are still in theaters as of December 1, 2014. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and 22 Jump Street are leading in gross so far respectively, with 22 Jump Street still in theaters. [x]

22 Jump Street
This sequel to the hit 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum and follows the adventures of Officers Schmidt and Jenko as they go undercover as college students. The film is directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord.

Image and Synopsis Courtesy IMDB [xi]

In its opening weekend (June 13-15, 2014), 22 Jump Street opened at number one, making $57,071,445 domestically to its $50 million budget. The film is now in its twenty-third week, having made $331,333,876 worldwide as of December 1, 2014. [xii]

The Equalizer
In The Equalizer, Denzel Washington stars as a man who has put his dark past behind him, only to return to his old ways when he meets a girl who is under the control of Russian gangsters. The film is directed by Antoine Fuqua.

Image and Synopsis Courtesy IMDB [xiii]

In its opening weekend (Sept. 26-28, 2014) The Equalizer opened number one at the box office, earning $34,137,828 to its $55 million budget. Now in its ninth week, the film has made $190,173,178 internationally as of December 1, 2014. [xiv]

Fury
Fury, starring Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, and Shia LaBeouf, tells the tale of an Army Sergeant nicknamed Wardaddy (Pitt) who commands a Sherman tank with a five-man crew against amazing odds in an attempt to cripple Nazi Germany. The film is written and directed by David Ayer.

Image and Synopsis Courtesy IMDB [xv]

Opening number one at the box office, Fury made $23,702,421 to its $68 million budget during its opening weekend (Oct. 17-19, 2014). Going through its seventh week in theaters, Fury has made $171,707,000 internationally as of December 1, 2014. [xvi] On Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, 2014, the movie was free at Regal and AMC Theaters for all current personnel or veterans with a valid I.D. [xvii]

Ghostbusters (30th Anniversary Re-Release)
To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the 1984 classic, Ghostbusters was back in theaters beginning August 29, 2014. [xviii] It tells the story of three parapsychology professors struggling for work who decide to open up a ghost removal business. It stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Sigourney Weaver. It is directed by Ivan Reitman. [xix]

Image Credit Fandango.com [xx]

The re-release opened at fifteenth its opening weekend (August 29-31, 2014), making $1,756,513. It closed on September 18, 2014, despite being advertised as only being open for one week. During this time, it made $3,580,343. This makes the film’s total lifetime gross $242,212,467 as of December 1, 2014. [xxi]

In Other News:

In early November, Columbia Pictures requested to a Florida federal court that its anti-piracy policies be kept secret. The information on these policies is now in a closed case between Hotfile, a file-sharing site that closed down in 2013, and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). [xxii] Columbia is insisting that if this information were released, it would render the company incapable to protect its copyrighted works. This comes after U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams ruled that the information is in the public interest and should be released. [xxiii]

Image Courtesy Dailytech [xxvi]

On November 24, 2014, hackers took control of Sony’s computer systems. A group claiming to be the hackers then criticized Sony CEO Michael Lynton in a tweet, calling him “a criminal.” [xxiv] Since then, versions of five films belonging to Sony Pictures have been released online: Annie, Fury, Still Alice, Mr. Turner, and To Write Love on Her Arms. Of those five films, only Fury has been released in theaters, but even that film hasn’t had a DVD release yet. These films are already reported to have been illegally downloaded hundreds of thousands of times. [xxv] Sony has since hired Mandiant Forensics Unit to clean up the attack, and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations has begun looking into the incident. Sony has been looking to see if the attack was perpetrated by North Korea-backed hackers in retaliation to the upcoming release of the movie, The Interview, which is a comedy about an attempt to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. [xxvii]

What’s To Come:

Annie

Image Courtesy IMDB [xxix]

One of the films leaked from the hack, Annie will be released in theaters on December 19, 2014. Starring Quvenzhane Wallis, Jamie Foxx, and Cameron Diaz, this musical film tells of a young foster kid (Wallis) who toughs out the hard knock life of New York City in 2014. While it will be competing against Disney‘s Into The Woods, the film is predicted to make about $95 million. [xxviii]

The Interview

Image Courtesy IMDB [xxxi]

To be released on Christmas Day, December 25, 2014, The Interview is the latest comedy co-directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Starring Rogen and James Franco, the film is about journalist Dave Skylark and producer Aaron Rapoport from the popular TV show Skylark Tonight as they are hired by the CIA to assassinate Kim Jong Un. It is predicted to make $90 million. [xxx]

[i] Columbia Pictures Logo. Retrieved 11/29/2014.
[ii] Sony Pictures Contacts. Retrieved 11/29/2014.
[iii] Sony/Columbia Executives. Retrieved 11/29/2014.
[iv] History of Columbia Pictures. Retrieved 11/29/2014.
[v] Sony Divisions. Retrieved 11/29/2014.
[vi] Sony Financials Q2 FY14. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[vii] Sony Financials Q2 FY13. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[viii] Sony Financials Q2 FY14. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[vix] Sony Predictions. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[x] Columbia Films 2014. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xi] 22 Jump Street Info. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[xii] 22 Jump Street Box Office. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xiii] The Equalizer Info. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[xiv] The Equalizer Box Office. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xv] Fury Info. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[xvi] Fury Box Office. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xvii] Fury Free for Veterans 11/11. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[xviii] Ghostbusters Re-release Info. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[xix] Ghostbusters Info. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[xx] Ghostbusters Re-release Poster. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[xxi] Ghostbusters Re-Release Box Office. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxii] Hotfile Shuts Down. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxiii] Columbia Anti-Piracy Case. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxiv] Hackers take Sony. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxv] Sony Movies Leaked. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxvi] Hackers Call Out Lynton on Twitter. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxvii] Sony Responds to Hack. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxviii] Annie Info. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxiv] Annie Poster. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxx] The Interview Info. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxxi] The Interview Poster. Retrieved 12/1/2014.

MGM

Posted on October 5, 2014 by jnmonfre

by Joanna Monfreda

Metro Goldwyn Mayer [1]

Contact Information

MGM Studios Inc.
245 N Beverly Dr.
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Key Executives

Gary Barber
Chairman and CEO

[2]

Jonathan Glickman
President, Motion Picture Group

[3]

Roma Khanna
President, Television Group and Digital

[4]

Profile

History

Alfred Hitchcock serving MGM mascot Leo the Lion tea [5]

In 1924 Metro Pictures Corp., Goldwyn Pictures, and Louis B. Mayer merged to form Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, a company that would go on to win 200 Academy Awards and uphold itself to an outstanding level of cinema creation. Known for films such as The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, and hundreds more, the film production company paved its way during the beginning days of cinema as the leading studio in the business. [I] Through their peak from the 1930s to the 1950s MGM had many contracted actors such as Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, Elizabeth Taylor, and Lucille Ball. [II] Through the 1960s and 1970s, MGM studio was less successful than it had been in the golden age. In the hands of Kirk Kerkorian, many of the studio’s prized props, historical lots, and other possessions were sold. He then put most of the company’s money towards the construction of the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. [III] The studio’s downhill spiral continued into bankruptcy in 2010 where the company was in 4 billion dollars of debt and desperately needed an overhaul. Since then MGM has slowly been working on building itself back up. [IV]

Finances

MGM Holdings Inc. made $233.5 million dollars in revenue in their third quarter ending in September 2014. The quarter included the months of July, August and September. The company saw $6.5 million dollars from theatrical revenue in these three months, which came from the release of Hercules in areas where MGM controls distribution.

[6]

Their worldwide home entertainment revenue was $41.7 million. This was impacted by the home distribution release of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and RoboCop.

[14]

Another $150.6 million came from worldwide television licensing this quarter. This revenue came from not only the licensing of Teen Wolf, Fargo, and Viking, but from the television licensing of Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and their horror film, Carrie. This is less than the company’s third quarter in 2013, but that is due to how much of an impact Skyfall had on the company’s revenue last year. [V]

What’s Happening Now

Orion Pictures was obtained by MGM in 1997. The studio was responsible for some of the most famous films through the 80s and 90s such as Terminator, The Silence of the Lambs, and Dances with Wolves.

[8]

After declaring bankruptcy and being acquired by MGM, the studio did not see much success. It wasn’t until this past October, that MGM released a film through the small studio.

[7]

A remake of the horror film The Town That Dreaded Sundown was released by Orion Pictures on October 16th, 2014. [VI] There hasn’t been talk of MGM pushing Orion Pictures to be a stand-alone studio, but they do have their hands in other future film distribution deals. [VI][VII]

Along with Orion Pictures, MGM is also rebuilding United Artists. This September MGM spent $343.8 million dollars on a 55% ownership in a joint venture with Roma Downey, Mark Burnett, and Hearst Entertainment’s Steven Swartz to create United Artists Media Group. This merge includes Downey and Burnett’s production companies LightWorkers Media and One Three Media. MGM originally purchased United Artists in 1981, and since then the studio has gone through many different hands.

[9]

LightWorkers Media and One Three Media are responsible for shows such as The Voice, Survivor, The Celebrity Apprentice, The Bible and Shark Tank. United Artists Media Group is now leaning towards producing more faith based content and will be launching a faith focused, subscription channel called “Over The Top” or OTT. The channel will have new and old faith focused programming including Christian music videos, and both film and television content. [VIII] The executives saw success from their spiritual driven content such as The Bible and Son of God. They seek to target audiences interested in faith and family content because their ratings have shown there is a market for it. [IX] While the MGM works to put together a team to bring OTT to life, they are also looking into other film and digital media ventures as well. [X]

[12]

MGM collaborated with Warner Brothers on If I Stay a film based on the popular, young-adult novel written by Gayle Forman. The film was made with an 11 million dollar budget, and directed by R.J. Cutler. It was released on August 22th, 2014 of this year, and closed on November 6th, 2014. Its eleven-week run grossed 78.3 million dollars worldwide. [XI]

What’s to Come

On December 17th, 2014 the last film of The Hobbit series The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will be released. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey grossed over one billion dollars worldwide, while its sequel, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug grossed 958.4 million dollars worldwide. [XII][XIII]

[10]

With such a large fan base, there are high expectations for the amount of money the ending film of the trilogy will bring the studio. [XIV]

ABC has just announced a spin off of Shark Tank that will be produced by MGM’s United Artists Media Group and Sony Picture Television called Beyond the Tank.

[11]

It will be a series documenting past contestants current success and business state after being on the show. The network has called for 10 one-hour episodes, but has not released a premiere date. [XV]

On November 27th, 2014 NBC released their first trailer for A.D.: Beyond the Bible produced by MGM’s United Artists Media Group. Roma Downey and Mark Burnett will be the show’s executive producers.

[13]

The mini-series is scheduled to premiere on April 5th, 2015, which is Easter Sunday. It is a sequel to The Bible, and begins at the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The series continues the story of the creation of the Christian faith. [XVI]

The company already has two films are scheduled to be released in 2015. The first, Hot Tub Time Machine 2, will be produced in collaboration with Paramount Pictures. The sequel’s theatrical release is directed by Steve Pink, and will be February 20th, 2015. [XVII] The second, in collaboration with 20th Century Fox, will be a remake of the 1982 horror film Poltergeist. It’s directed by Gil Kenan, and its release date is October 26th, 2015. [XVIII]

[I] MGM History mgm.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[II] The Historic MGM Studios seeing-stars.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[III] MGM Again: 87 Years of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio History moviefanfare.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[IV] MGM Files for Bankruptcy Protection nytimes.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[V] MGM Third Quarter Financial Report mgm.com. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
[VI] Iconic Film Company Orion Pictures Returns After 15 Years slashfilm.com. Retrieved 26 November 2014
[VII] MGM Quietly Revives Orion Pictures deadline.com. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
[VIII] MGM, LightWorkers Media and One Three Media Merge mgm.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[IX] Mark Burnett: MGM Deal Will Drive Faith and Family Channel variety.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[X] Creation of the United Artists Media Group deadline.com. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
[XI] If I Stay Box Office Results boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[XII] The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey Box Office Results boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[XIII] The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Box Office Results boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[XIV] The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Trailer Release variety.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[XV] Inspired by the success of “Shark Tank” ABC Announces Launch of “Beyond the Tank” mgm.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[XVI] NBC’s “A.D.” Trailer Promo Released: Riveting Portrayal of Passion of Christ christiantimes.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[XVII] Details of Hot Tub Time Machine 2 ropeofsilicon.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[XVIII] Details of Poltergeist Remake ropeofsilicon.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.

[1] MGM logo mgmlogo.jpg. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[2] Gary Barber socialregister.co.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[3] Jonathan Glickman socialregister.co.uk.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[4] Roma Khanna deadline.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[5] Alfred Hitchcock Serving Leo the Lion instagram.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[6] Hercules imdb.com. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
[7] The Town that Dreaded Sundown imdb.com. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
[8] Orion Pictures manlymovie.net. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
[9] United Artist Media Group insidetv.ew.com. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
[10] Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies imdb.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[11] Shark Tank imdb.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[12] If I Stay imdb.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[13] A.D.: Beyond the Bible comingsoon.net. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[14] RoboCop imdb.com. Retrieved 26 November 2014.

Focus Features

Posted on October 5, 2014 by plimpanu

by Punika Limpanudom

[26] Focus Features Logo

HISTORY

Founded by David Linde and James Schamus in 2002, Focus Features is the art house branch of NBC Universal and a subsidiary company of Universal Pictures. The company is as a product of the divisional merger between USA Films and Good Machine. The company has produced cult classics like Wet Hot American Summer (2001) and Academy Award-winning films like Brokeback Mountain (2005), which grossed $83 million domestically [1].

[24] “Brokeback Mountain” is one of Focus Features’ most critically acclaimed films, winning Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Score at the 2006 Academy Awards.

Focus Features produces independent films with a niche target audience, tackling genres that big-budget blockbusters may not produce, putting emphasis on dramatic cinematography and character insight over a commercially-driven plot lines. Examples of successful movies with niche markets produced by Focus Features are Sophia Coppola‘s Lost in Translation (2003) and Wes Anderson‘s Moonrise Kingdom (2012). The company also handles film production, film financing and worldwide distribution, which means they are vertically integrated to produce a film from start to finish; pre-production all the way through to distribution, domestically and internationally.

On October 2013, James Schamus stepped down from the position of CEO upon the merger between FilmDistrict and placed Peter Schlessel, the founder of FilmDistrict, to be the chief executive of Focus Features in January 2014 [2].

KEY EXECUTIVES

[2] Peter Schlessel, Chief Executive Officer of Focus Features

[3] Peter Schlessel, CEO of Focus Features

[4] Christine Birch, President of Marketing

[5] Adrian Alperovich, Chief Operating Officer

FINANCIALS

Focus Features ranks 12th in overall film distributor companies, owning 1.1% of the total market share as of November 23, 2014. The company’s total gross is $104.5 million with 11 movies released in 2014 so far [6]. Focus Features had improved in market share from the previous year, ranking 13th with 1.1% market share and grossing $101 million with its 6 films that were released in 2013 [20]. There is a 15% increase in gross revenue, 2014 being comparatively more successful than 2013 [7] despite the critical success that came with Dallas Buyers Club during the 2014 Academy Award.

IN THEATERS

“The Theory of Everything” (2014)

[13] ‘The Theory of Everything” is a biopic based on a biographical book by Jane Hawking called “Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen”

The biographical drama starring Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones was a limited release in five theaters in North America on November 7, 2014. The biopic “played well across all demographics” and Jim Orr, the head of distribution at Focus Features, said that “the film itself and the director will be getting Academy attention”. The opening weekend grossed $207K, averaging a strong $41,400 per theater. [8] The film expanded to wide release on November 26, 2014 and has grossed approximately $9.6 million in total domestically. [9] Redmayne, who stars the young astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, has already won the Palm Springs International Film Festival‘s Desert Palm Achievement Award and Hollywood Film Awards‘ Hollywood Breakout Performance Actor Award in November 2014. Redmayne has been predicted to receive critical attention for the Best Actor award for the upcoming Academy Awards in 2015 [10][11][12]

FALL 2014 RELEASED MOVIES

“The Boxtrolls” (2014)

[15] “The Boxtrolls” is the product of collaboration between Portland-based animation studio, LAIKA, and Focus Features.

The fantasy stop-motion animation was released on September 26, 2014 grossed $49.6 million domestically and $56.2 million internationally. During its opening weekend, The Boxtrolls ranked 3rd, opening in 3,464 theaters and averaging $4,987 per theater, which became 34.9% of the total gross. Looking at the somewhat successful feedback of the partnership between LAIKA and Focus Features in producing and distributing The Boxtrolls, generating $49.6 million dollars domestically, the domestic revenue did not break-even with the high cost of producing animation, which was $60 million budget for production. Fortunately, the animation grossed over $56 million overseas, which in turn becomes over half of the lifetime gross of the film, bringing the total worldwide gross to $107.8 million, holding the film above water and breaking even with the $60 million production budget [14].

Produced by LAIKA, a Portland-based animation studio that has previously produced Oscar-nominated Coraline (2009) and ParaNorman (2012), both of which was distributed by Focus Features, the company signed an extension to their partnership, adding three more films to be made. Once again Focus Features will be distributing domestic releases, while international distribution will be under Universal Pictures International [16].

“Kill the Messenger” (2014)

A thriller directed by Homeland director Michael Cuesta was released on October 10, 2014 and received positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 77% rating from 97 reviews [17]. It grossed $2.4 million domestically [18] and was ranked 15th at the box office during the opening weekend, debuting with Buena Vista‘s Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, which ranked 2nd. The Boxtrolls, distributed by Focus Features, ranked 9th on the film’s debuting weekend [19]. Though Kill The Messenger wasn’t a total flop for Focus Features but the movie flew under the radar, despite its lukewarm reviews. This might be because it debuted with bigger blockbuster movies on the same weekend as mentioned previously.

UPCOMING

“Black Sea” (2015)

A suspense thriller starring Academy Award nominee, Jude Law, will be released in January 2015. Directed by Kevin MacDonald, Black Sea follows a cryptic submarine captain and his band of misfit crew in search of a hidden treasure. The critically acclaimed director has been known for his award-winning works such as The Last King of Scotland. The film is scheduled to release in Europe and the United Kingdoms in December 2014 [21][22].

[25] Focus Feature picked up the development of the adaptation of best-selling young adult novel “The Scorpio Races” after a turnaround with Warner Bros.

“The Scorpio Races”

Focus Features has signed to develop adaptation of the popular young adult series The Scorpio Races written by Maggie Stiefvater. After falling through with Warner Bros., the adaptation was then taken to Focus Features to develop. The screenplay will be adapted by Jack Thorne, produced by KatzSmith Productions and Jay Ireland is placed to be the Executive Producer [23]. This is a promising project for Focus Features, since the company’s adaptation productions has always been a success, such as Brokeback Mountain and Dallas Buyers Club.

PROJECTIONS FOR FOCUS FEATURES

With The Theory of Everything receiving a robust amount of Oscar buzz, Focus Feature is looking at a great Award Season in the upcoming year. The film is one of the frontrunner for Best Picture award and Best Actor by Redmayne‘s stellar performance in portraying the disease-ridden Stephen Hawking. The upcoming year is projected to be another improvement from the last, which peaked with Dallas Buyers Club‘s performance at the 2014 Academy Award. The extended partnership with LAIKA animation for another three movies is promising, judging by their previous successful collaborations with Coraline and ParaNorman. Next year will be another relatively successful year for Focus Features since the highly anticipated adaptation of “Fifty Shades of Grey” will be released on Valentine’s Day 2015.

SOURCES

[1] Box Office by Studio: Focus Features. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[2] Miller, Daniel (October 2 2013). FlimDistrict’s Schlessel to head Focus Features as Schamus departs. LA Times. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[3] Peter Schlessel. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 1 2014

[4] Christine Birch. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 1 2014

[5] Adrian Alperovich. NBCUniversal. Retrieved December 1 2014

[6] Studio Market Share 2014. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[7] Studio Market Share: Yearly Comparison. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[8] Brooks, Brian (November 9 2014). ‘The Theory of Everything’ Hawking Relatively Strong Box Office Debut. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[9] The Theory of Everything (2014). Box Office Mojo. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[10] Feinberg, Scott (September 7 2014). Toronto: Eddie Redmayne Leaps to Head of Oscar Pack for ‘Theory of Everything’. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[11] Feinberg, Scott (September 7 2014). Palm Springs Film Fest: Eddie Redmayne Lands top Actor Honor for ‘Theory of Everything’. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[12] Gray, Tim (September 7 2014). Toronto: ‘Theory of Everything’ Has the Right Formula for Oscars. Variety. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[13] The Theory of Everything Movie Poster. teaser-trailer.com. Retrieved December 1 2014

[14] The Boxtrolls (2014). Box Office Mojo. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[15] The Boxtrolls Movie Poster. impawards.com. Retrieved December 1 2014

[16] Yamato, Jen (October 3 2014). Post-‘Boxtrolls’, focus Features & LAIKA Pact On Three More Films. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[17] Kill The Messenger (2014). Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[18] Kill the Messenger (2014). Box Office Mojo. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[19] Weekend Box Office: October 10-12, 2014. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[20] Studio Market Share 2013. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[21] Tartaglione, Nancy (November 30 2014). ‘Mockingjay’, ‘Interstellar’, ‘Penguins’ Lead Frame; ‘Paddington’ Charms UK: Int’l B.O.. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[22] D’Alessandro, Anthony (July 2 2014). Focus Features To Bow ‘Black Sea’ In January; ‘Selfless’ & ‘Insidious 3’ Make Sked Changes. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved: november 30 2014

[23] Ford, Rebecca (November 5 2014). Focus to Develop YA Adaptation ‘Scorpio Races’ (Exclusive). The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved: November 30 2014

[24] Brokeback Mountain Movie Poster. impawards.com. Retrieved December 1 2014

[25] The Scorpio Races Book Cover. goodreads.com. Retrieved December 1 2014

[26] Focus Features Logo. NBCUniversal. Retrieved December 1 2014

Paramount Pictures

Posted on October 5, 2014 by bjyuran

by Brian Yuran

Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures Logo [1]

Contact Information: [2]

555 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038

(323)-956-5000

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Paramount

Twitter: @paramountpics

http://www.paramount.com

About Paramount Pictures:

Founded in 1912, Paramount Pictures is the fifth oldest surviving film studio. Paramount specializes in film production, distribution, and digital entertainment. It has built its success on many hit films and franchises, such as Titanic, Indiana Jones, Star Trek, and Transformers. [3] In 1994, Paramount was purchased by Viacom for $8.28 billion. [4]

Key Executives: [5]

Brad Grey: Chairman and CEO

Rob Moore: Vice Chairman

Frederick Huntsberry: COO

Adam Goodman: President, Paramount Film Group

Financials:

Paramount Pictures’ 2013 estimated box office revenue was approximately $970 million. [6] Also, its 2013 market share was 10.8%. As of late, Paramount Pictures’ performance has not been ideal. While it was the most profitable of the major studios in 2011, it is currently last. However, Paramount has a business model to fix its recent slip. It plans on making less films and going for guaranteed profit. In fact, Paramount is only releasing 11 films from now on as opposed to 16 in previous years. The studio believes this new business model will work because its profit margin has been 5.5% or more for the past three years, up from 0.5% in 2008. [7] Through these new tactics, Paramount looks to best competitors Warner Bros., Fox, and The Walt Disney Company.

Right Here, Right Now:

Over the summer, Paramount Pictures released the popular franchise films, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Transformers: Age of Extinction. Paramount’s fall season is slow as it is only releasing Interstellar and Men, Women, & Children.

Transformers: Age of Extinction

MV5BMjEwNTg1MTA5Nl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwOTg2OTM4MTE@._V1_SX640_SY720_

Transformers: Age of Extinction Official Poster [8]

Transformers: Age of Extinction dominated the box office, despite negative reviews. It currently holds an 18% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. [9] During its opening weekend, the film grossed $138,345,769 million, giving it the 29th biggest opening of all time. Internationally, the film crossed the $1 billion mark. It has become the highest-grossing film in Chinese film history, generating over $300 million in revenue. [10] Many studios like Paramount have been setting films overseas to appeal to the international market.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Michelangelo [11]

Paramount distributed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a joint Nickelodeon Movies and Platinum Dunes production, in August. The movie focuses on the origin story of the Ninja Turtles and their quest to defeat the evil Shredder. [12] Directed by Jonathan Liebesman and produced by Michael Bay, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was major financial success.

It grossed $93.7 million globally during its opening weekend. Domestically, it had an opening of $65 million in 3,845 theaters. To date, the film has grossed over $400 million at the international box office. [13] Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had the fourth biggest box office debut ever during the month of August. As a result, a sequel has been ordered for June 3rd, 2016. [14]

Men, Women, & Children

Adam Sandler in Men, Women, & Children [15]

Directed by Jason Reitman, Men, Women, & Children tells the story of a group of parents and high school students who face the consequences of the power of the Internet. [16] It has only grossed $705,908, which is substantially less than its $16 million budget. It is on track to be a major flop. In its wide release it only earned $306,367. Men, Women, & Children had the fifth worst wide release opening to a movie released on 600 screens. [17] Critical reviews have been negative with a 29% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. [18]

The negative buzz around the film is shocking as the topic very much pertains to the present. The internet has become such an integral part of all our lives. Also, the cast features A-list actors, such as Adam Sandler, Jennifer Garner, and Judy Greer. In fact, Sandler has been a huge box office draw for the past 15 years; his movies have grossed nearly $4 billion at the box office. [19] Even he could not salvage the film. Furthermore, the main issue was that the plot lines between the characters did not intertwine strongly. There was a huge opportunity to make this film great, but it was unfortunately bland and lacking in aesthetic value according to Chief Film Critic Justin Chang of Variety. [20]

Interstellar:

Interstellar Movie Poster [21]

Directed and co-written by Christopher Nolan and starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, Interstellar focuses on a team of individuals who search for a habitable planet that will allow humanity to survive. [22] It is maybe Nolan’s most daring film yet as it combines stunning visuals and a puzzling story with a solid family dynamic. Nolan borrowed many thematic elements from 2001: A Space Odyssey. For instance, he pays homage to the black monolith and computer HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Nowadays, it is rare to see a three hour movie, like Interstellar, but most critics are not complaining. A few have not been in love with the film like Joe McGovern of Entertainment Weekly, who gave the film a B- rating. [23] However, most of the other reviews have been more positive as the film currently holds a 9.0 rating on IMDB. [24]

Paramount is only handling the domestic release of Interstellar, while Warner Bros. takes care of the international distribution. [25] It grossed $61,837,040 domestically in its opening weekend, but a whopping $144,737,040 worldwide, which nearly surpassed its $165 million budget. By its second week in theaters, Interstellar grossed over $300 million ($321.9 million to be exact) globally. [26] Domestically in its second week, it made $29.2 million, for a domestic total of $97.8 million as it fell 39%. Over the weekend, it crossed the $500 million mark worldwide. [27]

In Other News

In 2014, Paramount Pictures became the first major studio to distribute all its content digitally. Also, Paramount has created a new website that enables people to stream movies right from its site so it can funnel money directly back into corporate headquarters, rather than dealing with websites like Amazon Prime. [28]

In addition, Paramount has been in a tireless legal battle with investors who claim they never received their money back from projects such as Mean Girls and The Manchurian Candidate. The investors are suing to get back $40 million of their investment. The court concluded that Paramount is off the hook and not responsible. [29]

Looking Forward:

Unlike the fall season, Paramount’s winter film slate will be much busier with the releases of highly anticipated films, The Gambler (2014), Top Five, and The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water.

The Gambler (2014) Trailer [30]

The Gambler (2014) is Mark Wahlberg‘s latest film, in which his character, Jim Bennett, borrows money from a gangster and puts his life up as collateral. It is a remake of the 1974 film of the same name. [31]

Top Five Trailer [32]

Top Five is a comedy film written and directed by Chris Rock. It has a planned release date of December 12th, 2014. It currently holds a stellar 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. [33]

The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water Trailer [34]

The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water is planned to be one of Paramount’s biggest hits of the winter, as it will attract young fans and older fans who grew up viewing the television show.

Paramount’s future appears promising with the other releases of Selma, Hot Tub Time Machine 2, and Project Almanac, which will be presented in a found footage style. [35] Selma is expected to generate much Oscar talk.

Sources:

[1] Paramount Logo, Paramount.com, RT: 11/10/14

[2] Paramount Contact Information, Paramount.com, RT: 11/12/14

[3] Film Franchises, Paramount.com, RT: 11/12/14

[4] “Viacom To Announce Deal To Purchase Paramount”, The New York Times, 9/12/93, RT: 11/12/14

[5] Key Executives, Paramount.com, RT: 11/10/14

[6] Paramount Revenue, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 11/08/14

[7] New Business Model, The New York Times, 12/22/13, RT: 11/09/14

[8] Transformers: Age of Extinction Poster, IMDB, RT: 11/08/14

[9] Transformers: Age of Extinction Review, Rotten Tomatoes, RT: 11/11/14

[10] Transformers: Age of Extinction in China, Deadline.com, 8/3/14, RT: 11/12/14

[11] Michelangelo Photo, Screenrant.com, RT: 11/07/14

[12] Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, IMDB, RT: 11/09/14

[13] “Ninja Turtles Cracks $400 Million”, Variety.com, 11/02/14, RT: 11/10/14

[14] Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Sequel Announced, Variety.com, 8/10/14, RT: 11/11/14

[15] “Adam Sandler Leads Sexually Charged Dramedy”, The New York Post, 9/30/14, RT: 11/10/14

[16] Men, Women, & Children Summary, Time.com, RT: 11/10/14

[17] Men, Women, & Children Flop, Thewrap.com, RT: 11/11/14

[18] Men, Women, & Children Rating, Rotten Tomatoes, RT: 11/12/14

[19] Adam Sandler Box Office, The New York Times, 9/30/14, RT: 11/09/14

[20] Justin Chang, Variety.com, 09/06/14, RT: 11/10/14

[21] Interstellar Photo, Hollywoodreporter.com, RT: 11/11/14

[22] Interstellar Info, RogerEbert.com, RT: 11/16/14

[23] Joe McGovern, Entertainment Weekly, 11/19/14, RT: 11/19/14

[24] Interstellar Rating, IMDB, RT: 11/19/14

[25] Interstellar Distribution, Variety.com, 11/16/14, RT: 11/19/14

[26] Interstellar Box Office, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 11/20/14

[27] Interstellar’s Splash, Deadline.com, RT: 11/21/14

[28] Paramount Streaming Service, Theverge.com, RT: 11/06/14

[29] “Paramount Pictures, Movie Investors in Mean Fight”, The Wall Street Journal, 10/26/14, RT: 11/18/14

[30] The Gambler (2014) Trailer, Youtube.com, RT: 11/18/14

[31] The Gambler (2014), IMDB, RT: 11/18/14

[32] Top Five Trailer, Youtube.com, RT: 11/18/14

[33] Top Five Rating, Rotten Tomatoes, RT: 11/18/14

[34] The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water Trailer, Youtube.com, RT: 11/17/14

[35] Paramount Future Releases, Deadline.com, RT: 11/10/14

Warner Bros. Pictures

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Kyohei Kawada

By Ken Kawada

Courtesy of Deadline

Brief Overview

The Warner Brothers Pictures was founded on April 4, 1923, and it is one of the major studios in Hollywood. The studio handles production and distribution of films, and finances or co-finances their films. They collaborate with other studios such as Village Roadshow Pictures, Castle Rock Entertainment and RatPac-Dune Entertainment. The studio is known for producing award winning films such as The Dark Knight, Inception and Argo. [1]

Key Executives

Greg Silverman

Courtesy of Deadline

Silverman is the President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production for Warner Brothers Pictures. Appointed in June 2013, he oversees the studio’s development activities, global production and budget. He also works with the studio’s senior management to seek opportunities for the company. [2]

Steven S. Spira

Courtesy of Variety

Spira is the President, Worldwide Business Affairs for Warner Brothers Pictures. Promoted on January 2004, he is responsible for overseeing the business aspects of the studio’s operations that include development, production and distribution of films. [3]

Sue Kroll

Courtesy of Film Independent

Kroll is the President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution for Warner Brothers Pictures. She oversees the strategic creation and marketing campaigns for the studio’s international releases. [4]

Recent Releases

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Courtesy of Movie Wallpapers

Continuing the success of Peter Jackson’s epic fantasy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Warner Brothers Pictures released its latest sequel on December 2, 2013, just in time for the award season. The film follows the titular character, Bilbo Baggins as he continues his journey with the dwarves to reclaim their homeland from the dragon Smaug. Based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy novel of the same name, this anticipated sequel is the second film in the The Hobbit franchise. [5]

The film’s release was the fourth best opening weekend for the month of December, slightly behind the first Hobbit film. On Metacritic, the film received an average review score of 66 out of 100, which indicates generally favorable reviews from critics. Many critics have highlighted the overall improvement from the first film in the series, but still criticized the length. [7]

It has grossed over $950 million at the worldwide box office to this date, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2013. The Desolation of Smaug received 3 nominations at this year’s Academy Awards, including best visual effects. [6]

The LEGO Movie

Courtesy of Forbes

This 3D animated film is this year’s unexpected hit. Starring the voices of Christ Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman and Will Arnett, the film tells the story of an ordinary LEGO construction worker, mini-figure who joins a quest to stop an evil tyrant from destroying their world. [8]

The film’s mass appeal to both children and adults contributed to the film’s success at the box office. The studio has already announced a sequel for the film, potentially starting a new franchise for Warner Bros. As of now, the sequel is set to be released in 2017. Jared Stern and Michelle Morgan were hired to pen the script for the sequel, but it is still unknown whether writer/director of the first film, Phil Lord and Chris Miller will return. The plot is also still yet to be determined. [9]

The film received an average review score of 82 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating an universal acclaim from critics. The film’s release was the second best opening weekend for the month of February, behind Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. Grossing over $400 million to this date on a $60 million budget, the film is projected to continue its success in Blu-Ray and DVD sales. [10] [11]

300: Rise of an Empire

Courtesy of Nerdlocker

7 years after the release of their blockbuster film, 300, the studio finally released the long anticipated sequel on March 7 of this year. The film was initially scheduled to be released last August, but due to unknown circumstances, the film was pushed back to March of this year. Based on Frank Miller’s yet to be published graphic novel Xerxes, the film tells a story of Greek general Themistokles, and his charge against the Persian forces led by Xerxes and Artemisia. Zack Synder, who directed the first film in the series, served as the writer and producer for this film. [12]

As of April, the film has grossed over $300 million on a $110 million budget. 67.9% of the total gross comes from the international market. Compared to its predecessors, the film is not as successful, but still on a good track thanks to the international market. On the critic side, the film had a similar average review score with its predecessor, scoring 48 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating mixed or average reviews. Fans of the first film have criticized the storyline, but praised the visual style. [13] [14]

86th Academy Awards

Courtesy of International Business Times

In addition to the financial success for Warner Brothers Pictures, the studio also collected 21 nominations at the 86th Academy Awards, personal best for Warner Brothers. Gravity, which was released last October, tied with American Hustle for most nominations. By the end of the night, Gravity won seven awards, including Best Director for Alfonso Cuaron, who was the first Hispanic director to ever win in the category. Spike Jonze’ Her also received 5 nominations, including Best Picture. The film eventually won Best Writing for an original screenplay. The studio won a total of 10 Oscars by the end of the night. [15]

Financial

In 2013, Warners Brothers Pictures had the most successful theatrical year in company history, taking the number one spot in domestic, international and worldwide box office. The studio cumulated $1.893 billion in domestic box office, and $3.145 in international box office, surpassing the $5 billion mark, which is the first for the studio and only the second time that the feat has been achieved by any studio in Hollywood. Bolstered by the successes of films like The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Gravity, and Man of Steel, Warners Brothers was able to beat other major competitors like Disney. [1] [16] [17]

Coming Soon…

Warner Brothers Pictures will be releasing Transcendence, starring Johnny Depp, and directed by cinematographer, Wally Pfister, making his directional debut. Pfister is a usual collaborator of Christopher Nolan, known for The Dark Knight and Inception. As of now, the critical reception has mostly been negative, which can greatly impact the box office result. Hoping to continue their success from last year, they will be releasing more blockbusters as we approach the summer season. Godzilla, Edge of Tomorrow and Jupiter Ascending are other films that are slated to be released later this year. [18]

Sources

[1] Warner Bros. Pictures

[6] The Hobbit Box Office Mojo

[7] The Hobbit Metacritic

[8] The LEGO Movie IMDB

[9] Cinema Blend, The LEGO Movie Sequel

[10] The LEGO Movie Metacritic

[11] The LEGO Movie Box Office Mojo

[12] 300: Rise of an Empire on IMDB

[13] 300: Rise of an Empire Box Office Mojo

[14] 300: Rise of an Empire Metacritic

[15] The Hollywood Reporter Oscar Coverage

[16] Warner Bros. Leads Global Market Share

[17] Comingsoon.net Warner Bros. Pictures 2013 Box Office

[18] Deadline Hollywood coverage on WonderCon

Weinstein Company

Posted on November 18, 2013 by eamoomey

By Mark DiBona

The Weinstein Company Logo

The Weinstein Company (TWC) was founded in October 2005 by brothers Harvey and Bob Weinstein, following their departure from the film studio Miramax, which they had founded 26 years earlier in 1979. Since its founding, the studio has earned a reputation for consistently putting out commercial and critical successes. Their films have had a continuous presence at the Academy Awards, including two consecutive best picture wins for The King’s Speech in 2010 and The Artist in 2011. The studio also owns Dimension Films, a genre studio founded by Bob Weinstein, best known for various horror films as well as the Spy Kids series. [1]

Key Executives

Harvey Weinstein, courtesy of TIME Magazine

Harvey Weinstein co-founded the company with his brother Bob Weinstein and has served as its co-chairman since. Weinstein also produces many of his studio films, which has led to him personally winning a best picture Oscar in 1998 for producing Shakespeare in Love during his tenure with Miramax. [2]

Bob Weinstein, courtesy of The Wrap

Bob Weinstein, in addition to co-founding The Weinstein Company and serving as its co-chairman, founded the studio Dimension Films in 1993. Focused on genre films, the studio has released such notable films as the Scream series, the Spy Kids series, and Sin City. [3]

Financials

Among the most prominent of the mini-majors, TWC has continually increased its presence since its founding in 2005. In 2012, the studio had a 2.57% market share with a combined film gross of $278, 608, 624 from 21 releases. So far in 2013, they hold a 4.78% market share with a combined $441,224,429 gross thanks to the runaway success of The Butler as well as holdovers from late releases of the previous year such as Django Unchained and Silver Linings Playbook, which also allowed them to end the first quarter of 2013 second in marketshare. [4], [5]

Awards

The Weinstein Company has earned a reputation as a perennial major player at the Academy Awards. Between Miramax and TWC there are 303 Oscar nominations and 75 wins. TWC alone has earned 7 best picture nominations and 2 wins since its founding. Much of this success is attributed to the Weinstein brothers, and Harvey in particular is known for his aggressive marketing techniques. For Silver Linings Playbook, which earned 8 nominations and 1 win, the cast appeared on various talk shows and discussed their personal connections to the film, such as this appearance on Katie where the director, David O. Russell, and stars Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper talk about their experiences with bipolar disorder, which is central to the film. . [1]

The Butler

Courtesy of imdb.com

Released on August 16th 2013, Lee Daniels’ The Butler details the story of an African-American man who serves as White House butler for 34 years and is inspired by a true story. It stars Forest Whitaker in the title role and Oprah Winfrey as his wife as well as featuring numerous cameos from actors like Robin Williams and John Cusack. It became a box office hit, earning $115,474,000 domestically and $31,192,066 in the foreign market against a $30 million budget and managed to hold the #1 spot for 3 of its first 4 weeks. [6]

The film is already being touted as a contender for the Academy Awards, with a possible Best Picture nomination. [7]

However, the film gained some notoriety when Harvey Weinstein publically attempted to fight the MPAA board’s decision that the film be renamed due to a 1916 Warner Brothers’ film called The Butler. This ultimately led to the film adding director Lee Daniels’ name into the title. [8]

Fruitvale Station

Courtesy of imdb.com

A smaller scale film, Fruitvale Station is a dramatization of the last day in the life of Oscar Grant III who was tragically shot on January 1st 2013 by a cop. Starring Michael B. Jordan and Octavia Spencer, the film earned a respectable $16 million at the box office against a minuscule budget but earned critical acclaim, holding a 94% on Rottentomatoes. The Film also received large support and praise from celebrities including LeBron James, Oprah Winfrey, and drummer for The Roots, Questlove. [9], [10]

August: Osage County

Courtesy of imdb.com

Based on the Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same name, August: Osage County is set for December 25th Release Date. Dealing with a large family who reunite in the Oklahoma house they grew up in following a crisis, the film features a large ensemble cast including Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Ewan McGregor. [11]

Originally considered to be a potential huge contender at the Oscars and frontrunner for Best Picture, mixed reactions from its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival have somewhat subdued these predictions. However, the film is still expected to earn at least a few nominations and also gather a large box office draw against its $25 million budget due to the presence of its stars. [12], [13]

The Future of the Weinstein Company

Courtesy of USA Today

On August 20th, TWC announced a groundbreaking multi-year deal with Netflix. The deal will make Netflix the sole subscription service for first-run films from TWC starting in 2016. The Weinstein Company already enjoyed a healthy relationship with the streaming service, using it as a pay TV home for their documentaries and various films including 2011 best picture winner, The Artist, but this deal has been described by Harvey Weinstein as “the biggest deal in the history of The Weinstein Company.” [14]

One of the most anticipated film projects beyond 2013 is Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, the long-delayed sequel to the 2005 film Sin City. As the first film earned over $158 million against a $40 million budget, the sequel is expected to do well and has been given a summer release date. It will feature a large cast of stars including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Josh Brolin, Bruce Willis, and Jessica Alba. [15], [16]

Other 2014 releases include Tim Burton’s Big Eyes starring Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams and The Giver based on the beloved young adult novel. [17]

Looking ahead, The Weinstein Company is shaping up to continue to increase its market presence and climb to the top of the mini-major studios. Through continuous presentation of quality films with savvy marketing and its expansion into new fields, TWC should continue to experience success in the near future.

Sources

1. About the Weinstein Company
2. About Harvey Weinstein
3. About Bob Weinstein
4. The Numbers
5. Weinstein Co. Beats Most Majors in First Quarter
6. Boxofficemojo
7. Gold Derby Best Picture Predictions
8. “The Butler” Title Fight
9.Boxofficemojo, “Fruitvale Station”
10. The Official Fruitvale Station Tumblr
11. August: Osage County
12.August: Osage County early reviews, a mixed bag at TIFF
13. The Guardian
14. The Weinstein Co. Agrees to Exclusive Streaming Deal With Netflix
15. Boxofficemojo, “Sin City”
16. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
17. Rope of Silicon

Principles & Practices

Website by the students of TRF235

Tag Archives: Academy Awards

Weinstein Company

20th Century Fox (film)

History

Executives

Finances

Awards Season

The New Superhero

Coming Soon

Sources

Warner Bros. Pictures

Columbia Pictures

MGM

Focus Features

Paramount Pictures

Weinstein Company