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.

Columbia Pictures

Posted on October 5, 2014 by jvelez03

by Javier Vélez

Columbia Pictures

Courtesy of fortune.com (a)

Contact Information: (b)

Address: 10202 W. Washington Blvd.

Culver City, CA 90232

Phone: 310-244-4000

http://www.sonypictures.com/

Key Executives: (c)

Doug Belgrad (President)

Robert Osher (COO of Columbia Pictures)

Hannah Minghella (President of Production)

Michael De Luca (President of Production)

About Columbia Pictures:

Rita Hayworth Courtesy of: Fanpop.com

The production studio known today as Columbia Pictures was founded in 1918 by Joe Brandt and brothers Jack and Harry Cohn. Originally named Cohn-Brandt-Cohn Film Sales, the company became Columbia Pictures in 1924. During the Hollywood Golden Age, Columbia had many stars of the era under contract, such as Rita Hayworth and William Holden, and became a major player in the movie business thanks to the productions of director Frank Capra.(d) In 1982, the company was bought by Coca-Cola, and in 1989 Sony purchased it for $3.4 billion.(e) Columbia Pictures is currently the film production and distribution division of Sony Picture’s Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, part of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a Sony subsidiary.(f) The most recent movement at the executive level occurred on July 16, 2014, when Doug Belgrad was promoted to president of the Sony Motion Picture Group. (g)

Financials:

Columbia Pictures, and its parent company Sony Pictures Entertainment, are privately traded.(h) The company has had notable releases in the last few years, including box office successes such as Skyfall and the Spider-Man franchise. From its 853 films produced or distributed for Sony Pictures, Columbia Pictures releases have grossed $31,650,056,784, an average of $37 million per film.(i) In 2014, Columbia Pictures has held a 13.0% market share as of November 23.(j)

The Amazing Spider-Man Courtesy of Boxofficemojo.com

Columbia Pictures Success:

At the 2014 Oscars, films distributed by Columbia Pictures received 16 nominations. American Hustle received 10 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Actress in a Leading Role, and Best Director. It won two Oscars, Jennifer Lawrence for Best Supporting Actress and David O. Russell & Eric Warren Singer for Best Original Screenplay. (k)

American Hustle poster Courtesy of: Forbes.com

The other Columbia release that received Oscar Nominations was Captain Phillips. Of the six nominations received, the most noteworthy were for Best Picture and Best Actor in a Supporting Role for first-time actor Barkhad Abdi. The film did not win any Academy Awards.

The stars of Captain Phillips, Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi Courtesy of aceshowbiz.com

Columbia Pictures Presents:

Columbia Pictures has produced and/or distributed 17 films in 2014. Between superhero films, action films, and comedies, among others, the studio has released some of the most well-received films of the year by audiences.

During the summer, Columbia Pictures produced the sequel to 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2”, starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Jamie Foxx. The movie was released on May 2, 2014 in 4,324 theaters, grossing $110,700,722 in its first week. It went on to have a successful run in theaters, grossing over $200 million domestically and over $505 million in foreign markets, for a worldwide gross of $708, 983, 323 against a budget of $200 million. (l) In China, the movie was released in 11,002 theaters, a record amount of screens. (m) The film was not as big a hit with critics, receiving mixed reviews. (n)

Teaser Poster for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Courtesy of: Boxofficemojo.com

Another high-profile release in the summer of 2014 was 22 Jump Street, the sequel to 2012’s critical and commercial hit, 21 Jump Street. The movie, which pokes fun at conventional sequels, starred the buddy cop team of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as they move on from high school to college.

It was released on June 13, 2014, and went on to gross $191 million domestically, making up its $50 million budget. Internationally, the film made $131 million, for a total worldwide gross of $331 million. It was also well-received by critics, obtaining a 84% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. (o) (p)

Now Playing:

The Equalizer poster Courtesy of: IMDB.com

After the summer blockbuster season, Columbia Pictures has released two films that have been well-received by audiences. The first is “The Equalizer”, an action film directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Denzel Washington as a retired government official who must save an innocent girl from Russian gangsters. The film was released on September 26, 2014. (q) It is adapted from a TV series of the same name that aired on CBS from 1985 to 1989. (r) This is Fuqua’s and Denzel’s first film together since Training Day, for which Denzel won an Academy Award for Best Actor. The film opened its box office run with a $45 million gross its first week, opening in first place. It went on to gross $99 million domestically and $90 million in international sales, for a worldwide gross of around $190 million against a budget of $55 million. (s) The film received mixed-to-positive reviews. (t)

The other film Columbia has released in the fall is “Fury”, a World War II tank movie starring Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, and Logan Lerman, written and directed by David Ayer. The movie deals with a tank unit behind enemy lines during the latter stages of the war and presents, with unflinching reality, the brutalities of war. (u) The film was released on October 17, 2014 and opened in first place at the box office with a $33 million gross its first week. “Fury” is still in theaters, and as of November 28, 2014 has grossed approximately $81 million domestically and $74 million globally, good for a total gross of $155 million against a budget of $68 million. For the week of November 21-27, the film’s sixth week, “Fury” was still in the top 10 highest grossing films of the week. (v) (w) The film has been well-received by critics, holding a 78% “Certified Fresh” Rotten Tomatoes rating. (x)

Future:

Annie (2014) poster Courtesy of: IMDB.com

Columbia Pictures plans to take advantage of the holiday season, distributing two films. The first is a modern re-telling of the musical “Annie”,produced by Jay-Z and starring Jamie Foxx and Quvenzhané Wallis. The movie will be released on December 19, 2014. The comedy-musical will look to appeal to a broad audience. (y)

Another film being distributed in December by Columbia Pictures is the comedy “The Interview”. The controversial film (z) stars James Franco and Seth Rogen as a TV presenter and his producer, respectively, who are sent to North Korea to kill Kim Jong-un. The film will be released on December 25, 2014, and will look to appeal to mature audiences on Christmas Day. (aa)

Movies to be distributed and/or produced by Columbia Pictures in the following years include a Neill Blomkamp film titled Chappie, an Angry Birds movie, and spin-offs of the Amazing Spider-Man franchise. (bb) Also in production is the next installment in the Bond franchise, with the working title of Bond 24. The film will once again be helmed by “Skyfall” director Sam Mendes and will star Daniel Craig as the titular 007 agent and Christoph Waltz as a Bond villain. It is yet to be seen how production of these and other Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures films will be altered by the November 24, 2014 hacks on their worldwide computer networks. Recent releases like “Fury” and soon-to-be-released features like “Annie” were leaked by this attack. (cc) (dd)

Sources:

(a) Columbia Pictures information on Fortune.com
(b) Columbia Pictures contact information on Yahoo! Finance
(c) Columbia Pictures senior management
(d) Columbia Pictures history
(e) Yahoo! Finance company profile
(f) Sony Entertainment Divisions
(g) Doug Belgrad promoted to president
(h) Google Company Summary
(i) Sony/Columbia All-Time Box Office
(j) Studio Market Share
(k) American Hustle at the Oscars
(l) Amazing Spider-Man 2 Box Office results
(m) Amazing Spider-Man 2 at the Chinese box office
(n) Amazing Spider-Man 2 Critical Reception
(o) 22 Jump Street Box Office results
(p) 22 Jump Street Critical Reception
(q) The Equalizer IMDB information
(r) The Equalizer Remake Information
(s) The Equalizer Box Office results
(t) The Equalizer Critical Reception
(u) Fury IMDB information
(v) Fury Box Office summary
(w) Fury Box Office weekly
(x) Fury Critical Reception
(y) Annie IMDB information
(z) The Interview controversy with North Korea
(aa) The Interview IMDB information
(bb) Amazing Spider-Man franchise spin-offs
(cc) Hackers paralyze Sony computers
(dd) Sony films are released online illegally

Columbia Pictures

Posted on October 30, 2013 by Lillian Terzis

By Lily Terzis

(1) Columbia Pictures Logo, featuring a woman carrying a torch, representing Columbia, who is a personification of the United States.

Headquarters
10202 W. Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA
90232

Contact Information
Phone: 310-244-4000
URL: sonypictures.com

Key Executives

Robert Osher, Chief Operating Officer of Columbia Pictures (3)

Doug Belgrad, President of Columbia Pictures (2)

About the Company

Columbia Pictures is a production and distribution company founded in 1924 by Jack Cohn, Harry Cohn, and Joe Brandt. It is currently owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, operating as part of Sony’s Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, through which Sony produces most of its big budget movies. Considered one of the leading film studios in the world, Columbia Pictures is one of Hollywood’s “Big Six”, distributing over 22 films yearly in the United States alone. Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group operations are located in six other countries: Columbia Pictures Producciones Espanolas in Madrid; Columbia Pictures Producciones Mexico in Mexico City; Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia in Hong Kong; and others in the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Japan (16).

Top Competitors

Warner Brothers Entertainment Inc (6)
Walt Disney Studios (6)
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (6)

History

(4) Frank Capra, a well known director for Columbia Pictures

During the Golden Age of of Hollywood, Columbia Pictures was considered one of the ‘Little Three’. Much of their earlier success can be accredited to director Frank Capra, who created Columbia’s first all “talkie” feature, titled “The Donovan Affair”. His film ‘It Happened One Night’ earned Columbia their first Best Picture Academy Award and brought the studio to fame. In the mid ’40’s, Columbia released their highest-grossing movie ever, “The Jolson Story”. This earned them another Best Picture award as well as marked the beginning of their most profitable decade (5).
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Columbia Pictures joined with HBO and CBS to form TriStar Pictures in 1985 (7)

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In 1982, Columbia was bought by Coca Cola. This was a lucrative time for the company as they expanded into other forms of entertainment, such as home video. Three years later, Columbia joined with HBO and CBS to make the first new motion picture studio in decades, TriStar Pictures. This major studio was the had the fastest growth in the history of the film industry.

Sony Corporation purchased Columbia Pictures in 1989 for $3.2 billion (5). This purchase was unprecedented, and was, at that time, the largest acquisition by a Japanese company. Columbia Pictures has been gaining success ever since.

Finances

Columbia Pictures does not make its finances known to the public. It is not a publicly traded company, its parent company Sony, is traded under the name SNE at $18.51 a share. Columbia and Sony Pictures together have grossed $1,065.8 million this year alone, and control 11.4% of the market share (21). They are currently ranked as the number 4 studio by Box Office Mojo, just under Buena Vista.

Recent Releases

Movie Poster for “Captain Phillips” (8)

Captain Phillips
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: October 11, 2013
Production Budget: $55 Million

“Captain Phillips” is a true story about an American cargo ship that was hijacked by Somali pirates and was a hugely successful film, its widest release in 3,143 theaters. Despite the competitively successful “Gravity” released at a similar time, the film is doing very well. So far, it has grossed over $97,820,373 domestically, which is much more than its budget. Its opening weekend, it was ranked number 2 at the box office (9).

You can find the trailer for this film HERE
.

Poster for the movie “Elysium” (11)

Elysium
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: August 9, 2013
Production Budget: $115 Million

“Elysium” is a film about the future, where the wealthy live on a space ship and the poor must live on the destroyed earth. The main character’s mission is to create equality. The film’s domestic total gross so far is $92,947,675, but its foreign gross is $192,007,963. Its widest release was to 3,284 theaters and ranked number 1 its opening weekend (10).

You can find the trailer for this film HERE
.

Movie Poster for “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” (20)

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2
MPAA Rating: PG
Release Date: September 27, 2013
Production Budget: $78 million

“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2” is an animated movie for children. It features the voices of some celebrities, like Anna Faris, Andy Samburg, and Neil Patrick Harris. This was a highly successful film for Columbia, grossing $34,017, 930 domestically its opening weekend in 4,001 theaters. It was immediately ranked number 1 at the box office. So far, the film has made almost double its budget, grossing $113,125,418 domestically as of November 18th (19).

You can find the trailer for this film HERE.

Upcoming Releases

Movie poster for “American Hustle” (12)

American Hustle
MPAA Rating: Not yet rated
Release Date: December 13, 2013

“American Hustle” is about a con man and his partner, a British woman, who are forced to work for the FBI. This film is expected to do well at the box office. It has a lot of star power, as the cast is made up of Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Louis CK, and Christian Bale (12). This film is generating a lot of buzz as it is soon to show at its first film festival, the Dubai International Film Festival, or DIFF.
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You can find the trailer for this film HERE.

Movie Poster for “The Amazing Spider-Man” (13)

The Amazing Spider-Man 2
MPAA Rating: Not yet rated
Release Date: May 2, 2014

“The Amazing Spider-Man 2” is starring Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield, and Jamie Foxx. It is being produced by Matthew Tolmach, who is a previous co-president of Columbia Pictures (14). Columbia Pictures has had a huge amount of success with the Spider-man franchise. Working with Marvel, Columbia also plans to release an IMAX 3D version (15).

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Recent News

In 2012, Sony released that it had made over $4 billion worldwide, mostly in part to Columbia’s successful films, including “Skyfall“, “The Amazing Spider-Man“, “21 Jump Street“, “Men in Black 3“, and “Hotel Transylvania“. The Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group now has a motion picture library with over 3,500 titles with 12 Best Picture Academy Awards. Currently, Columbia plans to continue creating big budget box office hits and gaining large profits for Sony Pictures Entertainment. In the upcoming 2014-2015 year, the studio plans to create some sequels to their previously successful films, such as “Bad Teacher 2“, “Hotel Transylvania 2” and “22 Jump Street” (16). Columbia is also looking to produce some Oscar contenders, like “Annie“, a modern telling of the classic musical. It is set to be released in 2014, and stars Quvenzhane Wallis who was nominated for an Oscar for her acting in “Beasts of the Southern Wild” (17).

Recently, Columbia’s parent company Sony has not been doing so well. This year, they were ranked fourth in domestic box-office sales, and gained a revenue of $1.13 billion, which is down 32% from last year. They are undergoing many changes, especially after some box office flops like “White House Down” and “After Earth” (18). They are reportedly reviewing their process for how movies are selected and are looking to cut costs.

Sources

[1] Columbia Pictures Logo
[2] Doug Belgrad
[3] Robert Osher
[4] Frank Capra
[5] History of the studio
[6] Top Competitors
[7] TriStar Logo
[8] Image for Captain Phillips
[9] Movie info Captain Phillips
[10] Elysium info
[11] Elysium Poster
[12] American Hustle Poster and Info
[13] Amazing Spiderman Poster
[14] Spiderman Producer
[15] Spiderman Info
[16] Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group
[17] Annie
[18] Sony Finances
[19] Cloudy Chance of Meatballs Info
[20] Cloudy Chance of Meatballs Poster
[21] Financial Information Columbia and Sony

Columbia Pictures

Posted on October 28, 2013 by Matthew Fernandes

By Matthew Fernandes

Columbia Pictures Logo – Columbia Pictures [1]

Columbia Pictures is a major film production and distribution studio, and primary wing of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group. The company is a leading division of Sony Pictures Entertainment. With a history spanning nearly 100 years Columbia has produced over 3,500 films, many among them classics [23].

Columbia Pictures Logo Transformation

Columbia, Screen Gems and Sony Picture Entertainment Logos [4]

Columbia’s History

Beginnings

Harry Cohn [2]

Columbia has a long history, beginning in 1922 with producers Harry Cohn, Jack Cohn and Joe Brandt [2].

Joe Brandt [2]

Jack Cohn [2]

They had originally called the company CBC, but changed the name to Columbia in 1922. They produced their first film More to Be Pitied Than Scorned that same year [2].

Film Poster [3]

Capra and the 30s

In 1924, the company really began to expand with the debut of director Frank Capra [2]. Capra directed such classic films during the ’30s as It Happened One Night (1934), which gained Columbia Pictures its first Best Picture Academy Award. [2]

Frank Capra: Director [2]

Fast-forward: 1980s-present

Columbia grew quickly following Capra’s success, earning several academy awards, becoming one of the first major studios to invest in television [2], and launching Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment. In 1982, the company established an impressive television library with Columbia TriStar Television [2]. The next year, Columbia formed TriStar Pictures with CBS and HBO [2].

In 1989 the Sony Corporation purchased Columbia Pictures Corporation, bringing Columbia into its entertainment division. [2] Since then, the company has had several major successes. They continue to dominate, but more as a film distributor and production studio for Sony’s major films [20]. The executives for Sony and Columbia Pictures provide key leadership.

Executives

Michael Lynton [5]

Though not a direct member of the Columbia Pictures executive team, Michael Lynton is the CEO of Sony Entertainment, as well as the Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. As chairman, overseeing Columbia’s operations. [5]

Doug Belgrad – sonypictures.com [6]

Since 2008, Doug Belgrad has served as the president of Columbia Pictures [6]. Since then, he has overseen some of Columbia’s most recent successes such as Captain Phillips and This is the End.

Hannah Minghella – sonypictures.com [7]

Hannah Minghella serves as Columbia’s President of Production, having joined the company in 2005 and receiving a promotion to her current position in 2010 [7].

Together, Columbia’s management has guided the company through varied amounts of success [5]. Columbia works directly under Sony Picture Entertainment for its productions distribution, distribution deals, and financial ventures.

Financials

Columbia is privately traded, so current financial data is unavailable [21]. However, Box Office Mojo estimates that Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment have earned over $1 billion in gross sales this year, and controlled 11.5 percent of the market share [22]. Despite some recent successes, Columbia Pictures experienced some criticism. According to a recent Bloomberg article, Sony Corporation has hired Bain and Co. to manage $100 million in spending cuts that are meant to improve Sony Pictures Entertainment. The article attributes some of the changes to After Earth and White House Down two recent film releases by Columbia [23].

2013: Snapshot

Like many major production studios, Columbia has many projects in development at any given time, though it has worked mainly as production house and distribution company for Sony over the past few years. The following releases are projects that the company has either released in the past year or recently put into development.

White House Down: Box Office Disappointment

White House Down was one of Columbia’s major releases for the summer. This action thriller stars Channing Tatum a cop who must save his daughter and the United Stated President (played by Jamie Foxx) from an unknown terrorist group. [8]

Film picture – [9]

According to Box Office Mojo, the film brought in over $200 million, but had a production budget of over $150 million [9]. This was surprising given that the film released during the summer and had the makings of a blockbuster. The movie had to compete with a similar film called Olympus Has Fallen starring Morgan Freeman and Gerard Butler, which might have caused a divide in film audiences over which movie to see. Columbia Pictures and Sony might be able to salvage some profit with a home entertainment release since they will most likely retain the rights, but this film seems like a missed opportunity for Columbia Pictures.

Cloudy With Chance of Meatballs 2: A Strong Success

This past fall, Columbia Pictures managed the theatrical release for Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2. The new film is the sequel to Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, a popular animated film that Columbia Pictures released in 2009 in conjunction with several other studios [11].

This second installment has been a success relative to the summer mishap of White House Down, earning almost $200 million worldwide compared to a budget of $78 million [10]. Columbia Pictures will most likely benefit from a profitable DVD release as well, bringing in more profit after the film closes in theaters.

Captain Phillips

Film Poster [17]

One of Columbia Picture’s most recent leases is Captain Phillips the suspense thriller based on the actual hijacking of Maersk Alabama, which was captured by Somalian pirates in 2009 [12]. Tom Hanks plays the eponymous character Captain Richard Phillips, giving the film some major star power.

Film Photo [12]

The film has done well since its October release nearly doubling its budget of $55 million [13]. Despite critical success for the film, a recent New York Post article criticized it for portraying a false story.

The actual crew of the film has spoken out against the portrayal of Captain Phillips, which they claim to be completely false [14]. The film does not seem to be suffering from this poor press, however. If the film receives any Oscars, it will probably have another wave of sales after its eventual DVD release.

Future Projects

RoboCop

This film is a recreation of the 1987 sci-fi film of the same name. The story follows Alex Murphy, a cop who becomes a machine-human soldier after experiencing a nearly fatal injury [16].

Film Poster [16]

RoboCop Trailer 2013

RoboCop Trailer Photo [15]

The film has some well-known actors, but the real appeal is film’s name itself. Given the popularity of the original character and the film’s President’s Day weekend release date, RoboCop should draw huge audiences for Columbia Pictures.

New Acquisitions

Columbia Pictures has recently been listed as a production studio for some of Sony Picture Entertainment’s most recent acquisitions. One of the most notable acquisitions is Annie, for which Sony gained the film distribution rights this year [18]. The film version of the classic musical is set to release next year.

Columbia has also started developing projects based on the popular novels The Rosie Project and Tomorrow And Tomorrow [19]. Both of these projects are still in development, but will join the slate of films that Columbia is set to produce for the coming year, including The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and RoboCop [18].

Despite some of the financial criticism that Columbia Pictures received for some of its more recent box office disappointments, it is still one of the dominant film studios. And given some of the high-profile film’s on Columbia’s slate for the coming year, it will most likely retain its position as a major entertainment entity.

References

[1] Columbia Pictures logo

[2] Sony Pictures – History of Columbia Pictures

[3] More to be Pitied Than Scorned Film Poster

[4] Transformation of Columbia Logo

[5] Michael Lynton Profile

[6] Doug Belgrad Profile

[7] Hannah Minghella Profile

[8] White House Down Official Site

[9] White House Down Movie Data

[10] Cloudy With a Chance of Meatball 2 Movie Data

[11] Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs IMDB

[12] Captain Phillips Movie Official Website

[13] Captain Phillips Movie Data

[14] “Crew Members Deny Captain Phillips Heroism” – New York Post

[15] RoboCop Official Trailer

[16] RoboCop IMDb

[17] Captain Phillips IMDb

[18] Columbia Pictures Film Distribution List IMDb

[19] Sony Acquires The Rosie Project

[20] Columbia Profi le Business Week

[21] Google Finance For Columbia Pictures

[22] Studio Market Shares

[23] Sony Corporation Divisions – Columbia TriStar

Columbia/TriStar Pictures

Posted on December 7, 2012 by David Jocson

by [David Jocson]

— Courtesy of Flavorwire.com

— Courtesy of Google Images

Columbia/TriStar Pictures

10202 W Washington Blvd [1]

Culver City, CA 90232

Telephone: 310-224-4000

Website: www.sonypictures.com

Executives

Michael Lynton: Co-Chairman & CEO, Sony Pictures Entertainment [2]

Amy Pascal: Co-Chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment | Chairman, Sony Pictures

Entertainment Motion Picture Group

Doug Belgrad: President, Columbia Pictures [3]

Holdings

Sony Pictures Entertainment [4]:

Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group:

Columbia Pictures

TriStar Pictures

Locations

Headquarters: Culver City, CA [1]

Columbia Pictures Production Asia [5]: Hong Kong

Columbia Pictures Producciones Espanolas: Madrid, Spain

Columbia Pictures Producciones Mexico: Mexico City

Additional operations in: Japan, Brazil and the UK

Competition

Warner Bros. Pictures [1]

The Walt Disney Studios

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Company Description

Columbia and TriStar Pictures operate as divisions under the Columbia TriStar Motion Pictures Group of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) [5]. Columbia Pictures produces Sony Pictures’ commercial feature films [1]. TriStar Pictures distributes and markets SPE’s films, delivering entertainment to over 150 countries [6] [7].

Columbia TriStar Motion Pictures Group has released many notable franchises such as the James Bond and The Amazing Spider-Man franchises [8]. Its movies make up the bulk of the Sony Pictures’ library that includes over 3,500 films, 12 of which are Best Picture Academy Award winners [5].

The “Columbia Lady” precedes every feature film by Columbia Pictures [9]. It is the studio’s iconic trademark, having appeared in its motion pictures since the very beginning of the company.

History

Columbia Pictures began in 1918 when Jack Cohn, Joe Brandt and Harry Cohn began making short films [10]. CBC Films, as it was named after its founders back then, produced its first feature film, More to Be Pitied Than Scorned, in 1922 with great success. Two years later, the founders changed the name of CBC Films to Columbia Pictures Corporation.

The company rose to fame after signing legendary director Frank Capra to direct its feature films in 1927 [10]. Capra won Columbia Pictures its first Best Picture Academy Award for his film, It Happened One Night, in 1934. He also directed the studio’s first complete “talkie” motion picture.

In 1982, The Coca-Cola Company purchased Columbia Pictures [10]. (reuters)

In 1983, Columbia together with CBS and HBO, formed TriStar Pictures [10]. It was the newest production studio in decades. It quickly emerged as a major contender in the industry by releasing major blockbusters such as Rambo: First Blood Part II.

Sony Corporation purchased Columbia Pictures from Coca-Cola in 1989 [10]. The new owner placed Columbia under its new division, Sony Pictures Entertainment. Sony also moved the Columbia Pictures studio from Burbank to Culver City, CA. The studio operated on the former MGM lot where classics such as Citizen Kane and Gone With The Wind were produced.

In 2000, Sony created Sony Pictures Digital [10]. Sony Pictures Digital comprised of Sony Pictures Imageworks and Sony Pictures Animation. Imageworks developed CGI and VFX for Columbia TriStar Motion Pictures Group and the animation division. The animation division produced Sony Pictures’ animated feature films.

Today, the Columbia TriStar Motion Pictures Group releases Sony Pictures’ biggest films such as The Amazing Spider-Man, 21 Jump Street and Men In Black 3 [8].

Fall-Winter 2012

Looper [11]

Action | Sci-fi | Crime

Budget [12]: $30 million

Worldwide Gross: $165 million

U.S. Release Date [11]: Sep. 28

— Courtesy of IMDb.com

Directed by Rian Johnson

Featuring:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Joe

Bruce Willis as Old Joe

Emily Blunt as Sara

Looper tells the story of Joe, an assassin for the mob, who is sent back in time to kill himself in order to “tie a loose end [11].”

Hotel Transylvania [13]

Family | Animation | Comedy

Budget [14]: $85 million

Worldwide Gross: $296 million

U.S. Release Date [13]: Sep. 28

— Courtesy of IMDb.com

Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky

Featuring:

Adam Sandler as Dracula

Andy Samberg as Jonathan

Selena Gomez as Mavin

Kevin James as Frankenstein

Hotel Transylvania is about Count Dracula overprotecting his teenage daughter from falling in love with a human boy who stumbles upon Dracula’s “monster resort [13].”

The film is Genndy Tartakovsky’s first feature motion picture. Tartakovsy is a three-time Emmy Award winner known for creating famous cartoons such as Samurai Jack and Dexter’s Laboratory [15].

Hotel Transylvania became the best opening movie of all-time for September. It also became Sony Pictures’ most successful animated feature at the box office [16].

Skyfall [17]

Action | Crime | Adventure

Budget [18]: $200 million

Worldwide Gross: $872 million

U.S. Release Date [17]: Nov. 9

— Courtesy of IMDb.com

Directed by Sam Mendes

Featuring:

Daniel Craig as James Bond

Javier Bardem as Silva

Judi Dench as M

Skyfall is the 23rd installment of the Bond franchise. It is about a former agent of M who comes back to seek vengeance upon her while terrorizing MI6 and battling agent 007 [17].

In early December, Skyfall became the highest grossing film ever in the UK [19].

The movie also marked Judi Dench’s final role as M [20].

Zero Dark Thirty [21]

Action | Drama | History

Budget [22]: n/a

Worldwide Gross: n/a

U.S. Release Date [21]: Dec. 19

— Courtesy of IMDb.com

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

Featuring:

Chris Pratt as Justin, a member of Navy SEAL Team 6

Jason Clarke as Dan

Jessica Chastain as Maya

Zero Dark Thirty recounts the hunt for Osama bin Laden that began after 9/11 and culminated in his death by SEAL Team 6 in May 2011, after a decade of searching for the “world’s most wanted man [21].”

Zero Dark Thirty was the last feature film Sony Pictures Entertainment was going to release before the end of 2012 [23].

Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal, the minds behind The Hurt Locker, collaborated again to produce the widely-anticipated movie [23].

News

Sony Pictures Entertainment became the highest grossing movie studio of the year, having earned $1.7 billion in the U.S. alone [24]. Internationally, it earned over $4 billion, beating its previous record of $3.5 billion in 2009 [23]. The new record was achieved in large part to Skyfall, the highest grossing Bond film ever. The film received a cumulative $669.2 million during its opening weekend alone. However, other blockbusters helped too. The Amazing Spider-Man earned $754 million, Men In Black 3 earned $624 million, Hotel Transylvania earned $283 million and 21 Jump Street earned $201 million. Sony Pictures Entertainment released a total of 9 No. 1 movies at the domestic box office in 2012.

Kazuo Hirai, CEO of Sony Corporation, told The Hollywood Reporter that Sony was not going to sell Sony Pictures Entertainment amidst rumors that Sony was going to sell the film division due to financial losses [25]. The Hollywood Reporter quoted him saying, “There is no reason to sell these industry-dealing businesses and no consideration is being given to the idea.” Hirai made it clear that Sony Pictures Entertainment was not going to be sold anytime soon.

Sony Pictures Entertainment joined video game company Electronic Arts to raise $1 million in donations for American troops [26]. EA planned to release its new game, Medal of Honor Warfighter, on Dec. 17th after its rival, Activision, released its game Call of Duty: Black Ops II. The release date was also planned to coincide with Columbia Picture’s Zero Dark Thirty that premieres on Dec. 19th. EA prepared exclusive maps that featured locations from the feature film available for purchase. The company said it would take a portion of the proceeds to donate a minimum of $1 million to nonprofit veterans organizations.

On October 5th, Columbia Pictures joined MGM Pictures, Passion Pictures and Red Box Films in commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Bond franchise by releasing Everything Or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007 [27]. The documentary chronicles the lives of the franchise’s author Ian Fleming and producers Harry Saltzman and Albert Broccoli.

October 5th also became Global James Bond Day [28]. The worldwide event included an online and live auction charity event in London, a franchise exhibit in the Museum of Modern Art in New York and an evening of Bond music hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles.

Works Cited

[1]: http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-profile.Columbia_TriStar_Motion_Picture_Group.9a3fb312ea9f08a6.html

[2]: http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/management.html

[3]: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=8033824

[4]: http://www.cjr.org/resources/?c=sony

[5]: http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html

[6]: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=7913345

[7]: http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/aboutsonypictures.html

[8]: http://www.imdb.com/company/co0071509/

[9]: http://www.sonypicturesmuseum.com/studio/history/columbia

[10]: http://www.sonypicturesmuseum.com/studio/history