Focus Features

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Jacob Greenfeld

Jacob Greenfeld

[1] Focus Features Logo

Focus Features, LLC
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608
Phone: (818) 777-8738
Fax: (818) 866-4579
http://www.focusfeatures.com

About

Founded in 2002, the film production and distribution company known as Focus Features serves under the NBCUniversal brand in its art house film department. Some of Focus Features’ blockbuster titles include Brokeback Mountain (2005), Coraline (2009), and Burn After Reading (2008) as well as a recent hit with Insidious Chapter 3 (2015) [2][3]. As a subsidiary of NBCUniversal’s larger and more dominant film studio, Universal Pictures, Focus Features tends to be utilized more for speciality films, and after signing Laika Studios (a small stop-motion animation studio based out of Oregon) to a three film deal in October of last year as well as reviving Gramercy Pictures on May 20 of this year, it is likely that the trend of horror and animation will continue [23][28].

Executives

[4] Peter Schlessel, Chief Executive Officer

[5] Jim Burke, President of Production

[6] Josh McLaughlin, Executive VP

Financials

Focus Features is a privately traded company and its financials are not public. 2015 has been a mildly successful year for Focus Features. It increased its total box office gross to $112.7 million (as of December 2, 2015, with Suffragette and The Danish Girl still in theaters), up 2% from last year’s $110.5 million. This increase bumped up its ranking on the top grossing film studios list to ninth place with 1.1% of the market share (ranked twelfth in 2014), however it is still eclipsed by its big brother Universal Pictures which holds the number one rank with $2.35 billion along with 23.9% of the market share [7][8].
Focus Features broke its record for the number of movies produced in one year at twelve in 2014, and this year the film studio was able to match it [7]. It also generated some revenue from DVD sales, with a little over $3 million coming in from Insidious Chapter 3, $1.1 million from Black Sea, and $400,00 from 5 Flights Up along with others whose revenues have not yet been listed [25][26][27].

Recent Releases

Insidious Chapter 3

[9] Insidious Chapter 3 Poster

Written and directed by Leigh Whannell, Insidious Chapter 3 is the prequel and third installment in the supernatural horror film series. Set prior to the eerie events that surrounded the Lambert family, Insidious Chapter 3 chronicles Elise Rainier’s struggle to help a young girl who is in grave danger by using her psychic abilities to talk to the dead [15]. Released in theaters on June 5, 2015, Whannell’s horror film was an instant hit, generating a $10.5 million box office gross on its premiere alone. By the time it was taken out of theaters in August 13, 2015, Insidious Chapter 3 had made over $52 million, cementing itself as the fifth highest grossing film produced by Focus Features of all time [3][14]. Leigh Whannell was nominated for a “Directors to Watch” award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival for this film, which he won [16].

Sinister 2

MV5BMjQ2NTM5NzU3MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDAwMTQyNTE@._V1_SX640_SY720_

[10] Sinister 2 Poster

Sinister 2, another addition to a supernatural horror film series, was directed by Ciaran Foy and premiered in theaters on August 21, 2015. The film follows the story of a young mother whose twin boys are haunted by ghosts [17]. While it didn’t quite match the success of Insidious Chapter 3, Sinister 2 did pretty well for itself, grossing $4.67 million in the box office on opening night, almost $28 million in total, and generating the second highest Focus Features box office gross of 2015 (behind Insidious Chapter 3) and twentieth of all time [3][17].

Suffragette

[11] Suffragette Poster

Suffragette, which stars big names such as Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, and Meryl Streep is a historical drama set in Britain that tells the story of the early feminist movement and their fight against their barbaric State [19]. Directed by Sarah Gavron, Suffragette was released on October 23, 2015 and grossed $22,618 despite premiering in only four theaters. It is now in its sixth week and has made over $4 million at the box office [20]. It has won multiple awards, including “Mind the Gap” at the Mill Valley Film Festival (Sarah Gavron), “Actress of the Year” at the Hollywood Film Awards (Carey Mulligan), and the “Tangerine Entertainment Juice Award” at the Hamptons International Film Festival (Sarah Gavron), along with nominations for “Best Actress” (Carey Mulligan), “Best Supporting Actor” (Brendan Gleeson), “Best Supporting Actress” (Anne-Marie Duff), and “Best Supporting Actress” (Helena Bonham Carter) at the British Independent Film Awards [21].

Upcoming Releases

The Forest

[12] The Forest Poster

The Forest, which is yet another supernatural horror film, is set to be released in early January of 2016. It is directed by Jason Zada and stars Natalie Dormer. The Forest is based on the Aokigahara Forest, which is an actual Japanese forest where people go to commit harakiri. Focus Features purchased the rights to distribute the film domestically in May of 2014 [22]. When the film studio revived Gramercy Pictures last May, The Forest was one of the films listed on their slate [23].

Ratchet & Clank

[13] Ratchet and Clank Poster

Co-directed by Jericca Cleland and Kevin Munroe, Ratchet & Clank is a comedy/action/ sci-fi film that is based on the Ratchet & Clank video game series and is computer animated. Sticking to its roots, Insomniac Games, the creators of the series, have had a major influence over the film from the story and character development to the animation and film production. Some of the voice-over artists from the original game series have returned to give their characters life once again. Also adding to the nostalgia is the utilization of elements specific to the video games in the film. Ratchet & Clank is set to be released in the US on April 29, 2016.

Future

With the recent revival of Gramercy Pictures, the three film deal Focus Features signed Laika Studios to last year following the success of The Boxtrolls, and this new partnership with Insomniac Games, expect to see a slew of horror (i.e. The Forest, A Monster Calls) and animated films (i.e. Ratchet & Clank, Kubo and the Two Strings) in the not-so-distant future [28]. While it may seem like Focus Features is pigeon-holing itself, that may not be the worst thing. Because Focus Features is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures, and they are both subsidiaries of NBCUniversal, there is not too much pressure on Focus Features to consistently have blockbusters. Not to say that there would not be any repercussions if Focus Features didn’t have a big box office draw ever again, just as long as they have one or two films each year that keeps the competition on its toes (i.e. The Boxtrolls in 2014 and Insidious Chapter 3 in 2015) they will continue to thrive and produce the specialty films that they are known for.

[1] Focus Features Logo. Retrieved December 2, 2015. cdn.collider.com
[2] Focus Features, LLC. Retrieved December 2, 2015. focusfeatures.com
[3] All-Time Box Office by Studio: Focus Features. Retrieved December 2, 2015. boxofficemojo.com
[4] SHOCKER! Peter Schlessel Takes Over Focus Features. Retrieved December 2, 2015. deadline.com
[5] Quotes by Jim Burke. Retrieved December 2, 2015. likesuccess.com
[6] LAFF Opening Night Screening of Focus Features’ “Talk to Me” – Arrivals (Josh McLaughlin). Retrieved December 2, 2015. zimbio.com
[7] Yearly Comparisons of Total Box Office Gross: Focus Features. Retrieved December 2, 2015. boxofficemojo.com
[8] 2015 Box Office Gross and Studio Market Share. Retrieved December 2, 2015. boxofficemojo.com
[9] Insidious Chapter 3 Poster. Retrieved December 2, 2015. upload.wikimedia.org
[10] Sinister 2 Poster. Retrieved December 2, 2015. ia.media-imdb.com
[11] Suffragette Poster. Retrieved December 2, 2015. img2.timeinc.net
[12] The Forest Poster. Retrieved December 2, 2015. s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com
[13] Ratchet and Clank Poster. Retrieved December 2, 2015. c2.staticflickr.com
[14] Daily Domestic Gross: Insidious Chapter 3. Retrieved December 2, 2015. boxofficemojo.com
[15] Insidious Chapter 3. Retrieved December 2, 2015. imdb.com
[16] Palm Springs International Film Festival. Retrieved December 2, 2015. psfilmfest.org
[17] Sinister 2. Retrieved December 2, 2015. imdb.com
[18] Daily Domestic Gross: Sinister 2. Retrieved December 2, 2015. boxofficemojo.com
[19] Suffragette. Retrieved December 2, 2015. imdb.com
[20] Daily Domestic Gross: Suffragette. Retrieved December 2, 2015. imdb.com
[21] Suffragette Awards. Retrieved December 2, 2015. imdb.com
[22] The Forest. Retrieved December 2, 2015. imdb.com
[23] Focus Revives Gramercy Pictures Label for Genre Films. Retrieved December 2, 2015. deadline.com
[24] Ratchet & Clank. Retrieved December 2, 2015. imdb.com
[25] Insidious Chapter 3 Home Market Performance. Retrieved December 2, 2015. the-numbers.com
[26] Black Sea Home Market Performance. Retrieved December 2, 2015. the-numbers.com
[27] 5 Flights Up Home Market Performance. Retrieved December 2, 2015. the-numbers.com
[28] Focus Features, Laika Ink Three-Film Pact. Retrieved December 2, 2015. hollywoodreporter.com

DreamWorks Studios

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Dia Matthews

DreamWorks SKG Studios

100 Universal City Plaza Dr.

Bldg. 5121 Universal City, CA 91608

(818)-733-9300

http://www.dreamworksstudios.com

Executives

Principal Partner Steven Spielberg, Source: dreamworksstudios.com [1]

CEO Michael Wright, Source: dreamworksstudios.com [1]

President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Small, Source: dreamworksstudios.com [1]

Holly Bario, President of Production Source: dreamworksstudios.com [1]

History

DreamWorks SKG is an American motion picture studio founded in 1994 by widely known director, Steven Spielberg, recording industry connoisseur David Geffen, and animation expert Jeffrey Katzenberg.The company started off with films like MouseHunt and The Peacemaker and even had a DreamWorks record label, but they struggled with any success beyond films and television and soon dropped the music label and arcade portions of the company. Katzenberg’s extremely successful animation became a subsidiary of its parent company and the money making DreamWorks Animations became welcome to shareholders as a new and separate company in 2004 with Katzenberg as the CEO. The DreamWorks SKG Studios still represents the first letters for the last names of the three head partners who started their company together. [1]

[2] Learn a little bit more about the unique Steven Spielberg above.

Summary

DreamWorks studios is responsible for the production, development, and distribution of its films, television programs, and video games. DreamWorks currently distributes and markets their films worldwide through their partnership with Walt Disney Studios [2]. In addition, the DreamWorks Picture Company holds a partnership with Reliance Entertainment and Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group to help co-produce, market, and distribute their films on a global scale [2]. Dreamworks Studios’s big competitors are Lionsgate Entertainment Inc., Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., and FOX Filmed Entertainment. Since their first movie DreamWorks Studios has earned over $11 billion in worldwide box office sales [3]. Popular DreamWorks films include The Help, Transformers, and Dreamgirls.

Finances and Rocky Relationship with Disney

In August of 2016, the DreamWorks distribution deal with Disney will expire after it’s six-year run and the renewal of the pact has been said to discontinue after DreamWorks’s inability to deliver the six-live action films per year as promised to Disney distributors [4]. With the exception of hit films like The Help, released in 2011, that grossed $169 million domestically and an additional $46 million internationally, the DreamWorks studio has struggled to perform as successfully in the box office as they planned when originally partnering with Disney for financial support in 2009 [5]. However, DreamWorks Studios will be looking forward to closing a deal to partner with Participant Media, where they hope to receive a large cash infusion. For the past four consecutive years now, Dreamworks Studios has had a reported loss of at least $100 million caused by their failure to produce a continuous stream of hit films and the company’s subsequent cash flow issues [6]. After a quickly failed three-year partnership with Paramount, and Reliance Entertainment being unlikely to invest anymore than the primary bankroll they have been providing for DreamWorks, the financial standing of the studio has not been so secure. Jeff Skoll’s Participant Media is said to become a long-term and heavy investor for DreamWorks bringing in approximately $200 million or more to the company in their crucial time of need [7]. DreamWorks Studios is a private company, therefore specific financial quarterly earnings and revenue have not been reported.

Chart revealing DreamWorks Scarce Success in Film Sales while Partnering with Disney Source: Box Office Mojo [3]

The final two films released through the Disney distributor deal are Bridge of Spies, starring Tom Hanks, in theaters October 16, 2015 and Big Friendly Giant, set to release July 2, 2016 – both films directed by Steven Spielberg himself [8]. The Bridge of Spies movie doing well in the box office with $95 million worldwide ticket sales since its release, is about an American lawyer who is recruited to defend a Soviet spy during the cold war [3]. The movie has a targeted audience of respectively older female and male viewers that would enjoy a multiplex, art house realm of storytelling. See trailer below [4].

DreamWorks studios was set to work on the 2015 Spotlight film, about the unveiling of a silenced past of rape and molestation done by priests in Boston, a true story that shook the Catholic Church to its core. Participant Media was set to co-finance the riveting film alongside DreamWorks Studios with a $15 million budget at hand, but DreamWorks suddenly pulled out of the deal, causing the movie to derail and curving the production plans entirely [9]. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio released no official explanation but the large amount of skepticism on how popular a film of pedophilia would be during its set holiday release, caused the company to second guess how their targeted audiences would react to the harshness of such a film [9].

DreamWorks Pictures is teaming with Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures to create the highly anticipated Ready Player One film. The sci-fi action adventure film will be directed by Spielberg and is set to release December 15, 2017. The film is based on the best selling Ready Player One novel, written by Ernest Cline and will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures [10 ]. The film that will be directed by the three-time Academy Award winning director is projected to be a huge holiday success. DreamWorks also plans to allow American Sniper screenwriter, Jason Hall to do his first drama film as a director, titled Thank You for Your Service. The film will be about U.S. soldiers returning to their family lives after the war in Iraq and the PTSD they experience with such a dramatic transitioning.

Spielberg and Katzenberg have also been experiencing complications on whether or not to extend a deal allowing the DreamWorks Studio to continue using the name. The discretionary pact will expire on January 1, 2016, leaving the Studio up in the air about solidifying their company name that has spent its years growing into a globally recognized brand [12]. Although DreamWorks Animation is now completely separate from Spielberg’s DreamWorks Studios, the animation studio continues to be a huge economic and social success as their franchise continues to expand. The DreamWorks Studio name and logo is licensed from Katzenberg’s DreamWorks Animation and the two brotherly companies hope to work out the trouble and keep the brand name where it started.

Conclusion

The future of DreamWorks Studios lies within the company’s vision towards creating exciting, new, diverse, and well-developed content that can be both a hit in the box-office and capable of becoming a franchise for the studio. DreamWorks recently gained a new action comedy project, called Ex-Criminals, with actor and comedian T.J. Miller set to star and help write the script about a dysfunctional couple that robs banks together [13]. DreamWorks has also acquired the rights in 2014, for the fastest selling adult novel in history, Paula Hawkin’s The Girl on the Train, where the studio plans to create a film adapted version of the international best selling thriller – set to release in the U.S. on October 7 of 2016 [13]. In addition, DreamWorks SKG recently bought John Connolly’s trilogy of popular novels for middle school readers, with plans to turn the series into a possible franchise. Unlike many older film studios, DreamWorks does not have a large array of material to already choose from and must stay on their feet in terms of constantly creating new and profitable content, but the company plans on meeting the goal.

Sources

[1] “| Company Profile from Hoover’s.” DW STUDIOS L.L.C. N.p., Mar. 2013. Web. 02 Dec. 2015.

[2] “Our History | DreamWorks Studios.” DreamWorksStudios.com. N.p., Mar. 2012. Web. 1 Dec. 2015. <http://www.dreamworksstudios.com/about/history>.

[3] Box Office History for DreamWorks Pictures Movies.” DreamWorks Pictures Production Company Box Office History. Nash Information Services LLC, Nov. 2015. Web. 02 Dec. 2015. <http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/production-company/DreamWorks-Pictures>.

[4] Thompson, Anne. “What Spielberg Really Wants.” IndieWire. N.p., 2 Sept. 2015. Web. 27 Nov. 2015. <http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/what-spielberg-really-wants-20150902>.

[5]”The Help (2011) – Box Office Mojo.” Box Office Mojo. N.p., Mar. 2012. Web. 02 Dec. 2015. <http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=help2011.htm>.

[6] McClintock, Pamela. “DreamWorks Nears Rich Financing Deal With Participant Media (Exclusive).” The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., 4 Apr. 2015. Web. 02 Dec. 2015. <http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dreamworks-nears-rich-financing-deal-791334>.

[7]Fritz, Ben. “DreamWorks Studio Needs a New Script.” Wall Street Journal. N.p., 13 Mar. 2014. Web. 02 Dec. 2015. <http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303546204579435464122525596>

[8] Donnelly, Matt. “Disney Expected to Drop Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks.” The Wrap. N.p., 2 Sept. 2015. Web. 1 Dec. 2015. <https://www.thewrap.com/disney-to-drop-steven-spielbergs-dreamworks/>

[9] Rich, Joshua. “How DreamWorks Nearly Derailed ‘Spotlight’: “No One Wants to Watch a Priest Molesting a Kid”” The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., 6 Nov. 2015. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/how-dreamworks-derailed-spotlight-no-836366>.

[10] “Ready Player One,” From Director Steven Spielberg, Will Be Ready for Audiences in the 2017 Holiday Window | DreamWorks Studios.” DreamWorksStudios.com. 6 August 2015. Web. 1 Dec. 2015. <http://www.dreamworksstudios.com/news/ready-player-one-from-director-steven-spielberg-will-be-ready-for-audiences-in-the-2017-holiday>.

[11] Grant, Charles. “Bridge of Spies Beats Black Mass and Carol in Prestige Week at UK Box Office.” Theguardian.com. N.p., 1 Dec. 2015. Web. 1 Dec. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/01/uk-box-office-bridge-of-spies-black-mass-carol-good-dinosaur>.

[12] McClintock, Pamela. “Will Steven Spielberg Drop the DreamWorks Name?” The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., 24 Sept. 2015. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/will-steven-spielberg-drop-dreamworks-826201>.

[13]]Kit, Borys. “DreamWorks Picks Up T.J. Miller’s Action Comedy ‘Ex-Criminals’ | DreamWorks Studios.” DreamWorksStudios.com. N.p., 18 Nov. 2015. Web. 1 Dec. 2015. <http://www.dreamworksstudios.com/news/dreamworks-picks-up-tj-millers-action-comedy-ex-criminals>.

[13] Madatian, Jasmine. “Principal Photography Begins for New York Times Best Seller ‘The Girl on the Train’.” Business Wire. N.p., 11 Nov. 201. Web. 30 Nov. 2015 <http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151111005526/en/Principal-Photography-Begins-York-Times-Seller-%E2%80%98The >..

Photo and Video Sources

[1] “| DreamWorks Executives.” DreamWorks SKG Studios. DreamWorks Animation LLC, 2010. Web. 27 Nov. 2015. <http://dreamworksstudios.com/about/executives/>.

[2] BIO.com. “Mini BIO – Steven Spielberg.” YouTube. YouTube, 6 Sept. 2012. Web. 28 Nov. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8MJJIGOfas&feature=youtu.be>

[3] Donnelly, Matt. “Disney Expected to Drop Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks.” The Wrap. N.p., 2 Sept. 2015. Web. 1 Dec. 2015. <https://www.thewrap.com/disney-to-drop-steven-spielbergs-dreamworks/>.

[4] Fandango MOVIECLIPS. “Bridge of Spies Official Trailer #2 (2015) – Tom Hanks Cold War Thriller HD.” YouTube. YouTube, 16 Sept. 2015. Web. 28 Nov. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxUk1RsajcI&feature=youtu.be>.

CBS Films

Posted on November 17, 2013 by Losa Meru

By Losa Amara Meru

- Photo Courtesy of collider.com [a]

CBS Films was established in 2007. Located in Brentwood, Los Angeles, the feature film studio is dedicated to managing the development, financing, production, and marketing of quality motion pictures that span all genres. Currently, they release 4 – 6 movies each year. Their reach includes global distribution with partners as well as self-distributed titles in the US.

What sets CBS Films apart is the budget size of the movies they produce and acquire. The pictures they release cost under $50 million each; they aim to reach the middle ground in between expensive franchise films, low-budget experimental art films, and “genre” films.

Their tagline is “A feature film studio releasing quality films in all genres.”

To date, the studio currently has nine released pictures. [1] [2]

Social Media Contact

Facebook || Twitter || Tumblr

Key Executives

Wolfgang Hammer, Co-President

Photo Courtesy of 5dinstitute.org [b]

Wolfgang Hammer began as Vice President of Production at Media Rights Capital, then became Executive Vice President of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, then moved to CBS Films and became the COO, and is now currently the Co-President of CBS Films. Wolfgang Hammer oversees finance, business, legal affairs, and acquisitions of the company. His specific contributions include overseeing the the acquisitions “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen,” “The Woman in Black,” and “The Words.” He also oversaw the co-financing and distribution deal for the Martin McDonagh film “Seven Psychopaths,” a 2012 British crime comedy starring Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, and Colin Farrell. [1] [3]

Terry Press, Co-President

Photo Courtesy of hollywoodreporter.com [c]

Terry Press previously served as the head of marketing for DreamWorks SKG and the principal of 7570 Marketing, Inc. before becoming the Co-President of CBS Films. A much sought after marketing consultant, she has consulted on CBS Films “The Mechanic,” “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen,” and “The Woman in Black,” as well as films such as “The Social Network,” “Julie & Julia,” “Valkyrie,” and “The Hunger Games,” which grossed $687 million worldwide under her leadership. In 2012, she was ranked on The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Power 100. Currently, she oversees distribution, marketing, creative, and physical production for CBS Films. [1] [4]

Financial Information

As CBS Films is a division of its parent company, CBS Corporation, there is no specific financial information available for the studio. However, financial information regarding CBS Corporation’s Entertainment division is available, which encompasses CBS Television Network, CBS Interactive, CBS Global Distribution, CBS Television Studios, and CBS Films.

Third Quarter Revenue (2013): $1.88 Billion

Third Quarter Revenue (2011): $1.63 Billion

Percent Increase (over 2 years): 15.3%

The growth in revenue from the Entertainment division has been positive due to the result of higher domestic licensing revenues, growth in network affiliation fees, the first-cycle availabilities of The Good Wife and NCIS: Los Angeles, and an increase in advertising revenues driven by the CBS Television Network. This positive growth allows CBS Films to have sufficient funds and resources to continue its quality film releases.

The chart below is indicative of CBS Corporation’s financial status as a whole (not just the Entertainment division). [5]

Photo Courtesy of money.cnn.com [d]

Current Film News

Last Vegas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvK3m0wJutI
[e]

On the weekend of November 1st, the movie “Last Vegas” starring Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline, and Michael Douglas finished in 3rd place at the box office garnering $16,334,566 on a budget of $28 million. Currently, it is still doing well and has stayed in the top 5 weekend grossing movies since its release. To date, it has earned $46 million domestically.

“Last Vegas” has been received fondly by a wide audience. It received an “A-” on Cinemascore and has received nothing but compliments on how entertaining it was via CBS Film’s Twitter account. [5] [6]

Photo Courtesy of mrmovietimes.com [f]

According to a Huffington Post article, “Last Vegas” ranks as one of the “7 of the Best Movies for Grownups.” The article pointed out the fact that audiences over 50 accounted for 25% of all moviegoers and that that number continues to grow because “the boomer generation still really likes to go to theaters and see movies on the big screen.” According to data from the Motion Picture Association of America, the amount of post 50s adults watching movies increased by 1.6 million, a 25% increase from 2009-2012. This data points to the conclusion that CBS Films made a very smart move in creating a film with great star power, a good sized audience, and a timely release (near Thanksgiving). [7]

Inside Llewyn Davis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuQ8pz-5WLY

[g]

Photo Courtesy of impawards.com [h]

Opening in New York and Los Angeles on December 6th, “Inside Llewyn Davis” will be CBS Film’s next project to look out for. Written by Joel and Ethan Coen, the film won the Grand Prix, the second most prestigious prize at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. It has been screened to packed audiences at the New York, Chicago, London, and Telluride Film Festivals. Actors featured include Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac, Garrett Hedlund, John Goodman, F. Murray Abraham and Justin Timberlake. As a film primarily about a folk musician’s journey, CBS Films celebrated “Inside Llewyn Davis” with a concert performance on November 14th, 2013 by an “American progressive acoustic music trio” called Nickel Creek. Many prominent individuals in the music industry attended, including Barbara Streisand, Moby, James Brolin, former head of Fox Music, Robert Kraft, and the president of the American Music Association, Jed Hilly. It is rumored that Nickel Creek will be performing in multiple venues the week before the movie’s release. The soundtrack to the film was released on November 11th and has received positive reviews for its fitting early-60’s Greenwich Village folk roots sound.Unlike its comedy “Last Vegas,” CBS Films

acquired the rights to domestic distribution for $4 million, proving that it can make smart moves in the acquisition business. [5] [8] [9] [10]

______________________________________________________________

Current Film News Continued

November 19th, 2013 – CBS Films’ summer comedy, “The To Do List” became available for purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.

September 10th, 2013 – CBS Films recently acquired “The F Word,” an independent romantic comedy directed by Michael Dowse and starring Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan, and Adam Driver. It was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and received mostly positive reviews. [5]

Sources

[1] http://cbsfilms.com/about/

[2] http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/11/business/la-fi-ct-cbsfilms11-2010jan11

[3] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1931533/

[4] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/terry-press-397478

[5] http://investors.cbscorporation.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99462&p=quarterlyearnings

[6] http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?view=&yr=2013&wknd=44&p=.htm

[7] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/14/baby-boomer-movies_n_4268724.html?utm_hp_ref=fifty&ir=Fifty

[8] http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/inside-llewyn-davis-cbs-films-acquisition-coen-brothers/

[9] http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/5793044/nickel-creek-reunites-new-album-inside-llewyn-davis

[10] http://www.npr.org/2013/11/03/242103173/first-listen-soundtrack-inside-llewyn-davis

Multimedia Sources

[a] http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/cbs-films-slice.jpg

[b] http://5dinstitute.org/images/made/u/people/_web_optimized/WH-Headshot_sm_565_330_85_sha_s_c1.jpg

[c] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2012/11/Terry_Press_a_p.jpg

[d] http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=CBS

[e] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvK3m0wJutI

[f] http://movietimes.s3.amazonaws.com/posters/las%20vegas%20movie%20times.jpg

[g] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuQ8pz-5WLY

[h] http://www.impawards.com/2013/posters/inside_llewyn_davis.jpg

Universal Pictures

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Kayla Bressi

by Kayla Bressi

Universal Pictures

http://www.nbcuni.com
http://www.universalpictures.com

A Brief History:

Universal Studios Inc, or Universal Pictures, is one of 6 major movie studios. It is owned by Comcast and is a division of NBC Universal. Some of their most notable films include E.T: The Extra Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Meet the Fockers, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Jaws. [1]

In addition to theatrical film, Universal Pictures has also produced direct to DVD and classic films, as well as the broadway hits Wicked and Billy Elliot: The Musical. [3]

Key Executives

Brian Roberts is the chairman and CEO for Comcast Corporations. His company is the majority owner of NBC Universal. [2]

Eddie Cunningham, president of Universal Pictures International Entertainment, joined the company in 1994. He currently overseas distribution in international countries and looks for opportunities for international business opportunities. [2]

Jimmy Horowitz

Jimmy Horowitz is the president of Universal Pictures. He has worked for the studio for 18 years, and has helped oversea and lead Universal Stage Productions to success.[2]

Cindy Gardner is the Senior Vice President of Internal Communications and NBC Universal & Corporate Affairs. Cindy overseas corporate media relations, philanthropy, and organizes special events. [2]

Recent Releases

Jurassic Park 3D
Release Date- April 5th, 2013
http://www.jurassicpark.com

While the original debut in 1993 saw blockbuster results, there are mixed reviews on whether or not a 3D version of Jurassic Park was necessary.

Since the 3D release was set around the time of the movie’s 20th anniversary, some have said it seems like a celebration. Alicia Loots from Hollywood.com says, “a 3D re-release feels like an interesting way to pay homage to a film that was way ahead of its time technologically.” [4] However, some seem to disagree, calling it a “gimmick.”

Many fans asked a popular youtube channel, “Screen Junkies” to make a spoof regarding the conversion of this classic blockbuster into 3D.

Originally opening with $47 million in 1993, Jurassic Park made $7 million on Friday and is expected to make $18 million over the weekend. These results put it behind Evil Dead, which made close to $11.5 million. According to CinemaBlend.com, “The huge blockbuster opening this weekend was made 20 years ago, and the horror film is a remake of a classic from the 80s, but the box office is humming as if both of them were brand new.” [5] With a production budget of only $10 million, Jurassic Park 3D should prove to be profittable for Universal Pictures. [6]

Identity Thief
Release Date- February 8th, 2013
http://www.identitythiefmovie.com

Identity Thief, featuring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy, was the #1 film during its opening weekend, racking in $34.5 million. [7]

As of April 7th, Identity Thief had an estimated domestic total of $131,254,000 and a worldwide total of $157,054,000. It is also currently rotten, with only a 20% approval rating on RottenTomatos.com. It is set to release on DVD and Blu-Ray on June 4th, 2013.

Les Miserables
Release Date: Dec 25, 2012
http://www.lesmiserablesfilm.com

Les Miserables all-star cast helped put this movie in the top of Universal Picture’s most recent accomplishments in film. With famous actors and actresses, including Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen, Amanda Seyfried, and Helena Bonham Carter, Les Miserables started out strong. On opening day, Les Miserables made $18.1 million, putting it in first place for a musical on opening day. [8]

In an interesting move, the actors of Les Miserables sang live during filming, instead of along to a pre-recorded rendition. Some support this, however according to Sandy Schaeffer on Screenrant.com, theatre die-hards tend to prefer “dedicated singers, rather than performers who are actors first and singers second.” [9]

Les Miserables was nominated for 8 Oscars, and won 3 of them: Actress in a Supporting Role, Makeup and Hairstyling, and for Sound Mixing. [10] It has a domestic total of $148,809,770, and a worldwide total of $435,809,770, meaning this film had more foreign success. [11] It also currently has a fresh rating of 70% on RottenTomatoes.

Despicable Me 2
Release Date: July 3rd, 2013
http://despicableme.com

Fan Art of Despicable Me

Following the success of Despicable Me, which gathered a worldwide total of $543,113,985, ( Putting it at #6 on Universal Picture’s top grossing films), Universal Pictures decided to create a sequel that is set to release this summer.

On the official movie website for Despicable Me 2, you can find a collection of pictures, items, and gifs from loyal fans and other websites, such as Tumblr.

To promote the film, Universal Pictures has launched a large “Despicablimp.” TheDespicablimp will cross over the United States 3 times, set to make its first appearance at the Nickelodeon’s Kid’s Choice Awards in March. [12]
Fans are able to visit the “Despicablimp Command Center.” They can share sightings on twitter, instagram, and flickr using the hashtag #despicablimp. Fans can also enter a sweepstakes for a trip to the premiere, and a ride in the Despicablimp. There is an interactive map that allows fans to see fan sightings as well as future tour stops. [13]

Important Future Releases:

Jurassic Park 4

Universal Pictures recently named Colin Trevorrow to direct the future Jurassic Park 4. Trevorrow has previously directed “Safety Not Guaranteed” and two other films. [14]

In Other News:

Backed by Universal Pictures, Prima Cinema is offering a box that will allow viewers to watch theatrical releases at home. For a price, ($35,000), you can get a box in your home that allows the newly-released films to play on your television. There is also an additional cost of $500 per movie. So far, Universal Pictures is the only film studio to offer its titles, including Les Miserables, Jurassic Park 3D, and Identity Thief. The worry that this might affect theatre sales is lessened by Prima’s hefty price tag. Prima also insures that the home viewing of these theatrical releases will not be viewed by more than 25 people in a single home theatre. [15]

[1] Top Universal Films- http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?studio=universal.htm

[2] NBC Universal Corporate Site- http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/

[3] NBC Universal Pictures History- http://www.nbcuni.com/film/universal-pictures/

[4] Jurassic Park Poster Reavealed- http://www.hollywood.com/news/movies/43830315/jurassic-park-3d-the-bigger-the-dinosaur-the-better-poster?page=all

[5] Katey Rich on Friday’s Box Office- http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Both-Evil-Dead-Jurassic-Park-3D-Bring-Big-Friday-Box-Office-36808.html

[6] Jurassic Park 3D Financial Figures- http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=jurassicpark3d.htm

[7] Identity Thief Opening Weekend- http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-11/-identity-thief-is-weekend-s-no-1-film-34-5-million.html

[8] Opening Day for Les Mis-http://boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3593&p=.htm

[9] Live Music Performances in Les Mis- http://screenrant.com/les-miserables-music-songs-featurette/

[10] Oscar Nominees – http://oscar.go.com/nominees

[11] Les Mis Box Office Info- http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lesmiserables2012.htm

[12] The Despicablimp- http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/universal-pictures-and-illumination-entertainments-despicable-me-2-despicablimp-takes-flight-on-march-23-199574591.html

[13] Despicablimp Website- http://www.despicablimp.com

[14] Jurassic Park 4 Director- http://www.salon.com/2013/03/15/universal_pictures_names_jurassic_park_4_director/

[15] Prima Cinema- http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2013/04/05/universal-films-available-in-home.html

20th Century Fox

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Bria Holness

by Bria Holness

Photo courtesy of fanpop.com

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp

10201 West Pico Boulevard,

Los Angeles, California 90035

www.foxmovies.com

A Brief History

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, also known as 20th Century Fox, was established on May 31, 1935 when the founders of Fox Film Corporation and Twentieth Century Pictures decided to merge into one. It is now one of the major American film studios that produces, acquires, and distributes motion pictures. Based in Los Angeles, California, it operates as a subsidiary of Fox Entertainment Group Inc. and is responsible for some of the top grossing movies, including Avatar and Titanic. [1] [2]

Quick Financials

During the first quarter, which encompasses the months of January, February, and March, 20th Century Fox brought in a gross income of $256.9 million, a 13.7% decrease in comparison to the first quarter of 2012; however, this is also an 123.7% increase in comparison to 2011. [19]

Key Executives

Keith Rupert Murdoch

Photo courtesy of biography.com

Murdoch is the founder of News Corporation, in which 20th Century Fox is a subsidiary of, and has been its Chairman since 1991. Since 1992, Murdoch has been the Chairman of Fox Entertainment Group Inc. and its Chief Executive Officer since 1995. He operates as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. [2]

Eduardo Echeverria

Photo courtesy of variety.com

Echeverria is Senior Vice President of Latin America at Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation and has served as so since 2001. [2] Echeverria manages the sales and marketing operations and theatrical distribution for all Fox Filmed Entertainment product in Latin America. [2]

Michael Peikoff

Since July 1, 2007, Peikoff has been Senior Vice President of Licensing and Merchandising of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. His duties include managing internal and external communication for the licensing division and managing retail marketing and licensed promotion initiatives in the U.S. [2]

Robert Marick

Photo courtesy of licensing.biz

As Executive Vice President since July of 2010, Marick manages the global licensing of Fox’s television and film assets across different platforms including television promotions, interactive gaming, literary publishing, themed entertainment, and consumer products. [2]

Ricardo Crespo

Photo courtesy of centralpa.aiga.org

Crespo has served as Senior Vice President of Global Creative at Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation since July 2010. [2] Prior to joining the 20th Century Fox team, Crespo held several leadership positions at Saatchi & Saatchi, Mattel Inc., Bozell Worldwide, and McCANN ERICKSON. [4]

In The News

Broken City

Photo courtesy of radionowindy.com

20th Century Fox Films released its first film of the year, Broken City, starring Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, and Catherine Zeta Jones, on January 18th. The film told the story of a New York City cop, who one night gets involved in a scandalous shooting. He’s stripped of his badge but kept out of jail by the works of New York’s Mayor, who offers him a lump sum of money to investigate his wife. While doing so he finds himself in the middle of a much larger scandal as he realizes that the Mayor isn’t who he seems to be.

During its opening weekend, the film made about $9 million and $4 million the weekend after. With an estimated budget of $55 million, it has made an overall gross of $19,667,601 up to date. It has received mixed reviews ranging from being called a complete mess to being considered an entertaining thriller. Nonetheless, there seems to be a majority consensus—the cast and the numerous twists are great but can only keep the “weak” storyline going but so far, causing it to receive a B- from Entertainment Weekly. [5] [6]

20th Century Fox employed an interesting marketing strategy for the movie. Instead of featuring promotional quotes from legitimate movie critics, they chose to use tweets from the hashtag, #BrokenCity, in which basically anyone could be a critic.

Photo courtesy of cultureblues.com

The studio believed it was a way to be more personable and interactive and to get fans more excited for the upcoming film. However, the tactic raised many questions about the weight of movie critics’ opinions and whether or not they carry the same weight as the opinions of the fans. [7]

Wahlberg also held a special, early screening of the film as a fundraiser for the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation . He offered a chance to win tickets at Celebrities for Charity. [8]

A Good Day to Die Hard

Photo courtesy of movies.wikia.com

20th Century Fox released the fifth movie of the Die Hard franchise, A Good Day to Die Hard, starring Bruce Willis and Jai Courtney, on February 14^th. This is the first of the franchise to not be released during the blockbuster summer months and instead in the cold month of February. [9] The film tells the story of a cop, John McClane, who travels to Moscow to help his unruly son Jack, unaware that Jack is really a CIA agent attempting to stop a nuclear weapons robbery. Despite their differences, they are forced to work together to keep each other and the world safe. [5]

The film was produced for about $92 million. During its opening weekend, it made $24,834,845 domestically and $45,301,894 oversees, giving it the number one spot of films newly released that weekend. [10] However, this is over $70 million less than what the last movie of the Die Hard franchise made in the summer of 2007. With this comparison, it could be considered disappointing. [11]

Very unlike the previous films of the series, the film has been largely slated by various critics. Based on 40 “generally unfavorable” reviews, Metacritic has given the movie a 28 out of 100 and based on 184 reviews, Rotten Tomatoes has given it a score of 4 out of 10. On both sites, several reasons for such low scores have been cited but the majority seems to agree on a muddling plotline with too many holes and twists as the movie’s downfall. [12] [13]

The Croods

Photo courtesy of filmofilia.com

20th Century Fox teamed up with DreamWorks Animation for the first time in the production and release of The Croods, a prehistoric comedy for the family, starring Nicholas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, and Catherine Keener. It officially premiered worldwide on March 22nd and brought in $43,639,736 during its opening weekend. [18]

The film follows the story of a caveman, Crug, who must lead his family across an unstable and dangerous landscape after an earthquake destroys their home. While doing so they come across a nomad who charms everyone but Crug with his revolutionary modern ways. [14] As of April 1st, with a budget of about $135 million, the film has made $93,893,394 domestically and $148,802,379 from foreign theaters, amounting to $242,695,773 worldwide. [18]

To build up anticipation of the release of the movie, DreamWorks made a deal with Rovio to create a mobile game based on The Croods, an impressive marketing strategy. In the game, the Croods, a family of cave men, find their way out of the Stone Age through the use of a new tool, the idea. They hunt and gather their way through new landscapes as they tame creatures they’ve never seen before.

Rovio released the game for Apple and Android devices on March 14, just about a week before the official release of the film. [15]

What’s Next for 20th Century Fox?

20th Century Fox plans to release another 3-D animated family film, Epic, which is based on the children’s book, The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs. From the creators of Ice Age and Rio, Epic follows the story of a teenage girl, who finds herself magically transported into a secret universe. While there, she must team up with a group of capricious characters in order to save their world and her own from Queen Tara, the evil spider. [16]

Starring the voices of Amanda Seyfried, Josh Hutcherson, Colin Farrell, Aziz Ansari, Steven Tyler, Johnny Knoxville, Beyonce Knowles, and Pitbull, the film is scheduled to be released on May 24^th. [17]

Sources

[1] http://www.thestudiotour.com/fox/chronology.shtml

[2]http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=35867

[3] http://www.screendaily.com/echeverria-promoted-to-evp-latin-america-at-fox/4030307.article‘

[4] http://centralpa.aiga.org/previous-events/ricardo-crespo-creative-ronin

[5] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1235522/

[6] http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20483133_20657927,00.html

[7] http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Broken-City-TV-Spot-Turns-Podium-Over-Twitter-Fans-34876.html

[8]http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/mass_roundup/2013/01/mark-wahlberg-broken-city-hingham.html

[9] http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/02/13/3852964/its-a-good-day-for-john-mcclane.html

[10] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/17/weekend-box-office-a-good-day-to-die-hard_n_2707284.html

[11] http://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchises/chart/?id=diehard.htm

[12] http://www.metacritic.com/movie/a-good-day-to-die-hard

[13] http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_good_day_to_die_hard/

[14] http://www.movieinsider.com/m2646/the-croods/

[15] http://variety.com/2013/digital/games/the-croods-go-mobile-with-angry-birds-creator-1200001701/

[16] http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/283733/cbb/20th-century-fox-presents-family-and-kiddie-films-in-2013

[17] http://www.movieinsider.com/m3739/epic/credits/

[18] http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=croods.htm

[19] http://boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?view=company&view2=ytd&compare=Q1&studio=fox.htm

Paramount Pictures

Posted on September 19, 2012 by spalumbo

by Samantha Palumbo

Credit: Google Images

Paramount Pictures is the longest operating film and television production and distribution company in the United States, and is the last major film studio to have its headquarters in Hollywood, CA. Paramount Pictures is a division of the media conglomerate Viacom, and boasts more than 1,000 films in its collection, including iconic films such as the Indiana Jones series, Forrest Gump, and Titanic, and uses Paramount Home Entertainment to distribute its films on DVD and Blu-ray.

Brad Grey
Credit: IMDB.com

Key People:

Brad Grey– Chief Executive Officer

Frederick Hunstberry – Chief Operating Officer

Mark Badagilacca – Chief Financial Officer

Randall Baumberger – President of Paramount Studio Group

History:

Founded in 1912 by Adolph Zukor, Jesse Lasky, and Cecil DeMille, Paramount Pictures became the first studio in Hollywood to make a feature length film with its version of The Squaw Man, originally a stage play. By 1920 the studio was releasing two-three new pictures a week, and established its famous symbol of a snow-covered mountain peak, which remains today [12].

Throughout the years, some of the most iconic directors and actors of all time have worked with Paramount to create the classic films we have today, such as Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960), Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments (1923), and Blake Edwards’ Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), starring Audrey Hepburn. Next to these classic

Credit: IMDB.com

films, Paramount also produced some of the most successful television series of all time, including Happy Days, The Brady Bunch, Cheers, and Fraiser[10]. The studio first dabbled in the world of television in the 1960’s, after it purchased Desilu television studios from Lucille Ball, and expanded its original 26-acre lot. The studio lot today covers 65 acres with thirty stages, and offers tours to the public to show fans the sets of legendary films, and walk in the footsteps of leaders of the cinema world [10].

Paramount has never slowed down, and went on to produce the highest grossing film of all time, Titanic (1997), until 20th Century Fox released Avatar in 2009, which is now the box office record holder. Further success flooded the studio under the director of Brad Grey, who became CEO back in 2005. Under his direction, Paramount released eight of its top 10 highest grossing films of all time, including the Transformers and Paranormal Activity franchises, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and Star Trek [12]. The studio made history at the Academy Awards back in 2010 with 20 total nominations, due to the success of True Grit, The Fighter, and How To Train Your Dragon, and has had countless awards over its reign as the largest studio, with successes such as No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood. In 2011, Paramount made box office history yet again with six consecutive movies grossing more than $100 million dollars, an industry record, with the releases of Rango, Thor, Kung Fu Panda 2, Super 8, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, and Captain America [12].

Recent Films:

Paranormal Activity 4

Paramount has seen great success with the Paranormal Activity franchise, but experienced disappointing results with the release of the fourth film on October 19, 2012. Paranormal Activity 2 opened at the box office with $40.7 million in 2010, and an even

Credit: IMDB.com

higher opening weekend for Paranormal Activity 3 came at $52.6 million last October, so they were disappointed to see the fourth film start with $29 million opening weekend [2]. The fourth film in the series has yet to gross as high as the first three, but may see more cash flow come in with the DVD release, set for January 2013. Despite not having staggering success, Paranormal Activity 4 still earned the studio its budget and more, and the fifth installment of the franchise has a set release date for October of 2013. The success of the fifth film may show Paramount if audiences have been paranormal-activitied-out.

Paranormal Activity 4 also had a different type of promotion out for the film, which was a contest to see which 25 cities around the world voted the most to have a free screening of the film three days before the theatrical release. Participants voted for their city through a Facebook application, and the results came out October 11th. Lima, Peru was ranked as the #1 city, which received a free screening, as well as cities in Brazil, Russia, Argentina, the U.K., France, Germany, and the United States [9].

Flight

November proved to be a box office success for Paramount with the release of its adult drama, Flight, starring Denzel Washington, which currently has a domestic total of $83 million. Though opening weekend only reached $25 million, and did not make the films budget of $31 million right away, the film has held its own over the past month while competing with box office blockbusters Skyfall and Breaking Dawn Part 2 [6]. The film, about an alcoholic pilot, received some press after Anheuser-Busch asked Paramount in late October to remove the Budweiser logo from the film, as they felt it negatively portrayed the brand, which is an advocate of responsible drinking [4]. The company stated

“We would never condone the misuse of our products, and have a long history of promoting responsible drinking and preventing drunk driving. We have asked the studio to obscure the Budweiser trademark in current digital copies of the movie and on all subsequent adaptations of the film, including DVD, On Demand, streaming and additional prints not yet distributed to theaters [4].”

Though Anheauser-Busch was displeased with the incorporation of their product in the film, there was little they could do about it legally since trademark laws do not give companies the right to censor their products in film and television. Paramount did not remove the logos from Flight, and Budweiser can still be seen throughout the movie and trailer.

Paramount also finished its seven year distribution deal with DreamWorks with Rise of the Guardians, which released on November 21 to extremely disappointing results. With a production budget of $145 million, the opening weekend only earned $24 million and a current domestic total only reaching $51 million [5]. This was the last film Paramount will distribute for DreamWorks, as DreamWorks announced at the end of August that they signed a deal with 20th Century Fox as their new distributor [3]. As a result, Paramount may see a dip in their income come 2013, as DreamWorks was a big income generator for them, paying Paramount $50 million in theatrical release fees alone.

Upcoming Releases:

Credit: IMDB.com

The studio is set to release three films in December 2012, including The Guilt Trip, starring Seth Rogen and Barbara Streisand, Not Fade Away, and Jack Reacher, starring Tom Cruise [1].

The Guilt Trip, a story about a man who goes on a road trip with his mother, should attract a variety of generations and audiences with the team of comedy powerhouse Rogen and famed Streisand, and Jack Reacher, an action flick about an investigator hunting a military sniper, is sure to attract Cruise fans. Not Fade Away could prove to be a bit of a miss for the studio, as it has no major celebrities and not much advertising.

Top Competitors:

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Fox Filmed Entertainment

The Walt Disney Studios [11].

Financials:

In the most recent fourth quarter financial report from Viacom, the conglomerate reported a 17% drop in revenues from $4.05 in 2011 to $3.36 billion in 2012. The company stated that it is hard to compare these two years due to the major financial impact Transformers: Dark of the Moon had when Paramount released it last June. The film had a total gross of $353 million, so without another large blockbuster in 2012, the numbers were sure to drop [7]. Director of Transformers 4, Michael Bay, announced on November 8th that Mark Wahlberg is set to star in the next film of the franchise, which Paramount has set to release June 27, 2014 [8]. With hype already building for the film, and an A list celebrity now attached, Viacom should definitely see their income skyrocket again in 2014.

Works Cited:

[1]. http://www.movieinsider.com/c6/paramount-pictures/

[2]. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/search/?q=paranormal%20activity

[3]. http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/20/dreamworks-animation-leaves-paramount-for-20th-century-fox-as-distributor/

[4]. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/05/budweiser-flight-removal-paramount_n_2080328.html

[5]. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=guardians.htm

[6]. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=flight.htm

[7]. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/search/?q=transformers%20dark%20of%20the%20moon

[8]. http://www.paramount.com/news-and-social-media/news-and-press-releases/michael-bay-re-teams-his-pain-and-gain-star-mark

[9]. http://www.paramount.com/news-and-social-media/news-and-press-releases/paranormal-activity-fans-around-world-have-wanted-it

[10]. http://www.paramountstudios.com/working-on-the-lot/general-info/history.html

[11]. http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/competition.Paramount_Pictures_Corporation.454f21dcb6c08c2b.html

[12]. http://www.paramount.com/100-years-paramount/paramount-story

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