Comcast/NBCU

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Tanya

Thomas Meis, Tanya Motwani

The Comcast Corporation

History

Comcast began its history as American Cable Systems, a smaller cable operator from Mississippi. It was purchased by Ralph Roberts and his business partners in 1963, and in 1969 was moved to Pennsylvania. Here it was renamed “Comcast”, a mixture of the words Communication and Broadcast. It then went public in 1972, and from there has been ever expanding.

It is considered to be one of the least-liked media conglomerates, winning “Worst Company in America” twice. Most experts believe this to be true because of the large number of assets owned by Comcast, as well as the monopoly-like power they have in terms of pricing for their various subsidiaries.

Key Executives

[1] Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and CEO, Comcast Corporation

[2] Stephen B. Burke, CEO, NBCUniversal

[3] Michael J. Cavanagh, CFO, Comcast Corporation

Financials

Comcast has bought or merged with many different companies, including Spectacor, Microsoft, AT&T, Sony Pictures, and NBCUniversal.
Not only have they expanded into the telecommunications market, they have also bought stakes the sports market, because of their controlling stake in the Philadelphia Flyers [4].
In 2014, they tried to buy Time Warner Cable, but were denied by many different fronts, the largest being that the government was worried that the merger would lead to Comcast having a monopoly in the broadband and video markets. Concerned citizens wrote to the government expressing their fears about the influence that a merged Comcast-TimeWarner conglomerate would have on the broadcast and TV-streaming platforms. The deal was officially abandoned in April of 2015 [5].
Comcast’s most well known acquisition has been NBCUniversal, which has many different assets, ranging from professional sports to entertainment. Today, Comcast is one of the biggest telecommunications companies on the planet, with assets in television, film, gaming, distribution, and sports.

Comcast has seen a steady increase in their stock price over the last year, which sits at $70.14 currently. In comparison to other media conglomerates, whose stocks have been seeing a decline, Comcast Cable Communications and NBCUniversal have both been doing well, leading to the surprising upward movement of the company’s stocks.

Comcast’s stock prices over the period of a year.

NBCUniversal

NBCUniversal- Divisions

NBCUniversal (NBCU) is a media conglomerate that is a subsidiary of Comcast, after the latter acquired the former in a $6.5 billion deal in 2011.

NBCU was originally formed in 2004[6], when GE’s National Broadcasting Company merged with Vivendi’s Vivendi Universal Entertainment. Comcast expressed interest in buying NBCU from GE and Vivendi in 2009, bought a 51% stake in 2001, and fully owned the company by 2013 [7].

NBCUniversal recently announced its extended partnership deal with BuzzFeed [8], after a successful year-long initial deal. The two companies plan to collaborate on promotional and original content for both platforms, and aim to create new digital content for NBCUniversal’s premium users.
Another deal that NBCUniversal announced was with Apple. Starting from January 2017, NBCUniversal will be the sole provider of advertising inventory on Apple’s app, Apple News [9].

NBCUniversal is made up of two main divisions: NBC and Universal Studios.
Apart from these two divisions, NBCUniversal also owns a part of the streaming service Hulu, along with Fox Entertainment Group, ABC, and Turner Broadcasting System.

NBC

NBC [10] is an american television broadcast network, with its headquarters in the Comcast Building in Rockerfeller Center, in New York City.
As of 2015, NBC owns ten owned-and-run stations, and over 221 network affiliates in 48 states. The network has a national reach of 95.52% of all american homes.

Cast of Saturday Night Live

NBC Programming broadcasts some of the most popular network television shows on air currently, including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Voice, Late Night With Seth Meyers, and Saturday Night Live.

Universal Filmed Entertainment Group

Universal Studios

Universal Studios is the American film studio owned by the Universal Filmed Entertain Group, and is considered to be the oldest surviving film studio in the United States. Its film studios are based in Universal City, California.
Universal Studios is credited as the first studio to release three films that each crossed over $1 billion in the box office, a feat the company achieved in 2015. The studio has a large number of successful film franchises under its roof, including Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, and the Jason Bourne series.

Universal Studios also has a large list of upcoming movies, including Pitch Perfect 3, The Mummy, and Fast 8 [11].

Universal Studios Orlando

Universal Studios OrlandoUniversal Parks & Resorts is a division of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, and operates all of the Universal theme parks and resorts all around the globe. It is known for its various rides and attractions that are based off of pop culture characters and has attracted over 50 million yearly visitors to its parks.
The first Universal Studios theme park opened in Hollywood in 1965. Since then, Universal Studios has opened parks in 3 different countries, and has 3 new parks upcoming in Moscow, South Korea, and Beijing [12].

DreamWorks Animation

DreamWorks Animation Logo

DreamWorks Animation, an animation studio based out of Glendale, California, was founded in 1994, by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen. The studio is known for its animated talking animal franchises (Shrek, Madagascar), and has 33 feature films that have grossed over $13.48 billion worldwide [13].

NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, announced its intention to acquire DreamWorks Animation (DWA) in April 2016. By August 2016, NBCUniversal has successfully acquired DWA for $3.8 billion. DWA is now a division of Universal Studios [14].
After the acquisition, Universal Studios was supposed to take over distribution for all of DreamWorks Animations’s films, however, DWA had signed a 5-year deal with 20th Century Fox, and intends to honor the deal until the end of the contract, with the film Captain Underpants. Universal will take over distribution in February 2018, beginning with the Margot Robbie and Hugh Jackman starrer, Larrikins.

DreamWorks Animation owns a themed land in the Dreamworld amusement park in Gold Coast, Australia, where they offer the DreamWorks Experience, which contains three distinct areas based on their most popular film franchises- Shrek, Madagascar, and Kung Fu Panda. Each area includes rides and attractions for people of all ages. DreamWorks Animation also has a deal with the Royal Caribbean Cruiseline, and announced in 2010 that the DreamWorks Experience would be offered as part of the cruises.
DreamWorks Animation has a list of movies scheduled to release in the next few years, each one anticipated to receive positive reviews and do well in the box office. The movies include How To Train Your Dragon 3, Shrek 5, and The Boss Baby.

Bibliography

[1] Brian L. Roberts. Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://corporate.comcast.com/news-information/leadership-overview/brian-l-roberts

[2] Stephen B. Burke. Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://corporate.comcast.com/news-information/leadership-overview/stephen-b-burke

[3] Michael J. Cavanagh. Retrieved November 27, 2016. http://corporate.comcast.com/news-information/leadership-overview/michael-j-cavanagh

[4] Kay, P. (1999, July 5). Comcast: Not Just Cable Anymore. Retrieved November 27, 2016, from http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/1999/07/05/story2.html

[5] Wiggers, K. (2015, April 24). It’s over! Comcast abandons plan to rule 57 percent of all U.S. broadband Internet. Retrieved November 27, 2016, from http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/comcast-abandon-time-warner-cable-merger/

[6] History of NBCUniversal. Retriever November 27, 2016. http://www.nbcuniversal.com/our-history#decade_9

[7] Chozick, A & Stelter, B. (2013, February 12) Comcast Buys Rest of NBC in Early Sale. Retrieved November 27, 2016, from http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/comcast-buying-g-e-s-stake-in-nbcuniversal-for-16-7-billion/?_r=1

[8] @. (2016, November 21). Buzzfeed and NBCUniversal Announce Expanded Partnership and Additional Investment. Retrieved November 27, 2016, from http://corporate.comcast.com/news-information/news-feed/buzzfeed-and-nbcuniversal-announce-expanded-strategic-partnership

[9] @. (2016, November 7) NBCUniversal Announces New Partnership with Apple News. Retrieved November 27, 2016, from http://corporate.comcast.com/news-information/news-feed/nbcuniversal-announces-new-partnership-with-apple-news

[10] NBCUniversal. Retrieved 27 November, 2016, from http://www.nbcuniversal.com/

[11] Universal Studios Upcoming Movies. Retrieved 27 November, 2016. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/schedule/?view=distributor&id=universal.htm

[12] Young, J. (2016, February 26). Universal Theme Parks future expansion looking to steamroll competition – Theme Park University. Retrieved November 29, 2016, from http://themeparkuniversity.com/universal/universal-theme-parks-looking-to-steamroll-competition-with-future-growth/

[13] DreamWorks Animation The Company. Retrieved 27 November, 2016, from http://www.dreamworksanimation.com/company/

[14] Sneider, J. (2016, April 27) DreamWorks Animation History: From ‘Antz’ to ‘Shrek’ to Comcast. Retrieved on November 27, 2016, from http://www.thewrap.com/dreamworks-animation-history-from-antz-to-shrek-to-comcast/

Universal Pictures

Aside

By Jamie Savarese

Universal Pictures

Photo Courtesy of myfilmviews.com [1]

Contact Information: [2]
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608

Phone: 818-777-1000

Fax: 818-777-6431

URL: http://www.universalpictures.com/
Twitter Handle: @UniversalPics
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/universalstudiosentertainment

Key Executives:

Donna, Langley, Chairman [3]

Peter Levinsohn, President and Chief Distribution [4]

Jeff Shell, Chairman [5]

Company Overview:
Universal Pictures is one of Hollywood’s “Big Six” film studios and is owned by Comcast through its subordinate company, NBCUniversal. The company distributes filmed entertainment for a growing global marketplace. They develop films internally, co-produce and distribute films developed by outside partners. Universal produces and distributes direct-to-DVD titles. The company has partners with a variety of leading international film companies in order to make and distribute films for wide commercial release. Their content is available through pay and free television, cinematic exhibition and subscription on-demand services. Universal has a diverse film pool and has showcased numerous classics including Jaws, E.T., Back to the Future and the Jurassic Park series. [6]

Brief History

Universal Logos Through the Years, Photos Courtesy of myfilmviews.com [7]

In 1912 Carl Laemmle, a film exhibitor turned producer, founded Universal Pictures. Universal is the world’s third oldest major film studio, and the second oldest in Hollywood. [8] In the early years of the studio it was a top producer of popular low-budget serials. It took the name of Universal-International for a while. In the early 1970s the Music Corporation of America purchased Universal. In 2004 Universal Pictures (as part of Vivendi Universal Entertainment) merged with the National Broadcasting Co., Inc., to form NBC Universal. [9]

Financials:
Box office wise, currently Universal is ranked 5^th with 11.2% of the market share, grossing $1,023.9 million from its 17 films. This marks a 26% decrease from the prior year. In 2013 Universal was ranked 3^rd with 13.1% of market share, grossing $1,433.3 million from its 17 films. The gross difference between 2013 and 2014 is -$358,971,454. [10]

Right Here, Right Now
In 2014, Universal Pictures released thirteen films and two are currently still in theatres: Dumb and Dumber To and Ouija. This fall Universal released six of its thirteen 2014 films: Get On Up, As Above/So Below, A Walk Among the Tombstones, Dracula Untold, Ouija and Dumb and Dumber To.

Ouija
This year marks the 120^th anniversary for the Ouija board. Writers Juliet Snowden and Stiles White devised Ouija, a terrifying horror film based on an unexpected death. A group of friends attempt to uncover the secret behind their best friends hanging, and end up awaking the dark powers of an ancient spirit board. [35]

Photo Courtesy of imbued.com [36]

Horror films are a great source of revenue for production companies because they are usually low budget projects. Ouija cost $5 million to make and left the studio with a worldwide profit of $67,840,000. This is a surprising profit considering sites like Rotten Tomatoes said only 29% of audiences liked it.[37]

Dracula Untold
Dracula Untold is a dark tale set to take place in Romania during the Turkish invasion. The main character Vlad (Luke Evans) sells his soul in an attempt to save his homeland. This choice forever dooms him as a creature of the night. Directed by Gary Shore and written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. [16]

Photo Courtesy of imbued.com[15]

In its opening week (October 10-12), Dracula Untold topped the foreign box office, edging out Gone Girl and Annabelle overseas with a $33.9 million haul. [12] Universal spent $70 million on the movie, and worldwide it accumulated $86.1 million after two weeks of release. As of today, the movie’s worldwide total is $212,691,880 million. Rotten Tomatoes gave the Dracula Untold a 61% for audience acceptance, were critics only gave it 23%. [13][14]

The Years Success
Neighbors, Ride Along, Lucy and Non-Stop are ranked the top four movies of 2014 based on total gross. [11]

Lucy
This action-thriller Lucy tracks the story of a woman, Lucy (Scarlett Johansson), who is accidentally caught in a dark deal. The package that her kidnappers expect her to carry ends up empowering Lucy. With this new mental capacity she turns the tables on her captors and turns into an unstoppable warrior evolved beyond the human logic. Luc Besson directs the film.[17]

Photo Courtesy of onlinemoviz.com [18]

In its opening week, Lucy accumulated a total gross of 34.7%, making around $43 million. Its widest release was 3,202 theatres. It’s total profit worldwide is $458,863,600 million compared to its $40 million dollar production budget. Luc Besson had the best opening of his career with Lucy in Turkey, Hungary, the Philippines, French-Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates, where it also became Universal’s third-biggest opening of all time. [19][20]

In Other News:

Photo Courtesy of www.hollywoodreporter.com [21]

On 15 July 2014, Elevation Pictures’, a Canadian indie distributor, co-presidents Laurie May and Noah Segal announced that Universal will be releasing its home entertainment product locally. The deal permits Elevation Pictures to handle Blu-ray and DVD sales of current and upcoming films into the Canadian market. Mike Flanagan’s Oculus was the first film to be handled by Universal’s Canadian home entertainment arm.[22]

Photo Courtesy of hollywoodreporter.com[34]

On 17 November 2014, Universal Pictures and Comcast brass gathered for an opening ceremony in Beijing. This signaled Universal’s push into China with their new office. The company stated that this office was a sign of proof to establish the future investment they wish to have within the region. [23]

Photo Courtesy of hollywoodreporter.com[24]

On 24 November 2014, Universal stepped up to adopt the high-profile Steve Jobs movie from Sony. The Hollywood Reporter states that their sources have the deal between the two companies priced more than $30 million. The film is based on Walter Isaacson’s biography Steve Jobs, which hit stores in 2011. The script was written by Aaron Sorkin and is set to be directed by Danny Boyle. [32]

What’s To Come:
Universal will release its popular comedic sequel, Pitch Perfect 2, on 15 May 2015. The film revisits the Barden Bells as they progress past domestic competition, and prepare for the international acapella competition that no American team has ever won. The film is directed by Elizabeth Banks and written by Kay Cannon and based on the book by Mickey Rapkin. [25]

Photo Courtesy of imbd.com[26]

The newest hype in Universal has come from its recent release of the Jurassic World trailer. The Jurassic Park series comes with many fans, and much promise for a good opening week. The movie comes out in 3D on 12 June 2015. Steven Spielberg returns to executive produce, and Colin Trevorrow comes on as director. [27][28][29]

-Video Courtesy of YouTube.com[30]

Future of Universal
The future of Universal looks positive and optimistic. The sequel movies Pitch Perfect 2 and TED 2 will bring a lot of people into theatres. Along with these, the well-known Jurassic Park series, Jurassic World, will spike much commotion. Another big prospect is the release of the popular novel adapted movie 50 Shades of Grey. With such high-discussed movies on the horizon, it only looks like the company will go up from here. [31]

Sources:
[1] Universal Logo From 16 February 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[2] Contact Information From 30 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[3] Donna Langley Photo From 5 December 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[4] Peter Levinsohn Photo From 1 May 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[5] Jeff Shell Photo Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[6] Universal Pictures Description Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[7] Universal Logo Photos From 16 February 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[8] History of Universal Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[9] History of Universal Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[10] Studio Market Share From 30 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[11] Total Gross of 2014 From 30 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[12] Dracula Foreign Success From 12 October 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[13] Rotten Tomatoes Dracula Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[14] Dracula Box Office From 1 December 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[15] Dracula Untold Poster Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[16] Dracula Untold Synopsis Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[17] Lucy Synopsis Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[18] Lucy Poster Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[19] Lucy Profits From 30 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[20] Luc Besson Success for Universal From 13 August 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[21] Oculus Photo From 15 July 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[22] Universal DVD Deal From 15 July 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[23] Beijing Office Hollywood Reporter From 17 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[24] Steve Job’s Picture From 24 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[25] Pitch Perfect imbd Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[26] Pitch Perfect Poster Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[27] Jurassic World imbd Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[28] Jurassic World Rotten Tomatoes Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[29] Jurassic World Universal Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[30] Jurassic World Trailer 25 November 2014.
[31] Upcoming Movies From 24 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[32] Script About Steve Jobs From 24 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[33] Ride Along Poster Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[34] China Photo From 17 Novemver 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[35] Ouija imbd Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[36] Ouija Photo Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[37] Rotten Tomatoes Ouija Retrieved 30 November 2014.

Universal Pictures

Posted on October 5, 2014 by jprooney

by John Rooney

Universal Pictures logo [17]

Location: 100 Universal Plaza, Universal City, California 91608

Web: http://www.universalpictures.com

History

Universal Pictures, Inc. was founded in 1912 by filmmaking partners Carl Laemmle and Robert Cochrane. As the oldest American film studio, Universal maintains its status as a powerhouse in the world of movie production and distribution. The studio is part of NBCUniversal, which is altogether owned by Comcast. [1] In its over one-hundred years of history, the studio has produced dozens of beloved classics such as Jurassic Park, E.T. and Jaws.

Key Executives [2]

Donna Langley, Chairman, Universal Pictures

Donna Langley, Chairman Universal Pictures [2]

Promoted to chairman in September of 2013, Langley has the task of overseeing all film production for Universal Pictures and Focus Features.

Jeff Shell, Chairman, Universal Filmed Entertainment

Jeff Shell, Chairman,
Universal Filmed Entertainment [2]

Shell took over in September of 2013. He came from Comcast, where he previously was the head of Universal International. He is in charge of worldwide operations for the film studio.

Ron Meyer, Vice Chairman, NBCUniversal

Ron Meyer – www.nbcumv.com [2]

Also appointed in September of 2013, Meyer’s job is to oversee all operations and planning for the company from films to theme parks.

Finances

Universal finished 2013 in third place in terms of revenue, just behind Warner Brothers and Disney. The studio also saw its largest worldwide revenue ever, $3.67 billion ($1.42 billion domestic, $2.25 billion international). This was a considerable increase from the $3.13 billion the studio made in 2012. Films such as Identity Thief, The Purge, and Mama helped the studio achieve such success. [3]

In 2013, Universal broke the $2 billion revenue mark in the international market for the first time ever. Fast & Furious 6, another huge film for Universal, opened at number one in 65 international territories and gave the studio it biggest opening weekend ever. Other films such as Despicable Me 2 and Oblivion helped throw Universal into the global spotlight. [4]

Competition

For years, some of Universal’s main competition has been other large film studios such as Disney, Warner Brothers, Fox, and CBS. [5] However, another large area of competition for Universal and other film companies is movie and TV streaming software such as Netflix and Hulu. A consumers ability to stream content online from a subscribed service is sure to hurt DVD sales. Additionally, online streaming companies have been making all sorts of business ventures in order to create and sell their own original content. [6]

Recent Film Releases

Neighbors

Neighbors [7]

An R-rated comedy from Good Universe, Neighbors is a hilarious account of a young husband and father’s struggles to peacefully coexist with a reckless group of fraternity brothers. The film stars Seth Rogen and Zac Efron, with Rose Byrne and Dave Franco in supporting roles. It was directed by Nicholas Stoller, who is famous for other projects such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to The Greek. The film received positive reviews for the most part, earning a 73% from the top critics at “Rotten Tomatoes”. [7]

The movie opened on May 9, 2014. It saw a successful first weekend with opening revenue at about $49 million. The film raked in about $150 million domestically and $180 million internationally, with a total gross of over $286 million. [8]

The Purge: Anarchy

The Purge: Anarchy [9]

A sequel to the 2013 thriller The Purge, The Purge: Anarchy follows a group of diner employees as they fight to survive the annual “Purge”, a night where all crime is legal across America. Written and directed by James DeMonaco, the film stars Frank Grillo, Kiele Sanchez, and Zach Gilford. The film received mixed reviews, with critic’s complaints focused mainly on flaws in the writing. [9]

The film was released on July 18, 2014 and saw an opening weekend revenue of nearly $30 million. It earned nearly $72 million domestically and about $38 million internationally, for a total of almost $111 million in revenue. In comparison to its predecessor, The Purge: Anarchy did not open as strongly, but earned about $22 million more in total revenue. [10]

Dumb and Dumber To

Dumb Dumber To [11]

The long awaited sequel to the 1994 Farrelly Brothers comedy Dumb and Dumber, Dumb and Dumber To presents the mindless antics of Harry and Lloyd once again as they set out on a mission to find Harry’s daughter. The film stars the comedy duo of Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels and was directed by J.B. Rodgers and Bobby Farrelly. The movie has not fared very well with critics in its first two weeks, with many saying that its brand of humor is not as fun and fresh as it used to be. [11]

The first Dumb and Dumber was wildly successful for Universal, snagging over $247 million worldwide. It’s prequel Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd was a huge box office flop, earning just over $39 million. Universal has commonly found success in sequels and film franchises. Dumb and Dumber To opened on November 14, 2014 in 3,154 theaters with an opening revenue of just over $36 million, giving it the #1 spot for the weekend. Thus far the film has made $67 million in the U.S. and $20 million in the international box office, adding up for a total of almost $88 million. [12]

What’s Next From Universal Pictures

Fifty Shades of Grey

50 Shades of Grey [13]

Based on the wildly popular romance novel of the same name, Fifty Shades of Grey tells the story of the masochistic relationship between a wealthy business man and one of his young female employees. The movie stars James Dornan and Dakota Johnson and is directed by Sam Taylor-Wood. The Focus Features film has completed production, and it set to make its wide release on February 13, 2015. [13]

Jurassic World

Jurassic World [14]

Universal hopes to continue its trend of successful sequels and film franchises with Jurassic World, the fourth installment of the Jurassic Park series. It will be starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, with Colin Trevorrow as director and Steven Spielberg as executive producer. The film has been in development since 2001, and was originally set to be called Jurassic Park IV. Shooting began last April in locations such as Hawaii and New Orleans. The movie is currently in post-production and editing, and is set to release on June 12, 2015. [14]

Warcraft

Warcraft Poster [15]

In 2016, Universal will be adapting a video game to film for the first time in its history. Based on World of Warcraft, an immensely popular online gaming program, Warcraft is set to be an epic fantasy tale of good versus evil. The film has been in development since 2006 and is currently in production. British film star Toby Kebbel and Paula Patton have been casted as two of the lead roles. The movie will have its wide release on March 11, 2016. [15]

Steve Jobs Biography Film

On November 25, 2014, Universal bought the rights from Sony Corporation to produce a biography film on Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs. It all be based on a biography by author Walter Isaacson entitled “Steve Jobs”. [16]

References

[1] http://www.history.com/news/the-renegade-roots-of-hollywood-studios

[2] http://deadline.com/2013/09/shocker-adam-fogelson-out-in-universal-shakeup-582309/

[3]http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/studio-smackdown-2013-warner-bros-668302

[4] http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/109124-universal-pictures-crosses-2b-mark-at-the-overseas-box-office-for-the-first-time

[5] http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/competition.Universal_Studios_Inc.7a0e7231fca927ed.html

[6] http://money.cnn.com/2011/07/08/technology/netflix_starz_contract/

[7] http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/neighbors_2014/

[8] http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=townies.htm

[9] http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_purge_anarchy_2014/?search=the%20purge%20anarchy

[10] http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=purge2.htm

[11] http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dumb_and_dumber_to/

[12] http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=dumberto.htm

[13] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2322441/

[14] http://www.jurassicworld.org

[15] http://www.warcraft-themovie.com

[16] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-25/universal-pictures-acquires-jobs-film-from-sony-corp.html

[17] http://www.universalpictures.com

Universal Pictures

Posted on October 28, 2013 by Lukas Lamble

By Luke Lamble

Universal Pictures logo

History

Founded in 1912, Universal Pictures, Inc. is the oldest American movie studio and continues to be a leader in the world of motion picture production and distribution. [1] In 2004, General Electric bought Universal Pictures. [2] GE sold all of its control of Universal in 2011 to the cable provider, Comcast, creating NBCUniversal. Universal Pictures still operates as the movie production subsidiary. [3] In 2012 alone, Universal has produced a diverse selection of award-winning movies such as the film production of Les Misérables and the comedy hit, Ted. [4]

Key Executives [5]

Ron Meyer (nbcumv.com)

Ron Meyer – Vice Chairman, NBCUniversal

Meyer served as President and COO of Universal Pictures since 1995 before being made Vice Chairman of NBCUniversal in September 2013. He currently oversees all facets of the company, while still managing its portfolio of film assets amongst others

Donna Langley (nbcumv.com)

Donna Langley – Chairman, Universal Pictures

Langley began working at Universal in 2001 as the senior vice president of production. After being named Chairman of Universal Pictures in September 2013, she assumed the role of overseeing the production and distribution of the company’s feature films.

Suzanne Cole (nbcumv.com)

Suzanne Cole – Executive VP, Media, Universal Pictures

Since the beginning of her tenure at Universal Pictures, the studio has experienced some of its most lucrative successes. Because of this success, Cole was named Executive Vice President of Media in 2008. She now oversees all strategic activities for the marketing and distribution of the studio’s feature films.

Financials (all numbers in millions)

Recent years have been good for Universal Pictures and its parent NBCUniversal. From 2011 to 2012, revenue for NBCUniversal grew by almost $5,000, from $19,028 to $23,812. Filmed entertainment was responsible for approximately 21% of the total revenue in 2012, generating $5,159. That was up from $4,239 generated by Universal Pictures in 2011. [6]

NBCUniversal logo

In regards to how Universal Pictures measured up against the five other major movie studios, so far in 2013, Universal holds a 14.6% market share amongst all the studios, placing it second behind Warner Brothers. This year Universal Pictures has grossed $1,329.3 from the release of 13 movies. [7]

Competition

The main concern for NBCUniversal and Universal Pictures right now is the new technologies that are affecting traditional media production and distribution methods. This is referring mainly to companies like Netflix and Hulu that syndicate video programming online. A growing concern is that these companies and others like them are beginning to create and obtain their own original content. [8]

Recent Film Releases

Universal Pictures has developed a reputation for having great success with movie franchises with such iconic franchises such as Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, and the Bourne series. [9] In 2013, Universal stuck with this trend and reaped the benefits of new installments in the Despicable Me and Fast & Furious series, amongst an eclectic mix of other successful films. [10]

The Best Man Holiday

A sequel to 1999’s The Best Man, The Best Man Holiday picks right up with the old college friends from the The Best Man, as they all reconvene for some Christmas celebrations. Amidst all the fun times, sparks of old romances begin to rekindle and old rivalries that had faded away over time arise again. Taye Diggs, Terrence Howard, Morris Chestnut, Monica Calhoun, and Regina Hall star in this quintessential holiday comedy-drama written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. [11]

The Best Man Holiday (vibe.com)

Released on November 15, 2013, in just three days The Best Man Holiday has nearly doubled its budget so far, bringing in $32,536,350. That’s also $6.5 million over the $24 million it was projected to earn. [12] Tagged as “just another black comedy,” The Best Man Holiday has not only offered more evidence that generally black films can succeed, but that this is no typical movie by any sense, except for the fact that it is generally crowd-pleasing. (No particular race or age group dominantly represents itself in the film’s audience demographics). In fact, CinemaScore even gave the movie an A+, an extremely rare feat for any film. [13]

Despicable Me 2

Gru (Steve Carell), a former master villain, has settled into family life after adopting and coming to love his three daughters, but peace and quiet is not lasting for the villain-turned-hero, as he is called upon to save the world from a new super-villain. And just as the world needs Gru’s help, so does his eldest daughter who has fallen for a classic bad-boy and an inevitable source of heartbreak. Kristen Wiig and Benjamin Bratt star alongside Carell in this story of one former villain’s attempt to be a hero for the world and for his own family. [14]

Despicable Me 2 (ropeofsilicon.com)

The original Despicable Me (2010) was a tremendous release for Universal, ranking seventh all-time amongst its highest grossing movies by bringing in $251,513,985 domestically. On July 3, 2013, Despicable Me 2 was released and has shattered that record, becoming the all-time highest grossing movie for Universal Pictures with $365,943,520 of domestic revenue. This income has far surpassed the film’s production budget of $76 million, and that’s not even factoring in its performance in the worldwide box office. To the delight of the studio, 60.1% of the movie’s total revenue came from foreign releases, grossing $550,100,000 worldwide. All in all, Despicable Me 2 has brought in $916,043,520 for Universal Studios, and subsequently, is still playing in 305 theaters across the U.S. [15]

Fast & Furious 6

The very CIA agent who has been trying to track them down in order to defeat a new crew of criminal drivers who are causing chaos in twelve countries across the world calls upon refugees of the law. In an effort to be pardoned from the charges against themselves, Dom and Brian (Vin Diesel and Paul Walker) get their old gang of expert drivers back together to take to the streets of London and defeat these mercenary drivers. Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson star in this pedal-to-the-metal thriller. [16]

Fast & Furious 6 (teaser-trailer.com)

The sixth film in the Fast & Furious series was the most successful installment to date for the studio, becoming its ninth highest grossing film of all time, and reaping in the most revenue of all the Fast & Furious films. Fast & Furious 6 generated $238,679,850 for Universal, making it the second highest grossing film of 2013 behind Despicable Me 2. In the worldwide box office, Fast & Furious 6 brought in another $550 million, bringing its total gross to a lofty $788,659,850. Given the $160 million budget, Universal Pictures had another major box office winner with this film. [17]

What’s to Come from Universal Studios

Fast & Furious 7

Fast & Furious 7 (hitfix.com)

Just a little over a year after Fast & Furious 6 came out, the seventh is already on its way, slated for a July, 2014 release date. This time, the brother of the defeated world-criminal from Fast & Furious 6 has come onto the scene seeking revenge for his brother’s death. [18]

Ted 2

Ted 2 (collider.com)

Universal Pictures also has plans to release the sequel to its wildly successful, raucous comedy Ted. However, Universal did not produce the original, but acquired the rights to it and distributed it as a Universal Pictures film. Despite not having the rights yet, the studio is confident it will be able to secure them and go forward with production of the sequel. [19]

Sources

[1] Universal Pictures History

[2] NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment Unite to Create NBC Universal

[3] Comcast Completes Acquisition of GE’s 49% Stake In NBCUniversal

[4] About Universal Pictures

[5] NBCUniversal Film Executives

[6] NBCUniversal 2012 Annual Report

[7] 2013 Studio Market Shares

[8] NBCUniversal 2012 Annual Report

[9] Movie Franchises by Studio

[10] Universal Pictures’ 2013 Movie Releases

[11] The Best Man Holiday Plot Summary

[12] The Best Man Holiday Box Office Performance

[13] The Best Man Holiday Performance Analysis

[14] Despicable Me 2 Plot Summary

[15] Despicable Me 2 Box Office Performance

[16] Fast & Furious 6 Plot Summary

[17] Fast & Furious 6 Box Office Performance

[18] Dwayne Johnson Tweets Fast & Furious 7 Photo

[19] Ted 2 Scheduled Release

Universal Pictures

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Moon Park

by Moon Park

Universal Pictures logo [1]

Address: 100 Universal City Plaza Universal Studios, CA. 91608

Contact Information: 818.777.1000

Major Media Company: Comcast

Parent Company: NBC Universal

Key Executives:

Ron Meyer, President and Chief Operating Officer

Adam Fogelson, Chairman

Jimmy Horowitz, President

Rick Finkelstein, Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer

James Schamus, Chief Executive Officer

(Ronald Meyer)

Profile: Universal Studios Inc. also known as Universal Pictures is an American motion picture and television studio which is located in Universal City in California. Universal Pictures is owned my Comcast and is a subsidiary of NBC Universal. It is one of the six major studios in the United States and one of the longest existing motion picture studios as well. Its main purpose is to develop, produce, and market entertainment[2]. Along with making movies, Universal also has theme parks located in Hollywood, California and Orlando, Florida[3]. Through its international production group, the studio teams up with the international studios to make blockbuster movie. They also make wide commercial and special releases in not so familiar regions. For almost a century now, Universal Pictures made diverse films such as classics: Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park series, and Mamma Mia!. It also made franchise movies such as: Meet the Parents, Fast and Furious, Back to the Future, and the Bourne Series. Not only did they make high grossing movies, they also made quality movies which won them the Academy Awards such as: King Kong, Brokeback Mountain, The Pianist, and many more[4] . Over the years of movie making, Universal Pictures grossed over $25 billion all time (movies before 1982 has not been recorded)[5]. On the course of making movies, Universal is very successful and is on the top of the list when it comes to studios.

Universal Pictures History: Carl Laemmle was the man to start Universal Pictures. While he was planning to start a clothing shop in Chicago in 1905, he came across people waiting in line for a nickelodeon. At that moment Laemmle decided to change his job, and opened his first theater The White Front Theater. From then on, Laemmle started to make more branches of theaters with partners and started making money. Carl Laemmle met Robert Cochrane and expanded their theaters. They made the Laemmle Film Service, which became the largest movie distributor of the country in the early 1900s. After having problems with the motion pictures, Laemmle and Cochrane made their own movies. In 1912 the Universal Film Manufacturing Company was formed and this led to Universal Pictures’ 100th anniversary in 2012 [6].

Where the company is headed today: Most good film today push towards the holidays or before it so that it could be a contender for an award ceremony held in early times of the year. Films such as: Zero Dark Thirty and Les Miserables were nominated for both the Golden Globes and the Oscars. The movie Ted also did great in the box office to end Universal’s 2012 [7].

January 2013 : On January 6, Universal renewed its domestic domestic output deal with HBO with a long term extension. This is the tenth year they are working with HBO and has been successful [8]. The epic film Jurassic Park, which was made in 1993, is scheduled to be released in IMAX and 3D on April [9]. Universal Pictures signed with Nintendo’s marketing director and assistant general manager, Dawn Paine to be their vice president of marketing mostly in overseas. In addition he is responsible for the publicity of Universal’s home entertainment business [10].

February 2013: Universal showed their new release: Fast and Furious 6 on the day of Superbowl. The movie is expected to be seen everywhere on theaters May 24 [11]. The character Ted(from the movie Ted) came out with its co-star Mark Wahlburg in the 85th Oscars. Seth McFarlane who created and played Ted hosted the show and asked Universal Pictures to pay for the appearance due to technical issues [12]. In addition, Les Miserables’ Anne Hathaway won best supporting actress and many were nominated for both Les Miserables and Zero Dark Thirty.

March 2013: Universal Pictures were fighting for legal rights with a porn producer, who adapted a pornography adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey. Universal won the rights in the end, which turned out for Smash Pictures to pay Universal for their doing [13]. Marc Abraham and Eric Newman of Strike Entertainment (an Universal Pictures co-company) decided to dissolve the company and step away from Universal after a 15 year run [14]. StudioCanal has launched legal actions against Universal, who was their former partners. StudioCanal claims that Universal’s violation was “fiduciary and contractual obligations.” They also claim that Universal hid some payments and did not report incomes. [15].

April 2013: Jurassic Park premiered on April 5th and is made $18 million in its opening weekend where budget was just at the $10 million mark [16] . From January-April, Universal Pictures came in at number one in the studio market share with its distribution. They marked 13.1% and grossed over $300 million with five movies, two of them being released in 2013 [17].

What is coming next for Universal: Universal Pictures are pushing for roughly twelve more movies to come out for 2013. Summer movies are: Fast and Furious 6, Kick Ass 2, The Purge, Despicable Me 2, R.I.P.D, etc… [18].

Financial Reports: For the fourth quarter report of Universal Pictures in 2012, they increased 9% from 1.3 to 1.4 compared with 2011 fourth quarter financial report from films such as, Les Miserables Ted, This is 40, and Bourne Legacy. Their Operating Cash Flow decreased 4.7% from $89 million to $84. For the year, they ended $5.2 billion, which was a 12.4 increase from their 2011 revenue $4.7 billion [19]Comcast Corporation (the owner of Universal) announced on March that they will release their 2013 first quarter financial report on May 1, 2013 [20].

Competition: Competition for Universal Pictures are as followed: Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Columbia Pictures, and Warner Bros. Pictures. They are known as the Major Big Six Film studios in the United States.

Universal Pictures Affiliated Groups:

Bravo Media
CNBC
E!
Esquire Network
Fandango
Focus Features
Golf Channel
International Television
MSNBC
mun2
NBC Entertainment
NBC News
NBC Owned Television Stations
NBC Sports Group
NBCUniversal
NBCUniversal Cable and New Media Distribution
NBCUniversal Digital Distribution
NBCUniversal Domestic Television Distribution
NBCUniversal Television Networks Distribution
Oxygen Media
Sprout
Style Media
Syfy
Telemundo
Universal Parks & Resorts
Universal Pictures
Universal Television
USA Network

Sources:

1. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.myfilmviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/universal-pictures-100th-anniversary-logo1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.myfilmviews.com/2012/02/16/the-story-behind-the-universal-pictures-logo/&h=811&w=1500&sz=891&tbnid=azNGy7FcyZtUPM:&tbnh=65&tbnw=120&zoom=1&usg=__8V1u5F0D3KgGXBGBzwXIMnzueIM=&docid=XETkV1Rks8ResM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=hkRiUa_mH-nh4AO5h4DQCg&sqi=2&ved=0CDcQ9QEwAQ&dur=1874

2. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=804881

3. http://www.universalstudios.com/

4. http://www.nbcuni.com/film/universal-pictures/

5. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?page=7&yr=&view=company&view2=allmovies&studio=universal.htm&p=.htm

6. http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/universal-studios-inc-history/

7. http://www.movieinsider.com/c13/universal-pictures/

8. http://www.deadline.com/2013/01/universal-pictures-extends-domestic-output-deal-with-hbo/

9. http://www.deadline.com/2013/01/jurassic-park-imax-3d-release-april-5/

10. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=804881

11. http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/fast-and-furious-6-trailer-extended-universal-pictures/

12. http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/oscars-2013-ted-appearance-mark-wahlberg/

13. http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/settlement-reached-in-universals-fifty-shades-of-grey-porn-adaptation-suit/

14. http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/producing-partners-marc-abraham-and-eric-newman-dissolve-strike-entertainment/

15. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=804881

16. http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/

17. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/

18. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/schedule/?view=distributor&id=universal.htm

19. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/12/pa-comcast-idUSnBw4kmz68a+100+BSW20130212

20. http://www.cmcsk.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=750147

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