Amblin Partners

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Paul Honnick

image sourced from AmblinPartners.com

by Paul Honnick

Amblin Partners

100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608

amblinpartners.com

Key Executives at Amblin Partners

Michael Wright – CEO

Steven Spielberg – Chairman

Holly Bario – President of Production

Jeff Small – President and Co-CEO

Kristie Macosko – Executive

Images sourced from AmblinPartners.com

Amblin Partners: A New Company Led by a Hollywood Legend

Amblin Partners, is a new film, television, and digital content creation company that develops and produces films using the Amblin Entertainment, DreamWorks Pictures, and Participant brands to leverage their power and board awareness to tell stories that appeal to a wide range of audiences. The partnership was officially formed on December, 15, 2015, by Steven Spielberg of DreamWorks Studios, Jeff Skoll of Participant Media, Anil Ambani of Reliance Group, and Darren Throop of Entertainment One (eOne). [1]

Legendary director Steven Spielberg is the chairman of Amblin Partners, having invested $50 million of his own money into the venture. This is the first time Spielberg has invested his own funds into his brands since founding DreamWorks more than two decades ago, in 1994. [2]

Tech billionaire Jeff Skoll, former eBay executive and founder of Participant Media, made the single largest reported contribution, investing $200 million in the partnership. [2]

Reliance Group of India was a previous equity partner of DreamWorks Pictures and is continuing its seven-year relationship with Spielberg. [2] [5]

The fourth partner, Entertainment One (eOne) of Canada, initially discussed a $50 million investment, however, the final contribution was not disclosed. [2] eOne handles the direct distribution of Amblin Partners films in multiple territories outside of the U.S., including Australia, New Zealand, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the Benelux. [1]

The partnership also secured a $500 million line of credit through half a dozen lenders arranged by J.P. Morgan Chase and Comerica Bank. J.P. Morgan Chase has financed DreamWorks Studios since its inception in 1994. [1] [2]

Amblin Partners is led by CEO Michael Wright, and President and Co-CEO Jeff Small, who previously served as CEO and COO of DreamWorks respectively. Wright joined DreamWorks Pictures in 2014 and signed a four-year contract extension in February. [8] Small, who has been with DreamWorks for the past nine years, was originally named COO when the partnership was formed in December, but was quickly promoted to President and Co-CEO in February. Small also signed a contract extension. [9]

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Spielberg and Skoll said that the partnership will produce films appealing to adults through the DreamWorks label, while focusing more on family entertainment through the Amblin label, and Participant will focus on projects with socially relevant themes and messages. While the partnership will release some Participant branded films, Participant Media will remain a separate company and continue making documentaries and some scripted films on its own. [1] [4]

Amblin Partners also struck a multi-year deal with Universal Pictures to market and distribute their films produced domestically and in select international territories. Under this agreement, Universal Pictures and Focus Features will handle four to seven films per year, the first film being “The Girl on the Train,” scheduled to be released in October 2016. [3] The Universal deal also represents a chance for director Steven Spielberg to continue doing business with the company where he launched his Hollywood career and defined the modern blockbuster with such films as “E.T.” and “Jurassic Park.” [3] [7] Spielberg has also maintained offices on the Universal Studios lot throughout his career. However, the deal with Universal is strictly for marketing and distribution. Universal did not invest in Amblin Partners, and reportedly charges a commission of more than 7% per film under the terms of the deal. [3] [4]

Amblin Partners’ distribution deal with Universal effectively ends Spielberg’s and DreamWorks Pictures’ previous partnership with Disney, which is set to expire in August. However, under the legacy deal, Disney will distribute two Amblin Partners productions, “The BFG,” and “The Light Between Oceans.” [1] [6] At the conclusion of the partnership, Disney will retain the library of films produced by Spielberg during his tenure with Disney, including the upcoming “The BFG.” [2]

Upcoming Films

Films in various stages of production include “The BFG,” “The Light Between Oceans,” “The Girl on the Train,” “A Dog’s Purpose,” which is scheduled to be released in the first quarter of 2017, and “Ready Player One,” a co-production between Amblin Partners and Warner Bros. Pictures that is scheduled to be released in December 2017. [1]

“The Girl on the Train,” scheduled to be released on October 7, is to be the first film distributed under Amblin Partner’s new deal with Universal. The film is based on the New York Times best seller novel by Paula Hawkins and stars Emily Blunt (Sicario), Rebecca Ferguson (Mission:Impossible – Rogue Nation), Haley Bennett (The Equalizer), Justin Theroux (The Leftovers), Luke Evens (Furious 7), Allison Janney (Mom), Edgar Ramirez (Zero Dark Thirty), Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback) and Merritt Wever (Nurse Jackie). The film is about a recently divorced woman who spends her daily commute fantasizing about the seemingly perfect couple who live in a house that her train passes every day, until one morning she witnesses something shocking and becomes entangled in a mystery. [10]

Principal photography began on “Thank You For Your Service” in February. It is based on a novel by David Finkel and stars Miles Teller (Whiplash), Haley Bennett (The Girl on the Train), Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders), Amy Schumer (Trainwreck), Beulah Koale (The Last Saint), Scott Haze (Child of God), Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider), Brad Beyer (42), Omar Dorsey (Selma) and Jayson Warner Smith (The Birth of a Nation). The film revolves around a group of soldiers returning from Iraq who struggle to integrate back into family and civilian life while dealing with the traumas of war. The film also marks the directorial debut of Jason Hall. [11]

Shooting is expected to commence this Spring for the upcoming holiday comedy “Office Christmas Party,” starring Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, TJ Miller, and Kate McKinnon. Will Speck and Josh Gordon are set to direct the film about a group of people who have to deal with a holiday office party gone awry. The film is expected to be released in December through Paramount. [12]

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/notes/paramount-pictures/paramount-pictures-and-dreamworks-pictures-ghost-in-the-shell-is-in-production-i/10154147848862072/

Scarlett Johansson in “Ghost in the Shell.” Image sourced from Paramount Pictures official Facebook page

Production began in April on a live-action adaptation of the famous Japanese manga series “Ghost in the Shell” in Wellington, New Zealand. The film stars Scarlett Johansson (Avengers: Age of Ultron), and is directed by Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman). The film will also star Japanese actor Takeshi “Beat” Kitano in his first U.S. role since 1995’s “Johnny Mnemonic.” Johansson plays a special-ops, human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9 devoted to stopping dangerous criminals and extremists in the sci-fi adventure. The film, scheduled to be released March 31, 2017, is a co-production between Amblin Partners’ DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures, with Paramount distributing the film. [13] [14]

Sources

Amblin Partners. Dreamworks Studios, Participant Media, Reliance Entertainment and Entertainment One Form Amblin Partners, A New Film, Television and Digital Content Creation Company. Retrieved April 23, 2016. http://www.amblinpartners.com/dreamworks-studios-participant-media-reliance-entertainemt-one-amblin-partners/
Rainey, James. Variety. December 30, 2015. Steven Spielberg Puts His Own Big Bucks Into the New Amblin Partners (Exclusive). Retrieved April 23, 2016. http://variety.com/2015/film/news/steven-spielberg-amblin-investment-1201669720/
Lang, Brent and Rainey, James. Variety. December 16, 2015. Steven Spielberg, Jeff Skoll Bring Amblin Partners to Universal. Retrieved April 23, 2016. http://variety.com/2015/film/news/steven-spiellberg-universal-1201662956/
Masters, Kim. Hollywood Reporter. Steven Speilberg, Jeff Skoll Talk Amblin Partners Deal: “We Are Hitting the Ground Running” (Exclusive). Retrieved April 24, 2016. https://edit.hollywoodreporter.com/news/steven-spielberg-jeff-skoll-talk-849554
Lang, Brent and Rainey, James. Variety. December 10, 2015. Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks to Reboot with $200 Million From Participant and Universal Deal. Retrieved April 23, 2016. http://variety.com/2015/film/news/participant-dreamworks-universal-200-million-deal-1201658060/
Masters, Kim. Hollywood Reporter. September 2, 2015. Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks to Split From Disney, In Talks With Universal (Exclusive). Retrieved April 23, 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/steven-spielbergs-dreamworks-split-disney-819594
McClintock, Pamela. Hollywood Reporter. Steven Spielberg, Jeff Skoll Team to Form Amblin Partners, Strike Distribution Deal With Universal. Retrieved April 23, 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/steven-spielberg-jeff-skoll-team-849249
Rainy, James. Variety. February 2, 2016. Michael Wright Re-Ups as CEO of Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners. Retrieved April 24, 2016. http://variety.com/2016/film/news/michael-wright-amblin-partners-deal-1201694796/
Busch, Anita. Deadline. February 3, 2016. Amblin Promotes Jeff Small To President & Co-CEO. Retrieved April 24, 2016. http://deadline.com/2016/02/amblin-jeff-small-president-co-ceo-promotion-steven-spielberg-1201695827/
DreamWorks Pictures. November 11, 2015. Principal Photography Begins for New York Times Best Seller ‘The Girl on the Train’. Retrieved April 24, 2016. https://dreamworkspictures.com/news/principal-photography-begins-for-new-york-times-best-seller-the-girl-on-the-train
DreamWorks Pictures. February 9, 2016. Principal Photography Begins on ‘Thank You For Your Service’. Retrieved April 24, 2016. https://dreamworkspictures.com/news/principal-photography-begins-on-thank-you-for-your-service
Kit, Borys. Hollywood Reporter. February 19, 2016. Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman to Star in ‘Office Christmas Party’ (Exclusive). Retrieved April 24, 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jennifer-aniston-jason-bateman-star-867614
Paramount Pictures. April 14, 2016. Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures’ “Ghost in the Shell” is in Production in New Zealand. Retrieved April 24, 2016. https://www.facebook.com/notes/paramount-pictures/paramount-pictures-and-dreamworks-pictures-ghost-in-the-shell-is-in-production-i/10154147848862072
DreamWorks Pictures. March 3, 2016. Japanese Icon Takeshi ‘Beat’ Kitano Boards ‘Ghost in the Shell’. Retrieved April 24, 2016. https://dreamworkspictures.com/news/japanese-icon-takeshi-beat-kitano-boards-ghost-in-the-shell

Warner Bros. Pictures

Posted on October 5, 2014 by nlopezlu

by Nancy Lopez-Luna

Warner Bros. Pictures

: Photo Courtesy of deadline.com [1]

Contact Information: [2]

4000 Warner Blvd.

Burbank, CA 91522

P: 818.954.3000

http://www.warnerbros.com/

About Warners Bros. Pictures:

Warner Bros. Pictures is one of the six major American film studios. The company was founded on April 4, 1923 by Albert, Harry, Jack and Sam Warner. [3] Warner Bros. Pictures is an entertainment company involved in the creation, production, distribution, licensing and marketing on all their forms of entertainment. [4] In 2008, Warner Bros. Pictures acquired New Line Cinema to maximize film performance. [5]

Warner Bros. Pictures has created blockbuster films based on books, including Harry Potter, The Hobbit, Sherlock Holmes, among others. [6] Warner Bros., with the collaboration of New Line Cinema, releases approximately 18-22 films each year. [7]

Competitors

Warner Bros.’ competitors include: Paramount Pictures Corporation, Fox Filmed Entertainment and The Walt Disney Studios. [8]

Key Executives:

Kevin Tsujihara; chairman and Chief executive officer

Thomas Gewecke; executive Vice president & CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICE

Edward a romano; executive vice president & Chief financial officer

Photo and info courtesy of: http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/executives [9]

Financials:

In 2013, Warner Bros. Pictures grossed in $5.03 billion in global box office, their most successful theatrical year in company history. That year marked the company’s first time surpassing the $5 billion mark. [10] As of September 30, 2014, Warner Bros. Pictures has grossed a revenue of $1.17 million in their recent quarter. This is a 3% increase from last year. These increases were offset by Pacific Rim, The Conjuring and We’re the Millers. Through November 2, Annabelle grossed over $230 million in worldwide box office. [11] Currently, Warner Bros. Pictures employs 9,000 people. [12]

What’s happening now?

In 2014, Warner Bros. Pictures released a total of 18 films, with Inherent Vice being released last on December 12th. [13]

The Lego Movie

One of the movies that stayed #1 for the first half of 2014 was The Lego Movie directed by DeAlan Wilson. [14] The Lego Movie is a 3D animation film that tells the story of a construction Lego worker, Emmet. He is recruited on a quest to stop an evil tyrant from destroying the Lego universe. [15]

: Photo Courtesy of rottentomatoes.com [16]

The budget set for this film was $60,000,000 million. In its opening weekend (7-9 February 2014), The Lego Movie received $69,050,279 million. In total, it grossed $252,756,197 million. [17] The Lego Movie won the kids’ feature film prize at the BAFTA Children’s Awards Sunday, fighting off competition from Maleficent, How to Train Your Dragon 2 and Frozen. [18]

If I Stay

If I Stay recounts the story of Mia Hall after suffering a car incident that puts her in a coma. During her out-of-body experience, she has to decide if she wants to wake up and live a completely different life. During her journey she decides what she wants to do. The film is directed by R.J. Cutler and it stars Chloe Grace Moretz. [19]

Photo Courtesy of IMDb.com [20]

During its opening weekend (22-24 August, 2014), If I Stay earned $15,679,190 million. To date, it has grossed $50,474,843 million domestically. [21]

Annabelle

Annabelle reunites the filmmakers behind 2013’s hugely successful supernatural thriller The Conjuring. A couple begins to experience supernatural happenings in their house after satanic cultists invade their home. The films stars Ward Horton, Annabelle Wallis and Alfre Woodard. [22]

Photo Courtesy of IMDb.com [23]

Annabelle was big for Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema. It is the highest grossing horror movie of 2014. Directed by John R. Leonetti, Annabelle has taken over $250 million at the worldwide box office. Opening weekend (3-5 October 2014), Annabelle grossed in $37,134,255 million. [24]

Interstellar

Interstellar is a current release from Warner Bros. Pictures. Directed by Christopher Nolan, Interstellar tells the story of a team traveling through a wormhole in an attempt to find a potential planet sustainable for habitat. This film stars Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway. [25]

Photo Courtesy of IMDb.com [26]

In its opening weekend (5-7 November 2014), Interstellar grossed in $47,510,360 million. It is 3.7 weeks in and Interstellar has grossed in $147,090,000 million domestically and $542,290,000 worldwide. [27]

Horrible Bosses 2

A sequel to Horrible Bosses, three men decide to start their own business but things don’t go as planned because of an investor, prompting the trio to pull off a misguided kidnapping scheme. Directed by Sean Anders this film stars Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day. [28]

Photo Courtesy of IMDb.com [29]

In its opening weekend (26-28 November 2014), Horrible Bosses 2 grossed in $15,700,000 million. Domestically it has gained $23,010,000 million as of November 30, 2014. Worldwide it has reached $34,710,000. This movie was one of the popular to watch over Thanksgiving weekend. [30]

In other news

Cuts

On November 9, 2014 Warner Bros. began to cut their employees. These cuts will eliminate 1,000 jobs, or 12.5% of the studio’s staff. Warner Bros. is trying to increase their profitability in lieu of their weak domestic box office sales. These layoffs are part of Time Warner, its corporate parents, who also seek to cut costs. Despite the hit in The Lego Movie, it has suffered with movies like Edge of Tomorrow, The Judge and Blended. It is ranked third at the domestic box office, behind 20th Century Fox and Walt Disney Studios. [31]

Royalties

A private arbitrator has decided against the Weinstein brothers and Miramax in a dispute with Warner Bros. over royalties for the second and third Hobbit films. In 1988, Miramax agreed to sell the big-screen rights it controlled to New Line Cinema, which is now owned by Warner Bros. Warner Bros. has decided to not pay the Weinstein company royalties for the second and third installation of The Hobbit. [32]

The Stand

Director Josh Boone has announced that the studio has allowed him to turn Stephen’s King’s novel The Stand into a four-part franchise. Matthew McConaughey is said to take the role of villainous Randall Flagg. [33] The Stand is about one man who escapes from a biological weapon facility after a deadly virus wipes out most of the world’s population. The survivors are stuck in a predicament of what to do, facing both good and evil. [34]

What to Expect:

Focus

Warner Bros. Picture will release its first 2015 film, February 27. Focus is based on a veteran grifter who takes in an attractive woman under his wing. After time spent together they become romantically involved. Directed by Glenn Ficarra and Josh Requa this film stars Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Rodrigo Santoro. [35]

Photo Courtesy of IMDb.com [36]

In the Heart of the Sea

Out March 13, 2015, In the Heart of the Sea is said to be based on true events. In the winter of 1820, the New England whaling ship Essex was assaulted by a whale of mammoth size. The real-life disaster inspired Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick. But In the Heart of the Sea reveals the aftermath, as the ship’s surviving crew is pushed to their limits and forced to do the unthinkable to stay alive. [37]

Photo Courtesy of IMDb.com [38]

Directed by Ron Howard, this film stars Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphay and Charlotte Riley.

Video courtesy of youtube.com [39]

[1] Warner Bros. logo. Deadline. RT: 11/29/14

[2] Warner Bros. contact. warner bors. rt: 11/29/14

[3] Founded. warner bros. rt: 11/29/14

[4] What Warner Bros. does. BusinessWeek. RT: 11/29/14

[5] New Line Cinema. warner bros. rt: 11/29/14

[6] Competitors. hoovers. rt: 12/1/14

[7] Blockbuster Film Franchises. boxofficemojo. rt: 11/29/14

[8] Distribution. warner bros. rt: 11/29/14

[9] Executive Officers. warner bros. rt: 11/29/14

[10] 2013 Gross Income. variety. rt: 11/29/14

[11] 2014 3rd Quarter Income. time warner. rt: 11/29/14

[12] Employees. variety. rt: 11/29/14

[13] 2014 Films. movie insider. rt: 11/29/14

[14] Lego Movie. time warner. rt: 11/29/14

[15] About Lego Movie. imdb. rt: 11/29/14

[16] Lego Movie Image. imdb. rt: 11/29/14

[17] Lego Movie Revenue. boxofficemojo. rt: 11/29/14

[18] Lego Movie Award. variety. rt: 11/29/14

[19] About If I Stay. imdb. RT: 11/29/14

[20] if i stay movie poster. imdb. rt: 12/1/14

[21] If I Stay Revenue. Boxofficemojo. rt: 11/29/14

[22] About Annabelle. imdb. rt: 11/29/14

[23] Annabelle movie poster. imdb. rt: 12/1/14

[24] Annabelle Revenue. boxofficemojo. rt: 11/29/14

[25] About Interstellar. imdb. 11/29/14

[26] Interstellar movie poster. imdb. rt: 12/1/14

[27] Interstellar Revenue. boxofficemojo. rt: 11/29/14

[28] About Horrible Bosses. imdb. rt: 11/29/14

[29] horrible bosses 2 movie poster. imdb. rt: 12/1/14

[30] Horrible Bosses 2 Revenue. boxofficemojo. rt: 11/30/14

[31] Warner Bros. Cuts. ny times. rt: 11/29/14

[32] Warner Bros. Royalties. wall street journal. rt: 11/29/14

[33] Joseph Boone. deadline. rt: 11/29/14

[34] About The Stand. stephen king. rt: 11/29/14

[35] About Focus. imdb. rt: 11/29/14

[36] focus movie poster. imdb. rt: 12/1/14

[37] About In the Heart of the Sea. imdb, rt: 11/29/14

[38] In the Heart of the Sea Image. imdb. rt: 11/29/14

[39] In the Heart of the sea trailer. youtube. rt: 11/29/14

Weinstein Company

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Roxanne Silver

By Roxy Silver

[1] The Weinstein Company Logo

HISTORY

Brothers Bob and Harvey Weinstein founded Miramax Films in 1979 and sold it to Disney in 1993. In 2005, they launched The Weinstein Company, TWC, a multimedia and distribution company that encompasses Dimension Films, a genre-label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein [2]. TWC and Dimension Films have released mainstream genre and specialty films [3]. Recently the company has made a huge push in its television division.

KEY EXECUTIVES

[4] Harvey Weinstein, Co-Chairman TWC

[5] Bob Weinstein, Co-Chairman TWC & Dimension Films

FINANCIALS

TWC is privately held. Box office wise, currently TWC is ranked 9th with 2.5% of the market share, grossing $69.1 million from its 8 films [6]. This marks a decrease from the prior year in which TWC ranked 8th with 4.5% market share, grossing $491.7 million while releasing 21 films [7].

IN THEATERS

[8] Lee Daniels’ The Butler captures the story of a White House butler who served seven presidents through dramatic and changing times in American history.

“Lee Daniels’ The Butler”

The drama starring Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey “was expected to do well, but we didn’t expect to do this well,” shared Erik Lomis, President of Distribution for TWC. “The Butler” is the company’s first No. 1 debut since 2009 [9] with an opening weekend of $24.6 million on August 16, 2013 [10]. The film has accumulated grosses of $116.6 million domestically and grossed $146.5 million internationally [11].

[12] Vampire Academy is based on a best selling series about two “mortal vampires” who attend a boarding school and have to protect each other from the terrible forces.

“Vampire Academy”

The highly anticipated fantasy film was a flop for TWC. In attempt to imitate the success of box office hits like “Twilight” and “The Hunger Games,” this young-adult adaption didn’t compliment the best-selling book series as the box office sales attest: It premiered in theaters on February 7, 2014, reeling in $3.9 million during its opening weekend [13]. The film has accumulated grosses of $7.79 million domestically and $7.6 million foreign, totaling $15.3 million worldwide [14].

AWARDS SEASON

TWC had an extremely successful year leading up to The Academy Awards, but fell short with only 11 nominations compared to the 17 from the year before [15]. Regardless, the three films nominated received wide recognition.

[16] 20 Feet From Stardom

“20 Feet From Stardom”

“Millions know their voices, but no one knows their names”- “20 Feet From Stardom” is a documentary that told the story of Darlene Love who backed up idols, Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, Luther Vandross and Elvis Presley. The film shared her story of struggle of being feet away from the spotlight, but never making it [17]. This film was TWC’s only Academy Award winner for Best Documentary Feature [18].

[19] Philomena

“Philomena”

Philomena captures the story of a mother searching for her son but instead finding his gay lover. The drama was nominated for Best Picture, Best Original Score, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay, but didn’t win any awards at the Oscars [20]. With an opening weekend of $128,435, to date the film combines $37.5 million domestic with $62.4 million foreign, netting TWC $87.9 million [21].

[22] August: Osage County

“August: Osage County”

The dark comedy based on a Pulitzer Prize winning play portrays a dysfunctional family coming together after a death. Starring Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, it was nominated for two Oscars[23]. The film had a limited opening weekend of $179,302 in December 2013 and a wide opening of $7.1 million [24]. The film has accumulated $37.7 million domestically and $34.7 million foreign, netting TWC $52.4 million [24].

STRATEGICALLY TWC TAKES ON TV

A $370 million line of credit from Union Bank helped TWC enter the television market in 2013 [25]. TWC’s COO David Glasser explained, “We’ve invested a lot in TV because we see it as a big part of our future.”[26] Now in 2014 the future is here. Having TV under TWC’s belt is an asset creating versatile operations, revenue, and a presence in the TV industry.

TWC acquired the U.S. distribution rights to the Sky Italia drama series, ‘Gomorra’ from Beta Film, an international distributor [27]. Stefano Sollima directed this series based on a bestselling novel about the Neapolitan crime administration Camorra, and is set for release in 2015 [28]. Harvey Weinstein shares “This project caught our eye a while back for its world-class acting talent, as well as Sollima’s abilities to craft a thriller like none other.” [29] This acquisition benefits TWC with new innovative programming, and Beta Film providing ‘Gomorra’ access into American homes.

With the buzz generated from “Netflix Original Series,” TWC is jumping in. The highly anticipated Weinstein Company drama ,“Marco Polo”, is in production for Netflix and will premiere nearing the end of 2014 [30]. Harvey Weinstein reported, “We are proud to present a series that rivals some of the most successful films we’ve ever made. We are excited to introduce him (Marco Polo) to the world.” [31]

TWC‘s recent partnership with media company Gannett gives TWC an advantage with exclusive access to use Gannett’s expansive media library and retain distribution rights from Gannett’s television stations, newspapers, and digital assets [32]. Weinstein’s President of Television Maryam Banikarim, told Street Insider, “This groundbreaking venture will allow us to discover and explore rich new narratives for a wide array of audiences.” [33]

COMING SOON TO THEATERS NEAR YOU

TWC is continuing their Oscar worthy slate of films this summer, staying true to their demographics and genres of past films. These soon-to-be hit films with A-list names will hopefully yield them success at the 2015 Oscar’s and in the box office.

“The Giver”

The Giver Trailer [34]

“The Giver”, a science-fiction film, directed by Phillip Noyce stars Oscar winners Meryl Streep, Katie Holms, Jeff Bridges, and singer Taylor Swift [35]. The film, which various companies attempted to produce previously, is loosely based on the classic 1993 Lois Lowry novel. Jeff Bridges called it “your next favorite movie.” [36] The story, set to release in August, illustrates a utopian society in which a boy is chosen to learn from an elder the true pains and pleasures of the real world [37].

“Sin City: A Dame to Kill For”

Sin City Trailer [38]

The drama/thriller film directed by Robert Rodriguez [39], is a sequel to the successful 2005 Weinstein film “Sin City” which domestically grossed $74 million [40]. The black and white, 3D-esque thriller will be hitting the screens in August. The star packed cast includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lady Gaga, Jeremy Piven, Jessica Alba, and Bruce Wills to name a few [41]. Considering the triumph the original picture had and the megastar cast “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” will likely attract crowds to the box office.

“Begin Again”

Begin Again Trailer [42]

The romantic-comedy film from writer-director John Carney is set to release on July 4th [43]. “Begin Again” follows a distressed ex-recrod label executive, Mark Ruffalo, fall in love with a young singer-songwriter, Kira Knightley, after her boyfriend, Adam Levine, dumped her [44]. At the Tribecca Film Festival Carney explained, “Begin Again is a true New York story about magical opportunities.” [45] This classic summer “romcom” will catch movie goers attention from the star studded cast, to the simple yet entertaining plot.

FUTURE OF TWC

The future for TWC is positive and optimistic. Prior to last year TWC was a dominant player in Oscar awards. Presuming this year was a fluke, TWC should bounce back stronger next Oscar season. Additionally, the significant infusion of cash into its TV segment, will bolster the company’s position in the industry, while likely improving its bottom line.

Sources

[1] Weinstein Company Logo, Ramascreen.com, RT: 4/12/2014

[2] “About The Weinstein Company”, Weinsteinco.com, RT: 4/11/2014

[3] “Dimension Films”, Disney.Wika.com, RT: 4/11/2014

[4] Harvey Weinstein, Co-Chairman, Time, RT: 4/10/2014

[5] Bob Weinstein, Co-Chairman TWC & Dimension Films, Zimbo.com, RT:4/10/2014

[6] Studio Market Share 2014, BoxofficeMojo.com, RT: 4/15/2014

[7] Studio Market Share 2013, BoxofficeMojo.com, RT: 4/15/2014

[8] Lee Daniels’ The Butler Movie Poster, IMBD, RT: 4/12/2014

[9] “The Butler’ Serves Up Box-Office Sucess at No. 1”, Fox News, 8/18/2013, RT: 4/12/2014

[10] “Weekend Box Office: ‘Lee Daniels’ The Butler Wins Again”, Movie Fone, 8/25/2013, RT: 4/12/201

[11] Lee Daniels’ The Butler (2013), BoxofficeMojo.com, RT: 4/13/2014

[12] Vampire Academy Movie Poster, themidnightgarden.com, RT: 4/14/2014

[13] “BOX OFFICE: Vampire Academy’ Has No Bite”, Yahoo Movies, 2/10/2014, RT: 4/14/2014

[14] Vampire Academy (2014), BoxofficeMojo.com, RT: 4/14/2014

[15] OSCARS: Nominations By Studio & Distributor, Deadline Hollywood, RT: 4/12/2014

[16] 20 Feet From Stardom Movie Poster, Filmberg.com, RT: 4/13/2014

[17] “20 Feet From Stardom Synopsis”, 20feetfromstardom.com, RT: 4/12/2014

[18] “Oscars 2014: ’20 Feet From Stardom’ wins for documentary”, Los Angles Times, 3/02/2014, RT: 4/12/2014

[19] Philomena Movie Poster, impawards.com, RT: 4/14/2014

[20] Oscar Nominations By Picture, Deadline Hollywood, RT: 4/14/2014

[21] Philomena (2013), Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 4/14/2014

[22] August: Osage County Movie Poster, broadyway.com, RT: 4/15/2014

[23] “Harvey Weinstein on disappointing Oscar showing for ‘Osage County’ have only myself to blame”, Entertainment Weekly, 2/21/2014, RT: 4/15/2014

[24] August: Osage County (2013), Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 4/15/2014

[25] “The Weinstein Co. Finalizing $370 Million Credit Facility: Report”, Deadline Hollywood, 9/19/2013, RT: 4/16/2014

[26] “The Weinstein Company: stirring drama”, ScreenDaily.com, 4/02/2014, RT: 4/16/2014

[27] “TWC Closes Deal for U.S. Rights to Italy’s ‘Gomorrah’ Skein”, Variety, 4/07/2014, RT: 4/16/2014

[28] “Weinstein to build Gomorra in US”, c21media.net, 3/08/2014, RT: 4/17/2014

[29] Weinstein Co Acquires Italian Crime Drama Series ‘Gomorra’ , Deadline Hollywood, 4/08/2014, RT: 4/15/2014

[30] Marco Polo (TV Series 2014), IMBD, RT: 4/18/2014

[31] “‘Marco Polo’: Production underway for Weinstein Company’s Netflix Show”, Entertainment Weekly, 4/08/2014, RT: 4/16/2014

[32] “Gannett (GCI) and The Weinstein Co. Enter First Look Film And Television Deal”, Streetinsider.com, 4/02/2014, RT: 4/16/2014

[33] “Gannnett Co., Ince And The Weinstein Company Enter Into A Unique First Look Film And Television Development Deal”, PR News Wire, 4/02/2014, RT: 4/16/2014

[34] The Giver Trailer, YouTube, 3/19/2014, RT: 4/14/2014

[35] “Weinstein Dates ‘The Giver’ Starring Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges for August 2014”, IMBD, 9/21/2013, RT: 4/16/2014

[36] “Jeff Bridges Talks About Your Next Favorite Movie”, Moviepilot.com, 2/12/2014, RT: 4/16/2014

[37] “‘The Giver’ trailer: Meryl Streep! Jeff Bridges! Color?!”, Entertainment Weekly, 3/19/2014, RT: 4/17/2014

[38] “Sin City 2″ Trailer Release”, Weinsteinco.com, 3/17/2014, RT: 4/16/2014

[39] Sin City: A Dame To Kill For Trailer, YouTube, 4/06/2014, RT: 4/16/2014

[40] Sin City (2005), Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 4/17/2014

[41] “5 Reasons you should be excited for Sin City: A Dame To Kill For”, Metro, 3/07/2014, RT: 4/16/2014

[42] Begin Again Trailer, YouTube, 3/28/2014, RT: 4/16/2014

[43] “‘Begin Again’ Movie 2014 Official Trailer Released Starring Adam Levine and Keira Knightley”, Hallels.com, 4/01/2014, RT: 4/16/2014

[44] “Trailer and Poster for Begin Again Starring Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo”, Movienewz.com, 4/03/2014, RT: 4/16/2014

[45] “Begin Again To Close Tribeca Film Festival”, Triebcaflim.com, 3/20/2014, RT: 4/16/2014

CBS Films

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Nicholas Ferreiro

by Nicholas Ferreiro

CBS Films logo [1] CBS Films, is a film studio company that handles many areas of development, including film production, distribution, financing and marketing. It is owned by CBS Corp. and was founded by Les Moonves in 2007. Since its creation, CBS Films has released ten films, including “The Woman in Black,” “The Back-Up Plan,” and “The Mechanic” [2][3][4].

Executives

Terry Press, Co-President

Terry Press, Co-President of CBS Films [5]

Terry Press was named Co-President of CBS Films in April 2012. As Co-President, she oversees creative aspects of the company including initial development, marketing, production and distribution. Before joining the company, Press worked at 7570 Marketing Inc. where she worked as a marketing consultant on many CBS Films [5]. She also had success working as a consultant on both “The Social Network” and “The Hunger Games” [6].

Wolfgang Hammer, Co-President

Wolfgang Hammer, Co-President of CBS Films [7]

Wolfgang Hammer was also named Co-President of CBS Films in April 2012, in conjunction with Terry Press. As Co-President, Hammer uses his “savy” negotiating skills in acquisitions and also oversees the company’s business, finance and legal affairs [6]. Before working at CBS Films, Hammer was Executive Vice President at Lionsgate [7].

Finance

CBS Corp. reported record numbers for the fourth quarter of 2012. Since the fourth quarter of 2011, revenue rose 2% ($3.7 billion), operating income rose 12% ($726 million) and adjusted EPS rose 14% ($0.64). Les Moonves, CEO of CBS Corp., has even higher expectations for next year [8].

Both of CBS Films’ most recent films, “Seven Psychopaths” (October 2012) and “The Last Exorcism Part II” (March 2013), earned back their respective production budgets. “The Last Exorcism Part II” actually brought in over three times its original production budget ($15 million made versus $5 million budget) [9].

New Releases

The Last Exorcism Part II

CBS Films released its horror-film, “The Last Exorcism Part II,” on March 1st, 2013. It took in over $7.7 million on its first weekend (2,700 theaters) and grossed over $15 million in its remaining five weeks [10]. Despite earning back its production budget, the film was poorly received, having just a 13% critic rating and 35% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes [11].

Trailer for “The Last Exorcism Part II”

Awards

“Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” was nominated for three Golden Globes, including best musical or comedy, best actor in a musical or comedy and best actress in a musical or comedy [12]. However, the film lost in all three categories [13].

On January 9th, 2013, it was announced that Colin Farrell was nominated in the Irish Film & Television Academy Awards for his role in CBS FIlms’ “Seven Psychopaths” [14]. He has since lost to Jack Reynor [15].

Upcoming Releases

The Kings of Summer

Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso and Moises Arias in “The Kings of Summer”[16]

On January 22nd, 2013, CBS Films acquired the domestic rights to the coming-of-age comedy “Toy’s House.” The movie premiered at Sundance, where it received great reviews, prompting CBS Films’ move to make a deal. It has since been retitled as “The Kings of Summer,” and is slated for a May 31st release date. The film is directed by Jordan Vogt-Robert, written by Chris Galleta, and stars Nick Robinson, Gabriel Bosso, Moises Arias and Nick Offerman. “The Kings of Summer” focuses on a group of friends who attempt to move into the woods and live off the land, and is being compared to “Stand By Me,” “Superbad,” and “The Goonies” [16][17].

Trailer for “The Kings of Summer”

Last Vegas

Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline, Robert DeNiro and Michel Douglas in “Last Vegas” [18]

On February 6th, 2013, CBS Films set a new release date for their new buddy-comedy, “Last Vegas.” The film was originally slated for December 20th, an attempt to play into the Christmas movie market, but has since changed to November 1st. It is directed by Jon Turteltaub, written by Dan Fogelman, and produced by Laurence Mark and former CEO and president of CBS Films, Amy Baer [18]. The film was produced by CBS Films and had been in talks since before September, 2011 [19].”Last Vegas” stars Morgan Freeman, Robert DeNiro, Kevin Kline and Michael Douglas, and focuses on a group of old friends who throw a bachelor part in Las Vegas [18]. There is no trailer available for this film yet.

The To Do List

Scene from “The To Do List” [20]

“The To Do List,” starring Aubrey Plaza, is set to be released on August 16th, 2013. It had previously been set for February 2013 [20].

Trailer for “The To Do List”

Gambit

Promotional poster for “Gambit” [21]

“Gambit,” a Coen Brothers comedy starring Colin Firth, will be released sometime in late 2013 [22]. The film has already been released in Ireland [23].

Trailer for “Gambit”

7500

Theatrical poster for “7500” [24]

The horror-thriller “7500” is set to be released sometime in 2013. It was originally slated for release in August 2012 [25].

Trailer for “7500”

Acquisitions

Inside Llewyn Davis

Oscar Isaac in “Inside Llewyn Davis” [26]

On February 19th, it was announced that CBS Films had acquired the domestic rights to distribute the new Coen Brothers film, “Inside Llewyn Davis” for around $4 million. Studio Canal financed the movie itself and is holding onto some foreign distribution rights. The film centers around the Greenwich Village music scene in the 1960s and stars Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman and Justin Timberlake, among others. There has been no release date set for CBS Films’ newest acquisition [26].

Trailer for “Inside Llewyn Davis”

Production

On January 24th, CBS Films announced it will be developing “Olivia Twisted,” a debut screenplay from stuntman Brian Roberts. “Twisted” is a fictional adaptation on the classic novel, “Oliver Twist,” and revolves Olivia, a member of a metropolitan teenage gang at war with a rival gang. Michael De Luca and Alyssa Phillips are set to produce the film [27].

Sources

[1] http://aroundthenetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/CBS-Films-Logo-wide3.jpg

[2] http://www.cbsfilms.com/about_us/

[3] http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2012/04/wolfgang-hammer-and-terry-press-named-heads-of-cbs-films.html

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

[5] http://www.cbsfilms.com/principals/terry_press

[6] http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2012/04/wolfgang-hammer-and-terry-press-named-heads-of-cbs-films.html

[7] http://www.cbsfilms.com/principals/wolfgang_hammer

[8] http://investors.cbscorporation.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99462&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1785372&highlight=

[9] http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?view2=allmovies&view=company&studio=cbsfilms.htm

[10] http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lastexorcism2.htm

[11] http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_last_exorcism_part_ii_2013/

[12] http://www.cbsfilms.com/news/cbs_films_salmon_fishing_in_the_yemen_scores_three_golden_globe_nominations

[13] http://www.goldenglobes.org/2012/12/nominations-2013/

[14] http://www.cbsfilms.com/news/seven_psychopaths_scores_multiple_irish_film_and_tv_academy_award_nominatio

[15] http://ifta.ie/winners/index.html

[16] http://www-deadline-com.vimg.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/greym__130123024752.jpg

[17] http://www.deadline.com/tag/toy-house/

[18] http://www.deadline.com/2012/11/first-photo-last-vegas-robert-de-niro-michael-douglas-cbs-films/

[19] http://www.deadline.com/2011/09/jon-turteltaub-in-talks-to-direct-last-vegas/

[20] http://collider.com/popeye-hotel-transylvania-2-release-date/211652/

[21] http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/images/2012/10/Gambit-UK-Poster.jpg

[22] http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/cbs-films-move-seven-psychopaths-up-to-october-12th-delay-gambit-to-winter-2013-20120803

[23] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0404978/

[24] http://welcomefrnds.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/7500-movie.jpg

[25] http://www.deadline.com/2012/05/cbs-films-shifts-dates-for-gambit-7500/

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

[27] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/olivia-twisted-picked-up-by-415147

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

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Posted on December 2, 2012 by jwu17

By Jimena Wu

Official 20th Century Fox 2012 Logo – Courtesy of Google Images

Company Information [2]

10201 W. Pico Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA, 90064 United States

(310) 369-1000

http://www.foxmovies.com

Brief Overview

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation is a subsidiary of Fox Inc., owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation. 20^th Century Fox Film Corporation’s motion pictures are produced or acquired by the company’s smaller units, including: Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox International Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios [1].

The company has had major success with motion pictures, including the huge hits Star Wars, Titanic, and it’s most successful in the box office yet, Avatar, released in 2009. Avatar recorded up to a gross of $749,766,139, including nine Academy Awards nominations and three wins. [23]

Top 3 Competitors [2]

The Walt Disney Studios

MGM Studios, Inc.

Columbia Tristar Motion Picture Group

Key Executives [3]

Keith Rupert Murdoch – Chairman of Board & CEO

Ricardo Crespo – Senior Vice President of Global Creative

Eduardo Echeverria – Senior Vice President of Latin America

Pam Kunick-Cohen – Senior Vice President of Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products

Robert Marick – Executive Vice President

Brief History: The Formation of Twentieth Century Fox [5]

20th Century Fox was funded in 1935 with the merging of the Fox Film Corporation and Twentieth Century Pictures. It was co-founded by Joseph Schenck, president of United Artists, and Darryl F. Zanuck, former head of production at the Warner Bros. Studio.

Elaboration & Transformation of Company Logo after Fox Film-20th Century merged in 1935 [4]

The company separated itself from others, as the productions of The Grapes of Wrath in 1940 and How Green Was My Valley in 1941 won Academy Awards. However, by the 1950’s, movie attendance dropped, bringing film productions down as well. Consequently, studios couldn’t afford to keep contracts with directors and actors. This event of disappointment led to Zanuck leaving to Paris in 1956, striving to become an independent film producer. The company lost huge amounts of money in between the years of 1959-1962.

In 1962, Zanuck returned as president, and his film The Longest Day, released through 20th Century Fox, got an Academy Award nomination and earned enough revenue for the company to start producing again in 1963. During the 1960’s, Zanuck used the “blockbuster strategy”, consisting of releasing expensive productions. The Sound of Music, released in 1964, brought more than $79 million in revenues.

The 1980’s were hard times since many productions didn’t compensate for their production costs. However, with the entrance of Rupert Murdoch, owner of News Corporation, in 1985, the company made it to the top spot among studios, gaining more than 18% of the box-office share in 1991.

Right Here, Right Now

20th Century Fox at the Box Office

The company began the Fall of 2012 with the release of Won’t Back Down in September 28, 2012, starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis. However, despite its notorious casting, this movie was ranked as the worst saturated release ever, bringing only $2,603,370 in the opening weekend. The movie made a total of $5,310,554. [6]

Taken 2 Movie Poster – Courtesy of Google Images

In October 5, 2012, the awaited Taken 2, starring Liam Neeson, was released, making $49,514,769 in its opening weekend [8]. Despite all of the critics, Taken 2 was the reason the overall box office was up more than 40 percent over the same weekend last year [7]. The movie scored $361,060,485 worldwide, showing strong results for a $45 million production [8].

Following Taken 2, Chasing Mavericks, starring Gerard Butler, was released October 26th, disappointing with a $2,268,274 debut. The movie made a total domestic gross of $5,843,722, barely one-fourth of its $20 million production budget [9]. However, Hurricane Sandy could have affected this result, as it”may have suppressed business by about 10 percent.” [10]

Wreck-It Ralph Poster – Courtesy of Google Images

As the storm passes, Wreck-It Ralph came to the #1 spot in its opening weekend with $49,038,712 [11]. This movie has actually become the biggest box office ever for Disney Animations [12]. After five weeks in theaters, it still maintains itself in the top ten, recording a total domestic gross of $159,213,887 and a worldwide gross of $203,213,887 (as of December 5, 2012) [11].

Lincoln opened in limited theaters in November 9, 2012 and released worldwide November 16, recording $944,308 for the opening weekend, and $21,049,406 in its second place, getting into the box office’s top 3. Lincoln, a film produced by Steven Spielberg, remained at #3 for two weekends, including Thanksgiving weekend. As of December 5, 2012, the movie earned a total domestic gross of $87,088,719, already compensating its production costs of $65 million. [13]

Next up for 20th Century Fox was Life of Pi, released November 21, which was considered to be “tough to sell” and a “gamble” for the company [14]. This film’s production budget will definitely be hard to compensate as it cost $120 million to produce, mainly because of its unbelievable graphic effects. The movie did pretty good in the opening weekend, earning $22,451,514, and also performed fairly well during the Thanksgiving weekend in the 5th spot, behind Twilight, Skyfall, Lincoln, and Rise of The Guardians. However, it is still at half its production budget, reporting $51,676,132 in total domestic gross as of Dec. 5, 2012. [15]

Life of Pi – Movie Poster – Courtesy of Google Images

The next movie for Fox is called Parental Guidance, which was supposed to be released during the Thanksgiving weekend but will now be released December 25th, 2012. The movie has high expectancies as it has less competition during Christmas than what it would’ve had during Thanksgiving [16].

First-Quarter Earnings (Quarter ended Sept. 30) – See full News Corp. Earnings Release

Rupert Murdoch led the company to more strong results as the fiscal quarterly earnings for the first quarter, ending in September 30, 2012, reported earnings of $2.23 billion, compared with $738 million made last year. Revenue also rose in large amounts, from $7.96 billion to $8.14 billion. As for the role Twentieth Century Fox plays in this increase in earnings, filmed entertainment reported quarterly segment operating income of $400 million, $53 million higher than a year ago, when the segment operating income was $347 million. This is majorly due to the huge success Ice Age: Continental Drift had in box offices back in July. As of December 5, the $95 million film has earned a total worldwide gross of $874,920,192 [24]. Also, Fox made a licensing deal with Netflix back in May 2012, which contributed enormously to the rise in profit [17]. Through this licensing agreement, Fox classic films were distributed to Latin America. “Our alliance with Twentieth Century Fox continues to get stronger and benefit Netflix’s members across the globe,” said Jason Ropell, VP of content acquisitions at Netflix. [25]

Deals/News

August 2012

Fox to Distribute DreamWorks Animation Movies [18]

DreamWorks has decided to shift from Paramount Pictures to 20th Century Fox looking for a 5-year distribution deal. This deal will place DreamWorks’ animated titles in Fox’s animation division, Blue Sky Studios. This deal will go into effect in 2013.

DreamWorks Logo – Courtesy of Google Images

Company Perspective: “DreamWorks Animation is a great company that makes terrific films and everyone here feels privileged and honored to have been chosen to distribute their marvelous work throughout the world,” stated Fox Filmed Entertainment CEOs and Chairmen, Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman. “We are particularly excited to add DreamWorks Animation’s films to the strong and growing slate of movies from our outstanding Blue Sky Studios division, which is coming off another global blockbuster with Ice Age: Continental Drift, and has Epic and Rio 2in advanced production. Together we will be a dominant force in animated entertainment for years to come.” [19]

September 2012

Fox Hoped To Boost Movie Downloads By Offering Titles Ahead of Discs [20]

In order to increase movie downloads, Fox has decided to offer the option to downnload movies through Amazon, CinemaNow (Best Buy), iTunes, PlayStation, VUDU (Walmart), and Xbox, before the home video or DVR formats are available.

November 2012

Sony, Fox, and Universal Sign On For PGA’s Producers’ Mark Credit [21]

Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, and Universal Pictures signed on to apply the ‘Producer’s Mark’ Certification. This is a huge advancement in the industry and a step forward to protecting the right of producers and the ‘produced by’ credit.

Independence Day ‘3D’ Cancelled [22]

Independence Day (1996) – Movie Poster – Courtesy of Google Images

Plans had been made by 20th Century Fox to produce a 3D adaptation of the 1996 blockbuster, Independence Day. However, due to difficulties in reuniting the original cast, the company has decided to cancel it. The movie was due for July 2, 2013, which was perfectly timed for it to be released during the Independence weekend. This would’ve potentially help the movie top the box office during the opening weekend and gain high revenue for the company.

Coming Soon (Click to see the trailers)

Broken City

Parental Guidance

EPIC

A Good Day To Die Hard

The Heat

References

[1] News Corporation: http://www.newscorp.com/management/20film.html

[2] Hoovers: http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-profile.Twentieth_Century_Fox_Television.ff69d030bb3d82da.html

[3] Bloomberg BusinessWeek: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/people.asp?privcapId=35867

[4] Logo Images: http://www.closinglogos.com/page/20th+Century+Fox+Film+Corporation

[5] History: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/66/Twentieth-Century-Fox-Film-Corporation.html#ixzz2EFVbd3Ul