Lionsgate Entertainment

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Caroline Friedman

Lionsgate Entertainment

2700 Colorado Avenue, Suite 5000
Santa Monica, California 90404

http://www.lionsgate.com/

Key Executives

Jon Feltheimer, Chief Executive Officer | Source: Lionsgate

Michael Burns, Vice Chairman | Source: Lionsgate

Brian Goldsmith, Co-Chief Operating Officer | Source: Lionsgate.com

Steve Beeks, Co-Chief Operating Officer and Co-President, Motion Picture Group | Source: Lionsgate.com

Wayne Levin, General Council and Chief Strategic Officer | Source: Lionsgate

James W. Barge, Chief Financial Officer | Source: Lionsgate

History

Lionsgate Entertainment has taken the entertainment world by storm by becoming the first major new Hollywood studio in 50 years. The Canadian-American company was founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, on July 3, 1997, and is now headquartered in Santa Monica, California. The brainchild of Frank Giustra and Avi Federgreen, Lionsgate began its rise to the top by producing independent films like “American Psycho” and “Juno” that received critical recognition. [1]

Academy Award Winner Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games"

Academy Award Winner Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” | Source: imdb

After the company’s acquisition of Summit Entertainment, Lionsgate took off as a leading producer of blockbuster films such as “The Hunger Games” series and the “Divergent” series. Lionsgate’s motion picture business has grossed an average of $2 billion at the worldwide box office for the past three years, joining the “Big 6” film companies at the top of the market. [2]

In addition to becoming one of Hollywood’s top film studios, Lionsgate also possesses its own successful television group. Lionsgate’s television business has become a leading supplier of premium scripted content to broadcast, cable and digital networks. [2]

Source: amc.com

Lionsgate takes credit for some of television’s highest rated and most iconic series, including “Orange is the New Black”, “Mad Men”, and “Weeds”. Their television portfolio is now home to 30 television series spanning across 20 different networks, with over 30 primetime Emmy nominations to cement the company’s presence as a leading player in the entertainment world. [3]

Finances

Lionsgate is celebrating a successful year after having moved up a spot to be ranked sixth among all studios for the market share of the film industry. [4] While there has been a decrease in their stock price over the last three months, from $25.40 to $20.33, the company’s stock is rising again. Screen Shot 2016-04-25 at 8.23.37 PM

The company has seen a lucrative year with their box office total gross coming to $195.9 billion dollars. This success is largely due in part to the high-grossing “Hunger Games” franchise which ended its blockbuster run this past fall. [5]

Source: EW.com

Their television business has also seen impressive growth, with its revenue increasing by 30% to $580 million . [6] The company anticipates further increase in their television revenue after shows such as “Orange is the New Black” and “Nashville” were picked up for new seasons.

Right Here, Right Now

While Lionsgate has experienced great success from its distribution of film franchises such as “The Hunger Games”, “The Twilight Series”, and The “Divergent” Series, the company has noticed a change in the way these types of franchises are being received. Lionsgate was relying on the newest installment of The “Divergent” Series, “Allegiant“, to take the box office by storm. However, “Allegiant” grossed a mere $29 million dollars its opening weekend in the domestic box office, marking the lowest opening for the film franchise to date. [7] To date, the film has made $64,403,316 at the domestic box office which compares to the over $130 million produced individually by the franchise’s first two films.

This disappointing reception to “Allegiant” comes on the heels of another upsetting opening for the company. “Gods of Egypt”, starring Russell Crowe, has been deemed the “first big bomb” of 2016 after its February 26th release. [8] The movie only produced $30 million dollars at the domestic box office after a large marketing campaign within the United States. [9]

Source: movieweb.com

The film struggled to gain viewership after it was accused of being culturally insensitive. “Gods of Egypt” was accused by audiences and critics of “whitewashing” after all the actors cast to portray Africans were white. The lack of diversity and representation in the film stirred controversy and protests which ultimately hurt its success at the box office.[10] However, Lionsgate took full responsibility for its mistake and issued a statement saying “We recognize that it is our responsibility to help ensure that casting decisions reflect the diversity and culture of the time periods portrayed. In this instance we failed to live up to our own standards of sensitivity and diversity, for which we sincerely apologize. Lionsgate is deeply committed to making films that reflect the diversity of our audiences. We have, can and will continue to do better.” [11] While Lionsgate received backlash for their casting mishap, they have received praise after moving the shooting of their Hulu series “Crushed” from North Carolina to Canada after the state’s controversial passing of a new anti-LGBT law. [12]

The Future

After the failure of both “Gods of Egypt” and “Allegiant”, Lionsgate has been exploring new content to fill the void created by the end of “The Hunger Games”. For years, Lionsgate relied on the teen fantasy series to serve as their highest grossing films. However, the clear loss of enthusiasm for the “Divergent” series has made it evident to the company that it needs a new approach to making blockbuster films. Lionsgate’s current lineup for future movies includes projects such as a “Power Rangers” reboot, a retelling of “The Odyssey”, and film adaptations of the “Magic Treehouse” book series to restore its luster. [13] [14]

While Lionsgate has had its fair share of ups and downs this past year, they are more confident then ever that their brand will resurge with a newer and stronger vibrancy. The company is anticipating a strong opening on June 10, 2016 for their latest film, “Now You See Me 2“, a sequel to the highly successful “Now You See Me“. The film includes a cast of leads such as Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Lizzy Caplan, and Dave Franco, all of whom possess loyal fanbases. [15]

The film also features a highly anticipated cameo from “Harry Potter” actor Daniel Radcliffe which has kept message boards buzzing for the last few months. Lionsgate is not only confident that the film will have a positive reception, but the company is also dipping into the mobile gaming world by creating a “Now You See Me 2” game. [16]

Lionsgate also has plans to launch Comic-Con HQ, a video-on-demand platform, on May 7, 2016. Comic-Con HQ will consist of scripted and unscripted series, film and TV genre titles, and behind the scene access and special features for their content. The network will focus on drawing in video game and comic book lovers by tailoring the channel’s content to focus on all the elements of Comic Con that fans love. Lionsgate will be launching the channel with free beta access in May before officially launching with paid subscriptions in June of 2016. [17]

Lionsgate has proven to the entertainment world that they are a force to be reckoned with. A true underdog story, Lionsgate has risen from small independent production company to a leader in the film and television industries. With innovative ideas and content pouring out of the company, 2016 is sure to be a monumental year for Lionsgate Entertainment.

Sources

[1] “LIONSGATE Key Lines of Business.” Corporate. Lionsgate, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. https://www.lionsgate.com/corporate/

[2] “Lionsgate Movies.” Movies. Lionsgate, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2016 https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/

[3]”Lionsgate Television.” Television. Lionsgate, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. https://www.lionsgate.com/tv/

[4] “2016 Market Share and Box Office Results by Movie Studio.” Box Office Mojo. Box Office Mojo, 1 Jan. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/

[5] France, Lisa Respers. “How ‘Hunger Games’ Changed Hollywood.” CNN. Cable News Network, 19 Nov. 2015. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/19/entertainment/hunger-games-mockingjay-part-2-hollywood-feat/

[6] Fiscal Year 2015 Financial Report. Retrieved November 29, 2015.://www.lionsgate.com/uploads/assets/2015%20Annual%20Report.pdf

[7] “The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2016) – Box Office Mojo.” Box Office Mojo. Box Office Mojo, 22 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016 http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=allegiant.htm

[8] Orange, Alan. “Gods of Egypt Is First Big Bomb of 2016.” MovieWeb. N.p., 27 Feb. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://movieweb.com/gods-of-egypt-box-office-bomb-2016/://movieweb.com/gods-of-egypt-box-office-bomb-2016/

[9] “Gods of Egypt (2016) – Box Office Mojo.” Box Office Mojo. Box Office Mojo, 22 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=godsofegypt.htm

[10] Lee, Benjamin. “Gods of Egypt Posters Spark Anger with ‘whitewashed’ Cast.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 13 Nov. 2015. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/nov/13/gods-of-egypt-posters-anger-whitewashed-cast-twitter-exodus

[11] Mendelson, Scott. “Lionsgate Responds To ‘Gods Of Egypt’ Whitewashing Controversy.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 27 Nov. 2015. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2015/11/27/exclusive-lionsgate-responds-to-gods-of-egypt-whitewashing-controversy/#6892d8b31f4e

[12] Vlessing, Etan, and Gregg Kilday. “Lionsgate Pulls Hulu Pilot ‘Crushed’ From North Carolina After Anti-Gay Bill.” The Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-pulls-hulu-pilot-crushed-881405

[13] Lang, Brent. “Box Office: ‘Allegiant’ Opening Falling Short of Other ‘Divergent’ Films.” Variety. Variety Entertainment, 15 Mar. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://variety.com/2016/film/box-office/box-office-allegiant-divergent-1201730485/

[14] “Lionsgate Acquires Rights to Globally-Renowned Magic Tree House Book Series.” Childrens Book Council. Childrens Book Council, 21 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.cbcbooks.org/lionsgate-acquires-rights-to-globally-renowned-magic-tree-house-book-series/#.Vxu8yZMrJo5

[15] “‘Now You See Me 2’ Trailer: The Four Horsemen Return With Their Magical Escapades.” The Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Mar. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/now-you-see-me-2-trailer-daniel-radcliffe-876192

[16] Vlessing, Etan. “Lionsgate Plans ‘Now You See Me’ Mobile Games.” The Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-plans-you-see-me-873278

[17] McNary, Dave. “Lionsgate to Launch Comic-Con Channel in May.” Variety. Variety Entertainment, 14 Mar. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://variety.com/2016/film/news/lionsgate-comic-con-channel-1201728963/

[18] “The Hunger Games.” IMDB.com. IMDB, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. http://www.the-numbers.com/market/distributor/Lionsgate

[19] Gallagher, Brian. “5 Gods of Egypt Character Posters Introduce the Cast.”MovieWeb. N.p., 12 Nov. 2015. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. http://movieweb.com/gods-egypt-movie-posters-characters-gerard-butler/

[20] “LIONSGATE Governance.” Corporate. Lionsgate Entertainment, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. https://www.lionsgate.com/corporate/governance/management/james-w-barge/

[21] Shaw, Ashley. “Get an Inside Look at Mad Men’s Final Season Poster Designed by Milton Glaser.” AMC. AMC, 15 Mar. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. http://www.amc.com/shows/mad-men/talk/2014/03/amc-reveals-mad-mens-final-season-poster-designed-by-60s-icon-milton-glaser

[22] Rice, Lynette. “‘Nashville’ Fall Poster Released.” Entertainment Weekly’s EW.com. Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sept. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. http://www.ew.com/article/2013/09/05/nashville-fall-poster-released

[23] “Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.” Yahoo! Finance. Yahoo!, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=LGF

[24] “About the Series.” Magic Tree House. Random House, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. http://www.magictreehouse.com/

[25] “Power Rangers: Official Website | Videos, Games & Toys | Saban.” Power Rangers The Official Power Rangers Website. Saban Brands, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. http://www.powerrangers.com/

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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

Universal Pictures

Aside

by [Bobby O'Brien]

Universal Pictures Logo [1]

Overview & History

Universal Pictures, a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is considered one of the planet’s most renowned film studios. For nearly a century the company has produced academy award winning films and culture shaping content. Over the past 6 months, Universal Picture’s tradition of excellence has continued. Since June 29th 2012, Universal Pictures has released 5 major motion pictures. Of these films, 4 have placed within the top 70 grossing films of 2012, and 3 have placed within the top 50. These five films have accumulated a combined gross product of $442, 317, 963. [2]

Carl Laemmle [4]

In 1915, German-American Film pioneer, Carl Laemmle, founded Universal Studios with the help of Abe and Julius Stern. The trio constructed two movie sets on a former chicken farm in Los Angeles California. Ninety-eight years later, 100 Universal City Plaza Drive in Los Angeles California remains the home of Universal Studios. [3] Today Universal Pictures is spearheaded by several accomplished and capable leaders, including James Schamus, Jimmy Horowitz, Cindy Gardner, Adam Fogelson, and Rick Finkelstein.

Executives

James Schamus [6]

James Schamus is the Chief Executive Officer of Universal Pictures. He has held the position since May of 2006. Schamus also serves as the Co-President of Focus Features, a sister company of Universal Pictures. [5]

In May of 2010, Jimmy Horowitz was named president of Universal Pictures. Horowitz manages day to day business operations for the studio and serves as a key member for Universal’s senior management team. He has worked for Universal for more than 18 years. [7]

Cindy Gardner has served as Universal Studio’s Senior Vice President since September 2005. Gardner is responsible for the company’s media relations, issues management, philanthropy, and special events. [8]

Adam Fogelson has held the title of Chairman of Universal Pictures since October of 2009. He oversees worldwide operations for the motion pictures group. Projects that Fogelson has worked on include American Pie, Knocked Up, and Erin Brockovich. [9]

Rick Finkelstein serves as Universal Pictures Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer. This Jerry Seinfeld-look-alike oversees Universal Picture’s worldwide home entertainment and television distribution. [10]

Recent News

September:

September 7th, 2012

The Street has recently informed the public of Universal Pictures plans to release Pitch Perfect, a musical comedy staring Anna Kendrick, on Friday September 28th, one week earlier than its scheduled premiere on October 5th. The film’s wide release is set to remain on its prior date, however select theaters in North America will have an opportunity to see it ahead of time. The limited release was constructed following positive feedback from early screening moviegoers. Universal Pictures feels that Pitch Perfect has a reliable and sturdy target audience that is eager for the film’s release. To some surprise, Universal Pictures has promoted Pitch Perfect with “the most extensive screening campaign in the studios history.” [11]

September 25th, 2012

The Hollywood Reporter reports that Universal Pictures has set a record for the “highest grossing-year domestically in the studio’s 100 year history”. On Monday September 24th, the studio surpassed the previous record of $1.27 billion set in 2008. More than a third of the studio’s gross product came from The Lorax and Ted, acquiring a combined $432 million. This ground-breaking news comes before the release of four major Universal Pictures’ films, including Pitch Perfect, The Man WIth the Iron Fists, This is 40, and Les Miserables. Universal Pictures is on track to shatter its 2008 record. Perhaps it will be far more than four years before the record of 2012 will be broken. [12]

October:

October 29th, 2012

According to Variety, Universal Pictures has alas acquired the rights to Subdivision. The sci-fi comedy written by Morgan Jugerson and Alex Ankeles will be produced by Justin Lin and Elaine Chin. All involved in the deal have been sure to keep the

Fast Five [16]

premise under wraps. Lin may be remembered for his recent success associated with Fast Five, a film he produced that was released in April of 2011. Universal’s VP of production, Kristin Lowe, will oversee the project. Unfortunately, a feasible release date for the film has yet to be determined. [13]

October 31st, 2012

PR Newswire has reported that Universal Pictures will release its Despicable Me 2, trailer on iTunes today. The occurrence marks the first time that the studio has released a trailer on iTunes with international versions available within the same 24 hour period. This development perhaps illustrates the studio’s continued technological and global advancements. Despicable Me 2 hits theaters on July 3rd 2013. [14] Universal will attempt to play off of the success of Despicable Me, which raked in a total domestic gross of $251,513,985 in the summer of 2010. [15] Look for Despicable Me 2 to make a big splash this summer.

November:

November 12th, 2012

The Hartford Courant has recently reminded us that, November 15th, 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking premiere of To Kill a Mocking Bird. Universal

To Kill A Mockingbird [18]

Pictures’ adaptation of Harper Lee‘s novel will be re-released on Thursday, November 15th in select theaters. The 1962 film won Gregory Peck an Oscar for his portrayal of Atticus Finch. It will forever be remembered as an American classic. [17]

November 13th, 2012

At 9 a.m. pacific standard time, the Los Angeles Times reported a story that is sure to shake up the film industry. According to the newspaper, Michael Eisner‘s Tornante Co. has finalized a distribution deal with Universal Pictures. The multiyear deal will lead Universal Pictures to market and distribute movies financed by Tornante. Eisner is the former Chief Executive Officer of the Walt Disney Company. In an attempt to “return to his roots” of moviemaking Eisner looks to take advantage of the industry’s lack of original stories. He hopes that the first of Tornante’s feature films will be released no later than early 2014. In a time when the film industry is cluttered with sequels and remakes, it is encouraging to hear of an opportunity for new and original content. With the money and support of Universal Pictures, Tornante Co., is likely to become a household name in Hollywood. [19]

November 29th 2012

In March of 2012 Universal Pictures Spent $5 million to acquire the movie rights of Fifty Shades of Grey, the best selling novel written by E.L. James. The Hollywood Reporter has released a story stating that Universal pictures has recently filed a lawsuit against Smash Pictures and director James Lane, who have recently finished producing Fifty Shades of Grey: A XXX Adaptation. Luv Moves a distribution company that packaged and allocated DVD’s of the porn parody has also been targeted in the lawsuit. Universal Picture’s and Fifty Shades Ltd. are requesting an injunction and further monetary damage. [20]

December

December 4th 2012

Universal Picture’s Les Miserables, is one of the most highly anticipated films of 2012. Set to be released on Christmas day, the musical starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathawayis due for a strong opening weekend and perhaps some

Les Miserables [21]

recognition from the academy. The Sacramento Bee has reported an announcement from Universal Pictures, stating that the film will be “digitally remastered into the immersive IMAX format” and released in IMAX theaters worldwide. The film will be released in IMAX theaters in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Montreal on December 25th. Those abroad will have to wait until January 10th for the film’s IMAX release. Greg Foster, the President of IMAX entertainment, stated that Les Miserables “lends itself perfectly to the IMAX Experience”. The IMAX release of Les Miserables is sure to amplify the buzz surrounding the movie and its premiere. The second format option and increase in screens may lead to a tremendous financial success. [22]

Future

The upcoming winter and remainder of 2012 appears to be promising for Universal Pictures. On December 21st 2012, This is 40, a film written and directed by Judd Apatow, will be widely released in North America. The highly anticipated Les Miserables, will premiere on Christmas day and the Osama Bin Laden murder thriller, Zero Dark Thirty, will be released two and a half weeks later. A fitting end to a record-setting year seems to be in store for Universal Pictures.

Sources:

[1] Universal Pictures’ Twitter Account; https://twitter.com/UniversalEnt

[2] Box Office Mojo; 2012; http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2012&p=.htm

[3] U.S. History: Universal Studios; http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h3086.html

[4] Silent Hollywood; http://silenthollywood.com/carllaemmle.html

[5] Bloomberg Business Week; http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=2144227&privcapId=2092219&previousCapId=804881&previousTitle=Universal%20Studios,%20Inc.

[6] IMBD; James Schamus; http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0770005/

[7] NBC Universal Website; Executives; Jimmy Horowitz; http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/management/executive/universal-pictures/jimmy-horowitz/

[8] NBC Universal Website; Executives; Cindy Gardner http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/management/communication-lead/universal-pictures/cindy-gardner/

[9] NBC Universal Website; Executives; Adam Fogelson http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/management/senior-corporate-executives/universal-pictures/adam-fogelson/

[10] NBC Universal Website; Executives; Rick Finkelstein http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/management/executive/universal-pictures/rick-finkelstein/

[11] PR Newswire; The Street; http://www.thestreet.com/story/11689878/1/universal-pictures-to-release-pitch-perfect-in-select-theaters-on-friday-september-28-2012.html