Universal Pictures #1

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Samantha Selby

Sam Selby

Universal Logo – Source: Deadline [17]

Universal Pictures
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, California, 91608
(818) 777-1000
http://www.universalpictures.com [23]

Facebook: Universal Studios Entertainment
Twitter: @UniversalPics

ABOUT
Universal Pictures (Universal), a subsidiary of NBCUniversal (NBCU), indirectly belongs to the media conglomerate, Comcast. Universal ranks as one of the “Big Six” film studios. Universal Studios has two main film divisions, Universal Pictures and Focus Features. Universal, which is the primary motion picture and distribution arm for Universal Studios, has numerous partnerships for co-productions, acquisitions, and films. Universal possesses an extensive film catalog ranging from Jurassic Park to Bridesmaids, and owns many popular film franchises, including Back to the Future and Fast and Furious [29].

Universal Pictures Iconic Moments and Memories – Source: Inside the Magic [12]

HISTORY
In 1912, Carl Laemmle founded Universal Film Manufacturing Company by merging with five other film companies [28]. Emigrating from Germany to the United States, Mr. Laemmle became a leading film distributor. Unfortunately, the financial setback from a streak of unsuccessful films forced Mr. Laemmle to sell the company. It was not until the 1960s that Universal returned to prominence [18].

KEY EXECUTIVES

Ronald Meyer, Vice Chairman, NBCUniversal – Source: Comcast [16]

Donna Langley, Chairman, Universal Pictures – Source: The Hollywood Reporter [26]

FINANCES
Comcast is a publicly traded company with two publicly traded classes of stock, CMCSA and CMCSK. With the release of its third quarter earnings, Universal was the first studio to have three film releases exceed $1 billion in worldwide box office receipts in the same year. In third quarter 2015, revenue from films increased from $1,186,000,000 to $1,946,000,000 compared to third quarter 2014 [15]. Executives attribute this success to the strong box office receipts of its billion-dollar blockbusters, Jurassic World and Minions [19].

NBCU increased its operating cash flow for its filmed entertainment by 149.5%, from $151 million in its 2014 third quarter to $376 million in its 2015 third quarter. This higher revenue was partially affected by increasing marketing and promotional costs, and larger amortization costs. For the nine-month period ending September 30th, 2015, NBCU reported a 52.4% increase in film revenues to $5,658,000,000 in 2015 [15].

Executives reported that despite fewer theatrical releases during the fourth quarter, NBCU’s film division will continue to perform well as its films are released to home entertainment and content licensing windows [35].

FALL 2015 RELEASES

The Visit – Source: Business Insider [21]

M. Night Shyamalan’s The Visit was released on September 11th, 2015. The Visit is a found footage horror film about two siblings who visit their grandparents and notice strange things about them. Shyamalan self-funded the film’s budget of $5 million [2]. Opening weekend, The Visit made approximately $25 million and overall the film earned $65 million domestically [11]. This film marks Shyamalan’s return after multiple flops for several years.

Jem and the Holograms – Source: Entertainment Weekly [25]

Based on the 1980s cartoon, Jem and the Holograms, was Universal’s biggest flop of the year. The film, directed by Jon M. Chu, is about a small-town girl who rises to fame. Despite a production budget of $5 million, it grossed only $2 million domestically. The film did even worse internationally, only making $70,571 [4]. The film opened in 2,413 theaters and made $1,375,320, which averages $570 per theater making it the third worst opening weekend for a widely released feature film [4][31]. The creative decision for the film backfired as the target audience was unfamiliar with Jem, and it did not connect with past fans. After two weeks, Universal pulled Jem from theaters to mitigate losses [31]. Given the film’s low budget, the impact is nominal.

Steve Jobs – Source: Screen Rant [1]

Steve Jobs was another flop for Universal. The biopic film of the late Steve Jobs had a limited released on October 9th, 2015 followed by a wide release two weeks later. Its production budget was $30 million, but the film only grossed $17.5 million domestically [7]. Steve Jobs featured a star-studded cast including Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet, but even this star power did not help the box office gross [22]. Given disappointing performance, Steve Jobs was pulled from over 2,000 theaters [33]. Some critics attribute the film’s failure to not opening wide from the start [22]. There is slim hope that Steve Jobs will be an Oscar contender [33].

By the Sea – Source: Los Angeles Times [40]

Angelina Jolie Pitt wrote, directed, produced, and stars in By the Sea along with Brad Pitt. The film follows a couple whose relationship is falling apart. This is Jolie Pitt’s third feature film [38]. On November 5th, there was a world premiere at the American Film Institute Festival [14]. A week later, it opened in ten theaters and earned $96,250. To date, the film has earned $364,584 domestically due to its limited release. Even accounting for worldwide revenue, the film is not close to recovering its $10 million budget [3]. Although Universal is unlikely to recover its budget, it is likely betting that Jolie Pitt will star in Bride of Frankenstein given the studio’s backing of her film [32].

COMING SOON

2015 Year End Releases
The final films of 2015 for Universal are Krampus on December 4th and Sisters on December 18th [39]. Krampus is a horror-comedy starring Adam Scott and Toni Collette. Krampus is about a demonic force that punishes non-believers [37]. Contrarily, Sisters is a comedy starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. The film is about two sisters who throw a final party at their childhood home [36]. Both films are being heavily marketed as the holiday season brings competition.

2016 Preview

Ride Along 2 starring Ice Cube and Kevin Hart will be Universal’s first release of 2016 [39]. The first film grossed over $100 million in revenue domestically justifying the green light for this sequel [6].

Fourteen years after the release of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Universal is set to release My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 on March 22nd [39]. All the stars from the first movie returned for the sequel. The first film was extremely successful, given a budget of $5 million and a domestic gross exceeding $240 million [5].

The Huntsman: Winter’s War is the sequel to Snow White and the Huntsman. Charlize Theron reprises her role as the evil Queen Ravenna, and Chris Hemsworth as the huntsman. Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain also star [27]. Set for release on April 22nd, the film is directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan [39].

LOOK OUT FOR

Split
Universal has announced M. Night Shyamalan’s new suspense thriller, Split, starring James McAvoy. The film, which is another collaboration with Blumhouse Productions, is set for release on January 20th, 2017 [34].

The Franchises
In 2017, Universal plans to release sequels for its many franchises, including Despicable Me 3, Fifty Shades Darker, Furious 8, Pitch Perfect 3, and The Mummy [24].

F. Gary Gray, director of Straight Outta Compton, has signed on to direct Furious 8 [13]. Preproduction has already commenced, and production will begin in April 2016. The entire cast is expected to return. Fast and Furious has been one of Universal’s most successful franchises with Furious 7 grossing over $1 billion worldwide [15].

Following her directorial debut with Pitch Perfect 2, Elizabeth Banks will direct Pitch Perfect 3 featuring some of the original cast. The franchise has been a success globally with the second film grossing $286 million worldwide [30].

The Mummy was remade in 1999 [8] and followed by sequels in 2001 [9] and 2008 [10]. All three films grossed over $400 million worldwide [8][9][10]. However, the third film was largely panned. Currently, Tom Cruise is rumored to star in the 2017 reboot of The Mummy [20]. Universal is hoping to use The Mummy to relaunch a new era of monster films.

With its library and continued production, Universal will remain a major studio.

SOURCES

[1] Agar, C. (2015, September 6). Steve Jobs: Steve Wozniak Praises Michael Fassbender’s Performance. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Screen Rant.

[2] Bishop, B. (2015, September 10). The Visit review: the most shocking M. Night Shyamalan twist is a good movie. Retrieved November 22, 2015, from The Verge.

[3] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). By the Sea. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[4] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). Jem and the Holograms. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[5] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Retrieved November 22, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[6] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). Ride Along. Retrieved November 22, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[7] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). Steve Jobs. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[8] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). The Mummy. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[9] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). The Mummy Returns. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[10] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[11] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). The Visit. Retrieved November 22, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[12] Brigante, R. (2012, January 10). Universal Orlando to announce ‘entertainment experience’ (lagoon show?) for Studios 100th anniversary, Hollywood to update Studio Tour. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Inside the Magic.

[13] Busch, A. (2015, October 8). F. Gary Gray Confirms He Will Direct ‘Furious 8’. Retrieved November 21, 2015, from Deadline.

[14] Busch, A. (2015, October 30). Inside The Curious Marketing Of Angelina Jolie’s ‘By The Sea’. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Deadline.

[15] Comcast. (n.d.). Comcast Reports 3rd Quarter 2015 Results. Retrieved November 22, 2015, from Comcast.

[16] Comcast. (n.d.). RON MEYER, VICE CHAIRMAN, NBCUNIVERSAL. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Comcast.

[17] Deadline. (2014, June 2). Universal Dates Trio Of Blumhouse Pics. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Deadline.

[18] Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. (2015, September 7). Carl Laemmle, American Film Producer. Retrieved November 20, 2015, from Encyclopædia Britannica.

[19] Fernandez, B. (2015, October 28). ‘Minions,’ ‘Jurassic World’ boost Comcast earnings. Retrieved November 20, 2015, from Philly.com.

[20] Gajanan, M. (2015, November 24). Tom Cruise ‘in talks’ for reboot of The Mummy. Retrieved November 25, 2015, from The Guardian.

[21] Guerrasio, J. (2015, September 9). M. Night Shyamalan explains how he makes grandparents so creepy in his new thriller ‘The Visit. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Business Insider.

[22] Han, A. (2015, November 16). Danny Boyle on Why ‘Steve Jobs’ Flopped: It Went “Too Wide Too Soon”. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from /FILM.

[23] Hoover’s Inc. (n.d.). Universal Pictures Company Information. Retrieved November 7, 2015, from Hoovers.

[24] IMDb. (n.d.). Universal Pictures [us]. Retrieved November 5, 2015, from Internet Movie Database.

[25] Maas, J. (2015, February 26). Jem and the Holograms movie: Check out the first photo. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Entertainment Weekly.

[26] McClintock, P. (2014, January 26). Universal Re-ups Chairman Donna Langley: More Duties, Oversight. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from The Hollywood Reporter.

[27] McNary, D. (2015, November 18). The Huntsman Winter’s War’ Trailer: Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron Face Off Again. Retrieved November 22, 2015, from Variety.

[28] NBCUniversal. (n.d.). Our History. Retrieved November 20, 2015, from NBCUniversal.

[29] NBCUniversal. (n.d.). Universal Pictures. Retrieved November 5, 2015, from NBCUniversal Careers.

[30] Raissa Marfil, H. (2015, October 28). ‘Pitch Perfect 3’ To Be Directed Again By Elizabeth Banks. Retrieved November 25, 2015, from International Business Times.

[31] Schwerdtfeger, C. (2015, November 10). Jem and the Holograms Pulled After Bombing in Theaters. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Screen Rant.

[32] Siegel, T. (2015, November 23). Will ‘By the Sea’ Kill Hollywood “Favor” Movies? Retrieved November 23, 2015, from The Hollywood Reporter.

[33] Silver, S. (2015, November 9). Universal Pulls Steve Jobs After Box Office Bomb. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Screen Rant.

[34] Sneider, J. (2015, October 27). M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Split’ Lands 2017 Release Date From Universal, Blumhouse. Retrieved November 25, 2015, from The Wrap.

[35] TheStreet. (2015, October 27). Comcast Corp (CMCSA) Earnings Report: Q3 2015 Conference Call Transcript. Retrieved November 20, 2015, from TheStreet.

[36] Universal Studios. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2015, from Sisters.

[37] Universal Studios. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2015, from Krampus.

[38] Universal Studios. (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2015, from By the Sea.

[39] Universal Studios. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2015, from Universal Pictures.

[40] Zeitchik, S. (2015, November 6). ‘By the Sea’: Angelina Jolie Pitt has filmmaking weaknesses, but they don’t involve directing. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Los Angeles Times.

Universal Pictures

Aside

By Jamie Savarese

Universal Pictures

Photo Courtesy of myfilmviews.com [1]

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

Phone: 818-777-1000

Fax: 818-777-6431

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

Key Executives:

Donna, Langley, Chairman [3]

Peter Levinsohn, President and Chief Distribution [4]

Jeff Shell, Chairman [5]

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

Brief History

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

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

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

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

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

Photo Courtesy of imbued.com [36]

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

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

Photo Courtesy of imbued.com[15]

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

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

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

Photo Courtesy of onlinemoviz.com [18]

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

In Other News:

Photo Courtesy of www.hollywoodreporter.com [21]

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

Photo Courtesy of hollywoodreporter.com[34]

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

Photo Courtesy of hollywoodreporter.com[24]

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

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

Photo Courtesy of imbd.com[26]

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

-Video Courtesy of YouTube.com[30]

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

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

Universal Pictures

Posted on October 5, 2014 by jprooney

by John Rooney

Universal Pictures logo [17]

Location: 100 Universal Plaza, Universal City, California 91608

Web: http://www.universalpictures.com

History

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

Key Executives [2]

Donna Langley, Chairman, Universal Pictures

Donna Langley, Chairman Universal Pictures [2]

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

Jeff Shell, Chairman, Universal Filmed Entertainment

Jeff Shell, Chairman,
Universal Filmed Entertainment [2]

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

Ron Meyer, Vice Chairman, NBCUniversal

Ron Meyer – www.nbcumv.com [2]

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

Finances

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

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

Competition

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

Recent Film Releases

Neighbors

Neighbors [7]

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

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

The Purge: Anarchy

The Purge: Anarchy [9]

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

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

Dumb and Dumber To

Dumb Dumber To [11]

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

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

What’s Next From Universal Pictures

Fifty Shades of Grey

50 Shades of Grey [13]

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

Jurassic World

Jurassic World [14]

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

Warcraft

Warcraft Poster [15]

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

Steve Jobs Biography Film

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

References

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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