MGM

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Bradley Hanford

MGM Logo [1]

Finances

After a bankruptcy declaration in 2011, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has regained its position as a profitable major film studio in the last five years. MGM Studios is owned by the larger parent company of MGM Holdings Inc., a company formed from what was formerly Spyglass Entertainment [2]. In 2015, the studio made $1.56 billion in revenue, resulting in an operating income of $258.78 million. This was up from $1.44 billion and $243.03 million, respectively, in 2014. 2015 was the company’s third consecutive year of posting record revenue and income. MGM Holdings’ total assets currently stand at $3.045 billion [3]. The studio has been in the process of repurchasing its stocks since its bankruptcy, and in March announced that $300 million more would be added to their repurchasing plan. The ramping up of the repurchasing plan has been taken as a sign of confidence in the company’s continued growth [4].

Recent Acquisitions

In January of 2016, MGM fully acquired the United Artists Media Group, a film and television production company that had been a joint venture with Mark Burnett, Roma Downey and Hearst Productions. MGM had acquired a 55% stake in Burnett, Downey and Hearst’s One Three Media and LightWorkers Media in September 2014, and relaunch the companies as United Artists. As of January 2016, all revenues, expenses and assets of United Artists are now consolidated under the MGM name [5].

Gary Barber [6]

Mark Burnett [7]

Jonathan Glickman [8]

Executives

MGM’s three top executives are Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gary Barber, President of the Television and Digital Group Mark Burnett, and President of the Motion Picture Group Jonathan Glickman. Barber and Glickman were previously the heads of Spyglass Entertainment, where Barber oversaw the production of a total of $5 billion in box office productions. MGM became the first studio to release back-to-back films making over $1 billion at the box office under Barber’s leadership with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and Skyfall. Burnett was named to his position in January 2016, when MGM fully acquired his United Artists company. His former United Artists co-owner Roma Downey is President of LightWorkers Media, which is now the “faith and family division of MGM Television” [9].

Current Releases

How To Be Single [14]

MGM has only released two films thus far in 2016, both of which were coproduced with New Line Cinema and were distributed by New Line’s parent studio Warner Brothers [10] [11]. These films were How To Be Single and Barbershop: The Next Cut, both relatively small-scale but still distinctly mainstream offerings, opening in 3,343 and 2,661 theaters respectively. How To Be Single was by far the more successful, bringing in $46.8 million in domestic box office revenue and a total of $105.3 million worldwide, against a production budget of $38 million [12]. Barbershop was less successful, though not necessarily a flop. It brought in $20.2 million in its opening weekend (April 15-17) against predictions in the high-$20 millions range. Its production budget has not been released to the press [13]. These films also show that MGM is willing to target underserved demographics with their films, with How To Be Single being described as attempting to be a “feminist rom-com” and Barbershop being specifically marketed towards African-Americans.

Upcoming Releases

MGM has three more coproductions with release dates in 2016, each with their own significant potential for profit.

Me Before You is slated for a June 3 release, and is a romantic drama abou a young woman (Emilia Clarke) who falls in love with a paralyzed man she is caring for (Sam Claflin) [15]. The plot description puts in squarely in the vein of other successful films like The Fault In Our Stars and Me and Earl and The Dying Girl, which also dealt with themes of serious illness and young adult romance. The film’s cast should also appeal to this young demographic, as Emilia Clarke is a rising star due to her role as Daenerys Targaryen on the HBO television show Game of Thrones (also in the film is Clarke’s Thrones co-star Charles Dance) [16], and Sam Claflin has gained fame from the Hunger Games series [17]. The film is based on the acclaimed novel of the same name by Jojo Moyes. MGM is co-producing the film with New Line Cinema (a division of Warner Bros.) and Sunswept Entertainment [18].

Ben-Hur is the first of MGM’s two remakes of classic films in 2016, and will be released on August 19. It’s also the more outwardly risky- its director, Timur Bekmambetov, is hardly an established hitmaker, and the only big name in its cast is Morgan Freeman in a supporting role (the title role is played by the essentially unknown Jack Huston) [19]. Still, Ben-Hur has the name recognition of one of the most famous and successful films ever made, as well as the appeal of a big-budget summer blockbuster. MGM is co-producing the film with Paramount Pictures [20].

The Magnificent Seven, set for release on September 23, is a remake of the classic John Sturges Western starring Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson, itself a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s legendary Seven Samurai. The film is being directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Southpaw), and stars Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, and Ethan Hawke, among others [21]. That combination of commercially successful director and all-star cast is a solid predictor for the film’s financial success. Pratt, especially, has been a major draw at the box office, headlining such hits as Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World [22]. MGM is co-producing the film with Columbia Pictures, a subsidiary of Sony Pictures [23].

MV5BMTM4ODI5MjA2N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODUwODk1OQ@@._V1_UY317_CR0,0,214,317_AL_

Michael B. Jordan [28]

In Development

Future projects of MGM’s include a recently announced reboot of the Tomb Raider series, which they will coproduce with Warner Bros [24] (Daisy Ridley, star of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, has been confirmed as being in talks to star in the series) [25]. This would be the newest in a succession of recent MGM coproductions with Warner Bros., including films like the Hobbit trilogy and Creed and its upcoming sequels [26]. Other future MGM productions include a remake of the 1968 heist thriller The Thomas Crown Affair with Creed star Michael B. Jordan [27].

Conclusion

It’s not clear whether MGM will make a return to producing or distributing films by themselves, or whether they will continue serving only in a co-producer or co-distributor role, as they have since their bankruptcy. The studio has released progressively more films per year since the 2010 bankruptcy, climbing from one release in 2010 to seven in 2015 [29]. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer is still a long way from their former position as the largest and most profitable movie studio in Hollywood [30], but the success they’ve had in their recent films and their continued financial growth bodes well for the future of the company.

[1] Koscis, James (November 10th, 2009). MGM Logo. James Koscis Design + Imaging. Retrieved: April 18th 2016.

[2] Ovide, Shira and Spector, Mike (November 5th, 2010). Everything You Need to Know about the MGM Bankruptcy. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved: April 10th 2016.

[3] Investor Relations. MGM Studios. Retrieved: April 12th 2016.

[4] Lieberman, David (March 25th, 2016). MGM Board Adds $300M To Stock Repurchase Plan. Deadline. Retrieved: April 13th 2016.

[5] McNary, Dave (December 14th, 2015). Mark Burnett Named President of MGM Television. Retrieved: April 12th 2016.

[6] Today. MGM Studios. Retrieved: April 12th 2016.

[7] Today. MGM Studios. Retrieved: April 12th 2016.

[8] Today. MGM Studios. Retrieved: April 12th 2016.

[9] Today. MGM Studios. Retrieved: April 12th 2016.

[10] How to Be Single (2016)- Company Credits. IMDb. Retrieved: April 15th 2016.

[11] Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016)- Company Credits. IMDb. Retrieved: April 15th 2016.

[12] How to Be Single (2016). Box Office Mojo. Retrieved: April 10th 2016.

[13] Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016). Box Office Mojo. Retrieved: April 10th 2016.

[14] How To Be Single. IMDb. Retrieved: April 10th 2016.

[15] Titles- Me Before You. MGM Studios. Retrieved: April 17th 2016.

[16] Game of Thrones. IMDb. Retrieved: April 17th 2016.

[17] Sam Claflin. IMDb. Retrieved: April 17th 2016.

[18] Me Before You- Company Credits. IMDb. Retrieved: April 17th 2016.

[19] Ben-Hur. IMDb. Retrieved: April 18th 2016.

[20] Ben-Hur (2016)- Company Credits. IMDb. Retrieved: April 18th 2016.

[21] The Magnificent Seven. IMDb. Retrieved: April 18th, 2016.

[22] Chris Pratt. IMDb. Retrieved: April 18th, 2016.

[23] The Magnificent Seven (2016)- Company Credits. IMDb. Retrieved: April 18th, 2016.

[24] McNary, Dave (February 25th, 2016). Warner Bros. Joins MGM on ‘Tomb Raider’ Reboot. Variety. Retrieved: April 20th, 2016.

[25] Ritman, Alex (March 21st, 2016). Daisy Ridley Confirms ‘Tomb Raider’ Reboot Talks. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved: April 20th, 2016.

[26] McNary, Dave (February 25th, 2016). Warner Bros. Joins MGM on ‘Tomb Raider’ Reboot. Variety. Retrieved: April 20th, 2016.

[27] Kit, Borys (February 24th, 2016). Michael B. Jordan, MGM to Remake “The Thomas Crown Affair. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved: April 20th, 2016.

[28] Michael B. Jordan. IMDb. Retrieved: April 23rd, 2016.

[29] Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer: Completed. Movie Insider. Retrieved: April 23rd, 2016.

[30] Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved: April 23rd, 2016.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Posted on October 5, 2014 by htfergus

by Carly Kaplin

Warner Bros. Studios [a]

Contact Information:

Address: 3400 Riverside Drive, Burbank, CA 91522

Phone: (818) 972-8687

http://www.warnerbros.com/

Company Executives:

Kevin Tsujihara: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Warner Bros. [b]

Richard J. Fox: Executive Vice President, International, Warner Bros. Entertainment [c]

Thomas Gewecke: Chief Digital Officer and Executive Vice President, Strategy and Business Development, Warner Bros. Entertainment [d]

Dee Dee Myers: Executive Vice Present, Worldwide Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, Warner Bros. Entertainment [e]

Company Overview:

Warner Brother’s is an entertainment company involved in the creation, production, distribution and marketing of many different forms of entertainment. The company specializes in feature films and television. Since they were founded, Warner Brother’s has produced nearly 6,500 feature films and 3,000 television shows. Warner Brother’s Studios is a subsidiary of Time Warner and within itself has several subsidiaries. [1]

Albert, Sam, Harry and Jack Warner [f]

Company History:

Warner Brother’s was founded on April 4th, 1923 by Albert, Sam, Harry and Jack Warner. The studio released the world’s first “talkie” movie on October 6th, 1927. Before this time, the world had never seen a movie with sound. This was a groundbreaking moment in the film industry. The studio won their first Oscar for best picture in 1937 for a film biography on the life of Émile Zola. In 1955, Warner Brothers started working in television creating the drama series, Cheyenne. [2]

Financials:

Warner Brother’s Studios is one of the global leaders in film production. However, the studio was negatively impacted by a low summer box office. Luckily, video-on-demand revenue contributed and raised revenue 3% to $2.8 billion. The studio made its highest box office numbers ever with the Harry Potter movies and The Dark Knight trilogy. The Dark Knight earned the studio over $530,000,000 domestic, and over $1 billion including international sales in 2008. In 2013, Warner Brothers television programs grossed almost $1.5 billion internationally. In the same year, the international box office for films generated revenue of over $5 billion for the fifth year in a row Warner Brothers made over $4 billion in the worldwide box office. Warner Brothers currently stands at third place in the 2014 studio market share of the box office with 14.3%, behind 20th Century Fox with 17.2% and Buenavista with 16.1%. Warner Brothers has released the most movies this year out of the three top studios, making it’s position at number 3 not ideal. [3] [4]

By the end of this year, Warner Brothers will have released a total of 21 feature films. The highest grossing movie of the year for the studio was The Lego Movie, generating a total domestic revenue of $257 million and $210 million internationally, making it a total of $468 million. [5] [6]

Warner Brother’s movies by release date in 2014 [g]

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Gravity [h]

Recent History

In early 2014, Warner Brother’s films won 10 Academy Awards, the most of any other studio. 7 of these awards were taken by Gravity, two for The Great Gatsby and one for Her. Gravity took home the oscar for best director for Alfonso Cuarón, visual effects, cinematography, film editing, original score, sound editing and sound mixing. [7]

What’s Happening Now?

Warner Brother’s Studios has recently announced that they will be cutting 1,000 jobs from a total of around 8,000 companywide in an attempt to decrease costs since the low box office and television results this year. After 10 years at number one in the domestic box office, it is currently at number 3. Some divisions of the company are expected to be impacted more by these layoffs than others. The finance and information technology will be cut down more than film and television production groups. [8]

The Judge [i]

Warner Brother’s recently released The Judge on October 10th, 2014. The Judge made only $45.5 million in the domestic box office, which is not the success the studio would have hoped for the movie with a $50 million production budget. It did bring in $29 million international, bringing the total gross up to $74.5 million. The movie opened at number 5 its opening weekend, competing with the new releases of Dracula Untold and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, which opened at 2, and 3 respectively. [9]

Annabelle [j]

Annabelle, the prequel to last year’s The Conjuring, was the studio’s highest grossing movie this season. With a domestic total of $84 million but was widely popular overseas with an international total of over $186 million, it took the number one place in the international box office its opening weekend. The production budget was only $6.5 million so Annabelle was a huge success for Warner Brothers. Annabelle was released on October 3rd, opening at the number two spot in the box office, just barely beaten out by $400,000 by the highly anticipated Gone Girl. [10]

Horrible Bosses 2 [k]

Horrible Bosses 2 is the studio’s next movie to hit theaters, opening on November 26th, 2014. The first Horrible Bosses movie, released in July of 2011 made $60 million during its opening weekend. The budget was $35 million, meaning the movie made back almost twice its budget in the first weekend. This sequel is definitely one that didn’t do as well as the first movie. This past weekend was opening weekend for Horrible Bosses 2 and opening at the number 5 spot, they made a mere $15 million domestically. Having opened on a Wednesday, they did generate some more money before the “weekend” bringing the domestic total to $23 million. But this opening weekend was a tough one in terms of competition. Horrible Bosses was competing with the second weekend of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 which brought in the majority of audiences for this Thanksgiving weekend. Warner Brothers expected Horrible Bosses 2 to make around $35 million opening weekend, but the production budget was relatively low, at $42 million. Warner Brothers executives are hopeful that Horrible Bosses 2 will perform better next weekend as the excitement of The Hunger Games slows down as it enters its third week. [11] [12] [13]

Excitement continues to grow for fans of The Hobbit series as the trilogy comes to an end this year with The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. It will be released on December 17th, 2014 by Warner Brothers. The most talked about aspect of the movie so far is the 45 minute battle scene which ends the movie, the biggest fight scene director Peter Jackson has ever done. [5] [14]

Warner Brothers will be releasing two more movies before the end of the year. Inherent Vice on December 12th, featuring Owen Wilson and Reese Witherspoon, and American Sniper on December 25th, with Bradley Cooper, directed by Clint Eastwood. Inherent Vice has already won the Robert Altman award, which is given to “one film’s director, casting director, and ensemble cast.” [5] [15]

Sources:

1. Warner Bros. Company Overview – warnerbros.com RT: 11/15/2014

2. Warner Bros. Company History – warnerbros.com RT: 11/16/2014

3. Time Warner Q3 Earnings Results – money.cnn.com RT: 11/17/2014

4. Time Warner Annual Reports – TimeWarner.com RT: 11/15/2014

5. Warner Bros. Future Releases – boxofficemojo.com RT: 11/21/2014

6. The Lego Movie – boxofficemojo.com RT: 11/18/2014

7. Warner Bros. Oscar Results – hollywoodreporter.com RT: 11/17/2014

8. Warner Bros. Layoffs – nytimes.com RT: 11/19/2014

9. The Judge Box Office Mojo – boxofficemojo.com RT: 11/16/2014

10. Annabelle Box Office Mojo – boxofficemojo.com RT: 11/17/2014

11. Horrible Bosses Opening Weekend – boxofficemojo.com RT: 11/20/2014

12. Horrible Bosses 2 Opening Weekend – boxofficemojo.com RT: 11/30/2014

13. Variety Horrible Bosses 2 Article – variety.com RT: 11/30/2014

14. FansShare The Hobbit Article – fansshare.com RT: 11/21/2014

15. NoneSuch Inherent Vice Article – nonesuch.com RT: 12/1/2014

Multimedia Sources

a. http://corporate.kabam.com/company/ RT: 11/14/2014

b. Warner Bros. Company Executives – Kevin Tsujihara RT: 11/15/2014

c. Warner Bros. Company Executives – Richard J. Fox RT: 11/15/2014

d. Warner Bros. Company Executives -Thomas Gewecke RT: 11/15/2014

e. Warner Bros. Company Executives – Dee Dee Myers RT: 11/15/2014

f. PBS Gallery RT: 11/16/2014

g. Box Office Mojo RT: 12/1/2014

h. IMDB Gravity RT: 11/20/2014

i. IMDB The Judge RT: 11/21/2014

j. IMDB Annabelle RT: 12/1/2014

k. Collider.com RT: 11/17/2014

l. Youtube.com RT: 12/1/2014

Warner Bros. Pictures

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Kyohei Kawada

By Ken Kawada

Courtesy of Deadline

Brief Overview

The Warner Brothers Pictures was founded on April 4, 1923, and it is one of the major studios in Hollywood. The studio handles production and distribution of films, and finances or co-finances their films. They collaborate with other studios such as Village Roadshow Pictures, Castle Rock Entertainment and RatPac-Dune Entertainment. The studio is known for producing award winning films such as The Dark Knight, Inception and Argo. [1]

Key Executives

Greg Silverman

Courtesy of Deadline

Silverman is the President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production for Warner Brothers Pictures. Appointed in June 2013, he oversees the studio’s development activities, global production and budget. He also works with the studio’s senior management to seek opportunities for the company. [2]

Steven S. Spira

Courtesy of Variety

Spira is the President, Worldwide Business Affairs for Warner Brothers Pictures. Promoted on January 2004, he is responsible for overseeing the business aspects of the studio’s operations that include development, production and distribution of films. [3]

Sue Kroll

Courtesy of Film Independent

Kroll is the President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution for Warner Brothers Pictures. She oversees the strategic creation and marketing campaigns for the studio’s international releases. [4]

Recent Releases

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Courtesy of Movie Wallpapers

Continuing the success of Peter Jackson’s epic fantasy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Warner Brothers Pictures released its latest sequel on December 2, 2013, just in time for the award season. The film follows the titular character, Bilbo Baggins as he continues his journey with the dwarves to reclaim their homeland from the dragon Smaug. Based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy novel of the same name, this anticipated sequel is the second film in the The Hobbit franchise. [5]

The film’s release was the fourth best opening weekend for the month of December, slightly behind the first Hobbit film. On Metacritic, the film received an average review score of 66 out of 100, which indicates generally favorable reviews from critics. Many critics have highlighted the overall improvement from the first film in the series, but still criticized the length. [7]

It has grossed over $950 million at the worldwide box office to this date, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2013. The Desolation of Smaug received 3 nominations at this year’s Academy Awards, including best visual effects. [6]

The LEGO Movie

Courtesy of Forbes

This 3D animated film is this year’s unexpected hit. Starring the voices of Christ Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman and Will Arnett, the film tells the story of an ordinary LEGO construction worker, mini-figure who joins a quest to stop an evil tyrant from destroying their world. [8]

The film’s mass appeal to both children and adults contributed to the film’s success at the box office. The studio has already announced a sequel for the film, potentially starting a new franchise for Warner Bros. As of now, the sequel is set to be released in 2017. Jared Stern and Michelle Morgan were hired to pen the script for the sequel, but it is still unknown whether writer/director of the first film, Phil Lord and Chris Miller will return. The plot is also still yet to be determined. [9]

The film received an average review score of 82 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating an universal acclaim from critics. The film’s release was the second best opening weekend for the month of February, behind Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. Grossing over $400 million to this date on a $60 million budget, the film is projected to continue its success in Blu-Ray and DVD sales. [10] [11]

300: Rise of an Empire

Courtesy of Nerdlocker

7 years after the release of their blockbuster film, 300, the studio finally released the long anticipated sequel on March 7 of this year. The film was initially scheduled to be released last August, but due to unknown circumstances, the film was pushed back to March of this year. Based on Frank Miller’s yet to be published graphic novel Xerxes, the film tells a story of Greek general Themistokles, and his charge against the Persian forces led by Xerxes and Artemisia. Zack Synder, who directed the first film in the series, served as the writer and producer for this film. [12]

As of April, the film has grossed over $300 million on a $110 million budget. 67.9% of the total gross comes from the international market. Compared to its predecessors, the film is not as successful, but still on a good track thanks to the international market. On the critic side, the film had a similar average review score with its predecessor, scoring 48 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating mixed or average reviews. Fans of the first film have criticized the storyline, but praised the visual style. [13] [14]

86th Academy Awards

Courtesy of International Business Times

In addition to the financial success for Warner Brothers Pictures, the studio also collected 21 nominations at the 86th Academy Awards, personal best for Warner Brothers. Gravity, which was released last October, tied with American Hustle for most nominations. By the end of the night, Gravity won seven awards, including Best Director for Alfonso Cuaron, who was the first Hispanic director to ever win in the category. Spike Jonze’ Her also received 5 nominations, including Best Picture. The film eventually won Best Writing for an original screenplay. The studio won a total of 10 Oscars by the end of the night. [15]

Financial

In 2013, Warners Brothers Pictures had the most successful theatrical year in company history, taking the number one spot in domestic, international and worldwide box office. The studio cumulated $1.893 billion in domestic box office, and $3.145 in international box office, surpassing the $5 billion mark, which is the first for the studio and only the second time that the feat has been achieved by any studio in Hollywood. Bolstered by the successes of films like The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Gravity, and Man of Steel, Warners Brothers was able to beat other major competitors like Disney. [1] [16] [17]

Coming Soon…

Warner Brothers Pictures will be releasing Transcendence, starring Johnny Depp, and directed by cinematographer, Wally Pfister, making his directional debut. Pfister is a usual collaborator of Christopher Nolan, known for The Dark Knight and Inception. As of now, the critical reception has mostly been negative, which can greatly impact the box office result. Hoping to continue their success from last year, they will be releasing more blockbusters as we approach the summer season. Godzilla, Edge of Tomorrow and Jupiter Ascending are other films that are slated to be released later this year. [18]

Sources

[1] Warner Bros. Pictures

[6] The Hobbit Box Office Mojo

[7] The Hobbit Metacritic

[8] The LEGO Movie IMDB

[9] Cinema Blend, The LEGO Movie Sequel

[10] The LEGO Movie Metacritic

[11] The LEGO Movie Box Office Mojo

[12] 300: Rise of an Empire on IMDB

[13] 300: Rise of an Empire Box Office Mojo

[14] 300: Rise of an Empire Metacritic

[15] The Hollywood Reporter Oscar Coverage

[16] Warner Bros. Leads Global Market Share

[17] Comingsoon.net Warner Bros. Pictures 2013 Box Office

[18] Deadline Hollywood coverage on WonderCon

MGM

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Trevor Heckendorn

By Trevor Heckendorn

Key Executives [1]

Gary Barber Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Ken Schapiro Chief Operating Officer

Jonathan Glickman President, Motion Picture Group

History

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) was founded in 1924 after entrepreneur Marcus Loew bought three separate production companies, Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation, and Louis B. Mayer Pictures, and made them one. MGM soon became a powerhouse in the entertainment industry, producing some of the biggest hits of the 1930s and 40s, like Gone with the Wind, and The Wizard of Oz. However, MGM’s controlling grip on the world of cinema would begin slipping, and by 2010, they filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. They would emerge from bankruptcy a few months later, under new leadership from Spyglass Entertainment partner, Gary Barber. MGM films have won an astounding 175 Academy Awards, including 14 Best Picture winners. [2] [3]

Financial Information

MGM has had a rocky past when it comes to financial stability. Despite filing for bankruptcy just a few years ago, they now seem to be positioned incredibly well for the future. Although MGM creates entertainment for the public, the company is still private, and so are their financial records. Also, since their rise from bankruptcy, MGM has yet to produce a movie on their own, and frequently partner with Columbia Pictures. However, looking over some of MGM’s recent productions (or co-productions), their revenue stream seems to be better than ever. Under new leadership, MGM has begun relying heavily on sequels, a generally safe move in the film industry. In 2012, MGM co-produced two films that grossed over $1,000,000,000, both of which have future sequels already planned. [4]

Recent Releases

Skyfall (2012) Distribution; co-produced with United Artist, Columbia Pictures, and Eon Productions Budget: $150-200 Million Gross: $1.1 Billion [5]

Daniel Craig returned as James Bond for the 23rd installment of the 007 series, the highest-grossing film franchise of all-time. Directed by Oscar-winner Sam Mendes, Skyfall surprised both critics and fans with its writing and breathtaking cinematography. It also became the highest grossing of the 23 James Bond movies, grossing over $1 billion. Skyfall would go on to be nominated for 5 Academy Awards, winning for Best Sound Mixing and Best Original Song (Skyfall by Adele). Daniel Craig has signed on for three more James Bond movies, with the 24th installment planned to be released November 2015. [6]

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) Co-Production with New Line Cinema, Warner Bros., and WingNut Films Budget: $200-315 Million Gross: $1.02 Billion [7]

J.R.R. Tolkein’s novels of epic adventures through Middle Earth continue to be blockbuster film adaptations, with this prequel to the Lord of the Rings series. It followed in the financial footsteps of its predecessors, generating over $1,000,000,000 in revenue, as all three of the Lord of the Rings movies have. Peter Jackson returned as director for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and plans to complete a Hobbit trilogy, with releases in 2013 and 2014. The Hobbit was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Visual Effects, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Production Design. However, The Hobbit may have been most newsworthy for its incredible budget, rumored to be upwards of $315 million, which would make it the largest budget of any film in history. The film was also a technological feat, utilizing CGI and 3D technologies in ways that hadn’t been seen before. The film was shot at 48 frames per second, making it the first wide release feature film to do so. [8]

G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) Co-Production with Hasbro, Paramount Pictures, di Bonaventura Pictures, and Skydance Productions Budget: $130 Million Gross: $372 Million [9]

In 2013, MGM continued their reliance on sequels with the second installment in the G.I. Joe franchise, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Bruce Willis, and Channing Tatum. This star-studded action flick hauled in over $372 million dollars at the box office, a rare feat for a March release. Plans for a third installment of the series have been recently confirmed, with Jon Chu returning to direct. [10]

Carrie (2013) Distribution; Co-Production with Screen Gems Budget: $30 Million Gross: $53 Million [11]

MGM and Screen Gems tried their hand at making Stephen King’s 1974 into a feature film (for the third time) this October, with the release of Carrie. This horror film features Chloe Grace Moretz in the title role, with support from Emmy-winner Julianne Moore. This film seemed to be a safer investment for MGM, with the budget being only $30 million. That investment has already been made back, as Carrie continuing its theatrical run. [12]

Upcoming Releases

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (December 13, 2013) Co-Production with New Line Cinema, Warner Bros., and WingNut Films

The incredibly successful Lord of the Rings franchise adds another film this December, with the second installment in the Hobbit series being released internationally on December 13th. Peter Jackson is back to direct and write the screenplay, based on J.R.R. Tolkein’s novel, The Hobbit. Sir Ian McKellan, Martin Freeman, and company reprise their legendary roles, as The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug prepares to repeat the box office and critical success of the first film. Just as Peter Jackson did with the Lord of the Rings series, all three Hobbit films will be produced back-to-back, with the third installment, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, already planned for a December 2014 release. [13]

Robocop (Feburary 12, 2014) Distribution; Co-Production with Strike Entertainment and Columbia Pictures

RoboCop Poster - P 2013

Robocop makes his return to the big screen in Feburary 2014, starring Joel Kinnaman in the title role. This science fiction thriller is a remake of the original 1987 film of the same name. Other featured actors include Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, and Samuel L. Jackson. With a budget rumored to be over $120 million, MGM and Columbia Pictures are counting on audiences new and old to flock to this potential blockbuster. [14]

22 Jump Street (June 13, 2014) Co-Production with Relativity Media, Columbia Pictures, and Original Film

Following the surprise success of 21 Jump Street in March of 2012, MGM and Columbia Pictures have begun production on the sequel, 22 Jump Street. This comedy film features Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum reprising their roles as undercover cops, this time going undercover at a local college. The first film grossed over $200 million at the box office, and MGM can expect the sequel to do just as well. [15]

Future of MGM

Since their emergence from bankruptcy, MGM has been making safe investments, financing mostly adaptions and sequels. Additional movies slated for 2014 releases include a sequel to Hot Tub Time Machine, and an adaption of the graphic novel Hercules: The Thracian Wars. As MGM beings its return to being the powerhouse it once was, we may being to see more original productions, but for now, they have no reason to change their business strategy, as it is paying off quite well.

Sources

[1] MGM.com – MGM Today

[2] MGM.com – History

[3] Global Times – MGM restructuring becomes effective, new owners step in

[4] IMDb – MGM

[5] Box Office Mojo – Skyfall

[6] IMDb – Skyfall

[7] Box Office Mojo – The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

[8] IMDb – The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

[9] Box Office Mojo – G.I. Joe Retaliation

[10] IMDb – G.I. Joe Retaliation

[11] Box Office Mojo – Carrie

[12] IMDb – Carrie

[13] IMDb – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

[14] IMDb – RoboCop

[15] IMDb – 22 Jump Street

Picture Sources

MGM Logo (courtesy of wikia.com)

Gary Barber (courtesy of MGM.com)

Ken Schapiro (courtesy of MGM.com)

Jonathan Glickman (courtesy of MGM.com)

Skyfall (courtesy of Forbes.com)

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (courtesy of venganzamedia.com)

G.I. Joe: Retaliation (courtesy of propagandistmag.com)

Carrie (courtesy of fansshare.com)

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug (courtesy of comicbookresources.com)

RoboCop (courtesy of hollywoodreporter.com)

22 Jump Street (courtesy of collider.com)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Posted on October 28, 2013 by Jacob Tobias

By Jacob Tobias

Warner Brothers Pictures Logo [1]

History

Warner Brothers Pictures was founded on April 4, 1923. Since then Warner Brothers has been at the forefront of the movie industry. Founded by the 4 Warner brothers, Albert, Sam, Harry, and Jack, Warner Brothers quickly became a leader in motion pictures. Warner Brothers Pictures is responsible for Oscar winners such as, Casablanca, My Fair Lady, Driving Miss Daisy, and Million Dollar Baby. Warner Brothers Pictures is consistently a leader in the film industry. [2]

Key Executives

Kevin Tsujihara
Courtesy of the Hollywood Reporter [3]

Barry M. Meyer
Courtesy of thezog [4]

Greg Silverman
Courtesy of Deadline [5]

Kevin Tsujihara is the CEO of Warner Brothers. Barry M. Meyer is the chairman of Warner Brothers, and under his leadership consistently ranks as one of the strongest and most profitable studios in the film industry. Greg Silverman is the President of Creative Development and Worldwide Production for Warner Brothers Pictures. Silverman oversees the creative development and the budget for Warner Brothers Pictures.[6] [7] [8]

Financials

In 2012 Warner Brothers Pictures grossed $1.66 billion domestically, and another $2.67 billion internationally. It was the twelfth consecutive year in which the domestic box office, as well as the international box office has exceeded the billion dollar mark. In 2013 Warner Brothers is expected to cross the billion dollar mark again thanks to blockbusters such as Gravity, which has exceeded $500 million worldwide, Man of Steel, which has totaled about $663 million worldwide, We’re The Millers, which has totaled $266 million worldwide, and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, which is projected to earn approximately $230 million domestically. This continued success should have Warner Brothers Pictures above the $4 billion dollar mark worldwide by the end of the year. [9] [10]

Recent Releases

Gravity

Gravity Poster
Courtesy of comingsoon.net [14]

Gravity is a space thriller directed by Alfonso Cuarón, and starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. The film follows the struggle of a medical engineer and an astronaut after they are stranded in space after an accident. [11]

Gravity opened in 3,575 theaters on October 4, 2013 to a number one ranking at the box office. It raked in $55, 785,112 during the opening weekend. It has gone on to make $240, 379, 710 domestically and another $275,200,000 in the foreign box office. That totals a gross of $515, 579,710 worldwide approximately five times its projected budget. [12]

Gravity has received universal acclaim and received a score of 96 out of 100 on Metacritic. Along with the incredible success in the box office there is also a lot of Oscars buzz surrounding the film. Critics believe that Gravity will receive a nomination for best picture, and may receive several other nominations as well, including a nomination for Best Actress for Sandra Bullock. [11] [13]

We’re The Millers

We’re The Millers
Courtesy of impawards.com [15]

We’re The Millers is the story of a drug dealer who creates a pseudo family in order to smuggle drugs across the Mexican border. Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, the film stars Jason Sudeikis, and Jennifer Aniston. [16]

We’re The Millers opened on August 7, 2013 and grossed $26, 419,396 the opening weekend. The film is still in select theaters around the country and currently the film has grossed $150, 024,262 domestically and another $116,300,000 in the foreign box office. [17]

Overall the film was not warmly received by critics. We’re The Millers received a Metacritic score of 44 out of 100. Although critic reviews were mostly mixed the imdb rating for the film is 7.1 stars out of 10. Clearly the target demographic of the film received the film much better than critics. Considering the mixed reviews the film still did extremely well for the studio, grossing over $250 million worldwide.

Upcoming Projects

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug poster Courtesy of collier.com

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug poster
Courtesy of collider.com [18]

On December 13, 2013, Warner Brothers will release the second installment of Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy. The film is projected to make about $230 million domestically, not quite as high as the first film, but still a good number for the studio. In 2014, Warner Brothers will release the third film of the trilogy, The Hobbit: There and Back Again. Although the reception for the first film was not overwhelming the studio is hoping that the return of familiar faces from The Lord of the Rings will aide in The Hobbits release. [10]

Although the first film made over $300 million, Warner Brothers has been working hard to market Gandalf, and Legolas, as well as the dragon Smaug, in an attempt to avoiding losing out on Lord of the Rings fans who did not enjoy the first film. The studio is hoping that the return of such characters will provide a breath of fresh air for the trilogy and will bring in more than the projected sum of $230 million. [10]

Superman vs Batman

Warner Brothers owns DC Comics so there has been a ton of success with both the Batman

Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck
Courtesy of Vulture [19]

and Superman franchises. The Dark Knight trilogy was wildly successful for the studio, and in 2013 Man of Steel was released. In the second installment of the Superman franchise Warner Brothers has brought together the man of steel and the caped crusader.

Ben Affleck has been cast as the newest Batman to star alongside Henry Cavill. The casting has come with major scrutiny. Director Zack Synder has given his full support to Affleck and is excited for the opportunity to work with him. The film is set to debut in the summer of 2015, and aims to piggyback off the success of the several DC Comics franchises. [20]

Grudge Match

Grudge Match Poster
Courtesy of Entertainment Weekly [21]

Grudge Match, is the story of two aging boxing rivals who fight 30 years after their last bout. It is the first time that Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone share the big screen. Grudge Match has an excellent cast and there is talk that it may be this years Silver Linings Playbook.

Grudge Match exemplifies Warner Brothers ability to produce movies with star power and the studio is hoping that Grudge Match could be the feelgood movie of the holiday season. It is to be released on Christmas Day. [22] [23]

Sources

[1] Warner Brothers Pictures Logo

[2] Warner Brothers Company History

[3] Kevin Tsujihara Picture – Hollywood Reporter

[4] Barry M. Meyer Picture- Who Controls Hollywood

[5] Greg Silverman Picture- Deadline

[6] Kevin Tsujihara Bio- Warner Brothers

[7] Barry M. Meyer Bio- Warner Brothers

[8] Greg Silverman Bio- Warner Brothers

[9] About Warner Brothers Pictures

[10] Box Office Mojo- Holiday Predictions

[11] Gravity- Imdb

[12] Box Office Mojo- Gravity

[13] Entertainment Weekly- Sandra Bullock Oscar Buzz

[14] Gravity Poster- comingsoon.net

[15] We’re The Millers Poster- impawards.com

[16] We’re The Millers- Imdb

[17] Box Office Mojo- We’re The Millers

[18] The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Poster- collider.com

[19] Vulture- Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck

[20] Batman vs Superman- Imdb

[21] Grudge Match Poster- Entertainment Weekly

[22] Fox News- De Niro and Stallone Face Off

[23] Grudge Match- Imdb

Warner Bros. Pictures

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Jacob Fleischman

by Jacob Everest Fleischman

Warner Bros. Pictures

Courtesy of thefilmstage.com

Warner Bros Pictures has produced and distributed thousands of titles since 1923 when it was founded by Albert, Sam, Harry and Jack Warner. WB is responsible for many iconic moments and accomplishments in the entertainment industry. To start, they are responsible for the first film with sound, The Jazz Singer. Following this Warner Bros had decades of success, even producing up to 40 movies a year during the 1940s. Jumping forward to the 1990s, Time Inc. and Warner Bros intertwined and became Time Warner, one of the powerhouses of todays entertainment industry. Warner Bros Pictures, as a subsidiary of Time Warner, produces between 18 and 22 movies a year and currently grosses over $4 billion a year. That brings us to our current place in time, post “The Dark Knight” and “Harry Potter” era, when Warner Bros Pictures was in charge of two of the most successful movie series of all time. [1] [2]

Conglomerate: Time Warner Inc.

Courtesy of financial-report.info

Parent Company: Warner Bros. Entertainment

CEO: Kevin Tsujihara

Chairman of the Board: Barry Meyer

Warner Bros Pictures Officers

President: Jeff Robinov

Courtesy of http://www.aceshowbiz.com/

Mr. Robinov is in charge of it all. He oversees actual filming and production, distribution and the post-production. All of the other presidents report to him and he has the final say before it is passed to the Warner Bros Entertainment CEO Kevin Tsujihara and Chairman of the Board Barry Meyer. [3]

President, Domestic Distribution- Dan Fellman

Courtesy of http://ia.media-imdb.com/

Mr. Fellman has been in his position at Warner Bros Pictures since 1999 and worked there for 21 years before that. Fellman is widely known for his success with movies such as The Dark Knight, Superman Returns, The Hangover and The Blind Side. Among these, he has produced 57 movies that have grossed over $100 million. [4]

President, Worldwide Marketing- Sue Kroll

Courtesy of Variety.com

Ms. Kroll has been in her position since 2008. She oversees all marketing worldwide, both creative and business aspects of the job. She is in-charge of advertising, research, finding target audiences and bringing attention to the film. She most famously ran the marketing division for The Dark Knight which grossed over $1 billion worldwide. [5]

Most Recent Time Warner Inc. Quarterly Report

In Time Warner’s final quarterly report of 2012, it explains Warner Bros Pictures grossed $4.3 billion worldwide; this was predominantly led by The Dark Knight Rises and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Warner Bros Pictures also received two Golden Globes this year, which included Best Motion Picture- Drama for Argo. Along with the Golden Globe achievements, Warner Bros. Picture’s movies were nominated for 10 Academy Awards this year. [6]

Courtesy of imdb.com

“Right Here, Right Now” Semester News From the Studio

New Commander-in-Chief

Courtesy of www.trbimg.com/

The biggest thing to happen during this Spring to affect Warner Bros. Pictures actually was not a change made in the company. Warner Bros Entertainment, WB Pictures parent company, appointed a new CEO. Kevin Tsujihara announced he would be taking control of the mega-entertainment company as of March on January 28^th, 2013. [7]

The Hobbit is not really that short!

Courtesy of www.dezineguide.com

It is announced that the first Hobbit movie hit its $1 billion mark and the rest of the trilogy has already been planned out. The final Hobbit Movie will be released in December of 2014, after the second installment of the series is released in December of 2013. Tacking on to the end of the Lord of the Rings series this spin-off proved to be just what the world wanted to see grossing $301.4 domestically and over $700 million internationally to date. [8]

The man with the Billion Dollar Brain is Preparing for his Next Epic

Courtesy of http://www.comicbookmovie.com/

On March 8^th, Warner Bros Pictures and Paramount announced that together they would co-produce and distribute, Academy Award nominee and billion-dollar movie maker Christopher Nolan’s next film. The Film, titled “Interstellar”, is sci-fi and will entail Nolan’s customary heroic story line. The fact that these two powerhouse studios are teaming up to produce and distribute this film together is extremely rare because the two do not normally work together on major releases. [9]

“RUN ITS GODZILLA”

Courtesy of www.badassoftheweek.com

While not much has been released yet, it is now public knowledge that a new Godzilla is in the works and will be released and distributed in 3D by Warner Bros. on May 16^th, 2014. The film has Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen and Juliette Binoche starring in the film. [10]

Recent Marketing

Courtesy of themovieblog.com/

Warner Bros Pictures is currently ramping up for a very busy spring and early summer with summer blockbusters that many people are looking forward to and could possibly define a top box office summer. Starting in early April we see the true life story of Jackie Robinson in 42 and following this we see our first summer blockbuster the re-make of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless classic The Great Gatsby. Then directly following this, just two weeks later we see the next installment of our favorite party-crazed drunks in The Hangover 3. Finally, most likely the most anticipated superhero movie of the summer, Man of Steel, the next Superman movie is released in June.

See the Man of Steel trailer here

Most Recently Warner Bros Pictures shined as a main attraction at WonderCon

With the upcoming release of Pacific Rim, Warner Bros decided to use this time with a huge collection of its target audience (at WonderCon) to debut a clip from the scene and hear from director, Guillermo del Toro. The scene creates enough suspense and confusion to make every nerd and non-nerd alike in the room anxious to run to the theaters on its opening weekend (July 12, 2013) to see the film. [11]

This has been a very busy late-winter and spring for Warner Bros Pictures with a number of huge films debuting at the beginning of this summer and a lot of films released during this time period. With all this in mind, it makes sense that there are so many presidents under Jeff Robinov to break up all of the executive work that keeps this studio at the top of its game.

Sources:

[1] Warner Bros. History http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/about/company-history.html

[2] Warner Bros. Overview http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/about/company-overview.html

[3] Jeff Robinov Bio http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/executives/operation-officers/jeff-robinov.html

[4] Dan Fellman Bio http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/executives/divisional-executives/dan-fellman.html

[5] Sue Kroll Bio http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/executives/divisional-executives/sue-kroll.html

[6] Time Warner Quarterly Report http://ir.timewarner.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=70972&p=quarterlyearnings

[7] Kevin Tsujihara Bio http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/executives/kevin-tsujihara.html

[8] The Hobbit Press Release http://www2.warnerbros.com/web/corpcomm/portal/press_release.jsp?id=WBPTheHobbitAnUnexpectedJourney1BillionDollarRev_03.03.13

[9] Christopher Nolan New Movie http://www2.warnerbros.com/web/corpcomm/portal/press_release.jsp?id=WBPInterstellarNov7ReleaseDate_03.08.13

[10] Godzilla Press Release http://www2.warnerbros.com/web/corpcomm/portal/press_release.jsp?id=WBPLegendaryPicturesGodzillaStartofProduction_03.18.13

[11] Pacific Rim Publicity http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/wondercon-pacific-rim-mortal-instruments-431926

Warner Bros Pictures

Posted on September 18, 2012 by jdsaffre

by Jarrad Saffren

The Warner Bros Pictures logo, courtesy of WarnerBros.com.

A Brief History and Profile

Warner Bros Pictures is a major film studio that produces film, television, and music entertainment. Founded by the four Warner brothers, Albert, Harry, Sam, and Jack in 1918, Warner Bros Pictures has been a “Big Three” or “Big Six” American film studio since the development of the “major film studio” classification in the 1930s. Based on revenue and market share statistics from the 2011 fiscal year, Warner Bros Pictures is the most profitable entertainment subsidiary of the Time Warner conglomerate and the second most profitable major film studio behind only Paramount Pictures. It merges several divisions and brands including New Line Cinema, HBO Films, Castle Rock Entertainment, Warner Bros Animation, and DC Entertainment.

Financial Situation

On the strength of a lucrative summer performance at the box office that included the seventh highest grossing film of all-time (“The Dark Knight Rises”), Warner Bros Pictures had its strongest financial quarter in a year in terms of net income. Including the cost of revenue and after taxes, Warner Bros raised its net income from $430 million at the end of the second quarter of 2012 in June to $838 million at the end of the third quarter in September (1). This is the highest total for the company since it netted $822 million in the third quarter of 2011.

Unfortunately, Warner Bros’ net income is expected to drop slightly at the end of the fourth quarter. At the box office, the fall and early winter season has been a mixed bag for Warner Bros based on its two most prominent releases. Ben Affleck’s “Argo” is a smash hit that has grossed over $111 million and counting, surpassing its $44 million budget with flying colors (2). “Cloud Atlas,” on the other hand, has been a resounding box office failure in spite of critical acclaim. The film has grossed just $25 million against an estimated $100 million budget (3).

This mixed bag is not alarming because the fall movie season is typically less lucrative than the summer and holiday seasons that bookend it. As one of the most prominent film studios on the planet, Warner Bros has also finalized a steady stream of high profile releases featuring A-list stars coming out this holiday season and throughout 2013.

On a long-term scale, Warner Bros has raised its total shareholder equity this quarter to $30.02 billion, its highest total since the third quarter of 2011 (4). More people are investing in Warner Bros because the company has finally started to market its vast intellectual property holdings via alternative media sources like Flixster, a company-owned online streaming service.

Recent News

August 2012

Peter Jackson is teaming up with Warner Bros for another Hobbit trilogy beginning this December. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org.

In a joint announcement on the last day of the month, Warner Bros Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures revealed that the final film in Peter Jackson’s trilogy adaptation of “The Hobbit” will be released worldwide on July 18, 2014. All three films are set in Middle-earth 60 years before “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his team adapted into an award winning trilogy of its own from 2001 to 2003. The first installment in the new trilogy “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” kicks off the holiday movie season next Friday and could provide an end-of-quarter financial boost for the company. The second “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” will be released on December 13, 2013. (5)

September 2012

In the first week of September, Jack Horner was named Executive Vice President, Theatrical Communications, Warner Bros Pictures Group. Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing, Warner Bros Pictures, created this new position. Horner will primarily handle corporate PR issues relating to the film division. He will work closely with the domestic and international publicity units of the film division as Warner Bros tries to expand its reach across multiple platforms and cultures. Horner most recently worked at News Corporation, where he was Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Corporate Communications. (6)

About a week after the Horner announcement, shooting began for “The Hangover Part III,” the third and final film in director Todd Phillips’ wildly popular comedy trilogy. The project is a team effort between Warner Bros Pictures and Legendary Pictures. Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and Justin Bartha are back to star as the beloved “Wolfpack” foursome of Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug. “The Hangover Part III” is scheduled for a worldwide release on May 24,2013. (7)

October 2012

Always staying proactive, in addition to “The Hangover,” Warner Bros Pictures announced a slate of four new films set for release during 2013. “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” stars Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, and Jim Carey as dueling magicians on the Las Vegas strip. It comes out on May 15^th. “The Conjuring” stars Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as paranormal investigators who are forced to take on the most horrifying case of their careers in a secluded farmhouse. It hits theaters on July 19^th. “We’re the Millers” stars Jason Sudeikis as a small-time pot dealer forced to travel to great lengths to pay off a debt to his big-time supplier. It will premiere on August 9^th. “Prisoners” stars Hugh Jackman as a desperate father who abducts the man he suspects is behind the kidnapping of his eight-year-old daughter. It is set for release on September 20^th. (8)

“All You Need is Kill” is based on a 2004 Japanese sci-fi novel of the same name. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org.

Looking even further into the future, Warner Bros Pictures, Legendary Pictures, and Village Roadshow Pictures announced jointly that “All You Need is Kill,” a sci-fi thriller starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt and based on the book of the same name, will be released on March 14, 2014. The film is a futuristic, society-on-the-brink drama where an alien race is swiftly destroying the human race. Cruise and Blunt star as the military lieutenant and Special Forces warrior tasked with destroying the alien invaders and saving the world. (9)

Such a bright future would not be possible without Warner Bros’ landmark past. This January, Warner Bros Pictures will pop the corks on a yearlong celebration of its 90^th anniversary. On the strength of the largest film library in the world–6,800 feature films including 22 Academy Award-winning Best Pictures–Warner Bros will be releasing seven new exclusive film collections to DVD and Blu-ray. 100 of the films will be on DVD, 50 on Blu-ray. Both will be the largest such collections of their formats in history to date. Several classics will also be released individually on Blu-ray for the first time including “The Jazz Singer” and “Driving Miss Daisy.” (10)

In addition to its innovative approach for bringing old classics onto newer formats, Warner Bros is also getting in on the newest media. In the last week of October, after announcing its anniversary celebration, Warner Bros revealed that it is teaming with Paramount Home Media Distribution to release more than 600 catalog titles from the Paramount film library via Flixster, the Warner Bros movie streaming and discovery service. Warner Bros will now have exclusive rights to Blu-ray and DVD distribution of those movies in the US and Canada, expanding the company’s massive reach into the pivotal Internet streaming sector. (11)

Finally, to conclude its busiest month of the third quarter and most progressive technological month of any quarter in recent memory, Warner Bros Home Entertainment agreed to a multiyear deal with Redbox, a DVD, Blu-ray, and video game distribution service owned by Coinstar, to bring Warner Bros titles to Redbox kiosks. All Warner Bros titles will be released to the kiosks just 28 days after their initial retail release dates. In addition, Redbox has agreed to promote Ultraviolet, Warner Bros innovative streaming service that would allow consumers to buy a title once and then access it anywhere on any device. (12)

November 2012

Warner Bros picked up in November right where they left off in October, continuing its mass effort to release content across multiple platforms. The new hobbit trilogy is not even out in theatres yet, but it is already hitting the mobile circuit. Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment has teamed up with Kabam, a leading producer of multiplayer games for electronic devices, to launch “The Hobbit: Kingdoms of Middle-earth” app for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Android devices. The game is based on collective strategy with other users and is free for all consumers of the aforementioned devices. (13)

In the midst of these new platforms, Warner Bros did not forgot about the one that made it a player in the first place: the big screen. In 2003, Warner Bros became one of the first film companies to partner with the IMAX Corporation. A few weeks before Thanksgiving, the two sides agreed on a new 20-picture deal over the next three years. Among the anticipated Warner Bros titles that will be showcased via the IMAX experience are “300: Rise of an Empire” (August 2, 2013) and “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” (December 13, 2013). (14)

References

Principles & Practices

Website by the students of TRF235

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