Warner Bros. Pictures

Posted on October 5, 2014 by nlopezlu

by Nancy Lopez-Luna

: Photo Courtesy of deadline.com [1]

Contact Information: [2]

4000 Warner Blvd.

Burbank, CA 91522

P: 818.954.3000

http://www.warnerbros.com/

About Warners Bros. Pictures:

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

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

Competitors

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

Key Executives:

Kevin Tsujihara; chairman and Chief executive officer

Thomas Gewecke; executive Vice president & CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICE

Edward a romano; executive vice president & Chief financial officer

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

Financials:

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

What’s happening now?

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

The Lego Movie

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

: Photo Courtesy of rottentomatoes.com [16]

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

If I Stay

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

Photo Courtesy of IMDb.com [20]

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

Annabelle

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

Photo Courtesy of IMDb.com [23]

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

Interstellar

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

Photo Courtesy of IMDb.com [26]

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

Horrible Bosses 2

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

Photo Courtesy of IMDb.com [29]

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

In other news

Cuts

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

Royalties

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

The Stand

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

What to Expect:

Focus

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

Photo Courtesy of IMDb.com [36]

In the Heart of the Sea

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

Photo Courtesy of IMDb.com [38]

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

Video courtesy of youtube.com [39]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MGM

Posted on October 5, 2014 by jnmonfre

by Joanna Monfreda

Metro Goldwyn Mayer [1]

Contact Information

MGM Studios Inc.
245 N Beverly Dr.
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Key Executives

Gary Barber
Chairman and CEO

[2]

Jonathan Glickman
President, Motion Picture Group

[3]

Roma Khanna
President, Television Group and Digital

[4]

Profile

History

Alfred Hitchcock serving MGM mascot Leo the Lion tea [5]

In 1924 Metro Pictures Corp., Goldwyn Pictures, and Louis B. Mayer merged to form Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, a company that would go on to win 200 Academy Awards and uphold itself to an outstanding level of cinema creation. Known for films such as The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, and hundreds more, the film production company paved its way during the beginning days of cinema as the leading studio in the business. [I] Through their peak from the 1930s to the 1950s MGM had many contracted actors such as Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, Elizabeth Taylor, and Lucille Ball. [II] Through the 1960s and 1970s, MGM studio was less successful than it had been in the golden age. In the hands of Kirk Kerkorian, many of the studio’s prized props, historical lots, and other possessions were sold. He then put most of the company’s money towards the construction of the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. [III] The studio’s downhill spiral continued into bankruptcy in 2010 where the company was in 4 billion dollars of debt and desperately needed an overhaul. Since then MGM has slowly been working on building itself back up. [IV]

Finances

MGM Holdings Inc. made $233.5 million dollars in revenue in their third quarter ending in September 2014. The quarter included the months of July, August and September. The company saw $6.5 million dollars from theatrical revenue in these three months, which came from the release of Hercules in areas where MGM controls distribution.

[6]

Their worldwide home entertainment revenue was $41.7 million. This was impacted by the home distribution release of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and RoboCop.

[14]

Another $150.6 million came from worldwide television licensing this quarter. This revenue came from not only the licensing of Teen Wolf, Fargo, and Viking, but from the television licensing of Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and their horror film, Carrie. This is less than the company’s third quarter in 2013, but that is due to how much of an impact Skyfall had on the company’s revenue last year. [V]

What’s Happening Now

Orion Pictures was obtained by MGM in 1997. The studio was responsible for some of the most famous films through the 80s and 90s such as Terminator, The Silence of the Lambs, and Dances with Wolves.

[8]

After declaring bankruptcy and being acquired by MGM, the studio did not see much success. It wasn’t until this past October, that MGM released a film through the small studio.

[7]

A remake of the horror film The Town That Dreaded Sundown was released by Orion Pictures on October 16th, 2014. [VI] There hasn’t been talk of MGM pushing Orion Pictures to be a stand-alone studio, but they do have their hands in other future film distribution deals. [VI][VII]

Along with Orion Pictures, MGM is also rebuilding United Artists. This September MGM spent $343.8 million dollars on a 55% ownership in a joint venture with Roma Downey, Mark Burnett, and Hearst Entertainment’s Steven Swartz to create United Artists Media Group. This merge includes Downey and Burnett’s production companies LightWorkers Media and One Three Media. MGM originally purchased United Artists in 1981, and since then the studio has gone through many different hands.

[9]

LightWorkers Media and One Three Media are responsible for shows such as The Voice, Survivor, The Celebrity Apprentice, The Bible and Shark Tank. United Artists Media Group is now leaning towards producing more faith based content and will be launching a faith focused, subscription channel called “Over The Top” or OTT. The channel will have new and old faith focused programming including Christian music videos, and both film and television content. [VIII] The executives saw success from their spiritual driven content such as The Bible and Son of God. They seek to target audiences interested in faith and family content because their ratings have shown there is a market for it. [IX] While the MGM works to put together a team to bring OTT to life, they are also looking into other film and digital media ventures as well. [X]

[12]

MGM collaborated with Warner Brothers on If I Stay a film based on the popular, young-adult novel written by Gayle Forman. The film was made with an 11 million dollar budget, and directed by R.J. Cutler. It was released on August 22th, 2014 of this year, and closed on November 6th, 2014. Its eleven-week run grossed 78.3 million dollars worldwide. [XI]

What’s to Come

On December 17th, 2014 the last film of The Hobbit series The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will be released. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey grossed over one billion dollars worldwide, while its sequel, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug grossed 958.4 million dollars worldwide. [XII][XIII]

[10]

With such a large fan base, there are high expectations for the amount of money the ending film of the trilogy will bring the studio. [XIV]

ABC has just announced a spin off of Shark Tank that will be produced by MGM’s United Artists Media Group and Sony Picture Television called Beyond the Tank.

[11]

It will be a series documenting past contestants current success and business state after being on the show. The network has called for 10 one-hour episodes, but has not released a premiere date. [XV]

On November 27th, 2014 NBC released their first trailer for A.D.: Beyond the Bible produced by MGM’s United Artists Media Group. Roma Downey and Mark Burnett will be the show’s executive producers.

[13]

The mini-series is scheduled to premiere on April 5th, 2015, which is Easter Sunday. It is a sequel to The Bible, and begins at the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The series continues the story of the creation of the Christian faith. [XVI]

The company already has two films are scheduled to be released in 2015. The first, Hot Tub Time Machine 2, will be produced in collaboration with Paramount Pictures. The sequel’s theatrical release is directed by Steve Pink, and will be February 20th, 2015. [XVII] The second, in collaboration with 20th Century Fox, will be a remake of the 1982 horror film Poltergeist. It’s directed by Gil Kenan, and its release date is October 26th, 2015. [XVIII]

[I] MGM History mgm.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[II] The Historic MGM Studios seeing-stars.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[III] MGM Again: 87 Years of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio History moviefanfare.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[IV] MGM Files for Bankruptcy Protection nytimes.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[V] MGM Third Quarter Financial Report mgm.com. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
[VI] Iconic Film Company Orion Pictures Returns After 15 Years slashfilm.com. Retrieved 26 November 2014
[VII] MGM Quietly Revives Orion Pictures deadline.com. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
[VIII] MGM, LightWorkers Media and One Three Media Merge mgm.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[IX] Mark Burnett: MGM Deal Will Drive Faith and Family Channel variety.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[X] Creation of the United Artists Media Group deadline.com. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
[XI] If I Stay Box Office Results boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[XII] The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey Box Office Results boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[XIII] The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Box Office Results boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[XIV] The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Trailer Release variety.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[XV] Inspired by the success of “Shark Tank” ABC Announces Launch of “Beyond the Tank” mgm.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[XVI] NBC’s “A.D.” Trailer Promo Released: Riveting Portrayal of Passion of Christ christiantimes.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[XVII] Details of Hot Tub Time Machine 2 ropeofsilicon.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[XVIII] Details of Poltergeist Remake ropeofsilicon.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.

[1] MGM logo mgmlogo.jpg. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[2] Gary Barber socialregister.co.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[3] Jonathan Glickman socialregister.co.uk.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[4] Roma Khanna deadline.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[5] Alfred Hitchcock Serving Leo the Lion instagram.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
[6] Hercules imdb.com. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
[7] The Town that Dreaded Sundown imdb.com. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
[8] Orion Pictures manlymovie.net. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
[9] United Artist Media Group insidetv.ew.com. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
[10] Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies imdb.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[11] Shark Tank imdb.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[12] If I Stay imdb.com. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[13] A.D.: Beyond the Bible comingsoon.net. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
[14] RoboCop imdb.com. Retrieved 26 November 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 November 3, 2013 by Dahlia Neeman

By Dahlia Neeman

The Warner Brothers logo. Image courtesy of Warner Brothers

About The Company

Warner Brothers Pictures is a major film studio founded in 1932. Their studios are located in Burbank, California. They have many divisions including feature films, animation, DVD and Blu-ray. Some of their highest grossing films include “The Dark Knight”, “Harry Potter” and “Inception”. Each year, Warner Brothers produces and distributes 18-22 films. They either fully finance or co-finance every film they produce and distribute films that are financed and produced by others. They also keep the international distribution rights. Last year they were the only studio to gross $4.3 billion at the box office. [1]

Contact

3400 W. Riverside Drive Burbank, CA 91505
877-491-8687
www.warnerbros.com

Key Executives:

Courtesy of warnerbros.com

Barry M. Meyer is the Chairman of Warner Brothers. He has been working at the company for 14 years. In 2010 he received the Directors Guild of America’s Honorary Life Member Award. [2]

Courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter

Kevin Tsujihara became the Chief Executive Officer of Warner Brothers in March, 2013. He previously held the position of President of Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. [3]

Recent News

Courtesy of sciencefiction.com

On June 14th, Warner Brothers released “Man of Steel” which became the second highest grossing film of 2013 (behind “Iron Man 3”). This Superman movie broke the opening release record for the month of June grossing over $116 million [4]. The success of this film is the start of a new franchise for Warner Brothers putting it in a position to compete with Marvel in the superhero genre. Marvel currently dominates the superhero movie platform with its countless characters, but now Warner Brothers can add Superman to its list next to Batman and The Green Lantern [5].

In July, Warner Brothers announced there will be a movie featuring Batman and Superman set to be released in 2015 [6]. In this new release, Christian Bale will not play Batman; instead, the role will be played by Ben Affleck [7]. Affleck’s presence should help to draw in a female audience to a movie genre that traditionally attracts a mostly male audience. The announcement that Affleck will play Batman has received a great deal of media attention, and as a result there is a lot of hype for the film before production has even started. This should further solidify Warner Brothers presence in the superhero genre.

Courtesy of imdb.com

In July 2013 Warner Brothers distributed the film “The Conjuring” which became a huge success in the horror film genre. Based on a true story, the film revolves around the investigation of paranormal occurrences in a family’s New England home. This thrilling motion picture broke the record for opening weekend for a horror film, bringing in $41 million. This film was also one of the top grossing horror films Warner Brothers has released. [8]

Courtesy of The Telegraph

The “Harry Potter” franchise has been one of Warner Brothers most profitable enterprises. Based on the book series by J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers has produced eight films grossing a total of $7.7 billion. After the final film in 2011, it seemed that Warner Brothers’ most lucrative franchise had departed for good. It was a surprise on September 12 2013, when Warner Brothers announced a deal with J.K. Rowling to produce a new movie franchise based on her new book series Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them [9]. If this series is successful, Warner Brothers will have a new potential money-making franchise under its belt.

On September 30, Warner Brothers agreed on a $450 million deal with RatPac-Dune Entertainment. RatPac-Dune Entertainment will finance 75 Warner Brothers films. Films will be from any genre, and the first film was “Gravity.” [10]

Courtesy of imdb.com

Directed by Alfonso Cuaron, the science fiction thriller “Gravity” became a huge international success for Warner Brothers. The cutting-edge special effects and enthralling storyline won this film renowned attention all over the world. The film stars two Oscar winning actors, Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, whose prominence among both male and female audiences contributed to ticket sales. Released on October 4^th, this film grossed over $55 million opening weekend at the box office, breaking the record for an opening weekend in October [11]. 3D sales made up 80% of the gross, surpassing “Avatar” which held the record for 3D sales. With 3D sales becoming less popular, the success of this film proves that audiences will still pay for 3D films if they feel that it is an integral part of the film and not just an add-on [12]. The film so far has earned $516 million worldwide [13].

Following the success of “Gravity”, on October 17 Warner Brothers announced a new deal with Jonas Cuaron, one of the writers of the film. He will be the screenwriter for the film “The Lost City.” [14]

Financials

Warner Brothers stock value in the past year has been increasing gradually, ranging from $44.71 to $70.77. It is currently at $66.28. With the success of “Gravity’s” release in October the company’s stock value increased significantly. In the beginning of October the value started out at $65 and by the end of October the value was up to $70. This is the highest value Time Warner has had all year. This year’s stock value is much better than it had been in 2012. In 2012 it fell to a low of $34.70 and only toward the end of the year began increasing up to the mid forties. This shows that this year has been very successful financially for Warner Brothers. [15]

Coming Soon…

Courtesy of imdb.com

With the success of Warner Brother’s hits this year, Chief Financial Officer of Time Warner John Martin estimated that this year could be even more profitable than last year. Last year, Warner Brothers showed a $1.24 billion profit from its films. This year, with the help of “Gravity”, Warner Brothers has already shown a $751 million profit [16]. “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug” will be released this December and it is anticipated that this film will be highly profitable at the box office (last year, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” grossed over $84 million opening weekend) [17]. Click here for the trailer. This box office success could result in Warner Brothers showing higher profits compared to last year. The third movie of this franchise is already in pre-production and is set to be released at the end of 2014. In addition, Warner Brothers already has a list of films planned for release through the year 2017 [18].

[1] Warner Brothers Company Overview Retrieved: 10/15/13

[2] Warner Brothers Executive Barry Meyer Retrieved: 10/15/13

[3] Warner Brothers Executive Kevin Tsujihara Retrieved: 10/15/13

[4] Screen Rant Article Retrieved: 11/18/13

[5] The Atlantic Wire Article Retrieved: 11/18/13

[6] Batman News Article Retrieved: 10/15/13

[7] Deadline Article Retrieved: 10/15/13

[8] Business Wire Article Retrieved: 10/20/13

[9] NY Daily News Article Retrieved: 9/30/13

[10] Time Warner Press Release Retrieved: 10/10/13

[11] Hollywood Reporter Article Retrieved: 10/19/13

[12] imdb.com Retrieved: 10/18/13

[13] “Gravity” Box Office Results Retrieved: 11/19/20

[14] Variety Article Retrieved: 10/18/13

[15] Warner Brothers Financials Retrieved: 11/19/20

[16] Hollywood Reporter Article Retrieved: 11/18/13

[17] “The Hobbit” Box Office Results Retrieved: 11/19/13

[18] Warner Brothers IMDB Retrieved: 11/19/13

MGM

Link

By Arden Phillips

[1]

Metro Goldwyn Mayer

245 N Beverly Dr.

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

(310) 449-3000

http://www.mgm.com

[2]

History

MGM, also known by its full name Metro Goldwyn Mayer, was founded in April of 1924 when Metro Pictures Corporation, Goldwyn Pictures, Louis B. Mayer Productions merged together, thus developing the title “MGM.” MGM is an independent, privately-held, film, television, and home video company that specializes in theatrical and production distribution. The company was incredibly successful right away and for the first 3 decades after it was founded, MGM produced a “Best Picture” nominee at every Academy Awards ceremony. Some of MGM’s most notable titles include “Gone with the Wind,” “Annie Hall,” “The Wizard of Oz,” and “Doctor Zhivago.” [3]

Key Executives

[4]

Gary Barber- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Gary Barber has been with MGM since 2010. Before this, he was the president of Vestron International Group. He also founded Spyglass Entertainment. Under his leadership, the company has been seeing a ton of success with the release of films such as James Bond: Skyfall, 21 Jump Street, and Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters. Another aspect of MGM that has thrived under the control of Mr. Barber is MGM’s television division.

[5]

Ken Schapiro- Chief Operating Officer

Ken Schapiro has been the Chief Operating Officer of MGM since 2011. Before this, he held a few different positions at numerous companies. The position that was perhaps his most important besides MGM was COO and co-founder of Qualia Capital LLC, an investment company that focuses on the media and entertainment.

[6]

Jonathan Glickman- President, Motion Picture Group

Jonathan Glickman is in charge of the Motion Picture division of MGM. He was previously the president of Spyglass Entertainment. Since he’s been the President of this division, MGM has celebrated the release of Skyfall, which became the highest grossing James Bond film of all time, as well as the release of the first film in The Hobbit series. [7]

Financials

The fiscal year for MGM ends on December 31^st. In 2011, the total revenue for the year was $680.6 million. [8] In 2012, the total revenue was $1.38 billion, which is a 97% raise in revenue. [9] This huge raise in revenue is mostly due to the fact that MGM released both Skyfall, the latest installation in the James Bond series, as well as the first film in The Hobbit series. Both of these films were released in the fourth quarter of the 2012 fiscal year which was a huge reason for the monetary success in 2012. Although the 2013 fiscal year is not over, the second quarter results from this year put the revenue at $821 million. [10] At this rate, the second quarter for this year is already higher than the total revenue in all of 2011. It’s hard to say at this point if 2013 will beat 2012 but with the recent release of the remake of Carrie and the release of the second film in The Hobbit series in December, it’s definitely possible that 2013 will beat or at least match 2012 in regard to revenue. [11]

Competition

Two of MGM’s current biggest competitors include Lionsgate Entertainment Corporation, and Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. [12] It’s hard to compete with what’s coming up for MGM (The Hobbit films and James Bond). Lionsgate can be seen as MGM’s biggest rival right now because throughout the next 2 years, Lionsgate will be releasing the next three films in The Hunger Games series. [13] Twentieth Century doesn’t have any majorly anticipated film releases coming up which is why it currently isn’t as big of a competitor for MGM as Lionsgate is. However, Twentieth Century does have two film adaptations of popular novels coming out in the next year. This includes “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green and “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn. [14]

What’s Happening Now

Deal with Amazon.com

On October 22^nd, MGM announced that it had come to an agreement with Amazon.com that will allow Amazon to provide the MGM Television produced show, Vikings to users via Amazon Prime Instant Video. This popular series has aired on the History channel but by making it accessible on Prime Instant Video, it will allow fans another medium to access it through and will provide another form of revenue for MGM’s television distribution branch. The deal not only made Vikings available for streaming, but also popular MGM films such as Annie Hall, Fargo, and Hotel Rwanda. [15]

[16]

Filming Begins on If I Stay

On October 30^th, MGM Studios released a statement announcing the start of filming on the motion picture, If I Stay, a film based on a young adult novel with the same title. The film stars Chloe Grace Moretz (the star of the new MGM film Carrie) as its main character. The book, which was released in 2009, was highly rated and this film will hopefully garner much success since the genre of young-adult fiction has made a very successful transition to the screen world in recent years, an example of this is Pretty Little Liars. [17]

[18]

MGM Wins James Bond Rights

On November 15th, it was announced that MGM Studios in partnership with Danjaq LLC (The production company in charge of the James Bond films) has finally acquired all of the rights to the James Bond series. This legal battle has been going on for 50 years. It all began because of a man named Kevin McClory, the co-writer of the James Bond script, Thunderball. After this script was completed, James Bond creator, Ian Fleming turned the script into a novel with the same name. McClory sued Fleming on the basis that this was a violation of ownership rights. Eventually, this specific incident ended with a compromise but the battle about who owned what in regards to James Bond content went on for the next 50 years until MGM just won the rights to all James Bond related content. [19]

[20]

What’s Coming Up

[21]

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The next film in The Hobbit series is set to be released on December 13^th of this year. The film will star some of the characters from The Lord of the Rings series as well as add some new stars including British actor Benedict Cumberbatch. [22]

[23]

22 Jump Street

This film is set to release on June 13^th, 2014. It’s the sequel to 21 Jump Street which came out last year. The film stars Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill who play a duo of undercover cops. [24]

[25]

The Hobbit: There and Back Again

This is the final film in The Hobbit trilogy and is set for release on December 17^th, 2014. MGM is hoping for as much success for The Hobbit trilogy as the The Lord of the Rings trilogy received, given it involves many of the same characters and many overlapping plots. [26]

[27]

Bond 24

This film, an installment of the James Bond series is scheduled to be released on October 23, 2015 and will be directed by Sam Mendes, the director of the latest Bond film, Skyfall. The film will star Daniel Craig, who has starred as Bond in the last three James Bond films. [28]

Sources

[1] MGM Logo Image

[2] MGM Address and Contact Information

[3] MGM History Information

[4] Gary Barber Image

[5] Ken Schapiro Image

[6] Jonathan Glickman Image

[7] All MGM Corporate Executive Information

[8] MGM 2011 Revenue Information

[9] MGM 2012 Revenue Information

[10] 2013 Quarter 2 Financial information

[11] MGM Upcoming Releases

[12] MGM Current Competition Information

[13] Lionsgate Upcoming Releases

[14] Twentieth Century Fox Upcoming Releases

[15] MGM’s Deal with Amazon.com

[16] Amazon Prime Logo Image

[17] Principal Photography Begins for “If I Stay”

[18] “If I Stay” Image

[19] MGM Aquires James Bond Rights

[20] James Bond “Thunderball” Image

[21] “The Hobitt: The Desolation of Smaug” Logo Image

[22] “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” Information

[23] “22 Jump Street” Image

[24] “22 Jump Street” Information

[25] “The Hobbit: There and Back Again” Image

[26] “The Hobbit: There and back Again” Information

[27] “Bond 24” Image

[28] “Bond 24” Information

MGM

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Lyndsey Lombard

by Lyndsey Lombard

Image courtesy of articles.latimes.com

10250 Constellation Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90067 310.449.3000 / www.mgm.com

A Brief History

MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) Studios is an American media and entertainment company that produces and distributes films and television programs. It was founded in April 1924 and has been producing classic films since then such as “Rocky,” “West Side Story,” and “The Wizard of Oz.” While the company has not been producing as many movies independently after coming back from bankruptcy in 2010, it still is responsible for distributing many recent popular films [1]. MGM currently has a distribution deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment, which allowed it to distribute the most recent Bond movie, “Skyfall” [2]. Some of the current films MGM has co-produced are “The Hobbit,” “21 Jump Street,” and “Hansel and Gretel.”

Key Figures

Image courtesy of aceshowbiz.com

Gary Barber is Chairman and CEO of MGM, Inc. and has held this position since October 2012. Previously, he served as Co-Chariman and CEO since December 2010 alongside Roger Birnbaum. Barber and Birbaum founded Spyglass Entertainment together in 1998 [3]. With Barber’s help, MGM has been able to make a strong comeback after declaring bankruptcy in 2010.

Image courtesy of latimesblogs.latimes.com

Ken Schapiro took on the title of Chief Operating Officer in February 2011. He was previously the co-founder of the private investment management company, Qualia Capital LLC [3].

Image courtesy of www.hollywoodreporter.com

As President of the Motion Picture Group, Jonathan Glickman, is in charge of the production and development of all MGM films. He too has a successful history prior to this position at Spyglass Entertainment [3].

Financials

The future is looking up for MGM post-bankruptcy. After MGM acquired Carl Icahn’s stake for $590 million in July 2012, the company went public [4]. According to the 2012 year-end results, revenue was up 97% over 2011. They reported total revenue of $1.38 billion, which was an increase of $681 million from the prior year.

“Skyfall” and “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” landed MGM with two films in the top 15 of box office history. These two films also gave MGM the title of being the only studio to have two back-to-back films make $1 billion at the box office.

Image courtesy of imdb.com

“Skyfall” was named the biggest James Bond release of all time and also the biggest film in the UK by crossing the £100 million mark.

The total home entertainment revenue of 2012 was greater than that of 2011 even though no new titles were released. The fourth quarter was extremely strong with $96 million in revenue, which shows how successful the promotions for James Bond 50^th anniversary were. The worldwide home entertainment generated a total of $195 million, which was $1 million more than the prior year.

The worldwide television licensing revenue generated a total of $395 million, which was also a large increase by $23 million from the prior year.

The 2012 Adjusted EBITDA showed a 48% increase to $286 million. It was adjusted due to revenue growth. The revenue growth was so substantial that it offset the increase in marketing, distribution, and operating expenses [5].

Recent Releases

Image courtesy of www.comingsoon.net

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB11JlyjmkE

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters was released January 25, 2013 and directed by Tommy Wirkola. MGM co-produced it with Paramount. It is a twist on the children’s fairy tale, Hansel & Gretel. In the movie, Hansel and Gretel are all grown up and now bounty hunters that kill witches. It was released in 3D and IMAX. The movie made $19 million in its opening weekend and $219 million total worldwide. It made a lot more money overseas than domestically. Its production budget was $50 million [6]. Hansel & Gretel will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on June 11, 2013.

Image courtesy of www.comingsoon.net

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLR3HrV71yM

G.I. Joe: Retaliation was released March 29, 2013 and directed by Jon M. Chu. This is the third movie out of the series and it starred new cast members such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Bruce Willis. It was #1 its opening weekend making $40 million. Its total worldwide gross is $231 million so far. Its production budget was $130 million. This movie was also released in 3D and IMAX [6].

Upcoming Films

Image courtesy of imdb.com

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H369sxjyhx8&feature=player_embedded

Carrie is an upcoming horror film that is the third adaptation of the Stephen King’s 1974 novel, Carrie. The film is co-produced by MGM and Screen Gems. It stars Chloe Moretz and Julianne Moore. The release date is set for October 18, 2013. With this release, MGM and Screen Gems are hoping to stay as close to the original novel’s storyline. Their current promotion for the movie is extremely original. At the end of the trailer, they provide you with a toll free number to call, which plays back a scene with the characters.

Future MGM Films

There is definitely a trend of adaptations and remakes in MGM’s upcoming film releases. Two other upcoming releases are “RoboCop,” which is set to release February 7, 2014, and “Hercules: The Thracian Wars,” which is set to release August 8, 2014.

Image courtesy of www.comingsoon.net

“RoboCop” is a science fiction action film that will feature Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, and Gary Oldman. It is a remake of the original 1987 film. José Padihla, a Brazilian film director, who has not released a feature film in the U.S. yet, will direct it [7].

“Hercules: The Thracian Wars” will feature Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Hercules in this adaptation of the Radical Studios graphic novel from 2008. Its main competition in the box office will be Disney/Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” which is set to release a week prior. If this movie is successful, it could lead to another franchise for MGM [8].

More recently MGM has teamed up with GK Films to develop a new Tomb Raider franchise based on the Lara Croft video game franchise. The two original films from 2001 and 2003 that starred Angelina Jolie grossed $432 million worldwide so MGM hopes to achieve the same success [9].

Image courtesy of www.filmofilia.com

“The Hobbit” trilogy was confirmed in a MGM news release this past February. The second film, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” was given a December 13, 2013 release date and the third film, “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” was officially given the release date of December 17, 2014. The first film in the trilogy did so well that they hope the success will follow throughout. MGM is co-producing these films 50/50 with New Line Cinema [10].

With all of these plans in place, MGM’s future looks strong and successful.

Sources

1. MGM History

2. Sony Pictures Deal

3. MGM Today

4. Carl Icahn sells stake in MGM

5. MGM 2012 Year-End Results

6. Box Office Mojo

7. RoboCop Release

8. Hercules Release

9. Tomb Raider Franchise Announcement

10. The Hobbit Trilogy Announcement

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

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Posted on November 28, 2012 by wjmcdona

by Will McDonald

MGM Studios
10250 Constellation Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310) 449-3000
www.mgm.com

MGM’s Logo

[1]

About:

MGM Studios Inc. is a privately held entertainment company that produces motion pictures and television programs worldwide. It has won over 175 Oscars, including 14 Best Picture wins. Leo the Lion is MGM’s mascot, who appears at the beginning of all of the films. Above the lion on the mascot is MGM’s logo “Ars gratia artis,” which is Latin for “Art for art’s sake.”
[2]

Major Competition:

Lions Gate Entertainment
Sony Pictures
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
[3]

Key Executives:

Gary Barber-Chairman and CEO
Ken Schapiro-Chief Operating Officer
Jonathan Glickman-President of the Motion Pictures Group
[4]

In October, Chairman and CEO Gary Barber announced that Jonathan Glickman will continue his role as president of the Motion Pictures Group until 2017.
[5]

Jonathan Glickman

[6]

Brief History of MGM:

In 1924, MGM came to be when Marcus Loew arranged a merge between Goldwyn Pictures, Metro Pictures Corp, and eventually Louis B. Mayer Pictures, creating Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The studio dominated the Hollywood industry for many years, discovering many new stars and producing award winning movies, such as Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz.
[2]

In 2010, MGM filed for bankruptcy, hindering their ability to make new movies. Fortunately, that same year, MGM emerged from this crisis and began to produce movies again.
[7]

Finances:

In November 2012, MGM reported a $23.4 million net profit for the the third quarter in 2012, increasing from the $15.2 million net profit from the third quarter in 2011. MGM had a $4.3 million loss in operating income, as opposed to its $32.8 million gain in the third quarter of 2011. CEO Gary Barber claimed that the results were hurt by distribution and marketing costs of the films, which MGM spent more money on this year than the previous year. Yet, he remains optimistic, as MGM expects to have a substantial increase in revenue in the fourth quarter results with the succesful release of Skyfall and the highly anticipated The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
[8]

Recent News:

In October 2012, MGM won appeals court in a long battle against the financial backers of the movie Madison, starring Jim Caviezel. In 2009, the backers of the 2005 film sued MGM, claiming that MGM’s failure to distribute the film cost them millions of dollars. The backers of the film sued the studio in Illinois, but the court ruled in favor of MGM, deciding that MGM did not have enough contact with this state as a basis for the lawsuit.
[9]

Roger Birnbaum, who became co-CEO with Barber in December 2010, recently stepped down in November to become one of MGM’s producers. He wanted to focus more on movies and talent, instead of working on the business side of the film industry. He will begin his new role as the executive producer of RoboCop, set to release in 2014. RoboCop is a remake of the 1987 film.
[10]

Relevant Movies:

Co-produced by MGM and Time Warner, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit, will be released in the United States on December 14, 2012. This film is expected to break box office records, contributing to an annual box office increase, which hasn’t happened since 2009. Media analysts predict that this film will help draw viewers into the movie theaters again, despite the growing competition of the television and the Internet. This film has been widely anticipated, ever since the release and success of the Rings trilogy. This film will also be released in 3D and IMAX. The director of the film, Peter Jackson, shot the film in 48 frames per second, compared to the 24 frames per second of standard films. His goal was to make the audience feel more engaged and part of the journey. Some fear that this will make them feel sick, but scientists assure audiences that this won’t be an issue.
[11][12]
[13]

According to the movie’s twitter handle, @TheHobbitMovie, audience members can buy their tickets ahead of time through Fandago, an online service that sells movie tickets via the internet, and get a free song from the soundtrack in exchange.
[14]

Skyfall, MGM’s latest James Bond movie, has brought in $869 million worldwide. MGM co-produced this movie with Eon Productions and Sony Pictures. This latest chapter in the franchise is the highest grossing James Bond movie of all time, starring Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem. This film was released on the 50th anniversary of the series, directed by Oscar winner Sam Mendes. Skyfall came very close to the #1 spot at the box office the first weekend of December, with Summit Entertainment’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2 barely edging it out. Skyfall helped break the domestic box office record for Thanksgiving weekend, raking in $290 million. The previous record was $273 million in 2009. This was also the first Bond film to ever appear in IMAX.
[15][16]

In addition to the US market, Skyfall was a sensation in foreign markets, not only as the most succesful film of 2012 at the UK box office, surpassing Dark Knight Rises, but also as the highest grossing film in the UK box office history, surpassing Avatar. On its opening weekend in various foreign markets, it debuted as number one in 25 different countries.
[17] [18]

[19]

On November 21, MGM released a remake of the 1984 film Red Dawn, grossing a domestic total of $38.4 million as of December 5, yet with an estimated $65 million production budget. Despite the famous stars of the movie, such as Josh Hutcherson, Josh Peck, and Chris Hemsworth, this action remake has received negative ratings amongst the critics, with a small 12% score from Rotten Tomatoes, a popular website that reviews films. Filming of Red Dawn was completed in 2009, and was set to be released in November 2010, but MGM’s financial troubles made this difficult, therefore the film was not released until two years later.
[20][21]

“Red Dawn” (2012) movie poster

[22]

International deals:

In September 2012, pay TV company C More Entertainment renewed a multi-year licensing agreement with MGM, giving this Nordic region TV channel provider the rights to air a large selection MGM’s movie library on linear and on-demand channels. This gives C More the right to air both movies that have already been released, such as Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and movies that have yet to be released, such as The Hobbit trilogy. This deal also ensures that C More subscribers can watch all the movies on different platforms, such as computers and mobile devices via their internet service, C More Play.
[23]

This is the logo for C More Entertainment, a pay TV company for the Nordic region.

[24]

MGM renewed partnership with Sky Italia, a new Italian satellite platform, enlarging MGM’s library on Sky Cinema. Starting in September, Sky Cinema Classics began hosting the best of MGM catalogue in high definition, with almost 200 titles per year. These films will also appear on Sky On-Demand, a new innovation from Sky Italia.
[25]

Sky Italia’s logo

[26]

Upcoming projects:

MGM and Paramount Pictures will co-produce Hercules, a famous fiction movie about a heroic man. MGM was initially the only studio involved in the project, but Paramount recently signed on to produce as well. The film is set to start filming in the beginning of 2013, with Brett Ratner as the director. The film has confirmed Dwayne Johnson to star in the film. Ryan Condal wrote the script, which he adapted from the novel, Hercules: The Tharacian War.
[27]

To keep updated with all of MGM’s other projects, follow them on Twitter and like them on Facebook.

References

1. MGM Logo courtesy of Google Images

2. http://www.mgm.com/#/about/mgm-history

3. http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/104/104990.html

4. http://www.mgm.com/#/about/mgm-today

5. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jonathan-glickman-as-president-mgm-378957

6. Jonathan Glickman courtesy of Google Images

7. http://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2010/12/20/mgm-out-of-bankruptcy/

8. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/james-bond-hobbit-raise-hopes-391209

9. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/mgm-wins-appeals-court-ruling-377720

10. http://www.deadline.com/2012/10/mgm-co-chairman-ceo-roger-birnbaum-steps-down-will-become-producer-gary-barber-to-become-sole-chairman-ceo/

11. http://www.timeslive.co.za/entertainment/2012/12/03/hobbit-may-bring-a-hollywood-ending-to-2012-box-office

12. http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/tech/The-hobbit-Coming-at-You-in-48-Frames-per-Second-182238431.html

13. http://youtu.be/G0k3kHtyoqc

14. https://twitter.com/thehobbitmovie

15. http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/2012/12/02/twilight-skyfall-remain-top-picks-for-fans/CNoybhjsUlxjedPQxHXfBI/story.html

16.http://www.sourcenewspapers.com/articles/2012/11/27/news/doc50b53b9e4574f390701931.txt

17. http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/nov/09/skyfall-biggest-seller-box-office

18. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/skyfall-becomes-biggest-uk-box-office-398138

19. http://youtu.be/bqGt3exPArA

20. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=reddawn10.htm

21. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1234719/trivia

22. Red Dawn poster courtesy of Google Images

23. http://www.telecompaper.com/news/c-more-entertainment-renews-deals-with-mgm-paramount–898595

24. C More Entertainment logo courtesy of Google Images

25. http://www.eutelsattvawards.com/a-new-agreement-for-a-stronger-partnership-between-sky-italia-and-mgm/

26. Sky Italia logo courtesy of Google Images

27. http://movies.yahoo.com/news/paramount-boards-mgms-hercules-dwayne-johnson-officially-attached-231316144.html

Warner Bros. Pictures

Posted on September 19, 2012 by mcrile01

by Michele Riley

Warner Bros. logo courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter

Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. is a global company leading in the creation, production, distribution, licensing, and marketing of all forms of film, television, and music entertainment.

Warner Bros. is a subsidiary of Time Warner. Its headquarters are located in Burbank, California and New York.

Subsidiaries of Warner Bros Entertainment, Inc. include: Warner Bros. Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Home Video, New Line Cinema, TheWB.com, DC Entertainment, and half of the CW Television Network.

Key People:

Barry Meyer: Chairman and CEO

Jeff Robinov: President and COO

Edward A. Romano: Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Brief History/Overview

Warner brothers, Albert, Sam, Harry, and Jack, founded the Warner Bros. company on April 4, 1923. The company made an impression in the entertainment world by releasing the first ever synchronized-sound feature film “The Jazz Singer” in 1927. From then on, Warner Bros. became known as a leader in film and one of the top studios in Hollywood. In addition to being a leader in the creation of contemporary relevant films, the company introduced the first “four-legged star”, modernized the movie musical, and established the gangster-picture era. [1]

In 1937, “The Life of Emile Zola” won Warner Bros. their first Oscar for Best Picture, a huge accomplishment for the company. Throughout the 40s, 50s, and 60s Warner Bros. Pictures continued to create notable films. [2]

Warner Bros. has merged and changed owners many times throughout its years. In 1967, it was sold to Elliot and Ken Hyman and was renamed Warner Bros.-Seven Arts. Steve Ross and his Kinney Corporation purchased the company in 1969, renaming it Warner Communications, Inc. Not until the 1990s was the company merged with Time Inc. to become Time Warner Inc. The new company thrived in the 1990s. Its pictures broke records, was critically raved around the world, and was nominated for and won many Academy Awards. Barry Meyer and Alan Horn took over Warner Bros in 1999 beginning a new era of profitability for the Studio.[1]

For Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.’s full history click here

For a list of Warner Bros. Films click here

Recent News

The Warner Bros. lawsuit against the heirs of the co-creator of Superman has been settled as of October 2012. Warner Bros. has been in a court battle against the heirs of Joseph Shuster, co-creator of Superman, since 2003. In 1938 Shuster had assigned DC Comics “the exclusive right to the use of the [Superman] characters and story.” The heirs of Shuster presented Warner Bros. with a termination notice in 2003. In May 2010, Warner Bros. filed a lawsuit asking the court to declare the heirs’ termination notice invalid. They claimed that “the heirs had given up any termination rights as the result of a 1992 contract they signed with DC Comics.” [3]

According to The Wall Street Journal, the decision to the May 2012 lawsuit has finally been settled. The court ordered that the family of Joseph Shuster doesn’t have the right to terminate a copyright grant covering Superman.

This comes as a huge relief and victory to Warner Bros. Entertainment who is currently in the process of producing “Man of Steel” set to release in 2013. [3]

Another Warner Bros. film that has been getting a lot of attention recently is the James Bond film, “Skyfall,” released November 6, 2012. As of November 11th the film had earned $518.6 million worldwide, including $428.6 million internationally. The 23rd installment is certain to surpass the $586.1 million earned by “Quantum of Solace” and the $594.2 million earned by “Casino Royale.” “Skyfall” did exceptionally well in IMAX theaters. It took in $13.1 million during it’s debut, which is the highest debut in a non-summer opening. [4]

Warner Bros’ film, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” has been in the headlines a lot over the past month. On November 28, 2012, The Hollywood Reporter wrote that 27 animals died on the set. It has been reported that three horses, six goats, six sheep and a dozen chickens died at a ranch they were housed at during the New Zealand shoot. Director Peter Jackson and Warner Bros. studios deny mistreatment. PETA has called for CGI creations to replace live animals in films. [5]

Despite the backlash, thousands of New Zealanders attended the red carpet event of the world premiere in New Zealand. Important officials and dozens of stars showed up for the premiere. Among them was New Zealand Prime Minister John Key who said, “New Zealand took a risk investing in ‘The Hobbit.'” and “it’s paid off.” There are screenings in the films higher frame rate taking place throughout New Zealand and prompting strong ticket demand and sell outs. The film is set to release in the U.S. December 14, 2012. [6]

Warner Bros’ “Argo“, released October 12, 2012, has surpassed $100 million at the box office as of December 2, according to The Wall

“Argo” official poster, courtesy of “The Hollywood Reporter”

Street Journal’s “Market Watch.” Argo is one of the best reviewed films of the year. Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Pictures President of Domestic Distribution, has said, “‘Argo’ is one of those rare cinematic achievements that has been equally and enthusiastically embraced by both critics and audiences.” [7]

In addition to releasing new movies, Warner Bros. has been making important business deals this fall. On November 15, Entertainment Weekly reported Warner Bros. signed a 20-picture deal with IMAX. Warner Bros. will release 20 films in IMAX over the next three years. [8]

On November 26, 2012, Warner Bros. extended its relationship with Village Roadshow Pictures Group through 2017, securing $1.125 billion to fund multiple projects, including “Mad Max: Fury Road,” with Charlize Theron, and “All You Need Is Kill” with Tom Cruise. [9]

Financials

Warner Bros. Entertainment is publicly traded as Time Warner, or TWX on the New York Stock Exchange. In January, 2012 their revenue was $36.33 billion. At the end of the year, December, 2012 their revenue is $46.57 billion. The percent change this year is 29%. [10] These numbers are for Time Warner as a whole. To get a better picture of what the Warner Bros. Entertainment revenue looks like, we can look at the financials from last year. The net U.S. revenue for “movies, TV production, and video games” in 2011 was $6,483 million. Though this still includes TV production and video games, the number is closer to what the movie revenue alone would look like. [11]

Future Projects

“The Great Gatsby” is perhaps the most talked about upcoming 2013 film. There has been a huge outpour of excitement from anticipating audiences. Based off of Scott F. Fitzgerald’s classic and beloved novel, The Great Gatsby, production is a long time coming. The film is set to release in May is directed by Baz Luhrmann and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, and Carey Mulligan. The trailer has heightened excitement throughout the country, revealing the film’s modern yet classic feel, a juxtaposition that is intriguing the masses. [12]

“The Great Gatsby” official trailer, courtesy of “TheHollywoodBird” on YouTube

Warner Bros. is set to release, in co-production with Village Roadshow Pictures, “Gangster Squad,” January 2013. The film is a period crime drama film that has been highly promoted by Warner Bros. this year. The film stars Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Nick Nolte, Emma Stone, and Sean Penn.

“The Hangover Part III” hasn’t been promoted as much as some of Warner Bros’ other upcoming 2013 releases. However, being part of the popular “Hangover” series, the film is sure to bring in a large audience. It will be the final film of the series, scheduled to release in May.

“Man of Steel,” a Superman film, is set to release in June 2013. The film will be a reboot of the film series. It will portray the origin story of Superman. Henry Cavill, playing Superman, said that the movie is intended to bring Superman into “the modern world” so that “everyone can associate” with him. [13]

References

[1] Warner Bros. (2011). Company History. Retrieved from http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/about/company-history.html

[2] Wikipedia. (2012, Dec 5). List of Warner Bros. Films. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Warner_Bros._films

[3] Orden, E. (2012 October). Judge Rules for Warner Bros. in Superman Case. Retriever fromThe Wall Street Journal.

[4] McClintock, P. (2012, Nov 11). Box Office Report: “Skyfall” Nabs Top Bond Opening in North America With &87.8 Million. Retrieved from The Hollywood Reporter.

[5] Daunt, T. (2012, Nov 28). What The Hobbit’s 27 Animal Deaths Mean for Movies. Retrieved from The Hollywood Reporter.

[6] Bulbeck, P. (2012, Nov 28). “The Hobbit” World Premiere in New Zealand Draws Stars, Thousands of Fans, Rave Reviews. Retrieved from The Hollywood Reporter.

[7] Market Watch. (2012, Dec 2). Warner Bros. Pictures’ Acclaimed Hit “Argo” Strikes Box Office Gold, Surpassing $100 Million. Retrieved from The Wall Street Journal: Market Watch.

[8] Labrecque, J. (2012, Nov 15). Warner Bros. Signs 20-Picture Deal with IMAX. Retrieved from Entertainment Weekly.

[9] Bond, P. (2012, Nov 26). Warner Bros. Extends $1 Billion-Plus Village Roadshow Deal Through 2017. Retrieved from The Hollywood Reporter.

[10] Google Finance. (2012, Dec 7). Time Warner Inc. Retrieved from http://www.google.com/finance?q=NYSE%3ATWX&ei=axnCUIDGPILl0QHyUA

[11] Advertising Age. (2012, Oct 1). Time Warner. Retrieved from http://adage.com/datacenter/mediatrees2012/#138

[12] Zakarin, J. (2012, May 22). ‘The Great Gatsby’ Trailer Presents Leonardo DiCaprio and Empty Grandeur in 3D. Retrieved from The Hollywood Reporter.

[13] Kit, B. (2012, July 14). Comic-Con 2012″ ‘Man of Steel’ Footage So Good It Makes Fans Cry. Retrieved from The Hollywood Reporter.