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Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company. Headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, it is the flagship label of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself a division of AT&T's WarnerMedia. Founded in 1923 by Harry Warner, Albert Warner, Sam Warner, and Jack L. Warner, in addition to producing its own films, it handles filmmaking operations, theatrical distribution, marketing and promotion for films produced and released by other Warner Bros. labels, including Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Animation Group, New Line Cinema, DC Films, and Castle Rock Entertainment, as well as various third-party producers.
History[]
In 1927, Warner Bros. Pictures revolutionized the film industry when they released the first "talkie" The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson. Unfortunately founding member Sam Warner died prior to the premiere of the film.[4] From 1923 to 1967, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. was known as Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. as their main focus was entirely on the motion picture industry. When the company diversified over the years, it was eventually rebranded to its current umbrella name, but Warner Bros. Pictures continued to be used as the name of the film production arm of the company.
Warner Bros. Pictures[]
The division was incorporated as Warner Bros. Pictures on March 3, 2003 to diversify film subjects and expand audiences for their film releases.[5] The company became part of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group, which was established in 2008, and Jeff Robinov was appointed the first president of the company.[6] In 2017, longtime New Line executive Toby Emmerich joined as president. In January 2018, he was elevated to chairman.[7][8] On October 23, 2018 it was announced Lynne Frank, President of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, would be leaving the company to pursue new opportunities.[9] In June 2019, Warner Bros. Pictures signed an agreement with SF Studios to have their films distributed in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland.[10]
Film library[]
Gate 4, Warner Bros. Studios, looking south towards the water tower
Acquired libraries[]
Mergers and acquisitions have helped Warner Bros. accumulate a diverse collection of films, cartoons and television programs. As of 2019, Warner Bros. owned more than 100,000 hours of programming, including 8,600 feature films and 5,000 television programs comprising tens of thousands of individual episodes.[11]
In the aftermath of the 1948 antitrust suit, uncertain times led Warner Bros. in 1956 to sell most of its pre-1950[12][13][14] films and cartoons to Associated Artists Productions (a.a.p.). In addition, a.a.p. also obtained the Fleischer Studios and Famous Studios Popeye cartoons, originally from Paramount Pictures. Two years later, a.a.p. was sold to United Artists, which owned the company until 1981, when Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquired United Artists.[15][16]
In 1982, during their independent years, Turner Broadcasting System acquired Brut Productions, the film production arm of France-based then-struggling personal-care company Faberge Inc.[17]
In 1986, Turner Broadcasting System acquired Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Finding itself in debt, Turner Entertainment kept the pre-May 1986 MGM film and television libraries and a small portion of the United Artists library (including the a.a.p. library and North American rights to the RKO Radio Pictures library) while spinning off the rest of MGM.[18]
In 1989, Warner Communications acquired Lorimar-Telepictures Corporation.[19][20] Lorimar's catalogue included the post-1973 library of Rankin/Bass Productions, and the post-1947 library of Monogram Pictures/Allied Artists Pictures Corporation.
In 1991, Turner Broadcasting System acquired animation studio Hanna-Barbera and the Ruby-Spears library from Great American Broadcasting, and years later, Turner Broadcasting System acquired Castle Rock Entertainment on December 22, 1993[21][22] and New Line Cinema on January 28, 1994.[23][24] On October 10, 1996, Time Warner acquired Turner Broadcasting System, thus bringing Warner Bros.' pre-1950 library back home. However, Warner Bros. only owns Castle Rock Entertainment's post-1994 library.
In 2008, Time Warner integrated New Line to Warner Bros.
In June 2016, it created the Harry Potter Global Franchise Development Team to oversee its ownership of the Harry Potter franchise worldwide (including the Wizarding World trademark).[25]
Filmography[]
- Main article(s): List of Warner Bros. films (1918–1999) and List of Warner Bros. films (2000–present)
The studio's first live-action film was My Four Years in Germany (1918), their first animated film was Gay Purr-ee (1962). Animated films produced by Warner Bros. Animation, and the Warner Animation Group are also released by Warner Bros. Pictures. The studio has released twenty-five films that have received an Academy Award for Best Picture nomination: Disraeli (1929), I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932), 42nd Street (1933), Here Comes the Navy (1934), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), Anthony Adverse (1936), The Life of Emile Zola (1937), The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Four Daughters (1938), Jezebel (1938), Dark Victory (1939), to name a few.
Highest-grossing films[]
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References[]
- ↑ "Company history". Warnerbros.com. https://www.warnerbros.com/studio/about-studio/company-history.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "2017 Annual Report". Time Warner. 2018. http://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReports/PDF/NYSE_TWX_2017.pdf.
- ↑ Patten, Dominic. "Warner Bros Layoffs Long Planned But "Accelerated" By Failed Fox Bid".
- ↑ "Warner, Movie Magnate, Dies: Sam Warner, Former Youngstown Man, Rose from Obscurity to Leader in Field", The Youngstown Daily Vindicator, October 5, 1927.
- ↑ "Business Entity Detail: Warner Bros. Pictures (search on Entity Number: C2502930)". California Secretary of State. https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
- ↑ HALBFINGER, David. "Warner’s Production Chief to Also Oversee Distribution", November 27, 2007.
- ↑ Lang, Brent; Lang, Brent (2018-01-09). "Warner Bros. Shake-Up: Toby Emmerich Named Film Chairman, Sue Kroll Out" (in en). https://variety.com/2018/film/news/warner-bros-shakeup-toby-emmerich-sue-kroll-1202658430/.
- ↑ "Warner Bros. Shake-Up: Toby Emmerich Named Film Chairman, Sue Kroll Out". Variety. January 9, 2018. https://variety.com/2018/film/news/warner-bros-shakeup-toby-emmerich-sue-kroll-1202658430/.
- ↑ "Warner Bros International Marketing President Lynne Frank To Exit". Deadline. October 23, 2018. https://deadline.com/2018/10/warner-bros-international-marketing-president-lynne-frank-leaves-studio-1202488028/.
- ↑ "Warner Bros, SF Studios Expand Distribution Deal Across Scandinavia". Variety. June 25, 2019. https://variety.com/2019/film/global/warner-bros-sf-studios-expand-distribution-deal-across-scandinavia-1203252636/.
- ↑ "WarnerBros.com – Company Overview". https://www.warnerbros.com/studio/about/company-overview.
- ↑ Template:Harvnb
- ↑ WB retained a pair of features from 1949 that they merely distributed, and all short subjects released on or after September 1, 1948; in addition to all cartoons released in August 1948
- ↑ "Media History Digital Library". archive.org. https://archive.org/details/mediahistory&tab=collection?and%5B%5D=subject%3A%22Motion%20pictures%20--%20Catalogues%22.
- ↑ Hoyt, Eric (2014-07-03). Hollywood Vault: Film Libraries Before Home Video. Univ of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-95857-9.
- ↑ Cole, Robert J.. "M-G-M Is Reported Purchasing United Artists for $350 million", May 16, 1981.
- ↑ "Faberge Sells Brut's Assets", The New York Times.
- ↑ "Turner Sells Fabled MGM but Keeps a Lion's Share", 1985-12-20. Retrieved on 2018-02-02.
- ↑ "Crash Landing Merv Adelson—TV mogul, multimillionaire, and friend of the famous—lived a show-business fantasy. His bankruptcy has shocked Hollywood. – November 10, 2003". cnn.com. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2003/11/10/352823/index.htm.
- ↑ "Warner Completes Merger With Lorimar Telepictures", The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 2010-10-23.
- ↑ "Turner Broadcasting Company Report". Securities and Exchange Commission. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/100240/0000950144-94-000832.txt.
- ↑ "Done deal: Turner Broadcasting System Inc. said it closed.....", Chicage Tribune.
- ↑ "New Line to Join Ted Turner Empire Today : Film: With more money, the company is likely to add a few big movies to its annual production schedule.". 1994-01-28. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-01-28-fi-16459-story.html.
- ↑ "New Line Cinema". http://ethicalbusinessbureau.com/NewLineCinema/.
- ↑ Barraclough, Leo (June 8, 2016). "Warner Bros. Completes Harry Potter Franchise Team With Polly Cochrane Promotion". Variety. https://variety.com/2016/biz/global/warner-bros-harry-potter-franchise-team-polly-cochrane-promotion-1201791229/.
- ↑ "Box Office by Studio – Warner Bros. All Time". http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?studio=warnerbros.htm.
External links[]
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| Founders | Jack L. Warner • Harry Warner • Albert Warner • Sam Warner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Warner Bros. Pictures Group | Warner Bros. Pictures • New Line Cinema • Movie Land Entertainment • Movie Land Animation Studios • DC Films • Castle Rock Entertainment • Flagship Entertainment (joint venture with CMC) • WaterTower Music | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warner Bros. Home Entertainment | Warner Home Video (Warner Archive Collection) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | Avalanche Software • Monolith Productions • NetherRealm Studios • Portkey Games • Rocksteady Studios • TT Games (Traveller's Tales) • WB Games Boston • WB Games Montréal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warner Bros. Television Group | Alloy Entertainment • Eyeworks • Telepictures • Movie Land Television • Warner Bros. Television • Warner Bros. International Television • Warner Bros. International Television Production (WB TV Productions UK (Shed Productions)
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| Warner Bros. Digital Networks | DramaFever (shuttered) • DC Universe • TMZ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DC Entertainment | DC Comics (Mad • Vertigo) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Otter Media | Ellation (Crunchyroll • VRV • Rooster Teeth • Ellation Studios) • Fullscreen (Machinima) • Gunpowder & Sky • Hello Sunshine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Others | Fandango (30%) • Hanna-Barbera • Turner Entertainment • Wang Film Productions • Warner Bros. Feature Animation • Warner Bros. Studio Tours | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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