NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Major film studios

The major film studios, often simply known as the majors, are film studios (mostly United States-based) that produce many films per year. These major movie studios include veteran studios (Walt Disney Pictures and Universal Studios) and newer studios (Lions Gate Films and New Line Cinema). These movie studios are contrasted with other smaller movie studios, which are known as independent (indie) studios. Typically Hollywood-based, some of these studios are part of six umbrella corporations, known as the Big Six. A film studio is a controlled environment for the making of a film. ... Film is a term that encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. ... Walt Disney Pictures logo (2006-present) Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio, with off-shoot studios in Japan and other sites in the United States. ... The current Universal Studios logo Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures or, officially, Universal City Studios), a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is one of the major American film studios that has production studios and offices located at 100 Universal City Plaza Drive in Universal City, California, an unincorporated area of... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Lions Gate Films. ... New Line Cinema logo New Line Cinema, founded in 1967, is one of the major American film studios. ... The following studios are considered to be the most prevalent of the independent studios (as of 11/2004): Lions Gate, MGM/UA, Fox Searchlight, Focus, Sony Classics, IDP, Warner Independent, Magnolia, Fine Line, Dimension, ThinkFilm, 4Kids Productions, and Saban Entertainment. ... ... The Big Six refers to the six corporations which own the major movie studios (along with most other major US based in or around Hollywood, California, the traditional home of American cinema: // News Corp. ...

20th Century Fox Film Corporation (News Corporation)
The Walt Disney Company (independent)
Columbia Pictures (Sony)
Lions Gate Films (independent)
New Line Cinema (Time Warner)
Paramount Pictures (Viacom)
Universal Pictures (General Electric)
Warner Bros. Pictures (Time Warner)
The Weinstein Company (MGM distributes films)

Fox Plaza, the company headquarters. ... News Corporation (abbreviated to News Corp) (NYSE: NWS, NYSE: NWSa, ASX: NWS, LSE: NCRA) is one of the worlds largest media conglomerates. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Lions Gate Films. ... New Line Cinema logo New Line Cinema, founded in 1967, is one of the major American film studios. ... Time Warner Inc. ... Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and distribution company, based in Hollywood, California. ... Viacom (NYSE: VIA) (NYSE: VIAb) is an American media conglomerate with various worldwide interests in cable and satellite television networks (MTV Networks and BET), and movie production and distribution (the Paramount Pictures movie studio and DreamWorks). ... Universal Pictures is the main motion picture production/distribution arm of Universal Studios, a subsidiary of NBC Universal. ... GE redirects here. ... Warner Bros. ... Time Warner Inc. ... The Weinstein Company is an independent American film studio founded by Harvey and Bob Weinstein in 2005 after the pair left the Disney-owned Miramax Films, which they had co-founded in 1979. ...

Past Major Studios

DreamWorks Pictures - Purchased by Viacom;
Miramax Films - Purchased by The Walt Disney Company (still considered a major studio until founders Harvey and Bob Weinstein resigned);
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer;
RKO (Radio Keith Orpheum);
The Samuel Goldwyn Company;
Selznick International Pictures;
United Artists (acquired by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1982, with a percentage acquired in 2006 by actor Tom Cruise and business partner Paula Wagner).

DreamWorks SKG (also known as DreamWorks Pictures) is one of the major American film studios which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games, and television programming. ... Viacom (NYSE: VIA) (NYSE: VIAb) is an American media conglomerate with various worldwide interests in cable and satellite television networks (MTV Networks and BET), and movie production and distribution (the Paramount Pictures movie studio and DreamWorks). ... Miramax Films was a Big Ten film motion picture distribution and production company headquartered in New York City before being bought out by The Walt Disney Company. ... The Walt Disney Company (more commonly known as Disney; NYSE: DIS) is one of the largest media and entertainment corporations in the world. ... Harvey Weinstein at Cannes, 2002 Harvey Weinstein CBE (Hon) (born March 19, 1952) is an American film producer. ... Bob Weinstein, along with brother Harvey Weinstein, was head of Miramax Studios. ... For alternate meanings of MGM, see MGM (disambiguation). ... RKO could stand for: RKO Pictures The R.K.O. - finishing manoever (and initials) of WWE professional wrestler Randy Orton. ... // Samuel Goldwyn (July, 1879, Warsaw, Poland â€“ January 31, 1974, Los Angeles, California, United States) was a widely known motion picture producer and founding contributor of several motion picture studios. ... David O. Selznick David Oliver Selznick (May 10, 1902â€“June 22, 1965), was one of the icon Hollywood producers of the Golden Age. ... The current United Artists logo (a variant was used during the 1980s). ... Tom Cruise (born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV on July 3, 1962) is an Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe Award-winning American actor and film producer. ... Paula Kauffman (born 12 December 1946 in Youngstown, Ohio) is an American film producer and film executive. ...

See also