Warner Bros. Pictures

Warner Bros. Pictures[2] is an American film production and distribution company of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment (both ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery). The studio is the flagship producer of live-action feature films within the Warner Bros. Pictures Group unit, and is based at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California. Animated films produced the Warner Animation Group are also released under the studio banner.

Warner Bros. Pictures
FormerlyWarner Bros. Pictures, Inc. (1923–1967)
Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, Inc. (1967–1970)
Warner Bros. Inc. (1970–1992)
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryFilm production
PredecessorWarner Features Company
FoundedApril 4, 1923 (1923-04-04)
Founders
Headquarters
Burbank, California
,
U.S.
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy (co-chairpersons and CEOs, Warner Bros. Film Group)
  • Jesse Ehrman (president, production & development)
  • Steve Spira (president, business affairs)
ProductsMotion pictures
Services
  • Film distribution
  • Film promotion
OwnerWarner Bros. Discovery
ParentWarner Bros.
Websitewarnerbros.com
Footnotes / references
[1]

Warner Bros. Pictures is currently one of five live-action film studios within the Warner Bros. Pictures Group, the others being New Line Cinema, DC Films, Castle Rock Entertainment, and Spyglass Media Group. The final installment of the Harry Potter film series is the studio's highest-grossing film worldwide with $1.3 billion.[3]

Founded in 1923 by brothers 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 Animation Group, New Line Cinema, DC Films, and Castle Rock Entertainment, as well as various third-party producers.

History
Further information: Warner Bros. § History

The studio's predecessor (and the modern-day Warner Bros Entertainment as a whole) was founded as the Warner Features Company in New Castle, Pennsylvania, by filmmaker Sam Warner and his business partners and brothers, Harry, Albert, and Jack, in 1911.[4] They produced their first film, the Peril of the Plains[5] in 1912, which Sam directed for the St. Louis Motion Picture Company. In 1915, Sam and Jack moved to California to establish their production studio,[6] while Albert and Harry on July 8, 1915, set up the New York-based Warner Brothers Distributing Corporation to release the films.[7][8][9] In 1918, the four Warner Brothers produced their first full-scale picture: My Four Years in Germany. The war film was a box office hit and helped the brothers establish themselves as a prestige studio.[10]

On April 4, 1923, Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. was officially established as their main focus was entirely on the motion picture industry.[11] In 1927, Warner Bros. Pictures revolutionized the film industry when the American-Jewish Warner brothers released their first pictures "talkie" The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson. However, founding member Sam Warner died prior to the premiere of the film.[12] 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.

In November 1966, Jack gave in to advancing age and changing times, selling 32% of control of the studio and music business to Seven Arts Productions, run by Canadian investors Elliot and Kenneth Hyman, for $32 million.[13] Eventually, the company, including the studio, was renamed Warner Bros.-Seven Arts on July 14, 1967.[14]

Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures logo used from 1993 to 2019

The division was incorporated as Warner Bros. Pictures on March 3, 2003, to diversify film subjects and expand audiences for their film releases.[2] 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.[15] In 2017, longtime New Line executive Toby Emmerich joined as president. In January 2018, he was elevated to chairman.[16][17] On October 23, 2018, it was announced Lynne Frank, President of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, would be leaving the company to pursue new opportunities.[18] In June 2019, Warner Bros. Pictures signed an agreement with SF Studios to have their films distributed in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland.[19]

As with most other film distributors, Warner Bros. Pictures struggled with releasing films during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic due to restrictions on theater openings. After pushing several films planned for 2020 into 2021, WB announced in December 2020 that they would take the unusual approach of having their entire slate of 2021 films planned for both theatrical release as well as having a simultaneous one-month period of availability on the HBO Max streaming service, in a similar manner for how they were releasing Wonder Woman 1984 that month. After one month, such films would still be available in theaters and would then later be available via home media under typical release schedules.[20] The move to include streaming, dubbed "Project Popcorn", was criticized by production companies, directors, and actors as Warner Bros. Pictures had not informed anyone about the plan ahead of the announcement, as well of concerns of lower payouts due to the streaming options,[21] leading Warner Bros. Pictures to alter its compensation rates for the affected films by January 2021 to provide larger payouts to casts and crews of these films.[22]

In March 2021 Warner Bros. announced that for 2022 they will discontinue their same-day HBO Max and theatrical release model in favor of a 45-day theatrical exclusivity window.[23] This is part of an agreement the studio reached with Cineworld (who operates Regal Cinemas).[24]

On June 1, 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery, the company formed out of the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc., announced that Emmerich will step down as head of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group after a transition period, and that it would be divided into three separate units; Warner Bros. Pictures/New Line Cinema, DC Films, and Warner Animation Group. Former MGM executives Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy would serve as the co-chairs of Warner Bros. Pictures (and temporarily oversee the other two divisions until new executives are hired for them), while Emmerich would start his own production company and enter into a five-year distribution and funding agreement with Warner Bros. Pictures.[25][26] On June 8, COO Carolyn Blackwood announced that she was stepping down as well.[27]

Steve Spira returned as president of business affairs for Warner Bros. in June 2022, while De Luca and Abdy took over from Emmerich in July 2022. Former president Alan Horn was appointed as a consultant for Warner Bros. Discovery President David Zaslav, working with De Luca and Abdy.[28]

In August 2022, Warner Bros. Pictures entered into a multi-year deal for distributing MGM films outside the United States, including on home entertainment. The contract included joint participation of both companies for marketing, advertising, publicity, film distribution, and relationship with exhibitors for future MGM titles.[29]

Walter Hamada, the president of DC Films, stepped down on October 19, 2022.[30] President of Production & Development Courtenay Valenti exited on October 28 and was replaced by Jesse Ehrman.[31][32]

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 2022, Warner Bros. owned more than 145,000 hours of programming, including 12,500 feature films and 2,400 television programs comprising more than tens of thousands of individual episodes.[33]

In the aftermath of the 1948 antitrust suit, uncertain times led Warner Bros. in 1956 to sell most of its pre-1950[34][35][36] 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.[37][38]

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.[39]

In 1986, Turner Broadcasting System acquired Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Finding itself in debt, Turner 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.[40]

In 1989, Warner Communications acquired Lorimar-Telepictures Corporation.[41][42] Lorimar's catalogue included the post-1974 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[43][44] and New Line Cinema on January 28, 1994.[45][46] On October 10, 1996, Time Warner acquired Turner Broadcasting System, thus bringing Warner Bros.' pre-1950 library back home. In addition, 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).[47]

Clint Eastwood's relationship with Warner Bros. began in 1975, and he has directed several of the studios best known films, including Unforgiven (1992) and Million Dollar Baby (2004).[48]
Christopher Nolan wrote and directed several of Warner Bros.' most profitable films in the early 21st century. Like Eastwood, Nolan has had a long creative partnership with the studio.[49]

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.

Film series
Title Release date No. Films Notes
Gold Diggers 1923–51 7
Looney Tunes 1930–present 3 In addition 1041 theatrical shorts have been produced.
Penrod and Sam 1931–38 2
Philo Vance 1934–40 5
Perry Mason 1934–37 6
Torchy Blane 1937–39 9
Four Daughters 1938–41 4
Nancy Drew 1938–2019 6
Secret Service 1939–40 4
Hanna-Barbera 1964–present 12 Owned by WB since 1996
Dirty Harry 1971–88 5
The Exorcist 1973–2005 4
Oh, God! 1977–84 3
Superman 1978–1987 6
Mad Max 1979–present 4
Poseidon 1979–2006 2
The Shining 1980–2019
Arthur 1981–2011 3
Blade Runner 1982–2017 2
National Lampoon's Vacation 1983–2015 5
Police Academy 1984–94 7
Sesame Street 1985–present 2
Lethal Weapon 1987–98 4
The Lost Boys 1987–2010 3
Batman 1989–1997 4
Under Siege 1992–95 2
Grumpy Old Men 1993–95
The Fugitive 1993–98
Free Willy 1993–2010 4
Ace Ventura 1994–2009 2
Eraser 1996–2022
The Matrix 1999–present 4
Deep Blue Sea 1999–2020 3
Miss Congeniality 2000–05 2
Ocean's 2001–present 4
Cats & Dogs 2001–20 3
Wizarding World 2001–present 11
Scooby-Doo 2002–present 6
Terminator 2003–09 2 co-production with Columbia Pictures
A Cinderella Story 2004–present 6
Laura's Star 2004–11 5
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2005–present 2
The Dark Knight trilogy 2005–12 3
Happy Feet 2006–11 2
The Hangover 2009–13 3
Final Destination 2009–present 2
Sherlock Holmes
Dolphin Tale 2011–14
Magic Mike 2012–present
The Conjuring Universe 2013–present 7
DC Extended Universe 11 co-production with DC Films
The Lego Movie 2014–19 4 co-production with Warner Animation Group and The Lego Group
MonsterVerse 2014–present co-production with Legendary Pictures
Creed 2015–present 3 co-production with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
It 2017–19
Joker 2019–present co-production with DC Films
Dune 2021–present 1 co-production with Legendary Pictures
The Batman 2022–present co-production with DC Films

Highest-grossing films

‡ - include theatrical reissues

Notes
  1. ^ co-owned by New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (the film's producers)

References
  1. "Company history". Warnerbros.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
  2. "Business Entity Detail: Warner Bros. Pictures (search on Entity Number: C2502930)". California Business Search. California Secretary of State. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  3. Mendelson, Scott (August 13, 2020). "Every 'Harry Potter' Movie Ranked By Worldwide Box Office". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  4. "Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack Warner: the most famous Hollywood family, creators the Warner Bros". Russian-American Heritage Museum. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  5. "IMDb - Peril of the Plains (1912)". IMDb. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  6. Pawlak, Debra Ann (12 January 2012). Bringing Up Oscar. ISBN 9781605982168. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  7. "Business Entity Detail: Warner Bros. Distributing Corporation (search on Entity Number: C0080357)". California Business Search. California Secretary of State. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  8. "Warner Brothers Get Mutt And Jeff". Moving Picture World. September 1, 1917. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  9. "Warners Have New Policy". The New York Clipper. May 1, 1917. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  10. "Warner's First Feature Film Turns 100". WarnerBros.com. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  11. Maas, Jennifer (23 March 2022). "Warner Bros. Reveals 100th Anniversary Logo, Teases Rollout of Commemorative Content, Products and Events". Variety. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  12. "Warner, Movie Magnate, Dies: Sam Warner, Former Youngstown Man, Rose from Obscurity to Leader in Field". The Youngstown Daily Vindicator. October 5, 1927.
  13. Sloane, Leonard (November 15, 1966). "Jack L. Warner, President, Agrees to Sell His Interest In a $32-Million Deal; 7 ARTS IS BUYING 33% OF WARNER". Archived from the original on March 11, 2018.
  14. "Warner Meeting Scheduled". June 18, 1967.
  15. Halbfinger, David (November 27, 2007). "Warner's Production Chief to Also Oversee Distribution". Archived from the original on December 19, 2019.
  16. Lang, Brent (2018-01-09). "Warner Bros. Shake-Up: Toby Emmerich Named Film Chairman, Sue Kroll Out". Variety. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
  17. "Warner Bros. Shake-Up: Toby Emmerich Named Film Chairman, Sue Kroll Out". Variety. January 9, 2018.
  18. "Warner Bros International Marketing President Lynne Frank To Exit". Deadline. October 23, 2018.
  19. "Warner Bros, SF Studios Expand Distribution Deal Across Scandinavia". Variety. June 25, 2019.
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