TheSony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group(formerly known as theColumbia TriStar Motion Picture Groupuntil 2013, and abbreviated asSPMPG) is a division ofSony Pictures Entertainmentto manage its motion picture operations. It was launched in 1998 by integrating the businesses ofColumbia Pictures Industries, Inc.andTriStar Pictures, Inc.[1]
 | |
| Formerly | Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group (1998–2013) |
|---|---|
| Company type | Division |
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | 1998Hollywood, Los Angeles, California,U.S. |
| Headquarters | 10202 West Washington Boulevard,Culver City,California,U.S. |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
|
| Products | Motion pictures |
| Services | |
| Parent | Sony Pictures |
| Divisions | |
| Website | sonypictures.com/movies |
History
editThe Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group was founded in 1998 as the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, as a current division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, owned bySony.It has many of Sony Pictures' current motion picture divisions as part of it. Its divisions at that time wereColumbia Pictures,TriStar Pictures,Triumph Films,Sony Pictures Classics,and Sony Pictures Releasing.
On December 8, 1998, SPE resurrected its former animation and television divisionScreen Gemsas a film division of Sony Pictures Entertainment's Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group that has served several different purposes for its parent companies over the decades since its incorporation.[2]
In 2002,Columbia TriStar Televisionwas renamed asSony Pictures Television.The last three remaining companies, with the "Columbia TriStar" brand in its name, were Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, and Columbia TriStar Marketing Group. Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment and Columbia TriStar Film Distributors became Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Sony Pictures Releasing International in 2004 and 2005 and Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group became the second-to-last subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment to use the "Columbia TriStar" brand name in its name.
In 2013,TriStar Productionswas launched, as a joint venture of Sony Pictures Entertainment and former20th Century FoxchairmanThomas Rothman.[3][4]
In October 2013, Sony Pictures rebranded its motion picture group under the monicker "Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group". Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks were moved fromSony Pictures Digitalto its motion picture group.
On June 2, 2016,Doug Belgradhad announced he was to step down as president of the SPMPG and would transition his role to producer at the studio.[5]Belgrad was promoted as president of the SPMPG back in 2014.[5]
Film divisions
edit| Studio divisions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production | Distribution | Other | ||
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3000 Pictures
edit | |
| Industry | Motion pictures |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Fox 2000 Pictures |
| Founded | 2019 |
Key people | Elizabeth Gabler (president) |
| Parent | Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group |
On July 15, 2019, formerFox 2000 Picturespresident Elizabeth Gabler and the entire Fox 2000 staff joined Sony Pictures Entertainment and formed 3000 Pictures with the motion picture group.HarperCollinswould be funding half of the division's overhead and development. 3000 Pictures would also pursue projects for TV and streaming.[6]
Sony Pictures Releasing
edit Logo used since 2005 | |
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motion pictures |
| Predecessor | Triumph Releasing Corporation |
| Founded | November 23, 1994 |
| Headquarters | , United States |
| Services | |
| Parent | Sony Pictures |
| Divisions | Sony Pictures Releasing International |
| Website | sonypictures.com |
Sony Pictures Releasing Corporationis an Americanfilm distributorowned bySony.Established in 1994[7]as a successor toTriumph Releasing Corporation,the company handles theatrical distribution,marketingand promotion for films produced and released bySony Pictures Entertainment,includingColumbia Pictures,TriStar Pictures(as well asTriStar Productions),Screen Gems,Sony Pictures Classics,Sony Pictures Animation,Crunchyroll,Stage 6 Films,Affirm Films,Destination Films,andTriumph Films.[citation needed]It is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group. It also has an international division called Sony Pictures Releasing International, which from 1991 until 2005 was known as Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International.[citation needed]
International arrangements
edit Logo used since 2005 | |
| Formerly | Columbia Tri-Star Film Distributors International (1988–1991) Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (1991–2005) |
|---|---|
| Company type | Division |
| Industry | Motion pictures |
| Founded | December 21, 1988 |
| Headquarters | , United States |
| Services |
|
| Parent | Sony Pictures Entertainment(1988–1994) Sony Pictures Releasing(1994–present) |
| Website | sonypictures.com |
From 1971 until the end of 1987, Columbia's international theatrical distribution operations were a joint venture withWarner Bros.named Columbia-Warner, and in some countries, this joint venture also distributed films from other companies like withEMI FilmsandCannon Filmsin the UK under the names of Columbia-EMI-Warner in 1978 and later Columbia-Cannon-Warner in 1986. The UK venture was dissolved in 1988.
In Australia, which from 1975 to 1996,20th Century-FoxandColumbia Picturesformed an alliance that they would distribute films for the Australian market, initially going under the name Fox Columbia Film Distributors, before Hoyts came to the venture, and it was renamed first to Hoyts Fox Columbia TriStar Films, then Fox Columbia TriStar Films.[8]
On February 6, 2014, Columbia TriStar Warner Filmes de Portugal Ltda., a joint venture withWarner Bros.which distributed films from both companies in Portugal, announced that they will close their offices on March 31.[9]Sony Pictures' films are distributed in Portugal by Big Picture Films since then, whileNOS Audiovisuaistook over the distribution duties for Warner Bros. films in the country.
From June 2014 until February 2020, Sony Pictures' Philippine releasing arm under the name of Columbia Pictures Philippines distributed films byUnited International Pictures' partner studios,Paramount PicturesandUniversal Pictures(including films byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer), after UIP ended its nine-year distribution agreement with the studio's local distributorSolar Entertainment Corporationand their Solar Films subsidiary. The Philippine distribution to films made by Universal lasted up until January 2020, when distribution reverted to Warner Bros. (UIP's former local distributor from the 1990s to 2000) in October 2021 while mostFocus Featurestitles are instead released through a start-up online distribution company, UPSTREAM. Paramount later renewed their distribution agreements with Sony in October 2021.
The theatrical distribution of Sony Pictures' films in Italy was handled by Warner Bros. from 2011 to 2023. One notable example of this isCall Me By Your Name,where Warner Bros. handled Italian theatrical distribution (although the Sony label is still being used) while home video distribution went through Sony itself. In 2023,Eagle Pictures,which was already distributing Sony's films on home video in the country, took over their theatrical distribution as well.
Sony Pictures andWalt Disney Studiosformed a film distribution joint venture in Southeast Asia in 1997.[10]By December 2006, 14 joint distribution ventures between Sony Pictures Releasing International andWalt Disney Studios Motion Pictureswere formed and exist in countries including Brazil, Mexico, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. In January 2007, their 15th such partnership began operations in Russia andCIS.[11]In February 2017, Sony starting leaving the Southeast Asia venture with the Philippines. In August 2017, Sony terminated the joint venture agreement for their own operations.[10]On January 31, 2019, in anticipation of Disney'sthen-pending acquisitionof most21st Century Foxassets (including20th Century Fox), it was agreed that Disney would sell its stake in the Mexican joint venture namedWalt Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing de MéxicotoSony Pictures Releasing.[12]As part of the global economic fluctuations caused by the Disney's acquisition, Sony Pictures Production and Release LLC and Disney Studios LLC parted amicably signing a formaldemergeron 21 January 2020. The contract would allow Sony Pictures Releasing to operate autonomously.[13][14]
In Argentina and Poland,United International Pictureshandles theatrical distribution of films released by Sony Pictures.
In the Netherlands,Universal Pictures Internationalcurrently handles theatrical distribution of films released by Sony Pictures since 2013.
In the Netherlands and Sweden, Columbia TriStar Films (now known as Sony Pictures Releasing) formerly handled theatrical distribution of films released by 20th Century Fox from 1992 to 1997 in the former country and from 1994 to 1996 in the latter.
In South Africa,Ster-Kinekorhandles theatrical and home video distribution of films released by Sony Pictures and Columbia Pictures.
Film library
editFilm series
edit| Title | Release date | No. Films | Studio(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Three Stooges | 1934–65 | 10 | Columbia | |
| Mr. Deeds | 1936–2002 | |||
| Blondie | 1938–50 | 28 | co-production withKing Features Entertainment | |
| Five Little Peppers | 1939–40 | 4 | ||
| Boston Blackie | 1941–49 | 14 | ||
| Cantinflas films | 1942–82 | 34 | fromLos tres mosqueterostoEl barrendero | |
| Crime Doctor | 1943–49 | 10 | ||
| The Whistler | 1944–48 | 8 | ||
| Rusty | 1945–49 | 8 | ||
| Jungle Jim | 1948–56 | 16 | ||
| Superman | 1948–87 | 7 | Columbia/TriStar | co-production withWarner Bros.,Dovemead Ltd.(1978–83),International Film Production(1978–80),Pueblo Film AG Productions(1984),The Cannon Group, Inc.and Golan-Globus Productions(both 1987) |
| Frankenstein | 1958–94 | 4 | co-production with Hammer Film Productions(1958),Colgems Productions Ltd.(1985),Taft Entertainment Pictures(1987),The IndieProd Company andAmerican Zoetrope(both 1994) | |
| 13 Ghosts | 1960–2001 | 2 | Columbia | |
| Matt Helm | 1966–68 | 4 | co-production with Meadway-Claude Productions Company | |
| The Trouble with Angels | 2 | |||
| Guess Who | 1967–2005 | |||
| Dracula | 1972–95 | 6 | Columbia/TriStar | co-production withHammer Horror(1972-74 series only),American Zoetrope and Osiris Films(both 1992) |
| Death Wish | 1974–82 | 2 | Columbia | international distributor; co-production withParamount PicturesandFilmways Pictures |
| Fun with Dick and Jane | 1977–2005 | |||
| Spider-Man | 1977–present | 14 | co-production with Danchuck Productions(1977–81 series only),Marvel Entertainment(2002–present),Marvel Studios(2017–present)andSony Pictures Animation(2018–present)(including theMCUSpider-Man films) | |
| Ice Castles | 1978–2010 | 2 | Columbia/Stage 6 | |
| When a Stranger Calls | 1979–2006 | Columbia/Screen Gems | ||
| The Blue Lagoon | 1980–2012 | 3 | Columbia/Sony Pictures Television | |
| Heavy Metal | 1981–2000 | 2 | Columbia/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | co-production withCinéGroupe(2000) |
| Annie | 1982–2021 | 7 | Columbia/TriStar/Sony Pictures Television | co-production withRastar,Overbrook Entertainment,Village Roadshow Pictures,Storyline Entertainment, Chris Montan Productions andWalt Disney Television(1999 TV movie only) |
| Ghostbusters | 1984–present | 5 | Columbia | co-production withGhost Corps(since 2016)andVillage Roadshow Pictures |
| The Karate Kid | co-production withJW FilmsandOverbrook Entertainment | |||
| The Muppets | 1984, 1999–2002 | 3 | TriStar/Columbia/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | co-production withThe Jim Henson CompanyandJim Henson Pictures |
| Fright Night | 1985–89 | 2 | Columbia/TriStar | |
| Rambo | 1985–2008 | 3 | TriStar/Sony Pictures Releasing International | co-production withCarolco Pictures,Lionsgate,StudioCanal,andThe Weinstein Company |
| Pippi Longstocking | 1988–97 | 2 | Columbia/Columbia TriStar Film Distributors Intl. | co-production with Longstocking Productions,Svensk Filmindustri,Nelvana Limited, IdunaFilm, and TFC Trickompany |
| Wild Orchid | 1989–91 | Triumph | ||
| Look Who's Talking | 1989–93 | 3 | TriStar | |
| Total Recall | 1990–2012 | 2 | TriStar/Columbia | co-production with Carolco Pictures,Original Film,andRelativity Media |
| Flatliners | 1990–2017 | Columbia | ||
| City Slickers | 1991–94 | co-production withCastle Rock Entertainment,Nelson Entertainment(1991)andFace Productions | ||
| My Girl | co-production withImagine Entertainment | |||
| Terminator | 1991–2009 | 3 | TriStar/Columbia | co-production withCarolco Pictures,Intermedia,C2 Pictures,Warner Bros. Pictures,andThe Halcyon Company |
| Fortress | 1992–2000 | 2 | Columbia/TriStar | co-production withDimension Films,Village Roadshow Pictures,Davis Entertainment,Gower Productions, The Carousel Picture Company, and John Flock Productions |
| El Mariachi | 1992–2003 | 3 | Columbia | co-production with Dimension Films andTroublemaker Studios |
| Single White Female | 1992–2005 | 2 | Columbia/Destination | |
| Basic Instinct | 1992–2006 | TriStar/Sony Pictures Releasing | co-production with Carolco Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and C2 Pictures | |
| Universal Soldier | 1992–2012 | 4 | TriStar/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | |
| Sniper | 1993–present | 8 | TriStar/Destination | |
| RoboCop | 1993–2014 | 2 | Columbia | co-production withOrion PicturesandMetro-Goldwyn Mayer |
| 3 Ninjas | 1994–98 | 3 | TriStar | co-production with Sheen Productions |
| Little Women | 1994–2019 | 2 | Columbia | co-production with DiNovi Pictures(1994),Pascal Pictures andRegency Enterprises(both 2019) |
| The Swan Princess | 1994–2023 | 12 | Columbia TriStar Film Distributors Intl./Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | |
| Bad Boys | 1995–present | 4 | Columbia | co-production withJerry Bruckheimer Films |
| Jumanji | TriStar/Columbia | |||
| The Net | 1995–2006 | 2 | Columbia/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | |
| Screamers | 1995–2009 | Triumph/Screen Gems | ||
| The Craft | 1996–present | Columbia | ||
| Matilda | 1996–2022 | TriStar | ||
| Men in Black | 1997–2019 | 4 | Columbia | co-production withAmblin Entertainment,Parker MacDonald,Imagenation Abu Dhabi,Overbrook Entertainment,andRelativity Media |
| Anaconda | 1997–present | 5 | Columbia/Screen Gems/Stage 6/Destination | |
| I Know What You Did Last Summer | 3 | Columbia/Destination | co-production withMandalay Entertainment | |
| Starship Troopers | 5 | TriStar/Destination/Stage 6 | co-production withTouchstone Pictures | |
| Zorro | 1998–2005 | 2 | TriStar/Columbia | co-production withSpyglass Entertainment,Amblin Entertainment,andParker MacDonald |
| 8mm | Columbia/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | |||
| Vampires | 3 | Columbia/Destination | ||
| Wild Things | 1998–2010 | 4 | Columbia/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | co-production withMandalay Entertainment |
| Urban Legend | 1998–present | 3 | TriStar/Columbia/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | co-production withPhoenix Pictures |
| Cruel Intentions | 1999–2004 | Columbia/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | co-production withOriginal FilmandNewmarket Capital Group | |
| Baby Geniuses | 2 | TriStar/Triumph/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | co-production withCrystal Sky Pictures | |
| Stuart Little | 1999–2005 | 3 | Columbia/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | co-production with Franklin/Waterman Productions andRed Wagon Entertainment |
| Bats | 1999–2007 | 2 | Columbia/Destination | |
| Anatomy | 2000–03 | Columbia | ||
| Hollow Man | 2000–06 | Columbia/Destination | ||
| Charlie's Angels | 2000–19 | 3 | Columbia | co-production withLeonard Goldberg Productions,Flower Films,Tall Trees Productions(all 2000–03),Wonderland Sound and Vision(2003),2.0 Entertainment,Brownstone Productionsand Cantillon Company(all 2019) |
| Final Fantasy | 2001–present | Columbia/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | co-production withSquare Enix | |
| The Glass House | 2001–06 | 2 | Columbia/Destination | Co-production withOriginal Film(2001) |
| Resident Evil | 2002–present | 7 | Screen Gems | co-production withConstantin Film,Capcom,Davis Films,Impact Picturesand New Legacy Films(2002) |
| XXX | 2002–05 | 2 | Columbia | co-production withOriginal Film,andRevolution Studios |
| Half Past Dead | 2002–07 | Screen Gems/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | ||
| Daddy Day Care | 2003–07 | Columbia/TriStar | co-production withRevolution Studios | |
| Underworld | 2003–16 | 5 | Screen Gems | co-production withLakeshore EntertainmentandSketch Films(2009–16) |
| S.W.A.T. | 2003–17 | 3 | Columbia/Destination | co-production withOriginal Film |
| The Grudge | 2004–present | 4 | Columbia/Screen Gems/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment/Stage 6 | co-production withGhost House Pictures |
| The Punisher | 2004–14 | Columbia/Sony Pictures Releasing International/Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan | co-production withMarvel Entertainment,Marvel Studios,andLionsgate | |
| Boogeyman | 2005–08 | 3 | Screen Gems/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment/Stage 6 | co-production withGhost House Pictures |
| Into the Blue | 2005–09 | 2 | Columbia/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | co-production withMetro-Goldwyn-MayerandMandalay Pictures |
| Hostel | 2005–11 | 3 | Screen Gems/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment/Stage 6 | co-production withLionsgate Films |
| Jesse Stone | 2005–15 | 9 | Sony Pictures Television | co-production with Brandman Productions and TWS Productions II |
| The Pink Panther | 2006–09 | 2 | Columbia | co-production withMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| James Bond | 2006–15 | 4 | co-production withMetro-Goldwyn-MayerfromCasino RoyaletoSpectre | |
| Open Season | 2006–present | 4 | Columbia/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | co-production withSony Pictures Animation |
| Robert Langdon | 2006–16 | 3 | Columbia | co-production withImagine EntertainmentandRelativity Media |
| The Messengers | 2007–09 | 2 | Columbia/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment/Stage 6 | |
| Stomp the Yard | 2007–10 | Screen Gems/Stage 6 | co-production withRainforest Films | |
| Ghost Rider | 2007–11 | Columbia | co-production withMarvel Entertainment,Crystal Sky Pictures,Hyde Park Entertainment,Saturn Films,Imagenation Abu Dhabi,andRelativity Media | |
| Surf's Up | 2007–17 | Columbia/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | co-production withSony Pictures AnimationandWWE Studios | |
| Quarantine | 2008–11 | Screen Gems | co-production withVertigo Entertainment | |
| Paul Blart: Mall Cop | 2009–15 | Columbia | co-production withHappy Madison Productions | |
| Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs | 2009–13 | co-production withSony Pictures Animation | ||
| Grown Ups | 2010–13 | co-production with Happy Madison Productions | ||
| Insidious | 2011–present | 4 | Stage 6/Screen Gems | co-production withBlumhouse Productions,Atomic Monster,andUniversal Pictures |
| Dragon Tattoo Stories | 2 | Columbia | co-production withMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer | |
| The Smurfs | 2011–17 | 3 | co-production withSony Pictures AnimationandThe K Entertainment Company | |
| Jump Street | 2012–14 | 2 | co-production withMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer,Relativity Media,andOriginal Film | |
| Hotel Transylvania | 2012–22 | 4 | co-production withSony Pictures Animation | |
| The Equalizer | 2014–23 | 2 | co-production withVillage Roadshow Pictures,Relativity Media,andOriginal Film | |
| Goosebumps | 2015–18 | co-production withSony Pictures Animation,Scholastic Productions,Village Roadshow Pictures,andOriginal Film | ||
| Angry Birds | 2016–19 | co-production withRovio AnimationandSony Pictures Animation(2019) | ||
| Don't Breathe | 2016–present | Screen Gems/Stage 6 | co-production withGhost House Pictures | |
| The Marine | 2017–18 | Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | co-production withWWE Studios | |
| Marvel Cinematic Universe | 2017–present | 3 | Columbia | co-production withMarvel StudiosandPascal Pictures |
| Sword Art Online | Sony Pictures | licensed only, produced byA-1 PicturesandAniplex | ||
| Peter Rabbit | 2018–21 | 2 | Columbia | co-production withSony Pictures Animation(2018),Animal Logic,Olive Bridge Entertainment, 2.0 Entertainment,Screen Australia,andScreen NSW |
| Searching | 2018–23 | Screen Gems | co-production withBazelevs Company | |
| Sony'sSpider-ManUniverse | 2018–24 | 6 | Columbia | co-production withMarvelandPascal Pictures |
| Spider-Verse | 2018–present | 2 | co-production withSony Pictures Animation,Marvel,andPascal Pictures | |
| My Hero Academia | 4 | Sony Pictures | licensed only, produced byBonesandToho | |
| Escape Room | 2019–present | 2 | Columbia | co-production withOriginal Film |
| Rascal Does Not Dream | 3 | Sony Pictures | licensed only, produced byCloverworksandAniplex | |
| Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba | 2021–present | |||
| PlayStationfilms | 2022–present | 2 | Columbia/Screen Gems | co-production withPlayStation Productions |
| 28 Days Later | 2025–present | 2 | Columbia | co-production withDNA Films,BFIand Decibel Films |
Highest-grossing films
edit
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References
edit- ^"Sony Hitches TriStar to Col",Variety,March 31, 1998.
- ^"Los Angeles Times"Sony Forms New Movie Divisionarticles.latimes.com December 8, 1998, Retrieved on April 4, 2016
- ^Abrams, Rachel (August 1, 2013)."Tom Rothman in Joint Venture With Sony to Run TriStar Productions".Variety.RetrievedOctober 30,2014.
- ^CIEPLY, MICHAEL (August 1, 2013)."Sony Hires Rothman to Head Revived TriStar Unit".The New York Times.RetrievedAugust 2,2013.
- ^abDoug Belgrad exits as president of Sony Pictures' motion picture grouplatimes.com, Retrieved on June 3, 2016
- ^Masters, Kim."Elizabeth Gabler Breaks Silence on Sony Move, Disney Exit, HarperCollins and Streaming Plans (Exclusive)".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedJune 23,2020.
- ^SONY PICTURES RELEASING CORPORATIONbusinessprofiles.com, Retrieved on January 20, 2014
- ^"The Australian Film Industry - A Duopoly in Distribution in Exhibition".Cinema Papers.March 1975. p. 37.
- ^de Barros, Eurico (February 6, 2014)."Columbia Tristar Warner encerra escritórios em Portugal"[Columbia Tristar Warner closes offices in Portugal].Diário de Notícias(in Portuguese).Archivedfrom the original on September 30, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 29,2017.
- ^abFrater, Patrick (August 14, 2017)."Sony Launches Its Own Theatrical Distributors in Southeast Asia".Variety.RetrievedJune 13,2018.
- ^Holdsworth, Nick (December 27, 2006)."Disney, Sony team up for Russian content".The Hollywood Reporter.AP.RetrievedJuly 27,2018.
- ^"Clarification on Disney/Fox transaction"(PDF).Cofece.February 6, 2019.Archived(PDF)from the original on February 9, 2019.RetrievedFebruary 8,2019.
- ^"Walt Disney to create a new distribution company in Russia".news.ru.RetrievedJanuary 24,2020.
- ^"Disney и Sony разделят экраны"[Disney and Sony to split screens].Kommersant(in Russian).RetrievedApril 13,2021.