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Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

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Not to be confused with The Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Pictures, or Buena Vista (brand).

Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures
Company typeDivision of Walt Disney Studios
IndustryMotion pictures
Founded1953 (as Buena Vista Film Distribution Company, Inc.)
Headquarters
Burbank, California
,
U.S.
Key people
Robert A. Chapek (President)[1]
Dave Hollis (Vice-president)[2]
ServicesFilm distribution and marketing
ParentThe Walt Disney Studios
(The Walt Disney Company)
WebsiteWalt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures is an American motion picture distribution division owned by The Walt Disney Company.[1]

Established in 1953 as Buena Vista Distribution Company, the unit handles distribution and marketing for films produced by the Walt Disney Studios;[3] including Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Disneynature, Marvel Studios (since 2012), and Lucasfilm (starting 2015).

The division took on its current name in 2007,[3] which before that had been Buena Vista Pictures Distribution since 1986.[4]

History

Prior to 1953, Walt Disney's productions were distributed by Columbia Pictures, United Artists and RKO Radio Pictures.[3] However, a dispute over the value of Disney's True-Life Adventures series of live-action documentary featurettes[citation needed] in 1953 led to Walt and his older brother Roy Oliver Disney to form its wholly owned subsidiary, the Buena Vista Film Distribution Company, Inc. (BVDC), to handle the U.S. distribution of their own product.[3] Buena Vista's first release was the Academy Award–winning live-action feature The Living Desert on November 10, 1953 along with Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom, Buena Vista's first animated release.[5] Notable subsequent releases include the foreign film, Yang Kwei Fei (Most Noble Lady), released in US theaters in September 1956,[6][7] The Missouri Traveler in March 1958,[5] and The Big Fisherman in July 1959 (the first third-party production financed by Disney).[5]

In April 1960, the company dropped "Film" from its name.[4] In 1961, Disney incorporated Buena Vista International (BVI),[8] distributing its first PG rated film, Take Down, in January 1979.[5] In July 1987, Buena Vista changed its name to Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc. (BVPD).[4]

In August 1996, Disney and Tokuma Shoten Publishing agreed that Disney would distribute international Tokuma's Studio Ghibli animated films.[9] In September 1996, following Disney's acquisition of Capital Cities/ABC, Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc. was merged[4] into ABC, Inc.,[10] the parent company of that group.

In 2002, Disney signed a four animated film deal with Vanguard Animation,[11] however, only one film was released under that negotiation.[12]

Buena Vista International agreed to a distribution deal with MegaStar Joint Venture Company Limited in April 2006 for the Vietnam market.[13]

In April 2007, Disney discontinued using the Buena Vista moniker in its distribution branding.[3]

Distribution

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures is noteworthy for having seven films that have surpassed the $1-billion-mark in worldwide ticket sales:

Disney has released the most films that have crossed the $1-billion-mark (in worldwide grosses) among major Hollywood studios.[18] In addition, Disney is the first of only two studios that have released two $1-billion films in the same year (the other being Warner Bros.).[19][20] Furthermore, Disney is the only studio that has achieved this twice, in 2010 and 2013. The top three highest grossing animated films have been released by Disney, as well as sixteen of the twenty highest grossing G-rated films.[21] In 2013, Disney achieved its largest yearly box-office gross worldwide, as well as separately in North America and outside North America.[22]

The company distributes all features produced by The Walt Disney Studios, other Disney film units and some third-party studios including:

Currently distributed[23] Formerly distributed Tertiary distribution deals
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Animation Studios — DisneyToon Studios
Pixar Animation Studios
Lucasfilm
Disneynature
Marvel Studios
Touchstone Pictures
ESPN Films
UTV Motion Pictures 		Hollywood Pictures (1990-2007; closed)
Miramax Films (1993–2010; sold)
Dimension Films (1993–2005; sold)
Caravan Pictures (1993-1999; closed)
ImageMovers Digital (2009–2011; closed)
Jerry Bruckheimer Films (1993-2014)[24]
 DreamWorks Studios (2011–present)[25]
Mandeville Films (1996–present)[26]
Mayhem Pictures (2002–present)[27]
Studio Ghibli (North America; 1998–present)
Panay Films[28]
POW! Entertainment[29]

International arrangements

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International was formed in 1961 as Buena Vista International, Inc..[5] In 1992, Disney opted to end a previous joint venture with Warner Bros., that began in 1988 to distribute their films in overseas markets (UK, Ireland, Benelux & Scandinavia). Distribution rights in West Germany were given to MGM and later 20th Century Fox before the Warner Bros. joint venture. In Russia and CIS, Mexico, Brazil, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines, Disney films had been distributed in a joint venture with Sony Pictures Entertainment.[30][31]

Other international distributors

References

  1. ^ a b "Company Overview of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Inc". Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  2. ^ Toumarkine, Doris (June 21, 2013). "Global recognition: Dave Hollis brings Disney brands to a world audience". Film Journal International. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e Fixmer, Fixmer (April 25, 2007). "Disney to Drop Buena Vista Brand Name, People Say (Update1)". bloomberg.com. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d "BUENA VISTA PICTURES DISTRIBTUTION, INC". Entity Information. New York State Department of State. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  5. ^ a b c d e The Disney Studio Story, by Richard Holliss and Brian Sibley, 1988.
  6. ^ Screen World 1957, Volume 8, by Daniel Blum, 1957. Page 218.
  7. ^ International Motion Picture Almanac 1977, by Richard Gertner, 1977. Page 411.
  8. ^ Disney A to Z - The Official Encyclopedia, by Dave Smith, 1996. Page 71.
  9. ^ "August Issue News Section:Disney Will Distribute Japanese Animation". Animation World Magazine. August 1996. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
  10. ^ "ABC, INC. Burbank, CA Wysk Company Profile". Retrieved February 1, 2014.
  11. ^ Verrier, Richard; Claudia Eller (September 29, 2003). "Disney Pushed Toward Digital". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
  12. ^ Kay, Jeremy (July 23, 2003). "DPS buys into Vanguard Animation, forms co-production giant". Screen Daily. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  13. ^ "Disney's BVITV-AP brings 'Toon Disney' block to Vietnam". Indiantelevision.com. February 1, 2007. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  14. ^ "'The Avengers': $1 Billion In Global Box Office After Record Second Weekend". Huffington Post. May 13, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  15. ^ "Iron Man 3 proves its box-office mettle after passing $1bn mark". The Guardian. May 17, 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
  16. ^ "Toy Story 3 reaches $1 billion dollars globally; The Pixar Blog". The Pixar Blog. August 27, 2010. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  17. ^ ""Pirates" treasure mounts to billion worldwide". Reuters. July 2, 2011.
  18. ^ "All Time Worldwide Box Office Grosses". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  19. ^ "'Toy Story 3' Reaches $1 Billion". Box Office Mojo. August 29, 2010. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  20. ^ "Around-the-World Roundup: 'Avengers' Reaches $1 Billion Worldwide". Box Office Mojo. May 13, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  21. ^ "DOMESTIC GROSSES BY MPAA RATING". Retrieved November 11, 2009.
  22. ^ "WALT DISNEY STUDIOS ANNOUNCES DOMESTIC, INTERNATIONAL, AND GLOBAL RECORD-SETTING YEAR OF $4.73 BILLION". BOXOFFICE Media. boxoffiec.com. January 2, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  23. ^ "About The Walt Disney Studios". The Walt Disney Company. The Walt Disney Studios. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  24. ^ Miller, Daniel (September 19, 2013). "Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer to end longtime partnership". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  25. ^ Graser, Marc (February 9, 2009). "Disney signs deal with DreamWorks". Variety. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  26. ^ Kit, Borys (August 16, 2012). "'The Muppets' Producer Mandeville Re-Ups With Disney (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  27. ^ Graser, Marc (November 6, 2011). "Disney reups Mayhem Pictures deal". Variety. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  28. ^ Fernandez, Jay A.; Borys Kit; Pamela McClintock (October 27, 2011). "The State of the Studio Deals: Who's Doing What Where". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  29. ^ "Disney Expands Ties With Stan Lee". ICV2.com. January 3, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  30. ^ Disney, Sony team up for Russian content, The Hollywood Reporter, December 27, 2006
  31. ^ "Disney, Sony team up for Russian content - Disney News". Wdwinfo.com. Retrieved May 15, 2012.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Walt_Disney_Studios_Motion_Pictures&oldid=611586782"