Focus Features

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Focus Features LLC
TypeDivision
IndustryFilm
PredecessorsGood Machine
USA Films
Universal Focus
Founded2002
FounderDavid Linde
Headquarters
Universal City, California
,
United States
Key people
Peter Kujawski (Chairman)
Jason Cassidy (Vice Chairman)
ProductsMotion pictures
OwnerNBCUniversal
(Comcast)
ParentUniversal Pictures
WebsiteOfficial website

Focus Features LLC is an American film production and distribution company, owned by Comcast as part of Universal Pictures, a division of its wholly owned subsidiary NBCUniversal. Focus Features distributes independent and foreign films in the United States and internationally.

In November 2018, The Hollywood Reporter named Focus Features Distributor of the Year for its success behind the year's breakout documentary film Won't You Be My Neighbor? and Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman.[1] The studio's most successful film to date is Downton Abbey, which garnered $194.3 million at the worldwide box office.[2]

History[]

Focus Features was formed from the 2002 divisional merger of USA Films, Universal Focus and Good Machine. USA Films was created by Barry Diller in 1999 when he purchased October Films and Gramercy Pictures from Seagram and merged the two units together.[3][4]

In March 2004, Focus Features revived Rogue Pictures as a genre label.

In 2014, FilmDistrict was merged into Focus and folded into the trade name High Top Releasing. In May 2015, Gramercy Pictures was revived by Focus as a genre label, that was on action, sci-fi, and horror films.[5]

In February 2016, Focus merged with Universal Pictures International as part of a new strategy to "align the acquisition and production of specialty films in the global market".[6][7][8]

In April 2017, Vine Alternative Investments re-acquired the pre-2008 Rogue film library from Focus Features.[9]

Focus World[]

In August 2011, Focus Features launched Focus World, a label focusing on the video on demand market with initial plans to distribute 15 films per year, with one film being released per month.[10]

Distributors[]

Australia[]

  • Roadshow Entertainment (2003–2009)
  • Icon Film Distribution (2004–2012)
  • Universal Pictures (2006–present)

United Kingdom[]

  • Momentum Pictures (now Entertainment One) (2006–2014)
  • Entertainment Film Distributors (2002–2008)
  • Universal Pictures (2006–present)

United States[]

  • Universal Pictures
  • Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (FilmDistrict/Insidious films)

Canada[]

  • Entertainment One
  • Alliance Films
  • Universal Pictures

As a distributor, Focus' most successful release in North America to date is the 2019 film Downton Abbey, which earned $84.5 million during its first weekend at the box office and surpassing Brokeback Mountain, which earned $83 million at the North American box office.[11] However, this is not counting the domestic total of Traffic, which earned $124.1 million under the USA Films banner. The animated film Coraline (which Focus did not produce, but did distribute) was also highly profitable for the company. Although suffering its share of unsuccessful releases, Focus has been consistently profitable, and its international sales arm (unusual among studio specialty film divisions) allows it to receive the foreign as well as domestic revenues from its releases.[12] Its DVD and movie rights revenues are boosted by cult classics including Wet Hot American Summer.

Filmography[]

Main article: List of Focus Features films

See also[]

  • Rogue
  • FilmDistrict
  • Sony Pictures
  • Stage 6 Films

References[]

  1. ^ "How Focus Features Rediscovered Its Knack for Making Award-Winning Films". The Hollywood Reporter.
  2. ^ "'Downton Abbey' Becomes Focus Features' Highest-Grossing Pic At Domestic B.O. With $84M+, Unseating 'Brokeback Mountain'". Deadline.
  3. ^ "Diller gets back into movies". The Telegraph-Herald. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  4. ^ "Universal Adds Division for Specialty Films". Los Angeles Times. September 28, 1999. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
  5. ^ "Focus Revives Gramercy Pictures Label For Genre Films". Deadline Hollywood. May 20, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  6. ^ "FOCUS FEATURES AND UNIVERSAL PICTURES INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTIONS TO MERGE OPERATIONS UNDER FOCUS FEATURES BANNER". NBCUniversal. February 4, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  7. ^ "Focus Features Shake-Up: Peter Schlessel Out". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  8. ^ "Focus Features Shake-Up: What's Behind Peter Schlessel's Abrupt Exit". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  9. ^ Hipes, Patrick (April 27, 2017). "New Village Roadshow Co-Owner Vine Acquires Manchester Film Library".
  10. ^ "Focus Features Launches VOD Premiere Label Focus World". Indiewire.com. August 23, 2011. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  11. ^ "'Downton Abbey' Becomes Focus Features' Highest-Grossing Pic At Domestic B.O. With $84M+, Unseating 'Brokeback Mountain'". Deadline. October 17, 2019.
  12. ^ Claudia Eller, "Positive cash flow through hits and misses makes Focus Features an attractive asset", Los Angeles Times, May 25, 2010.

External links[]

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