This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Jedi94 (talk | contribs) at 02:47, 29 March 2013 (Reverted edits by 98.197.228.122 (talk) to last version by Jedi94). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 02:47, 29 March 2013 by Jedi94 (talk | contribs) (Reverted edits by 98.197.228.122 (talk) to last version by Jedi94)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Not to be confused with The Walt Disney Studios (production company), Walt Disney Pictures, or Buena Vista (company).
Company type | Division of Walt Disney Studios |
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Industry | Motion pictures |
Founded | 1953 (as Buena Vista Film Distribution Company, Inc.) |
Headquarters | Burbank, California, U.S. |
Key people | Robert A. Chapek (President) |
Services | Film distribution |
Parent | The Walt Disney Studios (The Walt Disney Company) |
Website | waltdisneystudios.com |
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures is an American motion picture distribution company owned by The Walt Disney Company. Established in 1953 as Buena Vista Distribution, the company handles distribution for films produced by the Walt Disney Studios; including Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Disneynature and, since 2012, Marvel Studios, which is a part of Disney's subsidiary, Marvel Entertainment. The division took on its new name in 2007.
History
Prior to 1953, Walt Disney's productions were distributed by Columbia Pictures, United Artists and RKO Radio Pictures. However, a dispute over the value of Disney's True-Life Adventures series of live-action documentary featurettes 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. (BVD) to handle the U.S. distribution of their own product. 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. Notable subsequent releases include the foreign film, Yang Kwei Fei (Most Noble Lady), released in US theaters in September of 1956, The Missouri Traveler in March 1958, and The Big Fisherman in July 1959 (the first third-party production financed by Disney).
In 1961, Disney incorporated Buena Vista International, distributing its first PG rated film, Take Down, in January 1979 .
In April 2007, Disney dissolved the Buena Vista moniker in its distribution branding.
Distribution
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures is noteworthy for having five films that have surpassed the $1-billion-mark in worldwide ticket sales:
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006; $1,066,179,725)
- Alice in Wonderland (2010; $1,024,299,904)
- Toy Story 3 (2010; $1,063,171,911)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011; $1,043,871,802)
- The Avengers (2012; $1,511,757,910)
Disney is the only major Hollywood studio that has released more than three films that have crossed the $1-billion-mark (in worldwide grosses). In addition, Disney is the first of only two studios to have released two $1-billion films in the same year (the other being Warner Bros.). The top three highest grossing animated films have been released by Disney. Sixteen of the twenty highest grossing G-rated films were also distributed by Disney. In 2012, Disney achieved its largest yearly box-office gross in North America.
The company distributes all features produced by The Walt Disney Studios, other Disney film units and some third-parties including:
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Former units
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Active producer/distribution deals
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Former producer deals
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International arrangements
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International was formed in 1961 as Buena Vista International. 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.
- Other international distributors
- UK/Ireland — Rank Film Distributors (1954-1987) and Warner Bros. (1987-1992)
- Turkey — United International Pictures
- Ukraine — United International Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment
- Kazakhstan — United International Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Bros. (former 20th Century Fox)
- Finland — Suomi-Filmi
- Belgium/Netherlands/Benelux — United International Pictures
- Australia/New Zealand — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1959-1968), Greater Union Organization (1968-1987), CIC-Fox (1970s-1987), Village Roadshow (1988-1992)
References
- ^ "Company Overview of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Inc". Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
- ^ Fixmer, Fixmer (April 25, 2007). "Disney to Drop Buena Vista Brand Name, People Say (Update1)". bloomberg.com. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- ^ The Disney Studio Story, by Richard Holliss and Brian Sibley, 1988.
- Screen World 1957, Volume 8, by Daniel Blum, 1957. Page 218.
- International Motion Picture Almanac 1977, by Richard Gertner, 1977. Page 411.
- Disney A to Z - The Official Encyclopedia, by Dave Smith, 1996. Page 71.
- "Toy Story 3 reaches $1 billion dollars globally; The Pixar Blog". The Pixar Blog. August 27, 2010. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
- ""Pirates" treasure mounts to billion worldwide". Reuters. July 2, 2011.
- "'The Avengers': $1 Billion In Global Box Office After Record Second Weekend". Huffington Post. May 13, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
- "'Toy Story 3' Reaches $1 Billion". Box Office Mojo. August 29, 2010. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
- "Around-the-World Roundup: 'Avengers' Reaches $1 Billion Worldwide". Box Office Mojo. May 13, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
- "DOMESTIC GROSSES BY MPAA RATING". Retrieved November 11, 2009.
- Subers, Ray. "Weekend Report: 'Hobbit' Holds Off 'Django' on Final Weekend of 2012". IMDb. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
- 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.
- "Disney Expands Ties With Stan Lee". ICV2.com. January 3, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
- Disney, Sony team up for Russian content, The Hollywood Reporter, December 27, 2006
- "Disney, Sony team up for Russian content - Disney News". Wdwinfo.com. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
External links
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