American motion picture distribution company From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures is an American movie company owned by The Walt Disney Company.[2]
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Company type | Division of Walt Disney Studios |
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Industry | Motion pictures |
Founded | 1953(as Buena Vista Film Distribution Company, Inc.) |
Headquarters | Walt Disney Studios (Burbank) at 500 S. Buena Vista Street , Burbank, California |
Key people | Dave Hollis (executive vice-president)[1] |
Services | Movie distribution and marketing |
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Website | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
The company began in 1953 as Buena Vista Distribution Company, to manage distribution, marketing and promotion for movies produced by the Walt Disney Studios. These include Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios, 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Disneynature, and Touchstone Pictures.
The division changed to its current name in 2007. Since 1987, the company name had been Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.[3]
Before 1953, Walt Disney's productions were distributed by Columbia Pictures, United Artists and RKO. However, an argument led to Walt and his older brother Roy O. Disney beginning the Buena Vista Film Distribution Company, Inc. (BVDC), to handle North American distribution of their own products.[4]
For the November 1995 Toy Story premiere, Disney rented the Hollywood Masonic Temple for Totally Toy Story, as a multimedia funhouse and a promotional event for the movie.[5] Because of its success as a venue, in July 1998, Buena Vista Pictures Distribution bought the Masonic Temple building.[6][7]
In April 2006, Buena Vista International agreed to a distribution deal with MegaStar Joint Venture Company Limited. This was to help them bring their most popular movies to be shown in Vietnam.[8]
In April 2007, Disney stopped using the Buena Vista nickname in its distribution branding.
In 2009, Disney began a partnership with DreamWorks Studios. They agreed to make an estimated 30 movies over a five-year period from DreamWorks and release them under the Touchstone Pictures name. The distribution deal will end in August 2016. DreamWorks and Disney decided to not renew their agreement in December 2015; with Universal Pictures replacing Disney as DreamWorks' distributor.[9][10][11][12]
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures has released the most movies that have earned more than $1-billion, (nine, in worldwide grosses), among major Hollywood studios, with eight of the twenty highest-grossing movies of all time being distributed by Disney.[13][14][15][16][17][18]
In 2015, Disney achieved its largest yearly box-office gross worldwide and in North America.[19][20][21]
In December 14, 2017, The Walt Disney Company has announced plan to buy 21st Century Fox for $52.4 billion as well as 20th Century Fox and other Fox Entertainment assets. Upcoming
August 12, 2022 | Untitled Film September 16, 2022 | Untitled Film
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‡—Includes theatrical reissue(s).