Founded: April 4, 1923
WARNER BROS. PICTURES has been at the forefront of the motion picture industry since its inception and continues to be a leading creative force in the industry.
Warner Bros. Pictures produces and distributes a wide-ranging slate of some 18-22 films each year, employing a business paradigm that mitigates risk while maximizing productivity and capital. Warner Bros. Pictures either fully finances or co-finances the films it produces and maintains worldwide distribution rights. It also monetizes its distribution and marketing operations by distributing films that are totally financed and produced by others. Current multi-faceted co-financing joint ventures include those with Village Roadshow Pictures, Castle Rock Entertainment and Legendary Pictures. Warner Bros. Pictures also has a distribution, co-financing deal with Alcon Entertainment.
In 2010, the Warner Bros. Pictures Group broke the all-time industry worldwide box office record with receipts of $4.814 billion, which surpassed the prior record of $4.010 billion (set by the Studio in 2009). Warner Bros. also established a new industry benchmark for the international box office with a total of $2.93 billion (marking a record third time of crossing the $2 billion threshold) and retained its leading domestic box office ranking with receipts of $1.884 billion. 2010 also marked the 10th consecutive year Warner Bros. Pictures passed the billion dollar mark at both the domestic and international box offices. Highlights of the company’s 2011 release slate include “The Hangover Part II,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,” “Crazy, Stupid, Love.,” “Contagion,” “J. Edgar,” “Happy Feet 2,” “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” and “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.”
WARNER BROS. PICTURES DOMESTIC DISTRIBUTION is responsible for setting the release schedule and all exhibition operations to some 38,000 screens in North America. Through its non-theatrical sales operation, it distributes to non-theatrical markets including airlines, cruise ships, the Armed Forces, the Veterans Administration, colleges, hospitals and other smaller markets.