StudioCanal
(formerly known as Le Studio Canal+, Canal Plus, Canal+ Distribution, Canal+ Production, and Canal+ Image and also known as StudioCanal International) is a French film production and distribution company that owns the third-largest film library in the world.
The company is a unit of the Canal+ Group, owned by Vivendi, and was founded in 1988 by Pierre Lescure as a spin-off of the Canal+ pay-TV network. The original function was to focus on French and European productions, but later made strategic deals with American production companies. StudioCanal's most notable productions from its early years include Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Free Willy, and the original Stargate movie. In those days, it was known as either Le Studio Canal+ or simply Canal+. Today, StudioCanal owns the back libraries of Carolco Pictures, Embassy Pictures, DeLaurentiis Entertainment Group, EMI Films, and Studio Ghibli (UK, Ireland, and select Australian and New Zealand distribution only).
Some former heads of Gaumont, StudioCanal, and Wild Bunch would later go on to found Charades. In the meantime, some former heads of StudioCanal UK later went on to found Altitude Film Distribution and Elysian Film Group.
Notable StudioCanal films:
- 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002)
- '71 (2014)
- About a Boy (2002)
- Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013)
- Ali G Indahouse (2002)
- Anne of Green Gables: The Road to Green Gables (1989) (with Nippon Animation)
- Asterix
- Atonement (2007)
- Attack the Block (2011)
- The Awakening (2011)
- Ballerina (2016) (with Creator/Gaumont and Entertainment One, Australia and New Zealand only)
- Basic Instinct (1992)
- Barefoot Gen (1983-1986) (with Madhouse)
- Barefoot Gen (1983)
- Barefoot Gen 2 (1986)
- Before I Go to Sleep (2014)
- Bel Ami (2012)
- Bitter Moon (1992)
- The Bling Ring (2013)
- Blinky Bill the Movie (2015)
- The Boat That Rocked (2009)
- Bridget Jones (with Universal and Miramax)
- Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
- Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)
- Bridget Jones's Baby (2016) (with Toho and Fuji Television)
- Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)
- Bruiser (2000)
- The Boy and the Beast (2015) (with Gaumont, Toho, Studio Chizu and Funimation)
- Bully (2001)
- Burn After Reading (2008)
- Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001)
- Carol (2015)
- Carrington (1995)
- Cartoon Saloon
- Irish Folklore Trilogy:
- The Secret of Kells (2009) (with Buena Vista International)
- Song of the Sea (2014)
- Wolfwalkers (2020) (with Apple TV+ and GKIDS)
- The Breadwinner (2016)
- Irish Folklore Trilogy:
- The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) (with TMS Entertainment and Toho)
- Cecil B. Demented (2000)
- Chaplin (1992)
- Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023) (with Aardman Animations, Netflix, and Pathé)
- Chloe (2009)
- La Cité de la peur (1994)
- Clean (2004)
- Cliffhanger (1993)
- Cold Pursuit (2019)
- The Commuter (2018)
- The Dark Wind (1991)
- Definitely, Maybe (2008)
- Dogville (2003)
- The Doors (1991)
- Early Man (2018) (with Aardman Animations)
- Escape from New York (1981) (with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- The Evil Dead (1981) (with Sony Pictures)
- Evil Dead 2 (1987)
- Army of Darkness (1992) (with Universal and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- Evil Dead Rise (2023) (with New Line Cinema)
- Falling Down (1993) (with Warner Bros. and Regency Enterprises)
- The Fog (1980) (with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- Free Fire (2016)
- Free Willy (1993) (with Warner Bros.)
- Frost/Nixon (2008)
- Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
- Green Zone (2010)
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)
- The Gunman (2015)
- Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)
- Heaven & Earth (1993)
- How to Talk to Girls at Parties (2017)
- Human Nature (2001)
- The Idiots (1998)
- Inland Empire (2006)
- Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
- The Interpreter (2005)
- Irréversible (2002)
- Isao Takahata and His Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2014) (with Studio Ghibli, Wild Bunch and WOWOW)
- JFK (1991)
- Johnny English (2003) (with Universal)
- Johnny English Reborn (2011)
- Johnny English Strikes Again (2018)
- John Wick (with Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment; German, Australian and New Zealand distribution only)
- John Wick (2014)
- John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
- John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019)
- John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
- The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (2013) (with Studio Ghibli, Toho, Dwango, and Wild Bunch)
- King Kong (1976) (with Paramount and De Laurentiis Productions)
- Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie (2023) (with Zagtoon, German distribution only)
- The Last Exorcism (2010)
- The Last Letter From Your Lover (2021)
- Legend (2015)
- The Little Norse Prince (1968) (with Toei Animation, American International Pictures, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- Love Actually (2003) (with Universal)
- Macbeth (2015)
- Made in America (1993)
- The Mambo Kings (1992)
- Man Up (2015)
- Marie Antoinette (1989)
- Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992)
- The Mercy (2017)
- Mindscape (2013)
- Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007) (with Universal)
- Mulholland Dr. (2001)
- Murder in the First (1995)
- Music (2021) (Australia and New Zealand only)
- My Little Eye (2002)
- Nanny McPhee (2005) (with Universal)
- Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (2010) (with Universal and Toho)
- Ned Kelly (2003)
- The Ninth Gate (1999)
- Non-Stop (2014)
- O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
- Orphan (2009)
- Paddington (2014)
- Paddington 2 (2017)
- Past Lives (2023) (with A24)
- Panda! Go Panda! (1973-1974) (with TMS Entertainment and Toho)
- The Pianist (2002)
- The Power of One (1992)
- Pride and Prejudice (2005)
- Prince of Darkness (1987)
- The Program (2015)
- Radioactive (2019)
- Rambo Trilogy (1982-1988)
- First Blood (1982)
- Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
- Rambo III (1988)
- Ran (1986) (with Toho and Kadokawa)
- The Red Turtle (2016) (with Studio Ghibli and Wild Bunch)
- Repossessed (1990)
- Retribution (2023) (with Lionsgate)
- RocknRolla (2008)
- Rush (2013)
- Saint Maud (2019)
- The Secret Garden (2020)
- Senna (2010)
- Serena (2014)
- A Serious Man (2009)
- The Shape of Things (2003)
- Shaun the Sheep Movie (2015) (with Aardman Animations)
- Farmageddon: A Shaun the Sheep Movie (2019)
- Sightseers (2012)
- Silence (2016)
- Smokin' Aces (2006)
- The Soloist (2009)
- Sommersby (1993)
- Splice (2010)
- Stargate (1994) (with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- State of Play (2009)
- The Straight Story (1999) (with Walt Disney Pictures and Film4 Productions)
- The Studio Ghibli Collection (with Wild Bunch, Disney, GKIDS, and Madman Entertainment)
- Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
- Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)
- My Neighbour Totoro (1988)
- Grave of the Fireflies (1988) (with Toho and Central Park Media)
- Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
- Only Yesterday (1991)
- Porco Rosso (1992)
- Ocean Waves (1993)
- Pom Poko (1994)
- Whisper of the Heart (1995)
- Princess Mononoke (1997)
- My Neighbours the Yamadas (1999)
- Spirited Away (2001)
- The Cat Returns (2002)
- Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
- Tales from Earthsea (2006)
- Ponyo (2008)
- Arrietty (2010)
- From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)
- The Wind Rises (2013)
- The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)
- When Marnie Was There (2014)
- Earwig and the Witch (2020; streaming rights only)
- The Boy and the Heron (2023; streaming rights only)
- Swallows and Amazons (2016)
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) (with Lightstorm Entertainment)
- They Live! (1988) (with Universal)
- Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy (with Universal)
- Shaun of the Dead (2004)
- Hot Fuzz (2007)
- The World's End (2013) (with Toho and Fuji Television)
- Thunder and the House of Magic (2013)
- Thunderbirds (2004)
- Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011)
- The Tourist (2010)
- Train to Busan Trilogy (2016-2020)
- Seoul Station (2016)
- Train to Busan (2016)
- Peninsula (2020)
- Tyrannosaur (2011)
- U571 (2000)
- Under Siege (1992)
- United 93 (2006)
- Universal Soldier (1992)
- Unknown (2011)
- The Vagrant (1992)
- Vaincre ou Mourir (2023)
- What's Love Got to Do with It? (2022) (2022)
- Wild Child (2008)
- Wimbledon (2004)
Notable StudioCanal TV series:
- Borgia
- Les Guignols de l'Info
- Let's Be Real (with Fox Alternative Entertainment, Poochie Doochie Productions, and Propagate Content)
- Hannibal
- Marie Antoinette
- Paris Police 1900
- Ronja the Robber's Daughter (2014 anime adaptation; with Studio Ghibli and Polygon Pictures)
- Versailles
