| 1 | [[index]] |
| 2 | * ChannelHop/COVID19PandemicRelatedExamples |
| 3 | [[/index]] |
| 4 | |
| 5 | !Production Company examples |
| 6 | * A huge example: every Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer film made before 1986 is now owned by Creator/WarnerBros because Turner Entertainment purchased MGM that year and immediately sold it, while keeping its film library. Time Warner's purchase of Turner in 1996 resulted in the films ending up with Warner, where they remain today. |
| 7 | ** The pre-1948 Creator/WarnerBros library (which included all of the features and the color short subjects) had been sold (through Associated Artists Productions) to Creator/UnitedArtists in 1958, and then to MGM in 1981 following their merger with UA. It was also included in Turner's purchase of the MGM library, and returned to Warner in 1996. |
| 8 | ** Warner Bros. also acquired the rights to the ComicStrip/{{Popeye}} theatrical shorts, originally distributed by Paramount, as per the deal above. Unlike the WB shorts, however, all Paramount references were removed at the film studio's insistence. When it ''finally'' came time to start releasing the shorts to DVD (they never had a VHS release thanks to legal wranglings between MGM/Turner/WB and Creator/KingFeaturesSyndicate), animation historian Jerry Beck insisted the original Paramount logos be restored, even though they had nothing to do with the DVD release. So WB and Paramount made a deal which allowed this to happen, as well as let Paramount use the WB logo for Creator/JohnWayne films they acquired that were originally WB's. |
| 9 | ** Warner's black-and-white shorts (which included a large chunk of the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' library) made their way back to WB via another, particularly long route. WB sold the TV rights to this library to syndicator Guild Films in the 1950s; Guild went bankrupt in 1961, and Eliot Hyman's Seven Arts Productions bought the company at auction. This is the same Seven Arts that would later buy WB itself in 1967. Once they did, the combined Warner Bros.-Seven Arts promptly had the B&W ''Looney Tunes'' [[DigitalDestruction poorly redrawn in color for syndication]]. |
| 10 | ** United Artists also purchased the distribution rights to the entire Creator/RKOPictures library, which also ended up in the Turner deal, and now belongs to Warner, at least in North America (various entities distribute much of the RKO library overseas, and they're all in the PublicDomain in Japan). Exceptions include ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife'', which is owned by Creator/{{Paramount}} because it was produced by Liberty Films[[note]]Paramount bought Liberty from Frank Capra originally, then sold its library to a precursor of National Telefilm Associates, which became Republic Pictures in 1985 and was brought back into the fold when Viacom merged with Blockbuster Video and Spelling Entertainment in 1994. That sale is also why ''It's a Wonderful Life'' isn't with Universal.[[/note]] and RKO was only the distributor. Howard Hughes also retained the rights to two films he was personally involved in as head of RKO, ''Film/TheConqueror'' and ''Jet Pilot''; those two ended up at Universal. Several other RKO films were acquired by other studios when they purchased the remake rights; the 1933 version of ''Little Women'' was bought by David O. Selznick (who previously worked at RKO) and later MGM, and is now owned outright by Warner. |
| 11 | ** [[Film/DrJekyllAndMrHyde1931 The 1931 version of ''Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'']] was purchased by MGM from Paramount; MGM then recalled every print they could find in order to avoid competition with their upcoming 1941 remake. They are now both owned by Warner Bros., and are sometimes packaged together. |
| 12 | ** The 1936 version of ''Theatre/ShowBoat'' was likewise purchased by MGM from Creator/{{Universal}}, who recalled that film's prints in anticipation of their 1951 remake. Warner Bros. therefore owns both of the films. |
| 13 | ** The only UA-produced asset Turner kept was ''Series/GilligansIsland'' and its spinoffs, shared with the estate of Creator/PhilSilvers and distributed today by WB's television unit. This probably had something to do with the show being [[AdoredByTheNetwork a staple of]] Turner's [[Creator/{{TBS}} Superstation WTBS]] and a major money spinner in syndicated reruns, so Turner had a lot of incentive to keep it. |
| 14 | * Similarly, almost every feature film from Creator/{{Paramount}} made between 1929 and 1949 now belongs to Universal. Paramount saw little value in its film library, and in 1958 sold these films to MCA, who planned on licensing them for television broadcast. MCA merged with Universal in 1962. |
| 15 | * Perhaps because of their severe lack of back catalog (aside from UA's own stuff), MGM spent much of the 1990s (following the Giancarlo Parretti fiasco that saw a merger with Creator/TheCannonGroup) buying up other companies and/or film libraries. This included Creator/OrionPictures (whose pre-1982 films are still with Warner Bros.) and some of their predecessor companies (namely Creator/{{Filmways}} and Creator/AmericanInternationalPictures), The Samuel Goldwyn Company, and the pre-1996 library of Creator/PolyGramFilmedEntertainment (post-1996 films are still with Universal), which in turn included the Epic library, a hodge-podge of film libraries taken from clients of the French bank Credit Lyonnais (who had been involved in the aforementioned Parretti mess) including films from [[Film/TheTerminator Hemdale]], [[Franchise/BillAndTed Nelson]] (including pre-1994 Creator/CastleRockEntertainment films and video rights to the Embassy Pictures catalog), [[Film/ValleyGirl Atlantic]] [[Film/TeenWolf Releasing]], [[Film/TheAdventuresOfBuckarooBanzaiAcrossThe8thDimension Sherwood Productions]]/[[Film/{{Mannequin}} Gladden Entertainment]] and others. |
| 16 | * Creator/GeorgeARomero and John A. Russo's ''Film/LivingDeadSeries'', in part due to their unwillingness to trim gore and violence from the films. |
| 17 | ** The original ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'' was released independently by the Walter Reade Organization, but because they accidentally forgot to put a copyright notice on the film prints (as per US copyright law at the time), the film immediately entered the public domain, and Romero refused to ever work with them again. It has been released to home video by a number of different studios, but "officially" from Anchor Bay, Elite Entertainment, [[Creator/TwentiethCenturyStudios Twentieth Century Fox]] (in a colorized edition), Creator/DimensionFilms, and Creator/TheCriterionCollection. |
| 18 | ** Romero's ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'' was released by United Film Distribution Company, but the film itself remains the property of producer Richard P. Rubinstein's New Amsterdam Entertainment, and has been licensed to various home video companies over the years. It was last released to DVD and Blu-ray from Anchor Bay, but remains out-of-print in the US because Rubinstein funded a million-dollar 3D conversion, and nobody can afford the film's asking price. Second Sight Entertainment is releasing it on 4K UHD and Blu-ray in the UK (where it was previously released by Arrow Video). ''Film/DayOfTheDead1985'' was also originally released to theaters by United, but they kept the rights, and it's now owned by successor Blairwood Entertainment (formerly Taurus Ent). Both Anchor Bay and [[Creator/ShoutFactory Scream Factory]] have released the film to DVD/Blu-ray. |
| 19 | ** Tom Savini's remake of ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1990'' was released by Columbia Pictures, and is now owned by Sony. It had a rare (but controversial) US Blu-ray from Twilight Time (a region-free Australian disc from Umbrella Entertainment was more easily available) before Sony released it themselves. Zack Snyder's remake of ''Film/DawnOfTheDead2004'' was Universal (with a Blu-ray from Scream Factory), and Steve Miner's remake of ''Film/DayOfTheDead2008'' was First Look Studios (later Alchemy). |
| 20 | ** Romero's recent films in the series have gone from Universal (''Film/LandOfTheDead''), Dimension/Weinstein (''Film/DiaryOfTheDead''), and Entertainment One/Magnolia Pictures (''Film/SurvivalOfTheDead''). ''Land'' also has a Blu-ray from Scream Factory. |
| 21 | ** The ''Return of the Living Dead'' films from Russo have this too. The [[Film/TheReturnOfTheLivingDead first film]] was funded by Hemdale, and released by Creator/OrionPictures. It's now owned by MGM (home video formerly by Fox, now by Warner), and has a Blu-ray from Scream Factory. The [[Film/ReturnOfTheLivingDeadPartII second film]] was Lorimar, and now owned by Warner Bros, who also licensed the film to Scream Factory for a Blu-ray. The [[Film/ReturnOfTheLivingDead3 third film]] was Trimark, but now owned by Lionsgate, who released it to Blu-ray as a part of their newly revived Vestron Video label. Two recent sequels premiered directly on the [=SyFy=] Channel (DVD from Lionsgate). |
| 22 | * ''Film/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'' started out being produced by Walden Media and released by Walt Disney Pictures. After the second film underperformed, Walden jumped ship to 20th Century Fox for the third film, ([[HilariousInHindsight Disney would later gain ownership of the third film after their acquisition of 21st Century Fox]]). After ''that'' underperformed, Walden chose not to renew their contract with [[Creator/CSLewis C.S. Lewis]]' estate, and production on a fourth film fell into DevelopmentHell. After ''this'' did not materialize, Netflix ultimately acquired the rights to the franchise through C.S. Lewis' estate. |
| 23 | * [[TheProductionCurse Chronic]] with the ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'' films. Every. single. movie. Actual distribution is even worse. First one: Orion theatrically, currently MGM; Second: Creator/TriStarPictures theatrically and some video releases, currently Creator/{{StudioCanal}}[[note]]who purchased the library of production company Creator/CarolcoPictures[[/note]]; Third/Fourth: Warner domestically, Sony overseas; Fifth: Paramount; Sixth: Paramount domestically, Disney/Fox overseas. |
| 24 | ** To elaborate why: The first was made by Hemdale Film Corporation, who ended up going under[[note]]Their library passed into the hands of Consortium dé Realisation, a French state entity that existed to bail out the Crédit Lyonnais bank, who'd gotten wrapped up in financing a bunch of B-list Hollywood studios like Hemdale, then this library was sold to Creator/PolyGramFilmedEntertainment, then the pre-1996 [=PolyGram=] library was sold to MGM[[/note]], and the rights were eventually bought by Mario Kassar, who ran Carolco Pictures, which later went bankrupt (destroying chances of Creator/JamesCameron's ''Terminator 3'' and ''Film/SpiderMan1'') and had their film library bought by Creator/{{StudioCanal}}, who [[RunningGag sold the rights]] to C2 Pictures (also ran by Kassar and his partner Andrew G. Vajna) and Intermedia, and the possibility of any more ''Terminator'' sequels became the subject of a legal deadlock (thanks to a feud between Kassar and Vajna), eventually culminating in the rights going to The Halcyon Company. [[OverusedRunningGag Who sold the rights]] [[CreatorKiller after going bankrupt]]. |
| 25 | *** Interestingly, Hemdale was the only production company among them to hang around long enough to see the sequel to its movie premiere in theatres; in fact, Hemdale was still around for a few more years after ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'' (and Bruno Mattei's own unofficial sequel with a similar name, released in the United States under the name ''Shocking Dark'' due to trademark issues) was released. |
| 26 | ** Hannover House, a company formed by a former Hemdale employee, even tried to make a new animated movie, but was blocked by Pacificor, the hedge fund who purchased the rights from Halcyon (because they helped them purchase said rights in the first place). |
| 27 | ** In 2012, Pacificor sold the rights to Megan Ellison's Creator/AnnapurnaPictures. Her brother David joined afterwards, and given his Skydance Productions [[http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/terminator-distribution-rights-poised-head-paramount-exclusive-96781 have a deal with Paramount, they got a distributor]]. Annapurna eventually left, though Megan remained as executive producer. The failure of ''Film/TerminatorGenisys'' led Skydance to seek James Cameron (after all, the rights would revert to him at the 35th anniversary) for help on ''Film/TerminatorDarkFate''. Thanks to that film flopping, it's unclear if Skydance will hold onto the rights after 2020, when they're set to revert fully back to Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd, the latter of whom co-created the franchise with Cameron. |
| 28 | ** {{UsefulNotes/Home video|distributors}} is complicated too for the first two movies. MGM has the first film and has licensed it to Sony, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros., and Paramount for various home video releases. It was also sublicensed in the '90s by Live Entertainment, which had the home video rights to the Carolco library, including the sequel, and its successor Artisan released ''Judgement Day'' [=DVDs=] until they were bought by Lionsgate; but internationally, [=StudioCanal=] licenses the ''T2'' [=DVDs=] and Blu-rays to multiple distributors |
| 29 | * ''Franchise/TheTexasChainsawMassacre'' franchise: |
| 30 | ** The [[Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre1974 first film]] was produced and released independently by Bryanston Pictures, and was later reissued theatrically by New Line Cinema. The rights are currently with Vortex/Heron Communications, who has licensed the home video rights to MPI Media Group, under their Dark Sky Films banner. It was previously licensed to Media Home Entertainment and Wizard Video for VHS, Elite Entertainment for Laserdisc, and most notably Pioneer Home Entertainment (better known for their anime releases) for VHS and DVD back in the 90s/early 2000s. In the UK, Second Sight has released the film on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K UHD. |
| 31 | ** ''Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre2'' was released by The Cannon Group. Along with the rest of the Cannon library, it's currently owned by MGM, except for the broadcast/streaming rights, which are held by Paramount, and home video, which were handled by 20th Century Fox before switching to Warner Bros. Shout! Factory licensed the film for a Blu-ray while Vinegar Syndrome licensed it for a 4K release. Arrow Video has released the film in the UK. |
| 32 | ** ''Film/LeatherfaceTheTexasChainsawMassacreIII'' was released by New Line Cinema, and is now owned by Warner Bros. Warner Archive released the film on Blu-ray. |
| 33 | ** ''Film/TexasChainsawMassacreTheNextGeneration'' was produced independently, but later picked up by Columbia Pictures. The [[TheShelfOfMovieLanguishment film sat on the shelf]] for a long time before Columbia finally partnered up with Cinepix Film Properties for a theatrical release. Sony released it on DVD in 2003, and the disc is now out-of-print. According to Amazon, the film is (as of March 2018) distributed digitally by Lionsgate. Scream Factory released the film on Blu-ray, under license from Sony. Mediumrare released the film on Blu-ray in the UK. |
| 34 | ** [[Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre2003 The remake]] was produced by Platinum Dunes, and released once again by New Line Cinema. ''Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacreTheBeginning'' was also released under this arrangement. Both films are now owned by Warner Bros. |
| 35 | ** Lionsgate now has the franchise, and has released ''Film/TexasChainsaw3D'' and ''Film/{{Leatherface}}'' (a sequel and prequel respectively to the original film), with the latter being dumped on video-on-demand. |
| 36 | ** ''Film/TexasChainsawMassacre2022'' was produced by Legendary Pictures and released worldwide by Netflix. |
| 37 | * The ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'' franchise has a history of this: |
| 38 | ** The [[Film/{{Halloween1978}} original film]] was produced independently through Irwin Yablan's Compass International, who also distributed the film themselves through Falcon International because the major studios were uninterested, though the prints were struck through MGM. Warner-Columbia released the film in some international territories. Today the film is owned by Compass's successor Trancas International (under the "Compass International" label for legal reasons). On home video, the film was originally released exclusively by Blockbuster, and later Media Home Entertainment (VHS) and The Criterion Collection ([=LaserDisc=]). Anchor Bay also released the film numerous times through VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray for almost twenty years before Lionsgate took over the home video rights, and released the film on 4K UHD. Their license expired after a few years, and Shout! Factory's Scream Factory branch took over home video rights, and released the film on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD in 2021. |
| 39 | ** ''Film/HalloweenII1981'' and ''Film/HalloweenIIISeasonOfTheWitch'' were co-produced by Dino De Laurentiis and Universal, who also distributed (at least in the US). Universal has released both films to various home video formats themselves, but has also licensed both to [=GoodTimes=] Home Entertainment (VHS and DVD) and Scream Factory (DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K UHD). Universal would later return to the franchise in 2018, with [[Creator/BlumhouseProductions Blumhouse]] producing the second reboot series. |
| 40 | ** After ''III'' disappointed critically and commercially, Moustapha Akkad, who executive produced the first three films, leased out John Carpenter and Debra Hill's share of the rights, and produced ''Film/Halloween4TheReturnOfMichaelMyers'' and ''Film/Halloween5TheRevengeOfMichaelMyers'', and released both independently through his Galaxy International Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox. The films are owned directly by Trancas International, and both were released to VHS by CBS/Fox, and later to VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray by Anchor Bay. Lionsgate briefly held home video rights before Scream Factory licensed them in 2021 for Blu-ray and 4K UHD releases. 20th Century Studios, now under Disney, still has television and streaming rights to both, and they usually open with the 80s Fox logo and fanfare whenever they play on TV. |
| 41 | ** After ''5'' underperformed, the series was sent back into development hell, and Miramax bought the rights to the series (beating out New Line) after Akkad's exclusive rights expired, and released ''Film/HalloweenTheCurseOfMichaelMyers'', ''Film/HalloweenH20TwentyYearsLater'', and ''Film/HalloweenResurrection'' through their Dimension Films label, with distribution by Disney/Buena Vista. They were released to VHS and DVD by Buena Vista, and later on Blu-ray through Echo Bridge Home Entertainment and later Lionsgate in the US, and Alliance Atlantis in Canada. Paramount now distributes the films, due to their minority stake in Miramax, and they licensed all three to Scream Factory in 2022 for a 4K UHD/Blu-ray triple feature boxset. [=eOne=] has Canadian rights to these films. |
| 42 | ** The Weinsteins took Dimension Films and the sequel rights with them to The Weinstein Company, who released [[Film/{{Halloween2007}} the first]] Music/RobZombie-directed film through MGM and [[Film/HalloweenII2009 the sequel]] themselves. Genius Products and later Cinedigm released the first film to DVD/Blu-ray and Sony Pictures released the second. Alliance Atlantis released both in Canada. The rights to both films, along with the rest of the TWC catalog, was purchased by Lantern Entertainment (later Spyglass Media Group), who sold them to Lionsgate in 2021. |
| 43 | ** After the Weinsteins failed to put a new film into production on time, the rights reverted back to Miramax, Trancas, and John Carpenter, who all worked with Blumhouse to produce [[Film/{{Halloween2018}} the new direct sequel]] to the original film. The film was distributed again by Universal, through their deal with Blumhouse. The two sequels to that film, ''Film/HalloweenKills'' and ''Film/HalloweenEnds'' are also distributed by Universal. |
| 44 | ** With the release of ''Ends'' the franchise will once again revert back to Miramax and Trancas since Blumhouse had a 3-film deal, and producer Jason Blum says he has no plans on producing any more films in the series. |
| 45 | ** It should be noted that producer Moustapha Akkad and/or his son Malek Akkad have been involved with all the films in some capacity, with their production company Trancas International, who owns the original film (under the name "Falcoln International Pictures") and ''4'' and ''5'' outright. |
| 46 | ** In 2014, Anchor Bay teamed up with Scream Factory to release a then-complete collection of the franchise, licensing ''Curse'', ''H20'', and ''Resurrection'' from Miramax, and securing the Rob Zombie films through Anchor Bay's deal with the Weinsteins. |
| 47 | * ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'' from Carolco Pictures to Creator/{{Lionsgate}}[=/=]Creator/TheWeinsteinCompany. Lionsgate owns the North American home video rights to the first three films in the series through their deal with Creator/{{Studiocanal}}. |
| 48 | * ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'' from Creator/{{Paramount}} (Creator/WarnerBros overseas for the first film) to Creator/NewLineCinema after the first 8 films. This allowed them to CrossOver [[Film/FreddyVsJason with]] [[Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet their franchise]]. |
| 49 | ** Then Warner became New Line's parent company and teamed up with Paramount to produce the [[Film/FridayThe13th2009 2009 reboot]] with Platinum Dunes. Warner distributed domestically while Paramount handled overseas. |
| 50 | ** Warner Bros. then sold their rights to the series back to Paramount so both could produce Creator/ChristopherNolan's ''Film/{{Interstellar}}''. Platinum Dunes was attached to a possible new ''Friday the 13th'' movie under Paramount, which had lingered in and out of DevelopmentHell. Poor box office numbers for ''Film/{{Rings}}'' resulted in Paramount canning the movie completely, and the rights reverted back to New Line once again in 2018. The franchise is now in legal hell since writer of the first film, Victor Miller, sued producer Sean S. Cunningham to reclaim his share of the rights to participate in future films. |
| 51 | ** Creator/WarnerBros also licensed domestic home video rights to most of Paramount's catalog in 2012, and released the whole ''Friday the 13th'' franchise in one Blu-ray boxset, along with individual releases. The license expired in 2015, and Paramount reissued the first 8 films to Blu-ray themselves, while both Paramount and Warner licensed their films in the series to Scream Factory for a another complete collector's boxset. |
| 52 | ** Also, Columbia [=TriStar=] (then in the middle of transitioning from their old RCA/Columbia identity) and Turner had both released ''Jason Goes to Hell'' on VHS back in the 90s (the result of New Line's purchase by Turner in 1993 and distribution subsequently switching to Turner Home Entertainment). |
| 53 | * ''Film/{{Hellboy|2004}}'' from Creator/RevolutionStudios[=/=][[Creator/ColumbiaPictures Columbia]] to [[Creator/{{Universal}} Universal Pictures]][=/=]Creator/RelativityMedia. [[Film/Hellboy2019 The reboot]] was from Millennium Films/Creator/{{Lionsgate}}. |
| 54 | ** Universal did it again, taking ''Film/KickAss'' from Lionsgate (though they did distribute the original internationally). |
| 55 | * ''Film/HomeAlone'' was initially a Creator/WarnerBros production until the film went over budget, resulting in [[Creator/TwentiethCenturyStudios Twentieth Century Fox]] taking over production and the rights to the franchise. |
| 56 | * The first four ''Film/{{Scream}}'' films were released by Dimension Films, but they switched from being under Miramax (distribution by Disney) to The Weinstein Company between the third and fourth films. Lionsgate released the first three films to Blu-ray, and Anchor Bay released the fourth (before they were bought out by Lionsgate). Today, Paramount now distributes the first three films after buying a minority stake in Miramax. After The Weinstein Company shut down in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, their assets were purchased by Lantern Entertainment, who were eventually merged into Spyglass Media Group, who sold TWC's films, including ''Scream 4'', to Lionsgate in 2021. ''Film/Scream2022'' was co-produced by Spyglass and Paramount, who also distributed. ''Film/ScreamVI'' will also be released under Paramount. |
| 57 | ** The same goes for the ''Film/SpyKids'' and ''Film/ScaryMovie'' franchises, as the first three films of their respective series were also distributed by Miramax under the Dimension Films label and their subsequent films were released by The Weinstein Company under the Dimension Films label, with the initial films now owned by Paramount, and later ones by Lionsgate. |
| 58 | *** ''Film/SinCity'', on the other hand, has an interesting subversion of this. The first film was initially distributed by Miramax, as with the other aforementioned franchises, while [[Film/SinCityADameToKillFor its sequel]] was distributed by The Weinstein Company, but Miramax co-produced it. The rights eventually reverted back to Frank Miller, who later licensed the rights to Legendary Pictures for a potential TV series adaptation. |
| 59 | *** And ''Spy Kids'' has hopped again, this time to Netflix (produced by Spyglass and Skydance, the current rights holders). Though this move is not without precedent, as another family-oriented series by Creator/RobertRodriguez did the same. ''Film/TheAdventuresOfSharkboyAndLavagirl'' was a Dimension release through Miramax, and then subsequently passed on to Disney, Lionsgate, and currently Paramount (but only in North America, Columbia owns the international rights); its sequel ''Film/WeCanBeHeroes2020'' was released on Netflix. |
| 60 | ** Speaking of The Weinstein Company, its home video division had several distributors through the years: Genius Products from 2006 to 2009, Vivendi Entertainment from 2009 to 2010, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment from 2010 to 2011, Anchor Bay from 2011 to 2017 (due to TWC buying a share of their parent company, Starz), and then Lionsgate at the very end of their run (due to Lionsgate purchasing Starz). |
| 61 | * Creator/WalterLantz, who made ''WesternAnimation/WoodyWoodpecker'', jumped ship from Creator/{{Universal}} Pictures to Creator/UnitedArtists in 1947 over disputes. Lantz then briefly shut down his studio in 1949 due to Financial Issues with United Artists. The studio reopened in 1950 and went back to Universal as his distributor until closing for good in 1972. |
| 62 | * ''Film/TheHustler1961'' was released by Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox, but Creator/TouchstonePictures took care of its sequel, ''Film/TheColorOfMoney''. Both films are now with Touchstone owner Creator/{{Disney}} as of March 2019 due to the Fox buyout. |
| 63 | * ''Franchise/{{Hellraiser}}'' from New World to Dimension. |
| 64 | * ''Film/DeathWish'' from Creator/{{Paramount}} to Creator/{{Filmways}} to Cannon to Trimark. To go even further, Creator/{{MGM}} holds the remake rights and Creator/ColumbiaPictures held foreign rights to the first two films which have since passed to [=StudioCanal=]. Paramount also owns the US TV rights to the sequels made under Cannon. |
| 65 | * Ever since Creator/MarvelComics opened [[Creator/MarvelStudios their own film studio]]: |
| 66 | ** After lauching the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse with whoever characters weren't in another studio, Marvel started to get back the rights to their characters. (The exception has been [[Film/XMenFilmSeries X-Men]][=/=][[Film/FantasticFour2015 Fantastic Four]], which Fox managed to keep through continuous movie production; Creator/{{Sony}}[=/=]Columbia tried the same with ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan'' series, but their diminishing returns plus the leaked info debacle led them to give Spidey back to Marvel, though Columbia will still distribute solo movies, such as ''Film/{{Venom|2018}}'' and ''Westernanimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderverse''). Marvel has gotten back ComicBook/{{Blade}} (New Line, set to get a movie in the 2020s), ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}, (Fox, became star of his own Creator/{{Netflix}} series), ComicBook/GhostRider, ComicBook/ThePunisher (Columbia and Lionsgate, respectively; the former appeared on ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'', the latter on ''Series/{{Daredevil|2015}}'' and [[Series/ThePunisher2017 a solo show]]), and ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk (Universal; most famous/successful of the bunch, earned his own movie and became part of ComicBook/TheAvengers). And with the failure of ''Film/{{Fantastic Four|2015}}'', fans are hoping that even the Four may soon return to Marvel. Speaking of which... |
| 67 | ** The MCU was originally distributed by Paramount Pictures for ''Film/IronMan1'', ''Film/IronMan2'', ''Film/{{Thor}}'', and ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', while Universal had ''Film/{{The Incredible Hulk|2008}}''. After Paramount's contract with Marvel Studios ended, Disney took over all future films, however ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'' and ''Film/IronMan3'' still featured Paramount's logo, even on home video, due to ExecutiveMeddling (Walt Disney Studios was listed at the end, however). Disney also purchased the rights to the previous Paramount films (though still with Paramount's logo). Later, Sony Pictures released the ''Film/MCUSpiderManTrilogy'' through their deal with Marvel Studios. |
| 68 | ** And now with Disney buying Fox, distribution of the final two X-Men movies ''Film/DarkPhoenix'' and ''Film/TheNewMutants'' fell squarely on Disney. After those two, the X-Men, alongside the Fantastic Four, will eventually be integrated into the MCU. (their movies are even on Creator/DisneyPlus alongside the MCU) |
| 69 | * The first ''Film/ChildsPlay'' movie was made by Creator/UnitedArtists, who dropped it because the studio was about to be bought by an Australian company (which never happened) who didn't want to make horror movies. The six sequels have been produced by Universal or by Universal-owned companies. [[Film/ChildsPlay2019 The remake]] of the original film was released by the MGM-owned United Artists under their genre label, Creator/OrionPictures. |
| 70 | * Amazingly enough, Creator/UnitedArtists picked up the third ''Film/{{House}}'' film, ''Film/TheHorrorShow'', from New World and released it not long after ''Child's Play''. New Line ended up releasing [[Film/HouseIV the fourth one]]. |
| 71 | * This can happen to singular movies as well. When Miramax was sold by Disney, the studio signed new distribution deals with Creator/{{Lionsgate}}, Echo Bridge and Creator/{{StudioCanal}} for home video. Echo Bridge's license has since expired. In 2020, Creator/{{Paramount}} owns a 49% stake in Miramax and distributes the studio's catalogue worldwide. |
| 72 | ** Miramax's unreleased movies ended up going to different distributors. ''WesternAnimation/GnomeoAndJuliet'' and ''Theatre/TheTempest'' stayed with Disney and were released by Touchstone, ''Film/DontBeAfraidOfTheDark'' went to [=FilmDistrict=] (releasing through Creator/TriStarPictures domestically), ''Film/LastNight'' went to Tribeca (and returned to Miramax through Platinum Disc/Echo Bridge for DVD) and ''Film/TheDebt'' went to Creator/{{Universal}}'s Focus division. An older Miramax release, ''Anime/PrincessMononoke'', briefly went to Lionsgate along with most of the catalog, but Lionsgate never got to release it, as Disney instead renegotiated the rights and re-released the film on DVD themselves in 2012. |
| 73 | ** ''Gnomeo and Juliet'' was released by Touchstone, but its sequel ''WesternAnimation/SherlockGnomes'' was released by Creator/{{Paramount}} with MGM co-producing. |
| 74 | * ''Film/FrightNight1985'' was backed by Creator/ColumbiaPictures and a production of Vista Films; for [[Film/FrightNightPart2 the sequel]] was done by Vista and distributed by Columbia's sister studio Tristar internationally -- and [[Film/FrightNight2011 the remake]] came from Creator/DreamWorksSKG and was distributed by [[Creator/{{Disney}} Touchstone Pictures]]. ''Film/FrightNight2NewBlood'' is distributed by Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox. |
| 75 | * ''Film/ArlingtonRoad'' was to have been originally released by Creator/PolygramFilmedEntertainment but after a delay (due to UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}}) and Polygram merging with October Films, to become USA Films and later Focus Features), the film was sold to Creator/ScreenGems, though PFE retained international rights (now owned by Universal). |
| 76 | * ''Film/TheLoneRanger'' movies. |
| 77 | ** The first film, released in 1956 and simply titled ''The Lone Ranger'', was distributed by Creator/WarnerBros |
| 78 | ** The second film, ''The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold'', was released two years later by Creator/UnitedArtists. Both this movie and the previous one eventually reverted to producer Jack Wrather. |
| 79 | ** The third one wouldn't come until 1981, and this time it was a complete reboot, ''The Legend of the Lone Ranger'', released by ITC/Creator/{{Universal}} and co-produced by Wrather. This film is now owned by Creator/{{ITV}} (Universal still holds theatrical rights). |
| 80 | ** The most recent version, [[Film/TheLoneRanger2013 released in 2013]], is also a reboot and produced by Creator/{{Disney}}. Since then, Creator/DreamworksAnimation (a unit of Universal as of 2016) now owns the ''Lone Ranger'' franchise and all film rights pertaining to it, including the first two films and half the copyright to the third one (through Wrather Productions). |
| 81 | * ''Film/MulhollandDrive'' was originally shot for the Creator/{{ABC}} network and financed by [[Creator/{{Disney}} Touchstone Pictures]]. After ABC passed on it, director Creator/DavidLynch decided to rework it and got production company Studio Canal to buy the film and finance the shooting of new footage. Creator/{{Universal}} ended up releasing the film as part of their relationship with Studio Canal. |
| 82 | * The ''Film/{{Emmanuelle}}'' films released theatrically went from Columbia to Paramount to Miramax to Cannon. Four films, four distributors. |
| 83 | * ''Franchise/TheMuppets'' films have gone from ITC/Associated Film Distribution with the [[Film/TheMuppetMovie first film]] to ITC/Creator/{{Universal}} Pictures with the [[Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper second]] to Creator/TriStarPictures ([[ItMakesSenseInContext you can blame the lawsuit over]] Film/TheLoneRanger's [[CreatorKiller mask for that one]]) with the [[Film/TheMuppetsTakeManhattan third]] to Walt Disney Pictures with the [[Film/TheMuppetChristmasCarol fourth]] and [[Film/MuppetTreasureIsland fifth]] to [=TriStar=]'s sister studio Creator/{{Columbia|Pictures}} (this time under parent Creator/SonyPictures) with the [[Film/MuppetsFromSpace sixth]] and back to Disney from the [[Film/TheMuppets2011 seventh]] onward. Disney now owns the franchise and the home media rights to most of the films with the exceptions of ''Take Manhattan'' and ''From Space'', which are owned by Sony. |
| 84 | ** Other Creator/JimHenson works have hopped too. ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' was a ITC/Universal Pictures release that originally was released by Thorn EMI Video in TheEighties, then reissued by HBO later in the decade, followed by Buena Vista Home Video (via Jim Henson Video) in TheNineties, all on behalf of Henson. At the end of that decade, Columbia/[=TriStar=] Home Entertainment picked it up. (and yet [[Series/TheDarkCrystalAgeOfResistance the prequel show]] was a solo endeavor by The Jim Henson Company distributed by Netflix. In 2024, video and TV rights were acquired by Shout! Studios. Universal still owns the theatrical rights to the film. |
| 85 | ** ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'' was originally released by Creator/TriStarPictures but the initial video release was through Embassy (later Nelson) Home Entertainment, then New Line acquired the video rights in the early '90s and licensed it to Image for a deluxe laserdisc release. Again, Columbia/[=TriStar=] (re)claimed it at the end of TheNineties, and retains theatrical rights. In 2024, the video/TV rights were acquired by Shout! Studios along with ''The Dark Crystal''. |
| 86 | ** For the 40th anniversary of ''The Muppet Movie'', Universal (who has owned the theatrical rights to ITC productions since 1980, including said film and ''The Great Muppet Caper'') partnered up with The Jim Henson Company for a limited re-release run that July. |
| 87 | * The Creator/StudioGhibli films have a history of this in English-speaking teritories: |
| 88 | ** If you count it, ''Anime/TheCastleOfCagliostro'' (Miyazaki's first directoral film) was originally distributed in the US by Streamline Pictures before their rights expired and Manga Entertainment picked up the rights and redubbed the film with Animaze (with Creator/DavidHayter as Lupin III). Their rights later expired, and the film was rescued for a DVD/Blu-ray re-release from Discotek Media with both dubs (along with a toned-down version of the latter dub). Discotek later sub-licensed the film to Disney so they could include it in their complete Miyazaki Blu-ray set. GKIDS currently distributes the film theatrically. |
| 89 | ** The original US release of ''Manga/NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind'' in 1985 was under New World Pictures with video distribution from Vestron Video and later First Independent Video featuring a heavily edited dub that Miyazaki despised so much, he put forth a no editing clause into his future contracts. |
| 90 | ** Streamline Pictures released ''Anime/CastleInTheSky'' theatrically in North America in 1987, but never on home video. Contrary to popular belief, they did not produce the dub used for this release (which was from a company called Magnum Video Tape and Dubbing). |
| 91 | ** ''Anime/MyNeighborTotoro'' was dubbed very faithfully by Streamline themselves in 1989 and picked up for North American distribution by, of all companies, Creator/{{Troma}}, who released the film to VHS, Laserdisc, and DVD through their deal with Twentieth Century Fox, which was the largest release of a Ghibli film before Disney. To this day, many older anime fans have fond memories of the original Streamline dub. |
| 92 | ** Streamline also dubbed ''Anime/KikisDeliveryService'' in 1990, but this dub was never released in North America (instead being used for Japan Airlines flights). A dub for ''Anime/PorcoRosso'' was also produced with English-speaking actors in Japan that was also never released in North America (and was also used for Japan Airlines flights). |
| 93 | ** The Walt Disney Company picked up North American distribution rights to most of the Ghibli catalog beginning in 1998, and was their exclusive distributor theatrically until 2011 and on VHS, DVD, and/or Blu-ray until 2017, featuring dubs produced in-house by them. However, there were exceptions. |
| 94 | ** Because ''Anime/GraveOfTheFireflies'' isn't distributed by Ghibli overseas, it wasn't included in Disney's deal. Creator/CentralParkMedia distributed it on video and DVD (with a dub from Skypilot Entertainment in 1998) before they went under and Creator/ADVFilms rescued it. When ''they'' went under, Creator/SentaiFilmworks picked up the rights and released a remastered DVD in 2011 with a Blu-ray release in 2012 containing a new dub from Seraphim Digital. GKIDS distributes the film theatrically. |
| 95 | ** ''Anime/PrincessMononoke'' was distributed by Miramax because of its intense content. After selling off Miramax, Disney reacquired the rights and released it under their own name after they renewed their contract with Ghibli, as Disney has not been afraid of releasing PG-13 movies under its own name since the release of ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'' in 2003. |
| 96 | ** ''Anime/TheWindRises'' was originally distributed theatrically and on video by Disney's Touchstone Pictures label due to its content. |
| 97 | ** ''Anime/OnlyYesterday'' was never released by Disney due to its mature content, and it wouldn't see a North American release until 2016 by GKIDS. They also never released the television film ''Anime/OceanWaves'', which was finally released in 2017 by GKIDS (subtitled-only). |
| 98 | ** Disney passed on ''Anime/FromUpOnPoppyHill'', ''Anime/TheTaleOfThePrincessKaguya'', and ''Anime/WhenMarnieWasThere'', which were instead released by GKIDS from the beginning. |
| 99 | ** In 2011, GKIDS picked up the theatrical distribution rights to the Ghibli catalog, and the exclusive home video rights in 2017 after Disney's license expired (in all cases, they recycled Disney's dubs though). They also gave ''Anime/MyNeighborsTheYamadas'' its first Blu-ray release since Disney never released it due to poor DVD sales. GKIDS later picked up ''The Wind Rises'' in 2020 after Disney's license expired. As of now, the only Ghibli film not with GKIDS on home video is ''Grave of the Fireflies'', which is still with Sentai (although they worked with GKIDS to produce a matching steelbook to go with their collection). |
| 100 | *** Even here, GKIDS' home video distribution has shifted from Cinedigm (before 2014), Universal (2014-2017), and Shout! Factory (2017-present). ''Poppy Hill'' went out through both Cinedigm and Shout!, while ''Only Yesterday'', ''Ocean Waves'', ''Princess Kaguya'', and ''Marnie'' have releases from both Universal and Shout!. |
| 101 | ** Averted in the UK, where the Studio Ghibli catalog has always been handled by Optimum Releasing, who were rebranded as [=StudioCanal=] UK in 2011 after [=StudioCanal=] purchased them. Additionally, Madman Entertainment has been the exclusive distributor for the entire catalog in Australia. |
| 102 | * Outside of home country Japan, where Creator/{{Toho}} exclusively handles distribution, the ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' films have gone through many distributors: |
| 103 | ** In the US, the first three films were distributed by Warner Bros., until their rights expired a decade after each film's respective release. Films 4-7 were distributed by Miramax, who are now owned by current Miramax owner beIN Media Group, with home video transferring to Echo Bridge, and later to Lionsgate and currently Paramount. Films 8 onward have been with [=TPCi=] with domestic video distribution handled by Viz Media (who distributes through Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and they also have the domestic home video rights to the anime), with the strange exception of the 11th film, which was released by Universal at first, though Viz released it themselves in 2015. Also, Cinedigm distributed the 14th film in select theaters in the US (the "White" version), otherwise, starting with the sixth movie, the films have all been straight-to-video or TV in the US. The first three films also got a new release in 2016, courtesy of Viz, meaning that, at least in the USA, the only films that The Pokémon Company International hasn't gotten the rights back to are #4-7 because they permanently stay with Paramount through Miramax. However, TPCI did briefly get the digital distribution rights to [[Anime/Pokemon4Ever the fourth movie]], before being pulled again for reasons unknown over a year later before [=TPCi=] gained digital distribution rights to all the prior films in 2018. |
| 104 | ** In the UK, the Pokémon films were also Warner Bros. for #1-3. [=StudioCanal=] handles #4, 5, and 7, while Paramount has #6 (all under Miramax). Network released #10, and Universal has #11-15. None of the other films have been released to DVD in the UK, and only #1-3 were in theaters. In 2016, similar to how the rights in North America had reverted to Viz the year before, the first three movies were picked up for distribution by Creator/MangaEntertainment, which also picked up the rights to ''Hoopa and the Clash of Ages'' and will be releasing all four on Blu-ray. |
| 105 | ** Similarly in Australia, the first three films were released to theaters by Warner Bros. The fourth and fifth films went direct to video from Miramax/Disney, and films eight onward have been released by Beyond Home Entertainment (formerly Magna Pacific), which, similar to Viz in North America and Manga in the UK, picked up the first three films after the original distributor lost the rights in a dispute with Toho and Nintendo. Six and seven have never been released in Australia. Hoyts also released the fourteenth film to select cinemas. |
| 106 | ** Warner Bros. returned to distributing ''Pokémon'' movies with ''Film/PokemonDetectivePikachu''. However, unlike previous films, this movie was actively co-produced by WB and is not set in the same continuity as the anime (Toho still distributes in Japan, though and Legendary has full rights in China), it is in fact a live-action film, the first based on a Nintendo property since ''Film/SuperMarioBros1993'' 26 years earlier (and was much more successful than that film). |
| 107 | * ''Manga/{{Akira}}'' has gone from Streamline Pictures to Orion Pictures/MGM to Pioneer/Geneon to Bandai Visual/Bandai Entertainment to Funimation. |
| 108 | * The ''WesternAnimation/{{Noveltoons}}'' produced from October 1950 to 1962 were originally from Creator/{{Paramount}}, then were sold to Creator/HarveyComics along with the ''Noveltoons'' intellectual property. Harvey Comics was then bought by Classic Media, then by Creator/DreamWorksAnimation, then finally by Creator/{{Universal}}. Paramount sold the pre-1950 cartoons to National Telefilm Associates, which was then renamed Republic Pictures before being bought by Viacom, parent of Paramount. Paramount now owns the cartoons made prior to October 1950 and from 1962 onwards (though a substantial amount of these are in the public domain), while Universal owns the rest (in a twist of irony, Universal also owns almost every sound film from Paramount from 1929-1949, as stated above, along with five Creator/AlfredHitchcock films originally from Paramount and the 1957 Music/ElvisPresley film ''Loving You'' via sister company and copyright holder Creator/{{NBC}}. Coincidentally, DWA distributed its features through Paramount from 2006-12). |
| 109 | * The Miley Cyrus film ''So Undercover'' was financed by The Weinstein Company but was sold to Creator/OpenRoadFilms (a joint venture of the AMC and Regal theatre chains) for its theatrical release. Then the North American theatrical run got canceled and Millennium Films ended up distributing the film for home video (the failure of ''LOL'' at the box office [[StarDerailingRole obviously didn't help matters]]). |
| 110 | * ''Film/{{Haywire}}'' was to have initially been released by Creator/{{Lionsgate}}, but the film's producers (Creator/RelativityMedia) backed out of their deal with them and chose to distribute themselves. The film went back to Lionsgate for its DVD and Blu-ray releases. |
| 111 | * Starting with ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', the ''Franchise/StarWars'' franchise would be distributed by Walt Disney Studios under the Lucasfilm banner after Disney's buyout of said company, displacing Twentieth Century Fox. However, under the terms of the deal, Fox was to retain the distribution rights to the first six films until May 2020, and would own ''Film/ANewHope'' in perpetuity. Ultimately, Disney would acquire Fox in March 2019, bringing all ''Star Wars'' movies under one roof permanently. On digital platforms, Fox, as a separate unit of Disney, is still listed as the distributor of ''A New Hope''. |
| 112 | ** ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars The Clone Wars]]'' pilot movie was distributed by Creator/WarnerBros, but their rights seemingly lapsed, as the DVD and Blu-ray are out-of-print, and the film is currently available on Disney+, along with the rest of the series. |
| 113 | * The home video distribution of the ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' TV specials moved from Media Home Entertainment and sometimes its children's sublabel Hi-Tops Video (or otherwise Kartes Video Communications in a few cases) to Paramount in 1994, then to Warner Bros. in 2008, primarily due to longtime specials producer Bill Melendez being a former ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' animator. |
| 114 | ** The first two ''Peanuts'' [[WesternAnimation/ABoyNamedCharlieBrown theatrical]] [[WesternAnimation/SnoopyComeHome features]] were produced by Cinema Center Films, the former theatrical arm of Creator/{{CBS}}, and distributed by National General Pictures. The [[WesternAnimation/RaceForYourLifeCharlieBrown next]] [[WesternAnimation/BonVoyageCharlieBrown two]] were made by Paramount. Thirty-five years would pass until ''WesternAnimation/ThePeanutsMovie'', which was animated by Creator/BlueSkyStudios and accordingly released by Fox. |
| 115 | * Most films that Media Home Entertainment had originally released on home video saw their rights transfer as well to other distributors, principally Anchor Bay, but the assets of the company when it folded in 1993 following the conviction of Gerald Ronson, CEO of parent company Heron Communications, were sold to Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox, which co-distributed some of the very last releases by Media Home Entertainment. For example, Media originally released the first VHS releases of the first five ''[[Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet Nightmare on Elm Street]]'' films. After Media Home Entertainment ceased to exist, New Line, which originally theatrically distributed the five films became the rights holder for their home video releases, eventually being transferred to corporate parent Warner Bros. |
| 116 | * ''Film/LittleMonsters'' and ''Film/BlueSteel'' were financed by Vestron Pictures but ended up being distributed by [[Creator/{{MGM}} MGM/UA]] due to Vestron's financial issues. MGM's rights to both have since lapsed and have reverted to Vestron's successor, Lionsgate, which released the former on Blu-Ray in September 2020 and will release the latter in November 2023 - both as part of its Vestron Collector's Series line. |
| 117 | * ''Film/MyFairLady'' transferred from Creator/WarnerBros to Creator/{{CBS}} during the 1970s, since CBS sponsored the Broadway musical that the movie was based on. Since then, the film has been released by [[Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer MGM/CBS Home Video]], [[Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox CBS/Fox Video]], [[Creator/WarnerBros Warner Home Video]], and [[Creator/{{Paramount}} Paramount Home Entertainment]] at various times, mainly due to joint ventures and output deals made by CBS. As of 2020, ''My Fair Lady'', like other films previously owned by CBS (such as films they produced through three separate film production units and films they inherited in their purchase of King World Productions, including the Leo A. Gutman Inc. library), has been fully integrated into the Paramount Pictures library, newer prints end with the 2020 Paramount logo. |
| 118 | * Creator/DreamWorksSKG and Creator/DreamWorksAnimation: |
| 119 | ** [=DreamWorks=] started out as an independent studio (with Creator/{{Universal}} handling home video) that was bought out by Creator/{{Paramount}} in 2006. Beginning in 2008, the studio broke off from Paramount and its films from 2009 until 2016 were distributed by Disney, under their Touchstone Pictures banner (with 20th Century Fox handling some of them overseas). After negotiations between the two broke down and [=DreamWorks=] became part of the newly-formed Amblin Partners, future releases will be from multiple studios, but primarily Universal, who owns a minority stake. For the most part, their back-catalog remains split between Paramount (every live-action release from 1997-2010, as well as sequel rights to these films), Universal (the animated films, see below), and Disney (the releases from 2011-2016). |
| 120 | ** [=DreamWorks=] Animation was under [=DreamWorks=]' wing until 2004, when they spilt into a separate entity. Their former parent still distributed for DWA until 2006, when the former was acquired by Viacom, leading to Paramount distributing for them until 2012. The studio was with 20th Century Fox from 2013-2017. However, with DWA's acquisition by [[Creator/{{NBC}} NBC]][[Creator/{{Universal}} Universal]] in 2016, once their deal with Fox ended in 2017 with ''WesternAnimation/CaptainUnderpantsTheFirstEpicMovie'', Universal took over distribution permanently (starting with ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragonTheHiddenWorld''), bringing both [=DreamWorks=] and DWA under the same roof once again [[note]]On a lesser note, ''WesternAnimation/ChickenRun'' was co-produced with French studio Creator/{{Pathe}} who distributed the film in several European territories, making ''Chicken Run'' technically not count as a DWA film over there[[/note]]. |
| 121 | * Creator/AlfredHitchcock: |
| 122 | ** ''Film/{{Psycho}}'' was originally released through Paramount, but the rights to re-release the movie transferred to Universal (on whose lot Hitchcock filmed ''Psycho'') eight years later. Universal eventually gained the rights to four more movies Hitchcock directed for Paramount: ''Film/RearWindow'', ''Film/TheTroubleWithHarry'', ''Film/TheManWhoKnewTooMuch'', and ''Film/{{Vertigo}}''. |
| 123 | ** Hitchcock's adaptation of ''Theatre/{{Rope}}'' was released by Warner Bros. domestically, but MGM overseas. Universal later acquired the worldwide rights to the film along with the Paramount films. |
| 124 | ** ''Film/ToCatchAThief'' is the only Hitchcock film that stayed with Paramount, although Warner Bros. issued it on Blu-ray when they briefly handled Paramount's catalog. ''Film/NorthByNorthwest'' shifted from MGM to Turner to Warner Bros, but Warner did license it to Universal for their US Hitchcock Blu-ray boxset (overseas sets don't include the film). |
| 125 | ** ''Film/{{Rebecca|1940}}'' and ''Film/{{Spellbound|1945}}'', ''Film/TheParadineCase'', and ''Film/{{Notorious|1946}}'' were all produced by Selznick International Pictures, but the first two were distributed theatrically by United Artists and the latter by RKO Radio Pictures, while ''Paradine'' was released independently by Selznick, who retained ownership to all four. However, the rights later ended up with ABC/Disney, who licensed the films to several companies for home video, including Anchor Bay, MGM (with distribution through Fox), Kino Lorber (''Paradine'' only), and Criterion (the other three). |
| 126 | ** The rest of the Psycho series was released under Universal, although Psycho II-IV have been sub-licensed to [=GoodTimes=] and Shout! Factory/Scream Factory for home video at different points. Shout! also released the 1998 remake on Blu-ray. |
| 127 | * Two victims of TheShelfOfMovieLanguishment after MGM's bankrupcy: ''Film/TheCabinInTheWoods'' (rescued by Lionsgate) and ''Film/RedDawn2012'' (minor studio Film District). |
| 128 | ** The bankrupcy lead to a variant: Spyglass Entertainment, who was installed atop MGM by the creditors who had bought the studio, had co-produced ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra'', but decided to plaster Leo the Lion in ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation'' instead of their own logo. |
| 129 | * ''The Seventh Son'' started out as a Creator/WarnerBros and Creator/{{Legendary Pictures}} feature, but when Legendary announced that they were breaking up with WB, the latter decided to cancel its planned January 2014 release date and ditch the film entirely. Distribution rights would be passed on to Legendary's new partner, Creator/{{Universal}}. |
| 130 | ** Universal also got the domestic distribution rights to ''Film/PacificRimUprising'' from Warner Bros. under the new deal (WB still handled international distribution in some territories), as well as the rights to ''Film/StraightOuttaCompton'' from Warner sister studio Creator/NewLineCinema (New Line is still credited as co-producer). |
| 131 | * After losing creative control of Universal-produced WesternAnimation/OswaldTheLuckyRabbit, Creator/WaltDisney turned to Celebrity Productions to distribute his new WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse cartoons. He released the WesternAnimation/SillySymphonies through Creator/ColumbiaPictures in 1929, and they took over distribution of the Mickey series in 1930. Disney then turned to Creator/UnitedArtists from 1932 to 1937, after which Creator/RKORadioPictures took over. RKO started releasing Disney's shorts and features in 1937; Disney formed their own distribution company in 1953 after RKO refused to distribute Film/TheLivingDesert. Despite this, RKO released one last Disney feature in 1955 (a compilation film named ''Music Land'') and continued to release the bulk of Disney's animated shorts until 1956. |
| 132 | ** Years later, [[Creator/{{Disney}} The Walt Disney Company]] acquired the Walt Disney-produced ''Oswald the Lucky Rabbit'' films from Universal in exchange for letting Al Michaels transfer from Creator/{{ESPN}} to NBC's ''Sunday Night Football''. |
| 133 | * In a case of films switching from one brand to another within the same parent company, Creator/TouchstonePictures release ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' received the Creator/{{Disney}} logo for its 3D re-release. |
| 134 | * ''Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory'' was co-produced by the Quaker Oats Company (as a promotion for a failed line of chocolate bars) and David L. Wolper's production company (who later produced ''Series/Roots1977'' for Creator/{{ABC}})), and distributed by Creator/{{Paramount}} during its theatrical premiere. After it flopped, they decided not to renew distribution rights. Wolper's company was purchased by Warner Communications in 1976, and Creator/WarnerBros then added the movie to their library, where it belongs to this day. |
| 135 | * The ''Our Gang'' / ''Film/TheLittleRascals'' unit at Creator/HalRoachStudios was sold to Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer in 1938. MGM already distributed and owned the copyrights to the films for a decade before inheriting the unit. The 1990s movie was co-produced by Creator/{{Universal}} and the company that now owns the franchise, then known as King World, now CBS. |
| 136 | * Franchise/{{Godzilla}} has always been owned by Toho. But American distribution is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godzilla_(franchise)#Toho_productions quite complicated]]. Most are now held by Sony, who produced [[Film/{{Godzilla 1998}} the 1998 American movie]] through [=TriStar=]. After their rights to a new movie lapsed, Legendary Pictures bought them and their then-partner Warner released [[Film/{{Godzilla 2014}} the 2014 movie]]. Even after Legendary moved to Universal, Warner will continue to make future ''Godzilla'' films in association with Legendary. |
| 137 | * The history of ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' distributors is something that requires branching out along different areas of distribution. On television, it was self-distributed by Saban at first before Fox purchased the company. Then Disney purchased the Saban library from Fox and later sold the franchise rights back to Haim Saban himself, with his new company, Saban Brands, co-distributing new installments in association with [=MarVista Entertainment=] until selling the property ''again'' to Creator/{{Hasbro}} in 2018. The theatrical films were first handled by Fox, with Lionsgate (itself distributed on home video by Fox) taking over the film series starting with the third film. On video, [=PolyGram=] and Creator/WarnerMusicGroup, the latter then owned by Creator/WarnerBros, were the first to distribute the franchise, followed by Fox (which had already issued the first film on video), then Disney, and presently Shout! Factory and Creator/{{Lionsgate}}. Ironically, Disney would end up owning the first two movies, and other Saban properties still owned by Fox, years after unloading the franchise itself thanks to their acquisition of Fox's film and television assets in March 2019. |
| 138 | * ''Film/DumbAndDumber'' and its 2003 prequel ''Dumb and Dumberer'' were both distributed by New Line, but its 2014 sequel ''Film/DumbAndDumberTo'' was picked up by Universal (though New Line stayed on as producer). |
| 139 | * ''Film/EarthToEcho'' was originally produced by Creator/{{Disney}}. After seeing the final cut, the studio lost faith in the project and they sold the distribution rights to Creator/RelativityMedia. |
| 140 | * ''Anime/NinjaScroll'' went from Creator/MangaEntertainment to Creator/SentaiFilmworks |
| 141 | * ''Literature/VampireHunterD'' went from Creator/StreamlinePictures to Creator/OrionPictures to Urban Vision to Creator/SentaiFilmworks. |
| 142 | ** It's sequel ''Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust'' went from Urban Vision to Creator/DiscotekMedia. |
| 143 | * Universal Pictures' new deal with Blumhouse Productions led to a peculiar case of this for the latest installments in the ''Film/{{Insidious}}'' and ''Film/{{Sinister}}'' franchises. They were originally distributed by Film District and Summit Entertainment, respectively. Universal subsidiary Focus Features got the rights to both franchises through their acquisition of Film District (in the case of Insidious) and Blumhouse's deal (in the case of Sinister). Then, in the wake of other genre films in the pipeline for that Universal division, including ''Film/{{Selfless}}'', ''Film/LondonHasFallen'' (its predecessor ''Film/OlympusHasFallen'' being distributed by Film District as well), ''Film/TheForest2016'', and the ''WesternAnimation/RatchetAndClank'' movie, Focus briefly revived Gramercy Pictures, one of the company's predecessors, as a label for films like these that would not normally go under the Focus banner, similar to Rogue before it was sold to Relativity Media. |
| 144 | ** This deal also covered ''Film/TheGreenInferno''. It was going to be distributed by Open Road in 2014, but they backed out over [[ScrewedByTheNetwork a bad deal by one of the film's financiers]]. Luckily, Blumhouse, under its BH Tilt label, was able to forge a deal with Universal and High Top Releasing, a label that Focus inherited from Film District, to get it released. (Oddly enough, Universal distributes Open Road's films on home video.) |
| 145 | ** And it happened again with the ''Fallen'' series, as ''Angel Has Fallen'' was distributed by Lionsgate. Three films, same production companies, three distributors. |
| 146 | ** And it happened again with ''Insidious.'' Sony Pictures has always been involved with the franchise through its Stage 6 subsidiary (which coproduced all of them and distributed them internationally) and its deal with Film District (which had them retain video and digital rights to the first two films even after Focus’ acquisition). However, the latest installment, ''The Red Door'', hopped from Focus to Sony subsidiary Screen Gems. Five films, three distributors. |
| 147 | * For ''Anime/DragonBallZBattleOfGods'', [=FUNimation=] partnered up with Screen Vision to release the film into US and Canadian cinemas. When it came time to release ''Anime/DragonBallZResurrectionF'' and ''Anime/DragonBallSuperBroly'', they had their own theatrical distribution arm, ([=FUNimation=] Films), and released them into theaters themselves in partnership with Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox. Following Sony's purchase of both Funimation and Creator/{{Crunchyroll}}, ''Anime/DragonBallSuperSuperHero'' went out under the Crunchyroll label. |
| 148 | ** In Japan, the original 13 ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' films were released by Toei Company themselves. For ''Battle of Gods'', ''Resurrection F'', and ''Broly'', they partnered up with Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox, who had inherited the rights to distribute future ''Dragon Ball'' films through their contract for ''Film/DragonballEvolution''. Following Disney's purchase of Fox, their Japanese arm was shut down, and the rights reverted back to Toei, who released ''Super Hero'' themselves. |
| 149 | * Paramount handled ''Film/TrueGrit'', but Universal took care of the sequel ''Rooster Cogburn''. |
| 150 | * The ''[[Film/NationalLampoonsVacation Vacation]]'' franchise has always been with Warner Bros, but the 2015 sequel/reboot was instead distributed by Warner-owned New Line. |
| 151 | * The ''Franchise/GhostInTheShell'' [[LiveActionAdaptation live-action movie]] was originally set to be distributed by Creator/WaltDisneyPictures (Through their Touchstone Pictures label), with Creator/{{Paramount}} only handling international release, but after Disney and [=DreamWorks=] opted not to renew their distribution deal set to expire on August 2016, the domestic rights were transferred to Paramount wholesale, meaning that they will release the movie both domestically and internationally. Though ''Ghost in the Shell'' was not the first [=DreamWorks=] Pictures film released by Paramount since 2012, that honor goes to ''Film/OfficeChristmasParty''. |
| 152 | ** The two anime films were both produced by Production I.G., but they have different distributors. The original film was released by Creator/{{Shochiku}} in Japan, and Manga Entertainment (at the time, owned by [=PolyGram=]) outside Asia. Unlike most anime properties, Manga outright ''owns'' some distribution rights to the film permanently since they co-funded its production. Manga was sold to Anchor Bay in 2004, who was bought by Starz in 2006, who themselves were bought by Lionsgate in 2016. The second film, ''Innocence'', was released by Toho in Japan and [=DreamWorks=]' [=GoFish=] Pictures overseas (though Manga reached a deal to release it in the UK and Australia). After Creator/{{Paramount}} inherited their back catalog, they licensed it to Bandai. When [=DreamWorks=]' deal expired, the film was out of print for years until [=FUNimation=] licensed it in 2016. |
| 153 | * ''Film/TheLobster'' was bought for US distribution by indie film company Alchemy, and was due for release in March 2016. However, due to Alchemy's financial troubles, the film was sold to fellow indie studio [=A24=] and the planned March release date was bumped back to May of the same year. |
| 154 | * ''Film/{{Suffragette}}'' was bought for US and Canadian distribution by Creator/{{Relativity Media}}, However, due to Relativity's financial troubles and due to poor box office returns from their films, the film's US and Canadian distribution rights was sold to Creator/{{Focus Features}} as a result of Relativity's financial troubles at the time. |
| 155 | * ''Film/ExMachina'' was released by Creator/{{Universal}} internationally, in North America the film's distribution is handled by A24 due to Universal's US arm rejecting it. |
| 156 | ** In a similar case, ''Film/TheDisasterArtist,'' which was produced by New Line Cinema, had its domestic rights acquired by A24 amid doubts within New Line's parent studio Warner Bros. about its commercial potential. Warner Bros. is still distributing it in most international territories except for Canada, where distribution is being held by frequent A24 collaborator Elevation Pictures. |
| 157 | * Castle Rock Entertainment started out as an independent production company, with their films distributed by Columbia Pictures theatrically and by New Line on home video. They were purchased by Turner Entertainment in 1994 (who merged with Time Warner in 1996), though Columbia still continued to be their theatrical distributor until the early 2000s, with Warner taking over home video. Today, the home video and digital download rights to Castle Rock's pre-1994 films are owned by MGM (who owns the [=PolyGram=] library, which the same Castle Rock films became a part of shortly after Turner's merger with Time Warner, due to having been acquired by Epic Productions) and the post-1994 films are owned by Warner Bros. WB also owns the streaming VOD and TV rights to the pre-1994 films. Several films that Columbia financially backed (''Film/AFewGoodMen'', ''Film/InTheLineOfFire'' and ''Film/{{North}}'') remain with Columbia parent Sony. |
| 158 | * The first ''Film/MadMax1'' film was released by Roadshow Entertainment in Australia, American International Pictures in the US, and Warner Bros in the rest of the world. The three other films in the series, ''Film/MadMax2TheRoadWarrior'', ''Film/MadMaxBeyondThunderdome'', and ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' were released by Warner Bros worldwide. Today, MGM has the North American rights to the first ''Mad Max'' film (they own the AIP library), and frequently license it to Warner for franchise boxsets. Scream Factory also has a Blu-ray edition. |
| 159 | * Amidst [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Kong#Legal_rights a complicated legal battle]], all the major Franchise/KingKong movies were by different studios: the [[Film/KingKong1933 1933 original]] and it's [[Film/SonOfKong 1934 sequel]] by RKO (now distributed by Warner domestically), the [[Film/KingKong1976 1976 remake]] and its [[Film/KingKongLibes 1986 sequel]] by the De Laurentiis Corporation (the first distributed by Paramount), the [[Film/KingKong2005 2005 version]] by Universal (who owns the rights to the King Kong name), and Universal licensed 2017's ''Film/KongSkullIsland'' to Warner so they could make a [[Film/GodzillaVsKong crossover]] with [[Film/Godzilla2014 their Godzilla]]. In 2022, James Wan's Atomic Monster production company arranged their own deal with Merian C. Cooper's estate to develop a ''King Kong'' TV series for Disney+. |
| 160 | * ''Film/BladeRunner'' was released by Warner Bros, but [[Film/BladeRunner2049 its sequel]] was released internationally by Sony Pictures, with Warner handling North America only. |
| 161 | ** Because of the way the first film was originally financed, the distribution rights varied from territory to territory. Warner Bros. now owns the distribution rights of ''Blade Runner'' worldwide, but up until the 1990s, the video and TV rights changed hands several times, because Jerry Perenchio and Bud Yorkin controlled the ownership of the film through a holding company, which is still the case today (though in Yorkin's case, his estate owns his share since he died in 2015). |
| 162 | * Creator/SamRaimi's ''Franchise/EvilDead'' series. All of them were produced by Rob Tapert's Creator/RenaissancePictures, but the distributor has changed with each and every film: |
| 163 | ** The [[Film/TheEvilDead1981 original film]] was released theatrically by Creator/NewLineCinema and on home video by Thorn EMI simultaneously in the US, and by numerous other distributors internationally (notably Palace Video in the UK, where it ended up as a notorious [[Main/VideoNasties "Video Nasty"]]). In the US, the film has since been released on home video by HBO/Cannon Video (VHS), Congress Video (VHS), Elite Entertainment (Laserdisc), and for over 20 years by Anchor Bay (VHS, DVD, Blu-ray). Lionsgate inherited the US rights after folding AB into their company, and they released the film on 4K UHD in 2018. Their rights expired in 2023, and the film reverted to Sony, who has been the film's distributor overseas since 2009. |
| 164 | ** ''Film/EvilDead2'' was produced by Dino De Laurentiis, and released independently by De Laurentiis Entertainment Group under the name Rosebud Releasing for legal reasons. The film was denied an R rating by the MPAA, and this was the only way the film could go out unrated. The film is now in [=StudioCanal=]'s catalog internationally, and has been released on home video in the US by Vestron Video (VHS), Elite Entertainment (Laserdisc), Anchor Bay (VHS, DVD, Blu-ray), and Lionsgate (Blu-ray, 4K UHD). |
| 165 | ** ''Film/ArmyOfDarkness'' was released by Universal domestically and MGM overseas (with different cuts). On home video, the film has also been licensed to Anchor Bay (VHS, DVD) and Shout Factory's Scream Factory branch (Blu-ray, 4K UHD). |
| 166 | ** The [[Film/EvilDead2013 reboot]] was Sony's [=TriStar=] Pictures in most territories and [=StudioCanal=] in France and the UK. It has also been licensed by Scream Factory for a 4K UHD. |
| 167 | ** ''Series/AshVsEvilDead'' was made directly by Starz, who was purchased by Lionsgate during production. On Blu-ray, the first two seasons originally went out under Anchor Bay (they were owned by Starz) and Season 3 was under Lionsgate. The series could not legally reference events from ''Army of Darkness'' in its first season, but were able to some in the second season after reaching an agreement with Universal. |
| 168 | ** ''Film/EvilDeadRise'' is once again back with New Line, with Warner Bros. distributing in the US (the film was originally supposed to go straight to HBO Max). The film was released by [=StudioCanal=] in the UK. |
| 169 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheManCalledFlintstone'' and ''WesternAnimation/HeyThereItsYogiBear'' were both released to theaters by Columbia Pictures, and the former even featured a [[LogoJoke studio logo gag]] with Wilma Flintstone drawn in place of the Columbia girl. At the time, all Hanna-Barbara shows were released to TV by Columbia-owned Screen Gems. However, HB, and their library, was bought by Turner in 1991, who merged with Time Warner in 1996. Legal complications between Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures kept these two films [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes off of DVD]] until 2008, when Warner was finally able to release them. Their DVD of ''Flintstone'' removes Columbia's vanity plate gag. |
| 170 | * From 1991 to 1999, Arnon Milchan's New Regency had a distribution deal with Warner Bros. In 1997, Milchan cut a deal with 20th Century Fox to distribute its films and the deal is still in effect. In 2015, the video rights for all of New Regency's Warner releases (with the exception of films Warner co-financed) reverted back to Milchan, who subsequently cut a deal with Fox for distribution. Fox then re-released these films on Blu-Ray & DVD that same year, using the same masters as the previous WB discs with slightly altered packaging. This includes films such as ''Film/{{Heat}}'', which was remastered 2 years later in 4k, and ''Film/LAConfidential'', which is getting a 20th Anniversary release...with no new transfer or extras. The rights to ''Film/OnceUponATimeInAmerica'', originally released by The Ladd Company through Warner Bros., ended up being folded into the New Regency library since Milchan financed the film, and is now distributed by Disney (as a result of the Disney/Fox merger). |
| 171 | * ''Film/SicarioDayOfTheSoldado'', the sequel to ''Film/{{Sicario}}'', jumped ship to [=Sony/Columbia=] Pictures after the series' financier backed out of a new deal with Lionsgate, distributor of the first film. Lionsgate still has overseas rights though. |
| 172 | * Apple, the corporate company of Music/TheBeatles, now owns all four of the band's feature-length films. The United Artists tags at the start has been removed from them, replaced with the Apple logo (except for ''Let It Be,'' which has yet to see a DVD or Blu-Ray release). The end tag of "Released through United Artists" has been taken off all together from the end of ''WesternAnimation/YellowSubmarine'' on its 2012 home video re-release, showing just a blank screen during the end of the song before transitioning to credits of the restoration team. |
| 173 | ** Previously, ''Film/AHardDaysNight'' was released to home video by Miramax (distributed through Buena Vista Entertainment), and likewise, all references--start or finish--to United Artists were excised. ''Film/{{Help}}'' saw its first home video release in 1987 through MPI and Criterion, preserving the UA vanity plates. Apple now owns the film in conjunction with EMI and Capitol, with UA plates removed. |
| 174 | * In the case of ''The Exorcist'' franchise, the [[Film/TheExorcist first]] [[Film/ExorcistIITheHeretic two]] films were produced and released by Warner Bros. In the late-1980s, the rights to the franchise were transferred to Morgan Creek, who has co-produced every entry in the franchise since. [[Film/TheExorcistIII The third film]] was released theatrically and on VHS by 20th Century Fox, on DVD and Blu-ray by Warner Home Video, and on collector's edition Blu-Ray by Scream Factory under license from Morgan Creek. Warner Bros. released the prequels theatrically and initially on home video, but recently those films were reissued on DVD and Blu-ray by Sony, through Morgan Creek's deal with them.[[note]]Warner released a ''Complete Anthology'' boxset during the brief period when they distributed the whole series.[[/note]] Morgan Creek also co-produced [[Series/TheExorcist the TV series]] with 20th Century Fox television for the Fox network. In September 2018 Scream Factory released a special edition Blu-Ray of ''Exorcist II'' under license from Warner Bros. In 2022, Morgan Creek teamed up with Blumhouse to produce a new ''Exorcist'' trilogy with Creator/DavidGordonGreen directing, and Universal distributing. |
| 175 | * ''Film/{{Sonic The Hedgehog|2020}}'' movie was originally set up at Sony, but after producer Neal H. Moritz decided not to renew his first-look deal with Sony and move to Paramount, and Sony deciding to place the film in turnaround after being unable to find financing for it, the ''Sonic'' movie rights were transferred to Paramount as well. This turned out to be a fitting move because Paramount and ''Sonic'' owners Creator/{{Sega}} were once sister companies under Gulf and Western Industries. |
| 176 | * The ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' films started out as [[Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1990 an independent production]] by Hong Kong-based Golden Harvest, with Creator/NewLineCinema purchasing distribution rights during production, an arrangement that stuck for two sequels. The animated film ''WesternAnimation/{{TMNT}}'' was co-produced by Creator/TheWeinsteinCompany and New Line's future parent company, Creator/WarnerBros After Creator/{{Viacom}} bought the TMNT property in 2009, [[Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2014 the 2014 film]] and [[Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesOutOfTheShadows its sequel]] were produced by Creator/{{Paramount}} and Creator/{{Nickelodeon}}. |
| 177 | * [=StudioCanal=] cancelled Creator/TheWeinsteinCompany's North American distribution of ''Film/Paddington2'' in the wake of the sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein, saying they didn't want a family film to be associated with those events. Creator/WarnerBros, who already distributed the first film in Spain, acquired the North American rights to the sequel for $32 million. The upcoming third film, ''Paddington in Peru'', will be released by Creator/SonyPictures stateside. |
| 178 | ** Because of the Weinstein scandal, three other films (''Film/TheWarWithGrandpa'', ''Theatre/InTheHeights'', and ''Film/WindRiver'') reverted to their producers. ''Wind River'' was later sold to Lionsgate, while ''In the Heights'' was also sold to Warner Bros. |
| 179 | * ''Film/LaraCroftTombRaider'' and its sequel were made by Paramount, yet [[Film/TombRaider2018 the 2018 reboot]] is by Warner and MGM. Warner also released the original films on DVD and Blu-ray during their home video deal with Paramount. MGM is still aboard the reboot's upcoming sequel, but Warner isn't. |
| 180 | * The classic Film/HammerHorror films have an infamously complicated distribution history. Hammer Film Productions struck deals with distributors on a film-by-film basis for much of its history, resulting in the films within its ''Frankenstein'' and ''Dracula'' series bearing many different studio logos, especially in the United States. |
| 181 | ** The ''Frankenstein'' films-- ''Film/TheCurseOfFrankenstein'' - Warner Bros. ''Revenge of Frankenstein'' - Columbia. ''The Evil of Frankenstein'' - Universal. ''Frankenstein Created Woman'' - 20th Century Fox theatrically, currently Millennium. ''Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed'' - Warner Bros. ''The Horror of Frankenstein'' - MGM. ''Film/FrankensteinAndTheMonsterFromHell'' - Paramount. |
| 182 | ** The ''Dracula'' films- ''Film/HorrorOfDracula'' - Universal theatrically, currently Warner Bros. ''Film/TheBridesOfDracula'' - Universal. ''Film/DraculaPrinceOfDarkness'' - 20th Century Fox theatrically, Millennium currently. ''Film/DraculaHasRisenFromTheGrave'' - Warner Bros. ''Film/TasteTheBloodOfDracula'' - Warner Bros. ''Film/ScarsOfDracula'' - 20th Century Fox theatrically, Lionsgate currently. ''Film/DraculaAD1972'' - Columbia and Warner Bros theatrically, Warner Bros currently. ''Film/TheSatanicRitesOfDracula'' - Warner Bros. theatrically, public domain currently. ''Film/TheLegendOfThe7GoldenVampires'' - Dynamite Entertainment theatrically, Millennium currently. |
| 183 | * ''Film/{{XXx}}'' and its sequel ''Film/XXxStateOfTheUnion'' were both released by Sony/Columbia. When ''State of the Union'' flopped, Sony was hesitant on doing a third ''xXx'' movie. The eventual third film, ''Film/XxXReturnofXanderCage'', came out 12 years after the sequel's release at Creator/{{Paramount}} as a result. This also meant that franchise co-producer Neal Mortiz, who was [[ExecutiveMeddling locked under a first-look contract at Sony]], could not return for the third film, having to wait until the end of 2017 to sign a new contract at Paramount. In 2018, Creator/VinDiesel and independent company H Collective bought the ''xXx'' franchise from former owner Revolution Studios and plans to make another sequel without Paramount's involvement. |
| 184 | * ''Film/PokemonDetectivePikachu'' was a Creator/LegendaryPictures/Creator/{{Universal}} co-production until contract renewal negotiations between the two broke down. Former Legendary partner Creator/WarnerBros, who had poached ''Film/KongSkullIsland'' from Universal several years prior, distributed the film worldwide (except Japan, where Creator/{{Toho}} has the rights), allowing Warner Bros. to return to the ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' franchise for the first time since ''Anime/Pokemon3''[[note]]Ironically, Warner Bros. initially bid for the live-action movie rights before losing out to Legendary[[/note]]. |
| 185 | * The film adaptation for ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys1'' was first set up at New Line/Warner Bros. before ExecutiveMeddling and budget problems led to Warner Bros. putting the film in turnaround, effectively cancelling the project. Blumhouse quickly bought the rights from Warner, with Universal accordingly distributing. |
| 186 | * Similarly, Warner Bros. was supposed to produce ''Film/DeathNote2017'' before WB sent the film into turnaround due to a change in release strategy following ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'''s disappointing box office numbers. Creator/{{Netflix}} then picked the project up, with the crew still attached. |
| 187 | * Another movie Warner Bros. dropped (at least in the United States) was ''WesternAnimation/Planet51'', which was inherited from New Line after WB took over that studio. Things went south when the producers demanded it take the slot reserved for ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince''. Warner didn't comply with the demands, and distribution was instead taken up by Creator/TriStarPictures. |
| 188 | * ''WesternAnimation/MerryLittleBatman'' was orignally planned to air on Creator/{{Max}} and Creator/CartoonNetwork's Acme Night block, but was ultimately sold to Creator/PrimeVideo and released through [[Creator/AmazonStudios Amazon MGM Studios]], resulting in the inclusion of the Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer[[note]]a company you normally wouldn't expect to produce a ''Batman'' film, let alone anything DC-related in general[[/note]] logo at the beginning and end. |
| 189 | * Creator/AndySerkis' ''Film/{{Mowgli}}'' was in development as early as 2013 from Warner Bros, but after a serious case of TheShelfOfMovieLanguishment (and competition from Disney's ''Film/TheJungleBook2016''), they dumped it on Netflix, for a streaming-only release in 2019. This was a last-minute decision, after Warner had already released a trailer and sent posters to cinemas. |
| 190 | * ''The Blob'' franchise. [[Film/TheBlob1958 The original 1958 film]] was produced independently, but picked up for distribution by Paramount Pictures. It's been released to home video by [=GoodTimes=] (VHS) and The Criterion Collection ([=LaserDisc=], DVD, and Blu-ray). The 1972 sequel ''Film/BewareTheBlob'' was financed and released independently by Jack H. Harris productions, and released to home video by Image Entertainment and Kino Lorber. [[Film/TheBlob1988 The 1988 remake]] was released by [=TriStar=] Pictures, and is now owned by Sony. Twilight Time released a limited edition Blu-ray before Scream Factory licensed the film. |
| 191 | * The ''Prom Night'' franchise. The original four films were all produced by Peter Simpson's Simcom Productions/Norstar Releasing, but have been handled by numerous companies. [[Film/PromNight1980 The original 1980 film]] was picked up for distribution by AVCO Embassey, and later released to video by MCA/Universal ([=LaserDisc=]), New Line and Virgin Video (VHS) and Anchor Bay (DVD). [[Film/HelloMaryLouPromNightII The in-name-only sequel]] was picked up by The Samuel Goldwyn Company, and later ended up with MGM with home video by Virgin Video (VHS) and 20th Century Fox (DVD). [[Film/PromNightIIITheLastKiss That film's sequel]] [[Film/PromNightIVDeliverUsFromEvil and the fourth entry]] were released direct-to-video by Live! Entertainment ([=LaserDisc=] by Image), and later released to DVD by Artisan (later bought by Lionsgate). [[Film/PromNight2008 The 2008 reboot]] was released by Sony Pictures under their Screen Gems label. The rights to the original four films later reverted to Alliance Atlantis (who owns Peter Simpson's catalog), with home video by Echo Bridge. Synapse later licensed the first film for Blu-ray. Entertainment One later purchased Alliance, and sold some of their catalog (including the original ''Prom Night'' films) to [=FilmRise=]. The rights to the third film aren't quite certain, as it is completely unavailable on DVD or streaming, unlike the others. Some are worried that the rights may have reverted to the same hands as the notorious ''Film/FrightNightPart2'', which had the same producer. |
| 192 | * ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie1986'' was distributed by De Laurentiis Entertainment Group in its original release. The [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017 unrelated 2017 movie]], meanwhile, was released by Creator/{{Lionsgate}}[[note]]Originally, that film was a co-production between Hasbro and Creator/{{Sony}} Pictures, until failed negotiations and executive reshuffling at Sony resulted in the latter pulling out, causing Hasbro to handle the film alone[[/note]]. After that film did mediocre box office business, Hasbro decided to make the next film a ContinuityReboot, to be released in 2021 and co-produced and released by Creator/{{Paramount}} as part of their production pact with Hasbro. Paramount's involvement with what became ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyANewGeneration'' was ultimately canceled when Hasbro (through Entertainment One) decided to forgo a theatrical release in favor of putting it on Netflix. |
| 193 | * The original ''[[Film/Scarface1932 Scarface]]'' was produced by Creator/HowardHughes and distributed by Creator/UnitedArtists. After Hughes' death, the rights to the movie along with several of Hughes' works were bought by Creator/{{Universal}}, who would go on to produce the more notable [[Film/Scarface1983 1983 remake]]. |
| 194 | * ''Film/Titanic1997'' started out as a Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox production entirely. As the production budget soared, however, Fox decided to sell the domestic rights to Creator/{{Paramount}} to hold off potential losses (they still released the movie internationally). The potential losses never occurred, as ''Titanic'' became the highest-grossing film of all time until 2010. |
| 195 | * In a similar vein, ''Film/ThePrestige'' was initially just a Warner Bros. production before WB agreed to sell the North American rights to Creator/TouchstonePictures to avoid cost overruns. |
| 196 | * A twofer involving co-productions with Warner Bros. and Paramount: ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'' and ''Film/{{Interstellar}}'' were solely Paramount productions initially, but both ended up under Warner's wing as well (WB handled ''Watchmen'' domestically, ''Interstellar'' internationally). The former was a result of Paramount placing it in turnaround whilst keeping a stake in the film rights, while the latter was due to Warner Bros. wanting to be involved in the film so much (due to it being directed by Christopher Nolan, who has released most of his films through the studio) that they gave up their portion of the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' movie rights and the ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'' franchise just to get Paramount to relent (though the latter rights ended up going back to WB years later). |
| 197 | * The 1978-1987 ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' films with Creator/ChristopherReeve is a rather convoluted case. Warner Bros., which owns the rights to the character via DC Comics, did not produce these films. Instead, DC sold the film rights to Alexander and Ilya Salkind; they produced the [[Film/SupermanTheMovie first]] [[Film/SupermanII three]] [[Film/SupermanIII films]] and contracted WB to distribute the films in North America, and in the case of the first two, domestic TV rights and most foreign rights. The Salkinds later sold the ''Superman'' rights to Creator/TheCannonGroup, which produced ''Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace''. WB had recently bailed out the financially-struggling Cannon and bought the domestic theatrical/video rights to that film as part of that plan. ''Film/{{Supergirl|1984}}'' was originally going to be a WB release but the studio and the Salkinds disagreed over the intended release date and [=TriStar=] Pictures took over distribution. In 2006, WB managed to acquire all rights to these films (with the exception of some foreign distribution contracts still in effect). |
| 198 | * The two film adaptations of "Literature/TheSecretLifeOfWalterMitty" both involved members of the Goldwyn family, but were produced by different studios. |
| 199 | ** [[Film/TheSecretLifeOfWalterMitty1947 The 1947 adaptation]] was produced by Samuel Goldwyn's production studio and distributed by RKO Pictures theatrically. It's now owned by his estate, with Creator/WarnerBros currently licensed to distribute on home video and Creator/{{Miramax|Films}} on digital distribution, respectively. |
| 200 | ** [[Film/TheSecretLifeOfWalterMitty The 2013 adaptation]] started out as a Samuel Goldwyn Jr./New Line co-production, but CreativeDifferences between Goldwyn Jr. and New Line resulted in the latter parting ways with him. After an unsuccessful pitch to Paramount, Goldwyn Jr. eventually sold the rights to Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox, who gave both New Line and Goldwyn Jr. credit in the final product. |
| 201 | * The ''Film/{{Grindhouse}}'' franchise has a bit of a messy history. The original double feature of ''Film/PlanetTerror'' and ''Film/DeathProof'' were produced by Troublemaker Studios and distributed theatrically by Dimension Films, and on video by the Weinstein Company (separate extended cuts) and Vivendi Entertainment (as a double feature). The spinoff film ''Film/{{Machete}}'' was distributed by 20th Century Fox in the United States and Sony internationally, and its sequel ''Film/MacheteKills'' was theatrically distributed by Open Road Films and on video by Universal. Both were still produced by Troublemaker. The ''other'' spinoff film, ''Film/HoboWithAShotGun,'' was produced in Canada by Rhombus Media and distributed by Alliance Films in Canada and Magnet Releasing in the United States. And yet ''another'' spinoff film, ''Thanksgiving'', is produced by Spyglass Media Group and will be distributed worldwide by [=TriStar=] and Sony. |
| 202 | * The live-action ''Film/SuperMarioBros1993'' movie was produced by Creator/CinergiPictures and Allied Filmmakers, and released by Creator/{{Disney}} via Creator/HollywoodPictures. When Creator/{{Nintendo}} decided to give the franchise a second go in movies, they contracted Creator/IlluminationEntertainment to produce an [[AllCGICartoon all-CGI]] ContinuityReboot, to be released by Creator/{{Universal}}. Disney notably had a long-standing relationship with Nintendo that predated the latter's entrance into video games, though Universal has a stronger relationship nowadays as the latter's theme parks are opening Nintendo-themed areas (ironically, Nintendo and Universal were not on good terms to start their relationship when the latter sued the former in the 1980s because ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong'' allegedly infringed on Universal's rights to ''King Kong''). |
| 203 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Thumbelina|1994}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/ATrollInCentralPark'' were produced by Creator/DonBluth[='=]s studio and released by Creator/WarnerBros When Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox hired him to run their now-defunct feature animation division, both movies were part of the deal and thus transferred to Fox a few years later. |
| 204 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSwanPrincess'' was originally pitched by Walt Disney Feature Animation in 1992. When Disney was unable to reach Richard Rich for the project, it ended up being pitched to NEST and New Line Cinema. The home video rights to it, and its many sequels, would end up in the hands of Sony Pictures after the fact. |
| 205 | * Creator/{{Laika}} had their first four movies released through Creator/{{Universal}}'s Creator/FocusFeatures unit. For ''WesternAnimation/MissingLink'', they broke off with Universal/Focus and sold the US distribution rights to Creator/AnnapurnaPictures (who, in turn, transferred them to Creator/{{MGM}}'s Creator/UnitedArtists unit when they set up a distribution joint venture with them) and the international rights to Creator/{{Lionsgate}}. As part of the terms of Laika's original distribution deal with Focus, the rights would revert to them within a period of time. When this happened, Laika quickly inked a new deal with Shout Factory for their first four films. |
| 206 | * The merger of Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox with Disney led to many projects in early development at the time being cancelled, brought over to other Disney labels, or in these cases switched studios: |
| 207 | ** The film adaptation for ''Literature/TheHateUGive'' was produced and distributed by Fox. Its follow-up, ''On the Come Up'', is being handled by Creator/{{Paramount}} due to Fox's then-new owner Creator/{{Disney}} shutting down Fox 2000, which produced the former film. |
| 208 | ** ''Film/NewsOfTheWorld2020'', co-produced by and starring Creator/TomHanks, moved to Creator/{{Universal}} after Fox 2000's shuttering. (Due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, international rights were later sold to Creator/{{Netflix}}.) |
| 209 | ** The film adaptation of ''ComicBook/MouseGuard'' which was shut down by the new owners just two weeks before production was to begin. The producers were allowed to shop it elsewhere, but no one was willing to take it up, resulting in its outright cancellation. |
| 210 | ** ''Film/RichardJewell'', produced by Creator/ClintEastwood, was almost given the thumbs-up to go ahead before Eastwood and Disney agreed the project was better off at Creator/WarnerBros, who was a frequent Eastwood collaborator by then, than with Fox. |
| 211 | ** A film adaptation of ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'', which had been shelved for quite some time, was scrapped, and the rights ended up reverting back to Creator/{{Hasbro}}. The toy company then partnered with Creator/{{Netflix}} for an animated series, with Creator/TheRussoBrothers producing. |
| 212 | ** Zig-zagged and later played straight with a Fox 2000 holdover, ''[[Literature/LegacyOfOrisha Children of Blood and Bone]]''. It ended up staying at Disney after the label's shuttering, but Disney-owned Creator/{{Lucasfilm}} ended up joining as a production partner after it caught the attention of Lucasfilm head Creator/KathleenKennedy. However, a protracted development period and Lucasfilm choosing to focus on ''Franchise/StarWars'' and other established [=IPs=] led to Disney losing the rights to Creator/{{Paramount}}, which has a strong relationship with Hasbro. |
| 213 | ** ''The Woman in the Window'' '''would've''' been distributed by Disney...had [[TroubledProduction negative test screenings, lack of faith from studio executives]] and the COVID-19 pandemic not affect its release date. In August 2020, Disney sold the rights to Creator/{{Netflix}} just to clean their hands of the movie and finally finish off the Fox 2000 slate. |
| 214 | ** The ''Film/FearStreet'' film trilogy was supposed to be released by Disney theatrically, but they instead handed the movies over to Netflix when studio Chernin Entertainment's production deal with Fox lapsed. Other Chernin projects such as the live-action ''Franchise/MegaMan'' movie moved to Netflix as well. |
| 215 | ** A proposed film adaptation of ''Theatre/{{Spamalot}}'' languished in development hell at Fox for years, and was ultimately shelved when Disney took over. Thankfully, Disney allowed Creator/EricIdle to shop the film elsewhere, and it ended up at Creator/{{Paramount}}, in large part because [[{{Irony}} that studio was run by the same executive who picked it up at Fox]]. |
| 216 | ** An [[WesternAnimation/Nimona2023 adaptation]] of ''Webcomic/{{Nimona}}'' was in mid-production at Creator/BlueSkyStudios when Disney shuttered the company in 2021 as a cost-cutting measure, cancelling the film in the process ([[https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-disapproved-same-sex-kiss-nimona-movie-former-staffers-say-2022-3 though several Blue Sky staffers have said that Disney higher-ups already had issues with certain elements of the film beforehand]]). The project was later acquired by Creator/{{Netflix}} and Creator/AnnapurnaPictures, with [[Creator/DoubleNegativeVFX DNEG Animation]] picking up where Blue Sky left off. |
| 217 | * The ''Film/JamesBond'' series is one of the few examples where the same company (Creator/EonProductions) has been involved since the very beginning. That being said, they always have to partner with bigger studios to co-finance and distribute the films, and changes happened on this side. |
| 218 | ** The series was originally handled by Creator/UnitedArtists, and continued to be released under the label even after MGM bought the studio. Starting with ''Film/TheWorldIsNotEnough'', MGM distributed the series under their name after the unit was retooled as an indie division for a short time, before other changes. |
| 219 | ** ''Film/DieAnotherDay'' was the only Bond film released outside the United States by [[Creator/TwentiethCenturyStudios 20th Century Fox]], as MGM had parted ways with [[Creator/{{Universal}} United]] [[Creator/{{Paramount}} International]] a few years prior. |
| 220 | ** ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'', ''Film/QuantumOfSolace'', ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'' and ''Film/{{Spectre}}'' were all co-produced and released by Creator/ColumbiaPictures in partnership with MGM and EON Productions. For ''Film/NoTimeToDie'', MGM and EON partnered with Creator/{{Universal}}, who handled distribution internationally while MGM handled distribution stateside through their newly-revived United Artists unit. |
| 221 | ** Two films that aren't part of the official Bond chronology, ''Film/CasinoRoyale1967'' and ''Film/NeverSayNeverAgain'', were distributed by different studios (Columbia for the former; Creator/WarnerBros for the latter) originally, but both ended up under MGM's ownership in the late '90s through different means (for the former, MGM got the rights to ''Casino Royale'' from Sony as part of a trade that saw Sony get the ''Franchise/SpiderMan'' movie rights, while the latter was bought from producer Jack Schwartzman's estate). |
| 222 | * In a case of a film series switching sister studios, ''Film/JohnWickChapter3Parabellum'' went from Summit to Lionsgate proper (although Summit still retains a production credit), and switched some international territories as well - the first two films were distributed by Warner Bros. in the UK and Ireland, for example. |
| 223 | * ''Film/LakePlacid'' was a production of 20th Century Fox originally. In 2006, Fox sold the ''Lake Placid'' IP to the film's co-producers Phoenix Pictures, who then partnered up with Sony Pictures to produce the television film sequel with Fox the following year. All subsequent films released since then are exclusively from Sony, though Fox owner Disney still owns the prior two films (and currently licenses the digital rights to Sony as of 2018). |
| 224 | * As with ''John Wick'' above, ''Film/JumanjiWelcomeToTheJungle'' was released by Columbia Pictures (as was [[Film/JumanjiTheNextLevel its sequel]]), an upgrade within Sony from [=TriStar=]'s release of the [[Film/{{Jumanji}} first film]]. |
| 225 | ** This isn't the first time Sony "upgraded" labels for sequels. ''Film/TheMaskOfZorro'' was released through [=TriStar=], while its sequel seven years later, ''Film/TheLegendOfZorro'', was released through Columbia. |
| 226 | * The 1961 film version of ''Theatre/WestSideStory'' was co-produced between Mirisch Films and Seven Arts Productions and released through Creator/UnitedArtists (now with Creator/{{MGM}}). The 2020 adaptation, directed by Creator/StevenSpielberg, is produced through [[Creator/AmblinEntertainment his company]] and Creator/TwentiethCenturyStudios, and released by [=20th=] owner Creator/{{Disney}}. |
| 227 | * Every film in the ''Fallen'' film series has been produced by Millennium Films, but they've all gone out through different distributors. ''Film/OlympusHasFallen'' was released by [=FilmDistrict=] before their shutdown, and released to home video by Sony Pictures. ''Film/LondonHasFallen'' was released by Comcast-owned Focus Features (who absorbed [=FilmDistrict=]), with home video by Universal. ''Film/AngelHasFallen'' was released by Lionsgate. |
| 228 | * Every version of ''Black Christmas'' has been released by a different studio. The [[Film/BlackChristmas1974 original 1974 Canadian film]] was released in its native country by Ambassador Film Distributors, and in the US by Warner Bros. It's now owned by Sommerville House, with home video formerly by Anchor Bay (Canada) and Critical Mass (US) and now by Shout! Factory. The [[Film/BlackChristmas2006 2006 remake]] was produced by The Weinstein Company's Dimension Films label, and released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and on home video by Genius Products. It's now owned by Lionsgate, who bought most of TWC's catalog from Lantern and Spyglass. The [[Film/BlackChristmas2019 2019 remake]] was produced by Blumhouse and released by Universal. |
| 229 | * ''Film/DaddyDayCare'' was released by Columbia, while its sequel ''Film/DaddyDayCamp'' was released by Tristar. Due to a deal with Creator/{{Universal}} and Creator/RevolutionStudios, the third installment ''Grand Daddy Day-Care'' was released by Universal. Similarly, ''Film/TheBenchwarmers'' was released by Columbia, while ''Benchwarmers 2'' was released by Universal. |
| 230 | * Throughout its history, Creator/MorganCreek jumped from Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox, to Creator/WarnerBros, to Creator/{{Universal}} for distribution, while retaining the copyright to their library (The first ''Film/MajorLeague'' film, ''Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves'' and ''Film/TheLastOfTheMohicans'' being exceptions; all three were co-produced by and stayed with their distributors). Recently, their titles were acquired by Creator/RevolutionStudios, with Creator/SonyPictures, Shout! Factory, and Mill Creek currently handling home video distribution for the majority of these films. Relativity Media also handles digital distribution for a select few, like ''Film/{{Diabolique}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheKingAndI''. |
| 231 | * ''Film/ScaryStoriesToTellInTheDark'' was released by Lionsgate on behalf of CBS Films. Due to the merger between Viacom and CBS, its sequel will be released by Creator/{{Paramount}}. |
| 232 | * ''Film/RedNotice'' was originally going to be released theatrically by [[Creator/{{Universal}} Universal Pictures]] and Creator/LegendaryPictures. Creator/{{Netflix}} acquired the distribution rights on July 8, 2019. |
| 233 | * ''Film/{{Orphan}}'' was released by Warner Bros, but prequel ''Film/OrphanFirstKill'' had Paramount domestically and a bevy of distributors worldwide. |
| 234 | * Impatient about Creator/UniversalPictures and Creator/AmblinEntertainment putting off making a sequel to ''Film/{{Casper}}'', franchise owners Harvey Comics made a deal with Creator/SabanEntertainment and Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox Home Entertainment to produce DirectToVideo follow-ups ''Film/CasperASpiritedBeginning'' and ''Film/CasperMeetsWendy''. The reason they went straight-to-video was thanks to LoopholeAbuse: Harvey sold the film rights to Universal, as in ''theatrical'' films; movies produced for video didn't count.[[note]]The same loophole was exploited by Saban for the direct-to-video ''Film/AddamsFamilyReunion'' (the sequel to Paramount's ''Addams Family'' movies) and ''Richie Rich's Christmas Wish'' (a sequel to Warner Bros.' ''Film/RichieRich'').[[/note]] Funnily enough, through a series of acquisitions, the Casper character would become outright owned by Universal, including the rights to some of the DTV films, and they released a DVD set including the 1995 film and ''A Spirited Beginning'' in 2019. ''Casper Meets Wendy'' appears to have been retained by Fox and Saban's successor, Disney, however. |
| 235 | * Creator/DenisVilleneuve's ''Film/{{Dune|2021}}'' was originally supposed to be distributed by Creator/{{Universal}} like [[Film/Dune1984 the 1984 film]], but due to producer Creator/LegendaryPictures switching allegiances in mid-2018 it is now distributed by Creator/WarnerBros. Ironically, Universal will co-distribute the home media release as part of a joint venture with Warner. |
| 236 | * ''Film/TheButterflyEffect'' and its sequel was distributed by New Line. The third installment was distributed by Creator/{{Lionsgate}}. |
| 237 | * ''Film/VanWilder'' was distributed by Artisan Entertainment, now owned by Creator/{{Lionsgate}}. ''Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj'' was distributed by Creator/{{MGM}}. ''Van Wilder: Freshman Year'' was distributed by Creator/{{Paramount}} under its Paramount Famous Productions banner. |
| 238 | * ''Film/{{Poltergeist|1982}}'': To an extent. Creator/{{MGM}} produced the trilogy and the remake. However, the first movie is currently owned by Creator/WarnerBros, due to Turner Entertainment's ownership of MGM's pre-May 1986 library, and WB's ownership of Turner Entertainment. The sequels remained with MGM, and for a while, were handled on home video by Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox, who also distributed the remake. WB took over distribution duties of MGM's post-1986 library from Fox in 2020 (you can thank Creator/{{Disney}} [[CreatorKiller buying Fox]] for that one), giving them rights to the whole trilogy. Later, [=ShoutFactory=] got the rights to release deluxe editions of the second and third films as well. |
| 239 | * The ''WesternAnimation/VeggieTales'' movies. ''WesternAnimation/JonahAVeggieTalesMovie'' was originally released by Artisan Pictures via the film unit of Family Home Entertainment, before Artisan was bought by Creator/{{Lionsgate}}. The follow-up film six years later, ''WesternAnimation/ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnythingAVeggieTalesMovie'', was released by Creator/{{Universal}} Pictures, Big Idea's future parent company. Universal would subsequently get the rights to ''Jonah'' once Lionsgate's 15-year contract expired. |
| 240 | * The ''Film/{{Phantasm}}'' franchise. First film: AVCO Embassy Pictures. Second film: Creator/{{Universal}}. Third film: Starway International Inc. Fourth film: Creator/OrionPictures. Fifth film: Well Go Entertainment. Scream Factory released the second on Blu-ray before Well Go was able to release the rest of the series, as well as a complete boxset with all the films. |
| 241 | * ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion'': From KlorkWorx for the first and second movie to Creator/ToeiCompany for the third and fourth films. The fourth movie adds Creator/{{Toho}} as a distributor. |
| 242 | * ''Film/TalesFromTheHood'' was released by independent film company Savoy Pictures, with its sequels ''Film/TalesFromTheHood2'' and ''Film/TalesFromTheHood3'' distributed by Creator/{{Universal}} due to that company acquiring the rights to the first film through their subsidiary Focus Features' acquisition of Savoy Pictures' film library after Savoy Pictures went defunct. |
| 243 | * ''Film/TheHeartbreakKid1972'' was released by Fox, the 2007 remake by Paramount. |
| 244 | * Taft Entertainment's library (which includes Stephen King's ''Film/{{Cujo}}'' and ''Film/TheRunningMan'') was sold to Spelling Entertainment in 1988 as part of the overall purchase of Taft's programming assets (outside of Hanna-Barbera and Ruby-Spears). Warner Bros. originally distributed ''Cujo'' while [=TriStar=] handled ''The Running Man'' and ''Film/TheMonsterSquad''. Spelling purchased Repulic Pictures in 1994, and Republic took in the theatrical film library of Spelling under its wing. Viacom, which purchased Paramount Pictures in 1994, acquired Spelling in 1999, and thus the Republic libary, including films originally produced by Taft, were incorporated into Paramount's library, but still under the Republic label. Paramount/Viacom honored a home video output agreement Spelling made with Artisan Entertainment in 1998 until 2006 for both films and TV series in the Spelling library under the Republic label, though before the output deal ended, Artisan was acquired by Lionsgate. After the 2006 split of Viacom and CBS Corporation, the former kept the Spelling Entertainment film library under Melange Pictures, and the latter took the TV library under Spelling Television. Paramount/Viacom licensed the home video rights to the Melange Pictures library (except ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife'', which Paramount/Viacom now handled in-house) to Lionsgate for another 6 years, then Olive Films starting in 2012. |
| 245 | ** One film in the Melange Pictures library, ''Film/{{Freeway}}'', ultimately had the rights revert to its producers, The Kushner-Locke Company. Both ''Freeway'' and its InNameOnly sequel ''Freeway 2: Confessions of a Trickbaby'' (itself an example, having been distributed by Creator/FullMoonFeatures) were out of print for years and unavailable on any HD format until Kushner-Locke licensed them to Vinegar Syndrome for a 4K restoration. |
| 246 | * ''WesternAnimation/WatershipDown'' has gone from Embassy Pictures to Warner Bros and now Janus Films with a release from their sister company Creator/TheCriterionCollection. |
| 247 | * A sequel to ''Film/KnivesOut'' was initially greenlit by Creator/{{Lionsgate}}, which had released the first film. However, before production could begin, Creator/{{Netflix}} launched a successful $400 million bid to take over production and distribution of not only [[Film/GlassOnion that film]], but a ''second'' sequel as well. |
| 248 | * ''Film/{{Rad}}'' was released theatrically by [=TriStar=] and on VHS and laserdisc by Embassy Home Entertainment, then by its successor Nelson (and Warner Bros. in some international territories). After over two decades without a subsequent video release, Utopia Distribution[[note]]A company co-owned by Robert Schwartzman, whose father Jack produced the movie[[/note]] acquired the theatrical and digital rights and gave it a one-off 4K UHD release on video through its partner label Vinegar Syndrome (which became one of the biggest sellers ever on the site). It subsequently licensed the film to Mill Creek for a general home entertainment release. |
| 249 | * Film/TheViewAskewniverse has run from studio to studio over the years. ''Film/{{Clerks}}'' was an independent production that was picked up by Creator/{{Miramax}}. Its next film, ''Film/{{Mallrats}}'', was released by Creator/GramercyPictures, and is consequently owned by Creator/{{Universal}}. ''Film/ChasingAmy'' went back to Miramax, who would've also handled ''Film/{{Dogma}}''. However, [[Creator/{{Disney}} Miramax's owner at the time]] took issue with the film's subject matter, and had the Weinsteins buy the movie from them. The brothers licensed the film to a then-small Creator/{{Lionsgate}} for its theatrical release and Sony for home video, [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes deals that have since lapsed]] and [[DenialOfDigitalDistribution pre-dated streaming]]. ''Film/JayAndSilentBobStrikeBack'' was released by Miramax under the Creator/DimensionFilms label. All the Miramax-released films are now distributed by Creator/{{Paramount}}. ''Film/ClerksII'' was released by Creator/TheWeinsteinCompany. ''Film/JayAndSilentBobReboot'' went to Saban Films domestically and Universal internationally, with Lionsgate handling home video. Lionsgate also acquired the distribution rights to ''Clerks II'' through a deal with TWC's successors, Lantern Entertainment and Spyglass Media Group, and released ''Clerks III''. |
| 250 | * The ''Qatsi'' trilogy and its successors ''Baraka'' and ''Samsara'' are another example of this, and a relatively rare one when it comes to documentaries. ''Film/{{Koyaanisqatsi}}'' went through Island Alive Pictures on initial release, ''Powaqqatsi'' was coproduced by Golan-Globus and released by that firm’s distribution arm Cannon Films, and ''Naqoyqatsi'' was coproduced and released by Miramax. ''Koyaanisqatsi'' and most of the rights to ''Powaqqatsi'' are both currently owned by MGM through their acquisitions of the [=PolyGram=] library and Cannon, respectively, while the TV/streaming rights to ''Powaqqatsi'' and all rights to ''Naqoyqatsi'' are owned by Paramount (and in the latter case by Disney and Lionsgate at various points). Both companies have licensed the three films to The Criterion Collection for their boxset and the Criterion Channel streaming service. ''Film/{{Baraka}}'', widely considered a SpiritualSuccessor, went to Samuel Goldwyn for theatrical, and is currently licensed to MPI for home video; that film’s sequel ''Samsara'' went to Oscilloscope. Five films, five distributors. |
| 251 | * The Music/JenniferLopez/Creator/JoshDuhamel comedy ''Film/ShotgunWedding'' was originally produced and set to be released theatrically by Creator/{{Lionsgate}}; however, Creator/AmazonStudios [[https://deadline.com/2022/04/jennifer-lopez-shotgun-wedding-sells-to-amazon-prime-video-1234993988/ picked up the film]] in 2022 with an offer Lionsgate allegedly couldn't refuse, releasing it on Creator/PrimeVideo. |
| 252 | * ''Film/TheCrow1994'' began production under Paramount, but they dropped the film during production due to the on-set death of its star Creator/BrandonLee. Miramax, just purchased by Disney at the time, stepped in to complete the film and handle distribution through its Dimension Films label. Thus, the 2020 acquisition of a minority stake in Miramax, and distribution rights to its library, by Paramount meant that rights to ''The Crow'' returned to the studio that originally greenlit the film. |
| 253 | * Zigzagged with ''Film/{{Twister}}''. Whereas the first film was released by Warner Bros. in North America and Universal Pictures internationally, ''Twisters'' is being released by Universal in North America and Warners internationally. |
| 254 | * The Creator/RodgersAndHammerstein film versions of ''Film/{{Oklahoma}}'' and ''Film/SouthPacific'' were produced and distributed by the Magna Theatre Corporation for their initial roadshow runs. After they entered their general release runs, distribution of the films changed hands; ''Oklahoma!'' went to RKO, and later 20th Century Fox, while ''South Pacific'' went to Fox. In the 1980s, CBS acquired the video rights to both films from the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization; these rights were transferred to CBS/Fox, and later 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. In 1982, ''Oklahoma!'' was re-released theatrically by The Samuel Goldwyn Company, which also assumed television rights. ''South Pacific'' was not given a theatrical reissue, but Goldwyn still distributed the film for TV. By 2021, ''Oklahoma!'' was distributed for TV by 20th Century Fox's successor Disney (it was streamed on Disney+ for a while) before those rights expired shortly thereafter. In 2023, Samuel Goldwyn Films (a spiritual but not legal successor to the Goldwyn Company) acquired the worldwide distribution rights to both films, as well as the [[FilmedStageProduction filmed]] 1998 Royal National Theatre production of ''Oklahoma!'' starring Creator/HughJackman, from the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization and released the films on Blu-Ray. |
| 255 | |
| 256 | !!TV-To-Film Examples |
| 257 | * ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' was produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television (oh, all right, ''and'' Creator/MutantEnemy) but the big-screen film version, ''Film/{{Serenity}}'', was made by Universal. |
| 258 | * Orion -- owners of Filmways, which made ''Series/TheAddamsFamily'' -- was having financial issues and elected to sell domestic rights to Paramount for [[Film/TheAddamsFamily the first film]] in order to cover some debt (they had a deal with Columbia for overseas distribution). After they filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Paramount picked up the sequel rights from Orion (though was not involved in the [[WesternAnimation/TheAddamsFamily1992 1992 cartoon series]] produced by Creator/HannaBarbera for Creator/{{ABC}}, despite owning a trademark on ''The Addams Family'' at the time). And things don't stop there: Saban got the rights in the late nineties and did a sitcom out of them (with Warner Bros. distributing on home video the pilot, ''Film/AddamsFamilyReunion''), and then MGM -- current owners of Orion, [[WesternAnimation/TheAddamsFamily2019 made an animated flick]] complete with a sequel to boot. |
| 259 | * The film of ''Film/LostInSpace'' was made by New Line, though the series itself was from Fox. And [[Series/LostInSpace2018 then there was another series]], made by Netflix. |
| 260 | * Although ''Series/TheFugitive'' was a Quinn Martin Production in association with Creator/UnitedArtists Television, and the series itself is owned today (like almost the entire QM back catalogue[[note]]Warner Bros. co-produced and owns ''Series/TheFBI'', 20th Century co-produced and owns the series based on ''Film/TwelveOClockHigh'' and the only theatrical QM Production, ''Film/TheMephistoWaltz''[[/note]]) by Creator/{{CBS}} and Creator/{{Paramount}}, [[Film/TheFugitive the film]] is owned by Creator/WarnerBros (this came about due to QM Productions's sale to Taft Broadcasting; Taft executive Keith Barish eventually left the company and took the rights to ''The Fugitive'' with him, so when former QM employee and latter-day producer Arnold Kopelson wanted to do a film based on the series with regular partners Warner Bros., a deal was seen to be made.) |
| 261 | * ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' was originally produced by Creator/DesiluStudios and aired on Creator/{{NBC}}. Desilu Studios was bought out by Creator/{{Paramount}} during the show's run, and with the CBS-Viacom split, Paramount's original television division stayed on Creator/{{CBS}}'s side. Paramount would distribute all the ''Star Trek'' movies. None of the spin-offs (other than ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekTheAnimatedSeries'') aired on NBC or an NBC-affiliated network, with ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' and ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' broadcast in first-run syndication, ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' and ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' airing on Creator/{{UPN}}, and ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery'', ''Series/StarTrekPicard'', and ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'' airing on Creator/ParamountPlus, formerly CBS All Access. So after NBC canceled the series, it became a CashCowFranchise and not only has NBC not seen a dime of it, the money all goes to the people who own their rival. Call it LaserGuidedKarma if you want. (Ironically, CBS originally passed on ''Star Trek'' in favor of ''Series/LostInSpace''.) |
| 262 | * ''Series/TheATeam'' was produced by Creator/{{Universal}} and [[Creator/StephenJCannell Stephen J. Cannell Productions]] (Universal owns the series now), but [[Film/TheATeam the film]] was released by Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox due to Universal putting the film in turnaround several years before it finally got produced, as well as Fox (via New World Communications) having bought out Cannell's company. |
| 263 | * ''Series/DarkShadows'' was made by Dan Curtis Productions, but [[Film/DarkShadows the film]] was released by Creator/WarnerBros, who purchased the rights directly from series creator Dan Curtis' estate. WB also owns the 1970s films that were originally from MGM (via Turner), and attempted a TV reboot in 2004. |
| 264 | * ''Film/MagicalMysteryTour'' was originally a Made-for-TV movie produced by Apple Corps in association with the BBC before it was re-released in theaters in 1974 by New Line Cinema and again in 2012 by Apple. |
| 265 | * The film of ''Series/TheEqualizer'' was made by Creator/ColumbiaPictures, while the series was made by Creator/{{Universal}}. |
| 266 | * ''Series/TwentyOneJumpStreet'' was a Creator/StephenJCannell Production broadcast on Fox, but the [[Film/TwentyOneJumpStreet film]] [[Film/TwentyTwoJumpStreet series]] was made by Creator/ColumbiaPictures and [[Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer MGM]] (with the former handling home video distribution). |
| 267 | * ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForceColonMovieFilmForTheaters'', a movie based on a series produced by Creator/AdultSwim was distributed by [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Look_Studios First Look Studios]] rather than Creator/WarnerBros theatrically. Averted by the DVD releases, which are still distributed by WB though. |
| 268 |
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