
Universal Studios is one of the five major American movie studios. Its main motion picture production/distribution arm is called Universal Pictures. Universal Pictures is the longest-lived Hollywood studio, dating all the way back to 1912 (predating ViacomCBS-owned Paramount Pictures by just over a week). Universal's headquarters, Universal City, was one of the first purpose-built studio lots ever built, and is now a major tourist attraction as well as a working studio. Universal is symbolized by an image of a globe, which has undergone many changes, the most recent being in 2012 for its 100th anniversary.
The studio was the brainchild of Carl Laemmle, a German-born Jewish immigrant who played a crucial role in the creation of the star system of film-making. Laemmle, along with a number of film producers in Hollywood, formed the studio with the intent to capitalize on the system. Unlike many other studio heads, Laemmle took a cautious role in film-making, choosing not to open a theater chain and financing the movies himself without putting the studio in debt. After his son, Carl Laemmle Jr., took over from his father in 1928, the studio underwent a major overhaul in order to compete with the other studios in Hollywood. It was during this period that Universal churned up a number of hits such as Show Boat, All Quiet on the Western Front, and the creation of the Universal Horror series, which gave Universal a near-monopoly on the horror film genre.
During The Great Depression, the studio fell into a crisis and narrowly avoided bankruptcy in the 1930s, which caused the Laemmles to cede control of the studio to creditors. Universal then merged with International Pictures in the 1940s, and then was bought out by Decca Records in 1952. During the 1950s, Universal had numerous successes with The Killers, the Abbott and Costello films, and several monster, science fiction and western films, as well as a variety of light comedies and melodramas, both of them courtesy of producer Ross Hunter, and the latter of them usually directed by Douglas Sirk. Additionally, Universal introduced a new method of film financing that forever changed the rules of the business: beginning with Winchester '73, it gave the lead actors in a film a significant share of the profits that were made off of it (this model would be adopted by its rivals in succeeding years). It also distributed some of the very last films made by the influential (and, by that point, collapsing) RKO Radio Pictures. However, all this wasn't enough to keep them from falling on hard times again following the Fall of the Studio Systemnote , and Decca sold Universal City to talent agency MCA (whose Revue Studios TV production division was a huge success at the time, and needed the space) in 1958. MCA came back for the rest in 1962. MCA's purchase of Universal ended up giving the studio a much-needed boost to its film library, as MCA had purchased most of Paramount's pre-1949 sound features (which includes classics such as Trouble in Paradise, Sullivan's Travels, and Holiday Inn, among others) around the same time (Universal later teamed up with Paramount to form Cinema International Corporation, now known as United International Pictures, in 1970; then from 1987-97, USA Networks was solely co-owned by Universal and Paramount). This prevented Universal from selling a large chunk of their library to other companies, making them one of only three major film studios, along with Columbia Pictures, and 20th Century Fox, to not have sold any major portion of their catalog (although Warner Bros. got their catalog back when Time Warner acquired Turner Broadcasting in 1996).
Thanks to MCA's leadership, Universal was one of the first major film studios to openly embrace the then-fledgling medium of television. Throughout the 1950's and 60's, the studio went on to produce television shows that are today considered classics, including Leave It to Beaver, The Munsters, Dragnet, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, McHale's Navy, Laramie, and The Virginian. Its backlot benefited significantly from this; a 1969 report from United Press International stated that Universal's backlot was the only one in Hollywood that was "safe from bulldozers" at a time when most studios were selling off their backlots, destroying them or, at the very least, borrowing them from others.
After pretty much inventing the modern blockbuster with Jaws in 1975, as well as producing a whole list of classic TV shows during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, MCA sold itself to Panasonic (then called Matsushita) in 1990, but Panasonic (which didn't particularly like working with Hollywood and expected more stable profits) sold the company back off in 1997; it also dropped the MCA name at this time.
During this time, Universal expanded through all sorts of different avenues, though their successes tended to be short-lived. Their Action Pack was an effort at creating a broadcast network that ended up little more than a syndication package for Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Universal Interactive Studios was also established around this time, notably creating the Spyro the Dragon and Crash Bandicoot games; as was Universal Cartoon Studios, which mainly churned out DTV sequels to The Land Before Time, although it also made TV series, including cult hits Exosquad and Earthworm Jim.
After several more odd trades (including selling Universal TV and the USA Network to Barry Diller, then turning around and buying them back a few years later), one of which was with the Seagram conglomerate based in Montreal (who in turn merged them with the remnants of Polygram Filmed Entertainment), Universal ended up in the hands of French conglomerate Vivendi SA; during their period of ownership they frequently co-produced movies with another Vivendi-owned firm, StudioCanal (operated by the Canal+ TV network). Most of the movies that the studio produced during this era didn't perform well or only turned a small profit. Eventually, in an effort to stem financial debt, Vivendi sold 80% stock in the studios, theme parks, cable networks (USA, Sci Fi Channel and the now-defunct Trio) and Universal TV to General Electric in 2004, where they were combined with the NBC properties to form NBCUniversal, which GE sold more than half of their stock (51%) in 2011 to cable giant Comcast, after purchasing Vivendi's remaining stock (20%). Comcast acquired GE's shares in NBCUniversal (note the removal of the space) in 2013, thus allowing GE to focus more on its industrial and financial businesses and officially making Comcast a media company. Universal Music Group is still owned by Vivendi; Universal Interactive has since been absorbed into Activision (which completely split from Vivendi in 2016).
Universal established a reputation in the 1930s and 1940s for the production of horror films. Most of the "classic" movie monsters, such as Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, the Wolf Man, the Mummy, The Invisible Man, the Bride of Frankenstein, The Phantom of the Opera and the Gill Man (aka the Creature from the Black Lagoon), are best known in their Universal incarnations. Another mainstay in this period was the Comedy Duo, Abbott and Costello, with both franchises combining in the late 1940s onward. In addition, Universal was the primary distributor of Walter Lantz's cartoons such as Woody Woodpecker. Its "art house" subsidiary, Focus Features (including the remnants of Gramercy Pictures), is responsible for distributing acclaimed films such as Brokeback Mountain, Being John Malkovich and Milk.
It was formerly the worldwide home entertainment distributor of DreamWorks films, from 1997 to 2005, when DreamWorks merged with Paramountnote , a merger that ultimately fell apart after three years. As part of DreamWorks splitting from Paramount, the studio attempted to reach a deal with Universal to distribute their movies. The negotiations fell apart and DreamWorks instead went to Disney (through Touchstone Pictures) for distribution in 2009. In December 2015, with DreamWorks' deal with Disney expiring the following year, DreamWorks and Universal kissed and made up and struck a new distribution deal as part of DreamWorks' reorganization efforts. Universal's first film under the DreamWorks deal, The Girl on the Train, was released on October 7, 2016. Universal acquired a minority stake in DreamWorks' parent company Amblin Partners in February 2017. The studio also briefly distributed the films of Legendary Pictures during a disagreement with Warner Bros.
In April 2016, former DreamWorks division DreamWorks Animation was bought by Universal parent company Comcast/NBCUniversal for $3.8 billion, which will make Universal the second Hollywood studio to own two distinct feature animation studios, with Disney being the first after their purchase of Pixar in 2006. With the expiration of 20th Century Fox's distribution contract with DWA in 2017, Universal has assumed permanent distribution rights to all DreamWorks Animation works, past and present, as a result.
On June 23rd, 2015, it was announced that Universal entered a multi year distribution deal with FUNimation, in which it will manage the distribution of all Funimation DVD and Blu-ray releases.
Not to be confused with Universal Studios, the parks based on the studio's properties (the company is legally known as "Universal Studios LLC" though).
- 12 Monkeys (with Polygram Filmed Entertainment)
- 1917
- 1941 (with Columbia Pictures)
- 40 Days and 40 Nights (with Miramax Films)
- The 40-Year-Old Virgin
- 47 Ronin
- 8 Mile
- Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
- About a Boy
- Accepted
- The Adjustment Bureau
- The Adventures of Brer Rabbit
- The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle
- Against All Flags
- Airport and its sequels
- Ali G Indahouse
- All of Me
- All That Heaven Allows
- All Quiet on the Western Front
- Along Came Polly
- Alpha Dog
- Always (with United Artists)
- Amazon Women on the Moon
- American Dreamz
- American Girl (with Mattel)
- American Graffiti
- American Made
- American Me
- American Pie
- An American Tail
- An American Werewolf in London
- The Andromeda Strain
- Animal House
- Anne of the Thousand Days
- Anthropoid
- Apollo 13 (with Imagine Entertainment)
- Army of Darkness
- At Play in the Fields of the Lord
- Atonement (under Focus Features)
- The Back to the Future series (with Amblin Entertainment)
- Babe
- The Babe
- Backdraft
- The Baker Street Dozen
- Balto
- The Bank Dick
- Barbie (with Mattel)
- Barney's Great Adventure (with Polygram Filmed Entertainment and Lyrick Studios)
- BASEketball
- *batteries not included
- Battleship
- Battlestar Galactica
- A Beautiful Mind (with DreamWorks)
- The Beethoven movies
- The Beguiled (1971)
- Being John Malkovich
- Bend of the River
- The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
- The Best Man
- Big Fat Liar
- Bigger Fatter Liar
- Billy Elliot (under Focus Features)
- Billy Madison
- Biloxi Blues
- BIONICLE: The Legend Reborn
- Bird on a Wire
- The Birds
- Black Dog
- Blackhat
- Blast of Silence
- Blockers
- The Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy films:
- Blue Crush
- The Blues Brothers (and its sequel)
- The Bone Collector (with Columbia Pictures)
- Bordello of Blood
- Born in East L.A.
- The Boss
- Born on the Fourth of July
- The Bourne Series
- Bowfinger
- Boyhood (UK release only, US release distributed by IFC Films.)
- Brazil (US Distribution only, International distribution by 20th Century Fox)
- The Break-Up
- The Breakfast Club
- Brewster's Millions (1985)
- The Bridget Jones movies from the second one onwards
- Bring It On (with Beacon Communications)
- Brokeback Mountain (under Focus Features)
- Bruce Almighty (with Spyglass Entertainment)
- Brute Force (1947)
- Bullet in the Head (Japan only)
- Bulletproof
- The 'Burbs
- But I'm a Cheerleader (with Lionsgate)
- Candyman (2021)
- Canyon Passage
- Cape Fear (both versions)
- Captain Corelli's Mandolin (with Miramax Films)
- The Car
- Carlito's Way
- Car Wash
- Casino
- Casper
- Cats
- The Cat in the Hat (with Dreamworks and Imagine Entertainment)
- Cat People (1982) (with RKO)
- Central Intelligence (with New Line Cinema)
- The Chamber (with Imagine Entertainment)
- The Change-Up
- Charade
- Charley Varrick
- Children of Men
- The Child's Play sequels (the first film was produced by United Artists and handled by MGM. Universal has the license to include the film in collections, though. Seed of Chucky was produced by former Universal subsidiary Rogue Pictures, though Universal retains the rights to it).
- Cirque de Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
- The Climax
- Clockers
- Closet Land
- Coal Miner's Daughter
- Cobra Woman
- Colossus: The Forbin Project
- Conan the Barbarian (1982)
- Cool as Ice
- Cop and a Half (with Imagine Entertainment)
- Couples Retreat (with Relativity Media)
- Cowboys & Aliens (with DreamWorks and Paramount)
- Creature from the Black Lagoon
- Crimson Peak
- Crooklyn
- Cry-Baby
- Cry Freedom
- Curse of the Undead
- Dallas Buyers Club
- Dante's Peak
- The Dark Crystal (home video rights currently held by Sony)
- Darkest Hour (2017) (with Focus Features)
- The Dark Mirror
- Dark Universe
- The Mummy (2017) (a Continuity Reboot of the films)
- Bride of Frankenstein
- Dawn of the Dead (2004)
- Daylight
- The Day of the Jackal
- The Day the Earth Caught Fire
- D.C. Cab
- Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
- Death Becomes Her
- The Deer Hunter
- Demon Knight
- Destry Rides Again
- The Dilemma
- Do the Right Thing
- Doctor Detroit
- A Dog's Purpose
- A Double Life
- Downton Abbey
- Dr. Giggles
- Dracula (1931)
- Dracula (1979)
- Dracula Untold (with Legendary Pictures)
- Drag Me to Hell
- Dragonheart
- Dream House
- DreamWorks Animation films (beginning in 2019, acquired in 2016)
- The Boss Baby (Japanese release only)
- How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
- Abominable
- Trolls: World Tour
- The Croods: A New Age
- D-Tox
- Dumb and Dumber To (with New Line Cinema)
- Duel
- Dune (1984)
- Earthquake
- The Edge of Seventeen (home video only)
- EDtv (with Imagine Entertainment)
- The Electric Horseman (with Columbia Pictures)
- The Emperor's Club
- End of Days
- Erin Brockovich (with Columbia Pictures)
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
- Everest (2015)
- Ex Machina (International distribution only; North American distribution handled by A24)
- Factory Girl (UK distribution only; North American distribution handled by The Weinstein Company)
- Fahrenheit 451
- The Family Man
- Family Plot
- A Fantastic Fear of Everything
- Far and Away
- The Far Country
- The Fast and the Furious movies (the third and fourth films were co-produced by Relativity Media, and the seventh by Legendary Pictures)
- Fast Times at Ridgemont High
- Fear (1996)
- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (with Summit Entertainment)
- Field of Dreams
- Fierce Creatures
- Fifty Shades of Grey
- Firestarter
- First Man
- The Five-Year Engagement
- Flash Gordon (1980)
- Fletch
- The Flintstones
- Flower Drum Song
- Foolish Wives
- Forgetting Sarah Marshall
- Global Heresy
- For Love or Money (1963)
- For Love or Money (1993)
- For Richer or Poorer
- The Four Seasons
- Frances
- Francis the Talking Mule film series
- Frankenstein (1931)
- Frenzy
- Friday Night Lights (with Imagine Entertainment)
- Fried Green Tomatoes
- The Frighteners
- The Front Page
- Frost/Nixon (with Imagine Entertainment)
- The Funhouse
- Funny People (with Columbia Pictures)
- Get Out
- The Getaway (1994)
- Ghost Dad
- The Girl on the Train (with DreamWorks)
- Gladiator (with DreamWorks; international distribution)
- The Glenn Miller Story
- Good Boys
- Gorillas in the Mist (with Warner Bros.)
- Gray Lady Down
- The Great Outdoors
- The Great Waldo Pepper
- Greedy (with Imagine Entertainment)
- The Green Inferno (with Open Road Films)
- The Guardian (1990)
- Hail, Caesar!
- Half Baked
- Halloween II (1981)
- Hands of the Ripper (US theatrical distribution only)
- Hannibal (with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- Happy Death Day
- Happy Gilmore
- Hard Target
- The Hard Way
- Harry and the Hendersons
- Harvey
- Heart and Souls
- Heartbeeps
- Hellboy II: The Golden Army (with Relativity Media)
- Hellzapoppin'
- The High Note
- High Plains Drifter
- The Hindenburg
- The Hired Hand
- The Holiday (with Columbia Pictures)
- Honey
- The House With a Clock in Its Walls
- How High
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
- How to Make an American Quilt
- Howard the Duck
- The Hunted (1995)
- The Hurricane
- The Hustle
- Iceman
- Identity Thief
- If a Man Answers
- Illumination Entertainment films:
- Despicable Me (its first CGI feature)
- Hop
- Despicable Me 2
- The Lorax
- Minions
- The Secret Life of Pets
- Sing
- Despicable Me 3
- Imitation of Life (1934)
- In the Name of the Father
- Incredible Hulk films
- Hulk
- The Incredible Hulk (2008) (with Marvel Studios)
- Inglourious Basterds (with The Weinstein Company)
- I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
- Inside Man
- The Interpreter
- Intolerable Cruelty
- Into the Night
- The Invisible Man
- The Invisible Woman (1940)
- The Ipcress File
- I Saw What You Did
- It's Complicated
- I Wanna Hold Your Hand
- The Jackal
- Jarhead
- Jaws
- Jem and the Holograms
- The Jerk
- Jesus Christ Superstar
- Johnny English
- Josie and the Pussycats (with MGM)
- Judgment Night
- Jungle Fever
- Junior
- Jurassic Park (all films co-produced with Amblin Entertainment)
- Jurassic Park
- The Lost World: Jurassic Park
- Jurassic Park III
- Jurassic World (with Legendary Pictures)
- Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (also with Legendary Pictures)
- Jurassic World: Battle at Big Rock (also with Legendary Pictures)
- K-9
- Kathy O'
- Kick-Ass (with Lionsgate)
- Kicking & Screaming
- The Killers
- Kindergarten Cop
- The King of Staten Island
- King Kong (2005)
- King Kong Escapes (US distributor)
- King Kong vs. Godzilla (US distributor)
- King Ralph
- A Kiss Before Dying (1991)
- Kissing a Fool
- Kitten with a Whip
- Knocked Up
- K-PAX
- Kuffs
- Kull the Conqueror
- The first four Laika films (under Focus Features, distribution rights since expired)
- The Land Before Time series
- Land of the Lost
- Last Christmas
- The Last Movie
- The Last Remake of Beau Geste
- The Last Starfighter (with Lorimar)
- The Last Sunset
- The Last Temptation of Christ
- Leap Year
- The Legacy
- Legend (1985) (with 20th Century Fox)
- Letter from an Unknown Woman
- Liar Liar (with Imagine Entertainment)
- Life
- The Life of David Gale
- Little (2019)
- Lonely Are the Brave
- The Lonely Guy
- The Lonely Lady
- Lonesome
- Lorenzo's Oil
- Lost in Translation
- Love Actually
- Love Before Breakfast
- Love Happens
- Lover Come Back
- Lucy
- MacGruber
- Magnificent Obsession
- Major Payne
- Mama
- Mamma Mia!
- Man of a Thousand Faces
- Man of the Year
- Man on the Moon
- The Man with the Iron Fists
- Marnie
- Mary, Queen of Scots
- Mask
- Master and Commander (with 20th Century Fox and Miramax)
- Matinee
- Meet Joe Black
- Meet the Parents (with DreamWorks)
- Mercury Rising
- Miami Vice
- Midnight Lace
- Midnight Run
- Midway
- The Milagro Beanfield War
- Milk (under Focus Features)
- A Million Ways to Die in the West
- Mirage (1965)
- Les Misérables (2012)
- missing.
- The Money Pit
- Monster High (with Mattel)
- Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
- Moon over Parador
- Mortal Engines
- Mr. Bean's Holiday
- Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid
- Mulholland Dr.
- The Mummy Trilogy (third film co-produced by Relativity Media)
- Munich (with DreamWorks and Alliance Films)
- The Musketeer (with Miramax Films)
- Muta Fukaz (U.S. Home Video rights only)
- My Little Eye (under Focus Features)
- My Man Godfrey
- My Name Is Nobody
- Mystery Men
- Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie
- The Naked City
- Nanny McPhee
- Neighbors (2014)
- Nekrotronic (US only)
- Night School
- Nighthawks
- Nightmares
- Nobody
- North Sea Hijack
- No Time to Die
- Notting Hill
- The Nutty Professor (1996)
- O Brother, Where Art Thou? (with Touchstone Pictures)
- Oblivion (2013)
- October Sky
- One Touch of Venus
- On Golden Pond (licensing rights managed by Lionsgate)
- One True Thing
- Out of Africa (Academy Award, Best Picture of 1985)
- Operation Petticoat
- Out of Sight
- Pacific Rim: Uprising (with Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros., domestic distribution only)
- The Paper
- Parenthood
- The Parole Officer
- Patch Adams
- Peter Pan
- The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
- Phantom Thread (Under Focus Features)
- Pillow Talk
- The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie
- Pitch Perfect (and its sequels)
- Play Misty for Me
- Polly Pocket (with Mattel)
- Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
- Prince of Darkness (with Carolco)
- Primary Colors
- Private School
- The Problem Child movies
- The Projected Man
- Psycho (distribution rights to the original 1960 film inherited from Paramount; also distributed the 1998 remake)
- Public Enemies
- Pure Luck
- The Purge
- Quantez
- The Quest
- The Radioland Murders
- Raising Cain
- Ratchet & Clank (2016) (under Focus Features)
- Ray
- Reality Bites
- Reign of the Gargoyles
- Repo Man
- Repo Men
- Revenge (2017)
- Ride a Crooked Trail
- Ride Along
- Ride with the Devil
- Righteous Kill
- R.I.P.D.
- The River
- The River Wild
- Robin Hood (2010)
- Role Models
- Rollercoaster
- Rooster Cogburn
- Rumble Fish
- The Rundown (aka Welcome to the Jungle, done with Columbia Pictures)
- Rush (2013) (with Imagine Entertainment)
- Saboteur
- Savages
- The Secret of My Success
- Scarface (1983)
- Scarlet Street
- Scent of a Woman
- Schindler's List
- Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
- Sea of Love
- Secret Beyond the Door
- Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
- The Senator Was Indiscreet
- The Sentinel
- Serenitynote
- The Seven-Per-Cent Solution
- Seventh Son (2015) (with Legendary Pictures)
- Seven Ways from Sundown
- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
- The Shadow
- Shadow of a Doubt
- Shakespeare in Love (with Miramax Films)
- She-Wolf of London
- Shenandoah
- Show Boat (rights purchased by MGM to produce a remake; now owned by Warner Bros./Turner)
- Silent Running
- A Simple Wish
- Sisters (2015)
- Sixteen Candles
- The Skeleton Key
- The Skulls
- Skyscraper
- Slap Shot (and its sequels)
- Slither
- Small Soldiers (with DreamWorks and Amblin Entertainment)
- Smokey and the Bandit (and its sequels)
- Sneakers
- Snow Falling on Cedars
- The Snowman (2017)
- Snow White and the Huntsman
- Somewhere in Time
- Song of the Sea (US home video distributor with GKids)
- Sophie's Choice
- Sorcerer (with Paramount)
- Spartacus
- Split
- Splitting Heirs
- Spy Game
- The Sting
- Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot
- Strange Bedfellows
- Street Fighter (USA and Canada distribution only; produced by Capcom)
- Streets of Fire
- Stroker Ace
- Sudden Death
- The Sugarland Express
- Swashbuckler
- Sweet Charity
- The Tale of Despereaux
- Tales from the Hood 2
- Tank
- Ted
- Tender Mercies (US theatrical distribution only; produced by EMI Films)
- That Touch of Mink
- They Live (with Carolco)
- They Might Be Giants
- The Thing (1982)
- This Is 40
- This Island Earth
- Thoroughly Modern Millie
- Three O'Clock High
- Three Smart Girls
- Thunderbirds
- Thunder on the Hill
- Timecop
- Tobruk
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Topaz
- Torn Curtain
- Touch of Evil
- Tower Heist
- To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar
- Traffic in Souls
- Trainwreck
- Tremors
- The Truth About Charlie
- Truth or Dare (2018)
- The Turning (with Dreamworks and Amblin Entertainment)
- Tumbleweed
- Twins
- Twister (with Warner Bros.)
- Two Brothers
- Two-Lane Blacktop
- Two-Minute Warning
- Two Mules for Sister Sara
- U571
- Unbroken
- Uncle Buck
- Undercover Brother
- Unfriended
- Us
- Van Helsing
- Vertigo
- Videodrome
- Village of the Damned (1995)
- Virus
- The Visit
- The War
- WarCraft (2016)
- The War Lord
- The War Wagon
- Waterloo Bridge (film purchased by MGM to produce a remake in 1940; rights now owned by Warner Bros./Turner)
- The Watcher
- Waterworld
- The Web
- Weird Science
- Welcome to Marwen (with Dreamworks)
- We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story
- Werewolf of London
- Wet Hot American Summer
- We've Never Been Licked
- Where Are My Children?
- The Wicked Lady
- Wild Child
- Wimbledon (with Dimension Films)
- Winchester '73
- The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap
- The Wiz (with Motown)
- The Wizard
- The Wolf Man
- The Wolf of Wall Street (outside the U.S. and Japan)
- Woman on the Run
- Woody Woodpecker
- Written on the Wind
- Xanadu
- Yesterday (2019)
- Zero Dark Thirty (with Columbia Pictures; distributor in all regions except the U.S. and Canada)

- 30 Rock
- The A-Team (with Stephen J. Cannell Productions)
- Abby's
- Adam-12
- Airwolf
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents
- Alias Smith and Jones
- Almost Family (with Fox Entertainment)
- Series/Amen (produced by Carson Productions, production company of Johnny Carson. Universal has handled distribution rights since 1990, at first under the MCA TV banner.)
- Amazing Stories
- Amazing Stories (2020) (co-production with ABC)
- American Dreams (a co-production with NBC)
- American Gothic (1995)
- Battlestar Galactica
- The Bionic Woman
- The Blacklist ( with Sony Pictures Television)
- Black Sheep Squadron
- The Bold Ones
- The Bold Type
- Bonanza (IP rights only; distribution rights are with CBS)
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine
- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
- California Dreams (with NBC)
- Car 54, Where Are You? (IP rights only; distribution rights are with CBS)
- The Carmichael Show
- Charles in Charge
- Community (co-produced with Sony Pictures Television)
- The Crow: Stairway to Heaven (with Alliance Atlantis)note
- Crossing Jordan
- Darkroom
- Dream On
- Dragnet (1966-70)
- Duncanville (with Fox Entertainment and 20th Century Fox)
- Emergency!
- Family Dog (with Warner Bros.)
- Fast & Furious: Spy Racers (with Dreamworks Animation)
- FBI (co-produced with CBS)
- FBI: Most Wanted (co-produced with CBS)
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (IP rights only; distribution rights are with Warner Bros.)
- Gemini Man
- Gimme a Break! (owned by FremantleMedia, but handles US distribution rights, as part of a deal made with Alan Landsburg Productions/Reeves Entertainment)
- Good Girls
- The Good Place
- Grimm
- The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (with CBS)
- Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
- Homicide: Life on the Street
- House
- In the House
- In Search of...... (distributed in the US by of an agreement with FremantleMedia, owner of the series)
- The Incredible Hulk (1977)
- Ironside (1967)
- Ironside (2013)
- It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
- It Takes a Thief (1968)
- The Jerry Springer Shownote
- Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (with Dreamworks Animation and Amblin Entertainment)
- Kings
- Knight Rider
- Kojak
- Kraft Suspense Theatre
- Laredo
- Law & Order
- Leave It to Beaver (both the series and The Film of the Series)
- Lipstick Jungle
- Little House on the Prairie (TV rights managed by CBS; DVD, Blu-ray Disc and Digital HD Download rights managed by Lionsgate)
- Magnum, P.I.
- Manifest (with Warner Bros.)
- Mann & Machine
- Marcus Welby, M.D.
- Master of None
- Maurynote
- McHale's Navy
- Miami Vice
- The Mindy Project
- Misfits of Science
- Monk (a co-production with Touchstone Pictures)
- The Munsters
- Murder, She Wrote
- The NBC Mystery Movie
- Night Gallery
- Northern Exposure
- The Office (US)
- One Chicago
- Out of This World (1987)
- Parenthood
- Parks and Recreation
- Punky Brewster
- Quantum Leap
- Quincy, M.E.
- The Rockford Files
- Saved by the Bell (with NBC)
- Seaquest DSV
- Simon & Simon
- The Six Million Dollar Man
- Sliders
- Stingray (1985)
- Superstore
- Ted Lasso (with Warner Bros.)
- Thriller
- Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
- The Virginian
- Voyagers!
- Wagon Train
- Weakest Link (US version, with BBC and The Gurin Company)
- Whiz Kids
- Will & Grace
- World's Most Amazing Videos