Film Studios: "Majors," "Minors," and "Independents"

Classical Era: Majors and Minors

Majors:

MGM
Paramount
RKO
20th Century-Fox
Warner Brothers

Minors

Columbia
Universal
United Artists

Today's "Big Five" (Until 2019: "Big Six")

Ranked by 2019 US/Canadian market share.

Studio parent (conglomerate)	Major film studio unit Secondary studio	Year founded	Arthouse/indie	Genre movie/B movie		Animation	Other divisions and brands		US/CA market share (2019)
Walt Disney Studios (The Walt Disney Company)	Walt Disney Pictures 20th Century Studios	1923 1935	A&E IndieFilms (50%) Hulu Documentary Films (67%) Searchlight Pictures	Disneynature Lucasfilm Marvel Studios NatGeo Films (73%)		20th Century Fox Animation Blue Sky Studios Pixar Walt Disney Animation Studios	A&E Films Fox Family Fox Star Studios Zero Day Fox Disney Pictures India UTV Motion Pictures	Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Walt Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing (JV)	33.5%
WarnerMedia (AT&T)	Warner Bros. New Line Cinema	1923 1967	CNN Films HBO Documentary Films	Adult Swim Films DC Films Flagship Entertainment (49%), TruTV Films		Wang Film Productions (50%) Warner Animation Group Warner Bros. Animation	Alloy Entertainment Castle Rock Entertainment Cinemax Films Fullscreen HBO Films	Hello Sunshine Spyglass Media Group (minority stake) Turner Entertainment	13.9%
Sony Pictures (Sony)	Columbia Pictures TriStar Pictures	1924 1982	Sony Pictures Classics	Affirm Films Ghost Corps Screen Gems		Funimation Films (95%) Manga Entertainment (95%) Sony Pictures Animation Sony Pictures Imageworks	Destination Films Left Bank Pictures Sony Pictures Japan Sony Pictures Releasing Sony Pictures Family Entertainment	Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Sony Wonder Stage 6 Films TriStar Productions, Walt Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing (JV)	12.1%
NBCUniversal (Comcast)	Universal Pictures	1912	Focus Features Hulu Documentary Films (33%)	Focus World Gramercy Pictures Working Title Films		Big Idea Entertainment DreamWorks Animation Illumination Illumination Mac Guff Universal Animation Studios	Amblin Partners (minority stake) Carnival Films Chiller Films Makeready (JV) NBC Universal Japan	OTL Releasing United International Pictures (JV) Universal 1440 Entertainment WT2 Productions	11.5%
ViacomCBS (National Amusements)	Paramount Pictures	1912	Miramax (49%)	BET Films CMT Films Comedy Central Films MTV Films	Nickelodeon Movies Paramount Players VH1 Films	MTV Animation Nickelodeon Animation Studio Paramount Animation	Awesomeness Films Melange Pictures United International Pictures (JV)	Viacom 18 Motion Pictures (49%) Viacom Digital Studios	5%

Media Landscape December 2019

Circles sized by market cap.

Past Rankings

Ranked by 2018 US/Canadian market share.

Studio parent (conglomerate)	Major film studio unit	Arthouse/indie	Genre movie/B movie	Animation	Other divisions and brands	US/CA market share (2018)
Walt Disney Studios (The Walt Disney Company)	Walt Disney Pictures	A&E IndieFilms(50%), Disneynature, ESPN Films (80%), Fox Searchlight Pictures, Hulu Documentary Films (60%), National Geographic Films (73%), VICE Films (20%),	Fox Family, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, Regency Enterprises(shared),	20th Century Fox Animation, Blue Sky Studios, Lucasfilm Animation, Marvel Animation, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios,	20th Century Fox, Buena Vista International, Disney India, Dragonfly Film Productions (50%), Fox Star Studios (shared), Fox Studios Australia, Kudos Film (50%), The Muppets Studio, New Regency (20%), Patagonik Film Group (33.3%), Shine Group (50%), Tiger Aspect Productions (50%), UTV Motion Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Zero Day Fox,	36.3%
WarnerMedia (AT&T)	Warner Bros. Pictures	CNN Films, HBO Documentary Films,	DC Films, New Line Cinema,	Cartoon Network Studios, Hanna-Barbera, Wang Film Productions (partial), Warner Animation Group, Warner Bros. Animation,	Castle Rock Entertainment, Cinemax Films, Flagship Entertainment (49%)[10], Ellation Studios, Fullscreen, HBO Films, Hello Sunshine, Williams Street,	16.3%
NBCUniversal (Comcast)	Universal Pictures	Focus Features, Hulu Documentary Films (30%),	Focus World, Gramercy Pictures, Working Title Films,	Big Idea Entertainment, Bullwinkle Studios, DreamWorks Animation, Illumination, Universal Animation Studios,	Amblin Partners (minority)[8], Carnival Films, Chiller Films, DreamWorks Classics, High Top Releasing, Makeready (JV), NBCU Ent. Japan, OTL Releasing, United International Pictures (JV), Universal 1440 Entertainment, WT2 Productions,	14.9%
Sony Pictures (Sony)	Columbia Pictures	Sony Pictures Classics,	Affirm Films, Screen Gems, Stage 6 Films, TriStar Pictures [12],	Funimation Films(95%), Madhouse (shared), Sony Pictures Animation, Toei Animation(1.8%),	Destination Films, Left Bank Pictures, Sony Pictures Ent. Japan, Sony Pictures Family Entertainment, Sony Pictures Releasing, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions [13], Sony Wonder, TriStar Productions [14], Triumph Films, Walt Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing de México,	10.9%
Viacom (National Amusements)	Paramount Pictures		BET Films, Comedy Central Films, MTV Films, Nickelodeon Movies, Paramount Players [9],	Bardel Entertainment (30%), MTV Animation, Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Paramount Animation, Rainbow S.p.A.(30%), Rainbow CGI (30%),	Awesomeness Films, CMT Films, Melange Pictures, Paramount Digital Entertainment, United International Pictures (JV), VH1 Films, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures (49%), Viacom Digital Studios,	6.4%

Source: Wikipedia contributors, "Major film studio," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_film_studio#Current (accessed April 22, 2019).

Media Landscape April 2019

Circles sized by market cap.

Ranked by 2016 US/Canadian market share.

Studio parent (conglomerate)	Major film studio unit	Arthouse/indie	Genre movie/B movie	Animation	Other divisions and brands	US/CA market share (2016)
Walt Disney Studios (The Walt Disney Company)	Walt Disney Pictures		Disneynature, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios	DisneyToon Studios, Lucasfilm Animation, Marvel Animation, Pixar, Disney Animation	WDSMP, ESPN Films (80%), Miravista Films, Touchstone Pictures, UTV Pictures	26.09%
Warner Bros. Entertainment, (Time Warner)	Warner Bros. Pictures		New Line Cinema, DC Films	Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Animation Group, Cartoon Network Studios	Castle Rock, CNN Films, Flagship (49%), HBO Films, Turner Entertainment	16.86%
Fox Entertainment Group, (21st Century Fox)	20th Century Fox	Fox Searchlight Pictures		Blue Sky Studios, 20th Century Fox Animation	Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Star Studios, Kudos Film and Television (50%), New Regency (20%)	12.92%
Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, (Comcast)	Universal Pictures	Focus Features	Gramercy Pictures, Working Title Films	Big Idea Entertainment,Bullwinkle Studios (50%), DreamWorks Animation, Illumination Entertainment, Universal Animation	Amblin Partners (minority), Focus World, High Top Releasing, NBCU Ent. Japan, Oriental DreamWorks (45%)	12.50%
Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, (Sony)	Columbia Pictures	Sony Pictures Classics, Destination Films	Screen Gems, Affirm Films, Stage 6 Films	Sony Pictures Animation, Sony Pictures Imageworks	Sony Pictures Releasing, TriStar Pictures, TriStar Productions, SPWA, Triumph Films	8.07%
Paramount Motion Pictures Group, (Viacom)	Paramount Pictures		Insurge Pictures	Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Paramount Animation	Comedy Central Films, MTV Films, Nickelodeon Movies, Paramount Famous Productions Viacom 18 Motion Pictures (50%)	7.50%

Source: Wikipedia contributors, "Major film studio," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_film_studio#Current (accessed April 24, 2017).

Ranked by 2015 US/Canadian market share.

Studio parent (Conglomerate)	Major film unit	Arthouse/Indie	Genre movie/B movie	Animation	Other divisions and brands	U.S./Canada market share (2015)
NBCUniversal, (Comcast)	Universal Pictures	Focus Features	Working Title Films, Gramercy Pictures	Illumination Entertainment, Universal Animation Studios	Focus World, High Top Releasing	21.65%
Walt Disney Studios, (The Walt Disney Company)	Walt Disney Pictures		Disneynature, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios	DisneyToon Studios, Lucasfilm Animation, Marvel Animation, Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios	Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, ESPN Films (80% majority stake), Miravista Films, Touchstone Pictures, UTV Motion Pictures	20.75%
Warner Bros. Entertainment (Time Warner)	Warner Bros. Pictures			Warner Animation Group	Castle Rock, HBO Films, New Line Cinema, Turner Entertainment, DC Entertainment	14.00%
Fox Filmed Entertainment (21st Century Fox)	20th Century Fox	Fox Searchlight Pictures	Fox Faith	Blue Sky Studios, 20th Century Fox Animation	New Regency Productions (20% equity)	12.73%
Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group (Sony)	Columbia Pictures	Sony Pictures Classics	Screen Gems, Affirm Films, Stage 6 Films	Sony Pictures Animation	Sony Pictures Releasing, TriStar Pictures,TriStar Productions,SPWA	8.49%
Paramount Motion Pictures Group (Viacom)	Paramount Pictures	Paramount Vantage	Insurge Pictures	Paramount Animation	Comedy Central Films, MTV Films, Nickelodeon Movies	6.18%

Source: Wikipedia contributors, "Major film studio," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_film_studio#Current (accessed April 25, 2016).

Ranked by 2014 US/Canadian market share.

Studio parent (Conglomerate)	Major studio unit	Arthouse/Indie	Genre movie/B movie	Animation	Other divisions and brands	U.S./Canada market share (2014)
Fox Filmed Entertainment (21st Century Fox)	20th Century Fox	Fox Searchlight Pictures	Fox Faith	Blue Sky Studios, 20th Century Fox Animation	New Regency Productions (20% equity)	18.8%
The Walt Disney Studios (The Walt Disney Company)	Walt Disney Pictures		Disneynature, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios	DisneyToon Studios, Lucasfilm Animation,Marvel Animation, Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios	ESPN Films, Miravista Films, The Muppets Studio, Touchstone Pictures,UTV Motion Pictures	15.7%
Warner Bros. Entertainment (Time Warner)	Warner Bros. Pictures			Warner Animation Group	Castle Rock, HBO Films, New Line Cinema, Turner Entertainment	15.1%
Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group (Sony)	Columbia Pictures	Sony Pictures Classics	Screen Gems, Affirm Films,Stage 6 Films	Sony Pictures Animation	Sony Pictures Releasing, TriStar Pictures,[6] TriStar Productions,[7]SPWA [8]	12.5%
NBCUniversal (Comcast)	Universal Pictures	Focus Features	Working Title Films	Illumination Entertainment, Universal Animation Studios	Focus World	11.8%
Paramount Motion Pictures Group (Viacom)	Paramount Pictures	Paramount Vantage	Insurge Pictures	Paramount Animation	MTV Films, Nickelodeon Movies	10.1%

Source: Wikipedia contributors, "Major film studio," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Major_film_studio&oldid=656551077 (accessed April 20, 2015).

Ranked by 2012 US/Canadian market share.

Conglomerate Parent unit	Major studio subsidiary	Arthouse/"indie" distribution subsidiaries	Genre/B movie distribution subsidiaries	Other divisions and brands	U.S./Can. market share (2012)
Sony Sony Pictures Entertainment	Columbia Pictures	Sony Pictures Classics SPWA: Destination Films	TriStar Pictures, Screen Gems Stage 6 Films, Affirm Films	Sony Pictures Releasing, Sony Pictures Animation, Triumph Films	17.0%
Time Warner Warner Bros. Entertainment	Warner Bros. Pictures		DC Entertainment	New Line Cinema, Castle Rock Entertainment, Turner Entertainment Co.,Warner Bros. Animation, HBO Films	15.4%
The Walt Disney Company Disney Enterprises	The Walt Disney Studios Walt Disney Pictures		Disneynature, Lucasfilm,Marvel Studios	Touchstone Pictures, Pixar, Disney Animation Studios (DisneyToon Studios)	14.3%
Comcast NBCUniversal	Universal Pictures	Focus Features, WT2Productions	Working Title Films	Universal Animation Studios, Illumination Entertainment	13.6%
News Corporation Fox Entertainment Group	20th Century Fox	Fox Searchlight Pictures	Fox Faith	20th Century Fox Animation, Blue Sky Studios, New Regency Productions(20% equity), Fox Animation Studios	10.6%
Viacom Paramount Motion Pictures Group	Paramount Pictures	Paramount Vantage	Insurge Pictures	Nickelodeon Movies, MTV Films, Paramount Animation	8.5%

Source: Wikipedia contributors, "Major film studio," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, , http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Major_film_studio&oldid=550171181 (accessed April 22, 2013).

Ranked by 2011 US/Canadian market share.

Conglomerate	Parent division	Major studio subsidiary	Arthouse/"indie" distribution subsidiaries	Genre/B movie distribution subsidiaries	Other divisions and brands	U.S./Can. market share (2011)
Viacom	Paramount Motion Pictures Group	Paramount Pictures	Paramount Vantage		Insurge Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, MTV Films	19.3%
Time Warner	Warner Bros. Entertainment	Warner Bros. Pictures			New Line Cinema, HBO Films, Castle Rock Entertainment, Turner Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation	18.1%
Sony	Sony Pictures Entertainment	Columbia Pictures	Sony Pictures Classics	Screen Gems	TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation,Destination Films, Triumph Films, Stage 6 Films,Affirm Films	13.4%
The Walt Disney Company	Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group	Walt Disney Pictures/Touchstone Pictures (unified business with separate brands)		Hollywood Pictures	Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Disneynature	12.2%
Comcast/General Electric	NBCUniversal	Universal Pictures	Focus Features		Universal Animation Studios, Illumination Entertainment, Working Title Films	11.3%
News Corporation	Fox Entertainment Group	20th Century Fox	Fox Searchlight Pictures		20th Century Fox Animation, Fox Faith, Blue Sky Studios, New Regency Productions (20% equity),Fox Animation Studios	11.1%

Sources: Wikipedia contributors, "Major film studio," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Major_film_studio&oldid=488841216 (accessed April 23, 2012; and The Numbers.

Today's True Independents

Lionsgate
The Weinstein Company
DreamWorks SKG

Source: Wikipedia.

Studio Market Share

January 1–December 31, 2015
Overall Gross: $11.495 billion

Rank	Distributor	Market Share	Total Gross*	Movies Tracked	2015 Movies**
1	Universal	21.3%	$2,444.9	23	21
2	Buena Vista	19.8%	$2,280.2	15	11
3	Warner Bros.	13.9%	$1,603.1	38	26
4	20th Century Fox	11.3%	$1,302.9	24	17
5	Sony / Columbia	8.4%	$966.3	20	16
6	Paramount	5.9%	$674.7	16	12
7	Lionsgate	5.9%	$673.8	27	25
8	New Line	2.9%	$337.4	6	4
9	Weinstein Company	2.6%	$301.5	14	11
10	Fox Searchlight	1.0%	$119.3	11	8
11	Focus Features	1.0%	$117.6	12	10
12	Relativity	0.6%	$74.2	6	4

Source: Box Office Mojo

January 1–December 31, 2014
Overall Gross: $10.361 billion

Rank	Distributor	Market Share	Total Gross*	Movies Tracked	2014 Movies**
1	20th Century Fox	17.3%	$1,790.5	22	17
2	Buena Vista	15.6%	$1,617.5	17	13
3	Warner Bros.	15.1%	$1,562.4	31	22
4	Sony / Columbia	12.2%	$1,261.5	22	19
5	Universal	10.8%	$1,115.3	18	14
6	Paramount	10.2%	$1,052.9	18	14
7	Lionsgate	7.1%	$736.9	22	18
8	Weinstein Company	2.1%	$222.0	19	15
9	Relativity	1.8%	$186.5	12	8
10	Open Road Films	1.6%	$162.7	9	7
11	Fox Searchlight	1.4%	$147.8	11	8
12	Focus Features	1.2%	$126.0	12	11

Source: Box Office Mojo

January 1–December 31, 2012
Overall Gross: $10.821 billion

Rank	Distributor	Market Share	Total Gross*	Movies Tracked	2012 Movies**
1	Sony / Columbia	16.6%	$1,792.2	25	19
2	Warner Bros.	15.4%	$1,665.4	36	24
3	Buena Vista	14.3%	$1,551.4	18	13
4	Universal	12.2%	$1,323.9	17	16
5	Lionsgate	11.5%	$1,239.1	22	22
6	20th Century Fox	9.5%	$1,025.4	19	15
7	Paramount	8.4%	$914.4	21	14
8	Weinstein Company	2.4%	$258.2	18	15
9	Relativity	1.9%	$202.4	6	5
10	Focus Features	1.3%	$144.6	10	8
11	Open Road Films	1.3%	$136.4	5	5
12	Fox Searchlight	1.1%	$117.8	10	7

* In millions. ** # of total movies tracked that were released in 2011.
Source: Box Office Mojo.

January 1–December 31, 2011
Overall Gross: $10.174 billion

Rank	Distributor	Market Share	Total Gross*	Movies Tracked	2011 Movies**
1	Paramount	19.2%	$1,957.1	21	15
2	Warner Bros.	17.9%	$1,826.2	38	26
3	Sony / Columbia	12.5%	$1,273.7	28	23
4	Buena Vista (Disney)	12.2%	$1,240.7	17	14
5	Universal	10.2%	$1,040.6	17	15
6	20th Century Fox	9.6%	$977.9	19	15
7	Summit Entertainment	4.0%	$411.6	10	8
8	Weinstein Company	2.9%	$296.1	17	15
9	Relativity	2.2%	$228.1	8	7
10	Lionsgate	1.8%	$184.0	15	12
11	Fox Searchlight	1.5%	$152.4	13	11
12	Focus Features	1.2%	$126.9	9	8

* In millions. ** # of total movies tracked that were released in 2011.
Source: Box Office Mojo.

Domestic Theatrical Releases 1999-2000, By Studio

	2000	1999
Buena Vista (Disney)	14.7%	17.0%
Universal	14.5%	12.7%
AOL Time Warner	11.9%	14.2%
Paramount	10.5%	11.6%
Dreamworks	10.3%	4.4%
20th Century Fox	9.7%	10.8%
Sony	8.8%	8.6%
Miramax	6.3%	4.3%
New Line	5.2%	4.2%
MGM	1.3%	4.2%
Artisan		2.6%

Source: Entertainment Weekly, www.ew.com

Top Grossing Movies of All Time at the USA Box Office: the-numbers.com or the Internet Movie Database

Annual Domestic (i.e., US-only) Grosses

2018

Rank	Movie Title (click to view)	Studio	Total Gross / Theaters		Opening / Theaters		Open	Close
1	Black Panther	BV	$700,059,566	4,084	$202,003,951	4,020	2/16	8/9
2	Avengers: Infinity War	BV	$678,815,482	4,474	$257,698,183	4,474	4/27	9/13
3	Incredibles 2	BV	$608,581,744	4,410	$182,687,905	4,410	6/15	12/13
4	Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom	Uni.	$417,719,760	4,485	$148,024,610	4,475	6/22	10/4
5	Aquaman	WB	$335,061,807	4,184	$67,873,522	4,125	12/21	4/4
6	Deadpool 2	Fox	$318,491,426	4,349	$125,507,153	4,349	5/18	10/18
7	Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018)	Uni.	$270,620,950	4,141	$67,572,855	4,141	11/9	2/14
8	Mission: Impossible - Fallout	Par.	$220,159,104	4,395	$61,236,534	4,386	7/27	10/18
9	Ant-Man and the Wasp	BV	$216,648,740	4,206	$75,812,205	4,206	7/6	11/1
10	Bohemian Rhapsody	Fox	$216,266,865	4,000	$51,061,119	4,000	11/2	-

Source: Box Office Mojo.

2015

ank	Movie Title (click to view)	Studio	Total Gross / Theaters		Opening / Theaters		Open	Close
1	Star Wars: The Force Awakens	BV	$935,910,912	4,134	$247,966,675	4,134	12/18	-
2	Jurassic World	Uni.	$652,270,625	4,291	$208,806,270	4,274	6/12	11/19
3	Avengers: Age of Ultron	BV	$459,005,868	4,276	$191,271,109	4,276	5/1	10/8
4	Inside Out	BV	$356,461,711	4,158	$90,440,272	3,946	6/19	12/10
5	Furious 7	Uni.	$353,007,020	4,022	$147,187,040	4,004	4/3	7/24
6	Minions	Uni.	$336,045,770	4,311	$115,718,405	4,301	7/10	12/17
7	The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2	LGF	$281,723,902	4,175	$102,665,981	4,175	11/20	2/25
8	The Martian	Fox	$228,433,663	3,854	$54,308,575	3,831	10/2	3/17
9	Cinderella (2015)	BV	$201,151,353	3,848	$67,877,361	3,845	3/13	9/17
10	Spectre	Sony	$200,074,609	3,929	$70,403,148	3,929	11/6	4/7

Source: Box Office Mojo.

2014

Rank	Movie Title	Studio	Total Gross / Theaters		Opening / Theaters		Open	Close
1	American Sniper	WB	$347,762,901	3,885	$633,456	4	12/25	-
2	The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1	LGF	$337,135,885	4,151	$121,897,634	4,151	11/21	3/19
3	Guardians of the Galaxy	BV	$333,176,600	4,088	$94,320,883	4,080	8/1	1/22
4	Captain America: The Winter Soldier	BV	$259,766,572	3,938	$95,023,721	3,938	4/4	8/21
5	The LEGO Movie	WB	$257,760,692	3,890	$69,050,279	3,775	2/7	9/4
6	The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies	WB	$255,119,788	3,875	$54,724,334	3,875	12/17	4/2
7	Transformers: Age of Extinction	Par.	$245,439,076	4,233	$100,038,390	4,233	6/27	10/9
8	Maleficent	BV	$241,410,378	3,948	$69,431,298	3,948	5/30	12/4
9	X-Men: Days of Future Past	Fox	$233,921,534	4,001	$90,823,660	3,996	5/23	10/9
10	Big Hero 6	BV	$222,404,450	3,773	$56,215,889	3,761	11/7

Source: Box Office Mojo