 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | |
| Founded | April 2, 2011 |
| Founder | Megan Ellison |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Key people | Megan Ellison (chairwoman and CEO) |
| Services | |
| Divisions |
|
| Website | annapurna |
Annapurna Pictures is an American independent media company founded by Megan Ellison on April 2, 2011, and based in Los Angeles, California. [1] It is active in film, television [2] [3] and theatrical production, film distribution, and video game publishing. [4]
Annapurna Pictures was founded in 2011 by Megan Ellison as a production and finance entity focusing on high-end auteur-driven cinema. [5] Ellison had attended University of Southern California’s film school for two semesters and then left in 2005 and traveled the world. Among her stops was Nepal, where she trekked on the Himalayan mountain Annapurna, for which her production company is named. [6]
By 2014 Annapurna had produced and/or financed the films Lawless , The Master , Killing Them Softly , Zero Dark Thirty , Spring Breakers , The Grandmaster , Her , Foxcatcher , and American Hustle , and was starting production on Joy , Sausage Party , Wiener-Dog , 20th Century Women , and Everybody Wants Some!! .
In December 2016, the company announced its new division, Annapurna Interactive, to produce, develop, and distribute video games. Annapurna Interactive has become a major publisher of independently made games. [7] [8]
In January 2017, the company announced they would begin distributing films, with their first being Detroit directed by Kathryn Bigelow, set for release on August 4, 2017. [9] They later signed a multi-year distribution deal with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on March 27, in which MGM will distribute all of Annapurna's films in select international territories. [10] [11] [12] On April 6, the company also announced an exclusive, multi-year output licensing agreement with Hulu. [13] [14] [15]
In May 2017, Plan B Entertainment and Annapurna announced a three-year production deal to partner on at least three films a year, with Annapurna handling distribution and marketing. As part of the deal, Annapurna received the rights to Adam McKay's film Vice starring Christian Bale as Dick Cheney. [16] It was also announced Annapurna would co-distribute Brad's Status through their MGM joint venture Mirror alongside Amazon Studios. [17] In July, the company signed a multi-year U.S. home entertainment pact with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment to oversee its home releases. [18]
Since Sony Pictures' contract to co-produce the James Bond series with MGM and Eon Productions expired with the release of Spectre, Annapurna, along with five major studios – Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures and Sony itself – vied to win the rights to the next film as of April 2017. It was then announced that MGM had secured the domestic, digital and worldwide television rights to the film. Universal was announced as the international distributor of the film and holder of the rights for physical home entertainment distribution. [19]
In October 2017, Annapurna and MGM announced the formation of a US distribution joint venture in which each studio would release their films individually. This marked a return to domestic theatrical distribution for MGM and an expansion of Annapurna's distribution division, with MGM releasing approximately six to eight films per year on a limited basis and Annapurna releasing four to six films per year, in a combined slate of fourteen films. While the two companies are sharing costs for the joint venture's operations, Annapurna's distribution and marketing teams supported the MGM titles, which were distributed under the MGM banner while Annapurna-produced films continued to be distributed under its own banner. The two studios also launched Mirror, a releasing entity that pursues theatrical opportunities for additional third-party films. However, this partnership is not exclusive to all MGM films, as several of them continued to be released through existing studio partners, such as Warner Bros. and Paramount. The newly relaunched Orion Pictures and future worldwide distributor plans for the James Bond franchise, are also not included, which MGM announced on "a later date", May 24, 2018, to have been won by Universal Pictures. [20] [21] [22] [23] [24]
In October 2018, Annapurna signed a music publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music, which administered the studio's film and TV compositions and scores. [25]
In February 2019, Annapurna and MGM rebranded and expanded their US distribution joint venture to release both MGM and Annapurna films under United Artists Releasing, with the distribution teams of Annapurna and Orion Pictures (whose films are added as well) joining the venture and former Screen Gems executive Pam Kunath joining as COO in addition to the heads of MGM and Annapurna joining the board of directors. The decision was made to coincide with the United Artists brand's 100th anniversary, and has plans to release 10–14 films a year through the new label, including the domestic release of No Time to Die (which marks a reunion between the UA brand and the James Bond franchise after two decades). [26] [27] [28] After taking financial losses from distributing Vice, Detroit , and Destroyer , Annapurna had to leave Bombshell just two weeks before it would start production, and also unattached itself from Hustlers . [29]
In December 2022, Annapurna launched its animation division led by former Blue Sky Studios Robert Baird and Andrew Millstein. Nimona was its first release. [30]
On March 4, 2023, it was revealed by The Hollywood Reporter that Amazon had shut down the operations of United Artists Releasing and folded it into MGM. [31]
In August 2024 Annapurna announced a "strategic cooperation agreement" with video game developer Remedy Entertainment during which Annapurna will co-produce and co-finance Control 2, and will also develop film and television projects involving Remedy's Alan Wake and Control. [32]
On September 12th, 2024 news broke that the entire Annapurna Interactive Team of 25 resigned [33] following a dispute with its owner to spin off the video-game division as an independent entity.
The company expects to release "approximately four to six films per year". [54]
| Release date | Film title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| August 4, 2017 | Detroit | |
| September 15, 2017 | Brad's Status | Co-distribution with Amazon Studios [55] |
| October 13, 2017 | Professor Marston and the Wonder Women | Co-distribution with Stage 6 Films [56] [57] |
| July 6, 2018 | Sorry to Bother You | [58] [59] |
| September 21, 2018 | The Sisters Brothers | [60] |
| December 14, 2018 | If Beale Street Could Talk | [61] |
| December 25, 2018 | Vice | [62] [59] |
| Destroyer | [63] | |
| April 12, 2019 | Missing Link [40] | US distribution through United Artists Releasing [27] |
| May 24, 2019 | Booksmart [64] | |
| August 16, 2019 | Where'd You Go, Bernadette | |
| May 13, 2022 | On the Count of Three | US co-distribution with Orion Pictures through United Artists Releasing [65] |
Some of the films produced by the company have received widespread critical acclaim. In 2013 alone, Her , American Hustle and The Grandmaster had a combined seventeen Academy Award nominations. Commercially, results have been mixed. Some films like The Master , Foxcatcher , Joy , Detroit and Vice , however, do not return their budget while ones such as Zero Dark Thirty , Sausage Party and American Hustle have grossed more than $100 million, the latter grossing more than $250 million worldwide. [66] [67]
 | |
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation Motion pictures |
| Founded | December 1, 2022 |
| Founders | Robert L. Baird Andrew Millstein |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
| Services | Animation production Animated films |
Number of employees | 11 [69] (2024) |
| Parent | Annapurna Pictures |
Annapurna Animation is an American animation studio and division of Annapurna Pictures, founded by former Blue Sky Studios executives Robert L. Baird and Andrew Millstein on December 1, 2022 and based in North Stamford, Connecticut. The studio's first film, Nimona , was released on June 30, 2023, on Netflix.
| Release date | Film | Director(s) | Co-production | Animation services | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2023 | Nimona | Nick Bruno Troy Quane | Vertigo Entertainment | DNEG Animation | Netflix |
| Film | Director(s) | Notes | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foo | Chris Wedge | — | [70] [71] [72] [73] |
| Untitled film | Nick Bruno | ||
| Stray | TBA | Based on the game by BlueTwelve Studio | |
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production |
| Founded | September 27, 2016 |
| Founder | Sue Naegle |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Key people | Sue Naegle |
| Services | Television production |
| Parent | Annapurna Pictures |
| Website | www |
Annapurna Television is the television production company of Annapurna Pictures, launched on September 27, 2016, and was formerly headed by HBO executive Sue Naegle (with her label, Naegle Ink, now part of the division). [74] In January 2017, it was reported that Annapurna Television would produce the Coen brothers' first TV project, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs . [75]
| Year | Title | Co-production | Network | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Search and Destroy | — | Hulu | TV pilot |
| Half-Empty | Amazon Prime Video | |||
| Soundtrack |
| Netflix | Canceled after one season | |
| 2020 | The Plot Against America |
| HBO | Miniseries |
| Monsterland |
| Hulu | Canceled after one season | |
| 2021 | Hot Pink | — | Amazon Prime Video | TV pilot |
| 2022 | Pam & Tommy |
| Hulu | Miniseries |
| The Staircase | Emipop What's Up Films | HBO Max | ||
| I Love That for You |
| Showtime | Canceled after one season [76] | |
| 2023 | Paul T. Goldman |
| Peacock | Miniseries |
| Dead Ringers | Morgan Creek Entertainment Astral Projection Amazon Studios | Amazon Prime Video | ||
| 2023–present | The Changeling | Apple Studios De La Revolución Films | Apple TV+ | Ongoing series |
| 2024–present | Sausage Party: Foodtopia [77] |
| Amazon Prime Video | Animated television series |
Annapurna Interactive published its first video game, What Remains of Edith Finch, on April 25, 2017. What Remains of Edith Finch received "universal acclaim" on PC and "generally positive" reviews on PS4, according to video game review aggregator Metacritic. [78] Since 2017, Annapurna Interactive has also been responsible for publishing games including Twelve Minutes, Donut County , Kentucky Route Zero , Outer Wilds , Sayonara Wild Hearts , Wattam, Telling Lies , Neon White and Stray . The publisher has also provided funding and publication support for The Artful Escape by Beethoven & Dinosaur, [79] Ashen by A44 and Gorogoa by Jason Roberts.
Annapurna Theatre produces plays and live shows on, and off-Broadway.
| Show date(s) | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2018–2019 | Nine Night | |
| Network | ||
| 2019 | Home I'm Darling | |
| 2019–ongoing | American Utopia | Also viewable in film format from HBO Max. |
| 2019 | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Also viewable in film format from National Theatre Live. |
| Fleabag | ||
| 2019–ongoing | The Lehman Trilogy | |
| 2020 | Death of a Salesman | |
| Betrayal | ||
| 2021–ongoing | Company | |
| A Strange Loop |
| Country | Distributor | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Asia | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 2017–2022 |
| Australia and New Zealand | Theatrical: Universal Pictures [80] All Other Media: Entertainment One | |
| Benelux | Entertainment One | |
| Canada | ||
| Central Europe | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | |
| France | Mars Distribution [81] | |
| Germany | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | |
| Italy | Eagle Pictures/Leone Film Group [81] | |
| Japan | Longride [81] | |
| Middle East | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | |
| Scandinavia | ||
| Spain | Entertainment One | |
| United Kingdom | ||
| International | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer via Warner Bros. | 2022–present |
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. is an American media company specializing in film and television production and distribution based in Beverly Hills, California. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was founded on April 17, 1924, and has been owned by the Amazon MGM Studios subsidiary of Amazon since 2022.
United Artists (UA) is an American film production company owned by Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, UA was founded in 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, D.W. Griffith, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks as a venture premised on allowing actors to control their own financial and artistic interests rather than being dependent upon commercial studios.
Orion Releasing, LLC is an American film production and distribution company owned by the Amazon MGM Studios subsidiary of Amazon.
20th Century Home Entertainment is a home video distribution arm that distributes films produced by 20th Century Studios, Searchlight Pictures, Blue Sky Studios, and 20th Century Animation and several third-party studios, as well as television series by 20th Television, Searchlight Television, 20th Television Animation, and FX Productions in home entertainment formats.
MGM Holdings, Inc. was an American holding company based in Beverly Hills, California. It was launched on February 11, 2005, by a creditor-oriented consortium and the former parent company of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Technology company Amazon acquired the company on March 17, 2022 and later merged it with its Amazon Studios subsidiary on October 3, 2023, forming Amazon MGM Studios.
Stage 6 Films, Inc. is an American film production label of Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions that acquires and produces feature films that are low budget and that are being released direct-to-disc, on demand, or through streaming services. Some of their films are also being released theatrically. Once a film is finished, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions will decide if the film will be released theatrically or on a different platform.
Skydance Media, LLC, also known as Skydance Productions, is an American media production and finance company based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by David Ellison in 2006, the company specializes in films, animation, television, video games, and sports.
Allspark, formerly known as Hasbro Studios, LLC, was an American production and distribution company owned by toy and multimedia company Hasbro and based in Burbank, California that was in operation from 2009 to 2019. Originally just a television division, many of its shows were based on Hasbro properties and were broadcast on multiple media platforms, including Hasbro's joint venture Discovery Family.
Paramount Animation is an American animation studio, serving as the animation division and label of Paramount Pictures, a subsidiary of Paramount Global. The division was founded on July 6, 2011, following the box office success of Paramount's own Rango and the end of their distribution deal with DreamWorks Animation in 2012.
Margaret Elizabeth Ellison is an American film producer, entrepreneur, and daughter of multibillionaire Larry Ellison. She is the founder of Annapurna Pictures, established in 2011. She produced the films Zero Dark Thirty (2012), Her (2013), American Hustle (2013), and Phantom Thread (2017), all of which have earned her Oscar nominations. In 2014, Ellison was included in the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world. She also received a Tony Award for Best Musical as a producer for the musical A Strange Loop.
Sue Naegle is an American television executive and producer, former president of HBO Entertainment, former Chief Content Officer at Annapurna Pictures, and founder of Dinner Party Productions. In 2012, Naegle was recognized as the 46th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes Magazine.
Amazon MGM Studios, formerly Amazon Studios, is an American film and television production and distribution studio owned by Amazon. It was launched in 2010. It took its current name in May 2023 following its merger with MGM Holdings, which Amazon had acquired the year prior.
Bron Studios is a Canadian motion picture company based in British Columbia and owned by Bron Media Corporation. Bron's notable productions include Joker, Bombshell, Queen & Slim, Greyhound, Judas and the Black Messiah, The Mule, Henchmen, Roman J. Israel, Esq., Rudderless, Welcome to Me, The Addams Family, The Willoughbys, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Point Grey (PGP) is a Canadian-American film and television production company, founded in 2011 by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. The company is named after Point Grey Secondary School in Vancouver, where they met.
Vertigo Entertainment is an American film and television production company based in Los Angeles, founded in 2001 by Roy Lee and Doug Davison.
Annapurna Games, LLC is an American video game publisher and developer. The company is a division of Annapurna Pictures, and was founded in 2016, and has focused on publishing innovative and emotive indie games. Notable games published by the company include Donut County, Kentucky Route Zero, Outer Wilds, Sayonara Wild Hearts, Wattam, What Remains of Edith Finch, Telling Lies, Neon White and Stray.
United Artists Releasing, LLC (UAR) was an American film distribution joint venture between Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Annapurna Pictures and the successor to United Artists (UA) that operated from October 31, 2017 to March 4, 2023.
Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company and the flagship studio of the Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group division of Warner Bros., a flagship of Warner Bros. Discovery. It is headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California. Animated films produced by Warner Bros. Pictures Animation are also released under the studio banner.
Nimona is a 2023 American animated science fantasy action film directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane from a screenplay by Robert L. Baird and Lloyd Taylor. It is based on the 2015 graphic novel of the same name by ND Stevenson. Set in a science fantasy world influenced by the Middle Ages, the film features the voices of Chloë Grace Moretz as the eponymous shapeshifting character and Riz Ahmed as her boss and former knight Ballister, with Eugene Lee Yang and Frances Conroy voicing supporting roles.
Amazon protected its newfound theatrical apparatus by folding United Artists Releasing into MGM.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
