The motion picture, movie, or film industry is one of the most lucrative sectors in the world as the star studded and glitzy sector is responsible for proving entertainment through a variety of mediums. Growth in technology and innovative delivery channels have also enabled production houses to have a global reach, as movies from one country are shown in picture houses all over the world.
This industry is also one of the largest of its kind and it is worth billions of dollars. Big budget films often require countless hours spent over their funding, but if the output is perfect, then they end up bringing back billions in grossing ticket sales. For example, the most successful film of all time, Avatar, has brought in a whopping $2.9 billion since 2009. The second biggest highest grossing movie, Avengers: Endgame, has raked in $2.8 billion in just three years.
Overall, the movie production industry is also set to impressively grow over the next decade. A research report from The Business Research Company estimates that the global film and video industry grew at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.4% between 2021 and 2022 to stand at $272 billion. From 2022 to 2026, it will grow at a 6.4% CAGR and sit at $355 billion by the end of the forecast period. Driving this growth will be the Internet and the growth in smartphone usage, as more users come online and access content platforms like Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) Prime and Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS)’s Disney+ on their gadgets from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. Film production is also helped by drones, and the fastest growing film market in the near term future will be Africa according to the research firm.
Another report, this time from Research and Markets, lumps the film and music industries together. It also estimates that the growth rate for this sector was 11.4% between 2021 and 2022, with the value being $352 billion as of July 2022. From the end of this year to 2026, the industry will grow at a somewhat similar CAGR of 10.2% and be worth $478 billion as 2026 ends. The industry growth is attributed to the proliferation of direct to home and internet protocol television services, alongside online platforms such as YouTube further providing viewers with more channels to access content and producers with a larger variety of distribution outlets.
In today’s piece, we will narrow down the largest movie production companies in the world. Out of this, some of the top players are The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., and Universal City Studios LLC.
Image by Kibeom Kim from Pixabay
Our Methodology
We took a broad look at the major film production companies all over the world and narrowed them down by the total box office gross sales that they have brought in.
Biggest Movie Production Companies in the World
15. Village Roadshow Pictures
Global Box Office Sales: $14.1 billion
Village Roadshow Pictures is an American production company which is owned by the Village Roadshow Limited, an Australian firm. The company has launched a host of popular movies, such as Ocean’s 8, Joker, and American Sniper. It is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, the United States.
Village Roadshow Pictures has brought in $14 billion in worldwide global box office sales, and out of this, $5.9 billion has been through sales in its home country. The company has also produced a total of 86 movies. The firm’s productions are funded by JPMorgan and Rabobank, and it distributes its films all over the globe, in countries such as Australia, Singapore, and New Zealand.
The huge penetration of Netflix Inc, Amazon.com, Inc. Prime and Walt Disney Co’s Disney+ all over the world has forced global media companies to make movies and sell them to streaming platforms to boost their revenues.
13. Pixar Animation Studios
Global Box Office Sales: $14.9 billion
Pixar Animation Studios is an iconic production company that is most known for being propelled through the efforts of the late Apple founder Mr. Steve Jobs and its titles that use computer animation to deliver unique stories. The company is owned by Walt Disney, and it has produced some of the most well known films in the world, such as Toy Story.
Pixar Animation Studios’ all time gross box office sales stand at $14.9 billion, with the domestic sales accounting for $6.1 billion of the total pie. The firm also has several billion dollar films in its portfolio, such as Toy Story 3 and Toy Story 4, which have brought it $1 billion each since being released in 2019 and 2010, respectively.
12. Relativity Media
Global Box Office Sales: $15.3 billion
Relativity Media is a film studio headquartered in Beverly Hills, California, the United States. The firm was set up in 2004 and it has declared bankruptcy several times since then. It is a subsidiary of UltraV Holdings.
Relativity Media has been the driving force behind several renowned movies such as Fast and Furious 6, Les Miserables, The Bourne Legacy, and Limitless. The firm has grossed $15.3 billion in global box office since being set up and its domestic box office sales are $7.3 billion. Relativity Media is now focusing its attention on small and medium budget films as the industry goes through an upheaval amid the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix Inc, Amazon.com, Inc. Prime and Walt Disney Co’s Disney+.
11. Amblin Entertainment, Inc.
Global Box Office Sales: $15.6 billion
Amblin Entertainment, Inc. is a subsidiary of Amblin Partners, LLC. and is known for being set up by the legendary producer and director Steven Spielberg. The firm is headquartered in Universal City in Los Angeles county of California.
Amblin Entertainment, Inc. is behind some of the best known movie franchises in the world. These include Jurassic Park and Men In Black and other movies such as Casper and Lincoln – a movie about President Abraham Lincoln. The studio has brought in a whopping $15.6 billion since being set up, with $6.3 billion being accounted for through domestic sales.
10. DreamWorks Animation LLC
Global Box Office Sales: $15.9 billion
DreamWorks Animation LLC is another Steven Spielberg brand, and one which is responsible for focusing exclusively on animated films. It is headquartered in Glendale, California and is owned by the media giant Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA). The demand of animated movies has seen a dramatic rise on streaming platforms like Netflix Inc, Amazon.com, Inc. Prime and Walt Disney Co’s Disney+.
DreamWorks Animation LLC’s global box office sales stand at $15.9 billion and its domestic sales are $5.8 billion. The studio has produced a wide variety of notable franchises such as Shrek, The Prince of Egypt, Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon. Additionally, it also has a water theme park and a cruise ship package.
9. Access Industries, Inc.
Global Box Office Sales: $16.6 billion
Access Industries, Inc. is a privately held industrial conglomerate which operates in the movie industry through its Access Entertainment division. Access Entertainment owns the former film studio Ratpac-Dune, after it bought its stakes in 2017.
Ratpac-Dune has raked in $16.6 billion in gross box office revenue since being set up in 2006, through producing and releasing 70 films. It is responsible for having launched the world’s most popular film, Avatar, which as we mentioned in the introduction to the piece, has brought in a whopping $2.9 billion in sales since its release, nearly ten times its production budget of $230 million. Other well known titles include Life of Pi, Batman Vs Superman, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
8. Legendary Pictures Productions, LLC
Global Box Office Sales: $17 billion
Legendary Pictures Productions, LLC is an American film production company that was set up in 2000 and is headquartered in Burbank, California. The firm is owned by the Wanda Group.
Legendary Pictures Productions, LLC has produced a variety of well known films such as the Man of Steel, The Hangover, 300, and the legendary Batman franchise, the Dark Knight. These, and others, have let it bring in $17 billion in sales since its inception, with the Dark Knight alone accounting for $1 billion, The Hangover Part II $586 million, and Man of Steel another $668 million. Legendary Pictures Productions, LLC’s best selling film however is Jurassic World, which has sold more than $1 billion in tickets since being released in 2015.
7. New Line Cinema
Global Box Office Sales: $17.4 billion
New Line Cinema is one of the older film production companies that was founded in 1967 and is currently headquartered in California. The firm is a subsidiary of the production giant Warner Brothers, which took it under its wing in 2008.
New Line Cinema is most well known for its Lord of the Rings films, which are based on novels. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King film has brought the studio $1 billion in sales, and the newer releases under The Hobbit branding have raked it an additional $2 billion cumulatively. Overall, the studio has $17.4 billion in gross sales, out of which $7.5 billion come from domestic audiences.
As consumers flock to streaming services like Netflix Inc, Amazon.com, Inc. Prime and Walt Disney Co’s Disney+, production houses are looking to sign deals with these platforms to boost their revenues.
6. 20th Century Studios
Global Box Office Sales: $26.1 billion
20th Century Studios is an iconic American production house that is one of the oldest of its kind after being set up in 1915. The firm is now a subsidiary of Walt Disney Co Studios and it has four divisions that deal with animated films and games.
Due to its age, 20th Century Studios has churned out a remarkable 113 films since its founding. These have let it rake in $26.1 billion in sales. Its best known films include Avatar, Titanic, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Minority Report, and Taken 2. The top three highest grossers are Avatar, Titanic, and Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, which have brought the studio a whopping $6.2 billion in ticket sales.
The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., and Comcast Corporation’s Universal Studios are met by 20th Century Studios in our list of biggest movie production companies in the world.
5. Paramount Pictures Corporation
Global Box Office Sales: $35.7 billion
Paramount Pictures Corporation is the second largest American film studio, which was originally set up in 1912. Since then, it has grown to be one of the largest producers in the world and is currently headquartered in Hollywood, California.
Paramount Pictures Corporation has produced a whopping 241 movies since being set up. These have let it rake in a massive $35 billion in ticket sales, out of which $16.5 billion have come domestically. Its best performing film is Titanic, which has grossed over $2 billion in ticket sales. Additionally, Paramount Pictures Corporation’s latest big ticket film that made it big globally is Top Gun: Maverick. Despite being released in May 2022, the firm has already brought in $1.4 billion, a hairline’s sales away from the second best performer Avengers, which brought Paramount Pictures Corporation $1.5 billion.
4. Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.
Global Box Office Sales: $45.4 billion
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is the world’s third largest film studio. It was set up in 1918, and currently, it is a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The firm is headquartered in Culver City, California.
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. pumps out multi billion dollar film franchises like there’s no tomorrow. Its most recent movie that raked in more than a billion is Spiderman: No Way Home. Since being released less than a year ago in December 2021, the film has brought in a whopping $1.9 billion through sales. Cumulatively, Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. has raked in a massive $45.4 billion over its lifetime, with $20.5 billion coming in domestically. The studio has also produced 270 films.
3. Universal City Studios LLC
Global Box Office Sales: $47.9 billion
Universal City Studios LLC is the oldest American film studio, that was founded at the start of the 19th century. The firm is headquartered in Universal City and it is owned by Comcast.
Universal City Studios LLC has the largest list of films that have crossed more than a billion dollars in sales. These include Jurassic World, Furious 7, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, The Fate of the Furious, Minions, Jurassic Park, and Despicable Me 3. Cumulatively, these have brought Universal City Studios LLC close to $10 billion in sales, to account for roughly one fifth of its total $47.9 billion of box office earnings through 305 movies.
2. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Global Box Office Sales: $48 billion
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. is a film studio that is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The studio is headquartered in Burbank, California, and it also owns DC Studios.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. is the only film studio that has managed to earn $1 billion in ticket sales each year between 2000 and 2016. Additionally, it is also one of the handful that has released two billion dollar films in the same year – a feat that it achieved in 2012 through The Dark Knight Rises and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Cumulatively, the studio has raked in $48 billion in box office sales, and its best performer is Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 which has brought it $1.3 billion.
1. The Walt Disney Studios
Global Box Office Sales: $79 billion
The Walt Disney Studios is a division of The Walt Disney Company. It is also one of the oldest studios in the world since it was founded in 1923. The studio is based in Burbank, California, the United States.
Alongside being one of the oldest, The Walt Disney Studios is also one of the most successful movie studios of all time. It is responsible for releasing five of the ten highest grossing films in history. The studio’s most successful film is the Lion King, which has brought it a whopping $1.6 billion in sales since being released in 2019. Joining it are iconic titles such as Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and the original Lion King that was released in 1994.
The Walt Disney Studios also owns Marvel Studios, LLC, which has raked in $39 billion in gross ticket sales and let it become the largest film studio on our list. Marvel’s greatest hit is Avengers: Endgame, which has sold a whopping $2.7 billion in the box office since being released in 2019.
Suggested Articles:
- 12 Best Beauty Stocks To Buy Now
- Charlie Munger Stock Portfolio
- 13 Best Consumer Staples Dividend Stocks To Buy
This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.