Castle Rock Entertainment
Encyclopedia
Castle Rock Entertainment is a film and television production company
founded in 1987 by Martin Shafer, director Rob Reiner
, Andrew Scheinman
, Glenn Padnick and Alan Horn. It is a subsidiary of Warner Bros.
Entertainment, which in turn is a unit of Time Warner
.
that serves as the setting of several stories by Stephen King
(which was named after the fictional Castle Rock in Lord of the Flies
), after the success of his film Stand by Me
, which was based on The Body
, a novella by King.
The company was originally backed by The Coca-Cola Company
, the then-parent company of Columbia Pictures
. Coke and the company's founders jointly owned a stake in the company. Months after the deal, Coke exited the entertainment business, succeeded by Sony Pictures Entertainment
.
In 1989, Castle Rock was supported by another backer, Group W
, a subsidiary of Westinghouse
. Castle Rock later struck a deal with Nelson Entertainment
, the company that owned the domestic home video rights to Reiner's This is Spinal Tap
, The Sure Thing
, and The Princess Bride
, to co-finance Castle Rock's films.
Under the deal, Nelson also distributed the films on video in North American markets, and handled international theatrical distribution, while Columbia, which Nelson forged a distribution deal with, would receive domestic theatrical distribution rights. Some of Nelson's holdings were later acquired by New Line Cinema
, which took over Nelson's duty.
Columbia, shortly after the company's formation, thereafter had to re-invest with a substantial change in terms when accumulated losses exhausted its initial funding.
Castle Rock has also produced several televisions shows, such as the successful sitcom Seinfeld
and the animated sitcom Mission Hill
.
On August 1993, Ted Turner
agreed to acquire Castle Rock, along with co-financing partner New Line Cinema
. Turner Broadcasting System
eventually merged into Time Warner in 1996.
In 1999, Warner Bros.
and Universal
assumed distribution rights beginning with The Green Mile
(WB handled domestic distribution, while Universal handled the foreign rights). Soon after, Universal backed out of their contract (and later gave international rights to The Green Mile back to WB), WB assumed full distribution of all Castle Rock films worldwide. However, a few post-1998 films still had distribution by Columbia or a related company, such as Envy (distributed by Columbia outside the US, as DreamWorks
had American rights), or the 2007 remake of Sleuth
(through the Sony Pictures Classics
division in North America; Paramount Pictures
handled distribution in a few other English-speaking countries). Presumably, WB passed on distributing these films.
In several international markets in the mid-1990s, Columbia did not distribute Castle Rock films theatrically. In Germany
, they distributed their own films via a joint venture
between them, Concorde Filmverleih, and Turner Pictures (a subsidiary of Castle Rock's then-parent company Turner Broadcasting). Many of the company's early films were distributed by Palace Pictures
in the United Kingdom
, under license from Nelson.
New Line Cinema
and Castle Rock Entertainment had recently collaborated on Fracture
, which opened April 20, 2007; their first joint venture since the mid-1990s before both companies were bought by Turner. Also, Columbia and Castle Rock co-financed Did You Hear About The Morgans?
, which was released on December 18, 2009.
The distribution rights to all Castle Rock films prior to 1994 (with the exception of co-productions with Columbia such as In the Line of Fire
and A Few Good Men
) were originally held by New Line; the company later sold off the Nelson and Castle Rock libraries to PolyGram
. These films are now part of the pre-1996 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
library owned by MGM
. Warner Bros.
, however, holds some partial distribution rights to these films, including television rights to select titles that in turn include the films co-financed by Nelson (notably excluding the co-productions with Columbia which are owned by Sony Pictures Television
)
Theatrical distribution of the pre-1994 Castle Rock library came full circle in 2005, when MGM was sold to a Sony
-led partnership. As Sony owns Columbia (through Sony Pictures Entertainment
), that studio has assumed theatrical distribution rights to the MGM-owned features. SPE also handled TV and video distribution for a short time. In 2006, MGM returned to self-distribution on TV, and switched video distribution to 20th Century Fox
.
One pre-1994 Castle Rock film, The Spirit of '76, is also currently distributed by Warner since Nelson Entertainment did not have a role in the film's production.
The 1994-99 Castle Rock films (except the US distribution rights to The Story of Us
and The Last Days of Disco
, along with the international rights to The American President
, all of which are held by Universal) are now part of WB's library, although some have ancillary rights held by WB's Turner division.
As aforementioned, WB has re-acquired the international distribution rights to The Green Mile from Universal. However, also as aforementioned, three other films with partial distribution by Universal were not part of the deal, and Universal still handles some interest in these films.
Production company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
founded in 1987 by Martin Shafer, director Rob Reiner
Rob Reiner
Robert "Rob" Reiner is an American actor, director, producer, writer, and political activist.As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence as Archie and Edith Bunker's son-in-law, Michael "Meathead" Stivic, on All in the Family. That role earned him two Emmy Awards during the 1970s...
, Andrew Scheinman
Andrew Scheinman
Andrew Scheinman is a film and television producer, as well as a film director and screenwriter. Before he got his start in entertainment, he worked as a tennis pro, as well as earning a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1973...
, Glenn Padnick and Alan Horn. It is a subsidiary of Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
Entertainment, which in turn is a unit of Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
.
Company
Reiner named the company in honor of the fictional Maine townCastle Rock (Stephen King)
Castle Rock, Maine is part of Stephen King’s fictional Maine topography and provides the setting for a number of his novels, novellas, and short stories...
that serves as the setting of several stories by Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
(which was named after the fictional Castle Rock in Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies is a novel by Nobel Prize-winning author William Golding about a group of British boys stuck on a deserted island who try to govern themselves, with disastrous results...
), after the success of his film Stand by Me
Stand by Me (film)
Stand by Me is a 1986 American drama film directed by Rob Reiner. Based on the novella The Body by Stephen King, the film takes its title from the Ben E. King song of the same name, which plays over the end credits.-Plot:...
, which was based on The Body
The Body (novella)
The Body, or Fall from Innocence, is a novella by Stephen King, originally published in King's 1982 collection Different Seasons and in 1986 adapted into the acclaimed film Stand by Me...
, a novella by King.
The company was originally backed by The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer, retailer and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. The company is best known for its flagship product Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia...
, the then-parent company of Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
. Coke and the company's founders jointly owned a stake in the company. Months after the deal, Coke exited the entertainment business, succeeded by Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...
.
In 1989, Castle Rock was supported by another backer, Group W
Westinghouse Broadcasting
The Westinghouse Broadcasting Company, also known as Group W, was the broadcasting division of Westinghouse Electric Corporation. It owned several radio and television stations across the United States and distributed television shows for syndication....
, a subsidiary of Westinghouse
Westinghouse Electric (1886)
Westinghouse Electric was an American manufacturing company. It was founded in 1886 as Westinghouse Electric Company and later renamed Westinghouse Electric Corporation by George Westinghouse. The company purchased CBS in 1995 and became CBS Corporation in 1997...
. Castle Rock later struck a deal with Nelson Entertainment
Embassy Pictures
Embassy Pictures Corporation was an independent studio and distributor responsible for such films as The Graduate, The Lion in Winter, This Is Spinal Tap and Escape from New York.-Founding:The company was founded in 1942 by producer Joseph E...
, the company that owned the domestic home video rights to Reiner's This is Spinal Tap
This Is Spinal Tap
This Is Spinal Tap is an American 1984 rock musical mockumentary directed by Rob Reiner about the fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap...
, The Sure Thing
The Sure Thing
The Sure Thing is a 1985 romantic comedy directed by Rob Reiner, written by Steven L. Bloom and Jonathan Roberts and starring John Cusack, Daphne Zuniga, Viveca Lindfors, and Nicollette Sheridan...
, and The Princess Bride
The Princess Bride (film)
The Princess Bride is a 1987 American film based on the 1973 novel of the same name by William Goldman, combining comedy, adventure, romance, and fantasy. The film was directed by Rob Reiner from a screenplay by Goldman...
, to co-finance Castle Rock's films.
Under the deal, Nelson also distributed the films on video in North American markets, and handled international theatrical distribution, while Columbia, which Nelson forged a distribution deal with, would receive domestic theatrical distribution rights. Some of Nelson's holdings were later acquired by New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
, which took over Nelson's duty.
Columbia, shortly after the company's formation, thereafter had to re-invest with a substantial change in terms when accumulated losses exhausted its initial funding.
Castle Rock has also produced several televisions shows, such as the successful sitcom Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
and the animated sitcom Mission Hill
Mission Hill
Mission Hill is an American animated television series that first aired on The WB in 1999. Although 18 episodes were planned, only 13 episodes were produced. The show was put on hiatus by the WB Network after two episodes due to poor ratings. It returned to the WB in the summer of 2000 but was...
.
Distribution
Columbia handled Castle Rock films' distribution domestically (and later worldwide) until 1999.On August 1993, Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
agreed to acquire Castle Rock, along with co-financing partner New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
. Turner Broadcasting System
Turner Broadcasting System
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. is the Time Warner subsidiary managing the collection of cable networks and properties started and acquired by Robert Edward "Ted" Turner starting in the mid-1970s. The company has its headquarters in the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. TBS, Inc...
eventually merged into Time Warner in 1996.
In 1999, Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
and Universal
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
assumed distribution rights beginning with The Green Mile
The Green Mile (film)
The Green Mile is a 1999 American drama film directed by Frank Darabont and adapted by him from the 1996 Stephen King novel of the same name...
(WB handled domestic distribution, while Universal handled the foreign rights). Soon after, Universal backed out of their contract (and later gave international rights to The Green Mile back to WB), WB assumed full distribution of all Castle Rock films worldwide. However, a few post-1998 films still had distribution by Columbia or a related company, such as Envy (distributed by Columbia outside the US, as DreamWorks
DreamWorks
DreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming...
had American rights), or the 2007 remake of Sleuth
Sleuth (2007 film)
Sleuth is a 2007 thriller film directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Jude Law and Michael Caine. The screenplay by Harold Pinter is an adaption of Anthony Shaffer's Tony Award-winning play Sleuth...
(through the Sony Pictures Classics
Sony Pictures Classics
Sony Pictures Classics is an art-house film division of Sony Pictures Entertainment founded in December 1991 that distributes, produces and acquires specialty films from the United States and around the world. Its co-presidents are Michael Barker and Tom Bernard...
division in North America; Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
handled distribution in a few other English-speaking countries). Presumably, WB passed on distributing these films.
In several international markets in the mid-1990s, Columbia did not distribute Castle Rock films theatrically. In Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, they distributed their own films via a joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
between them, Concorde Filmverleih, and Turner Pictures (a subsidiary of Castle Rock's then-parent company Turner Broadcasting). Many of the company's early films were distributed by Palace Pictures
Stephen Woolley
Stephen Woolley is an English film producer and director. He is best known for his work with director Neil Jordan, which has resulted in a number of critically acclaimed films including the Oscar-winning The Crying Game....
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, under license from Nelson.
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
and Castle Rock Entertainment had recently collaborated on Fracture
Fracture (2007 film)
Fracture is a 2007 legal/crime suspense film from New Line Cinema and Castle Rock Entertainment, directed by Gregory Hoblit, starring Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling...
, which opened April 20, 2007; their first joint venture since the mid-1990s before both companies were bought by Turner. Also, Columbia and Castle Rock co-financed Did You Hear About The Morgans?
Did You Hear About the Morgans?
Did You Hear About the Morgans? is a 2009 American romantic comedy film directed and written by Marc Lawrence. Golden Globe winners Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker portray the film's protagonists, Paul and Meryl Morgan, a recently separated New York power couple on the verge of divorce until...
, which was released on December 18, 2009.
Distribution changes
Castle Rock Entertainment owns the rights to nearly all of its films and television series, as they were copyrighted by the company (which is often shared by other companies on a few films). However, the distribution rights to these films have often shifted from company to company over the years.Pre-1994
The distribution rights to all Castle Rock films prior to 1994 (with the exception of co-productions with Columbia such as In the Line of Fire
In the Line of Fire
In the Line of Fire is a 1993 American thriller film about a disillusioned and obsessed former CIA agent who attempts to assassinate the President of the United States and the Secret Service agent who tracks him...
and A Few Good Men
A Few Good Men (film)
A Few Good Men is a 1992 drama film directed by Rob Reiner and starring Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore. It was adapted for the screen by Aaron Sorkin from his play of the same name. A courtroom drama, the film revolves around the trial of two U.S...
) were originally held by New Line; the company later sold off the Nelson and Castle Rock libraries to PolyGram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
. These films are now part of the pre-1996 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment was a film studio, founded in 1979 as a European competitor to Hollywood, but eventually sold and merged with Universal Pictures in 1999....
library owned by MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
. Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
, however, holds some partial distribution rights to these films, including television rights to select titles that in turn include the films co-financed by Nelson (notably excluding the co-productions with Columbia which are owned by Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television, Inc. is an American and global television production/distribution subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment. In turn, the latter is part of the Japanese conglomerate Sony.-Background:...
)
Theatrical distribution of the pre-1994 Castle Rock library came full circle in 2005, when MGM was sold to a Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
-led partnership. As Sony owns Columbia (through Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...
), that studio has assumed theatrical distribution rights to the MGM-owned features. SPE also handled TV and video distribution for a short time. In 2006, MGM returned to self-distribution on TV, and switched video distribution to 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
.
One pre-1994 Castle Rock film, The Spirit of '76, is also currently distributed by Warner since Nelson Entertainment did not have a role in the film's production.
1994 onward
The 1994-99 Castle Rock films (except the US distribution rights to The Story of Us
The Story of Us
The Story of Us is a 1999 American film directed by Rob Reiner, and starring Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer as a couple married for fifteen years....
and The Last Days of Disco
The Last Days of Disco
The Last Days of Disco is a 1998 sardonic comedy-drama film written and directed by Whit Stillman and loosely based on his travels and experiences in various nightclubs in Manhattan, including Studio 54. The film concerns a group of Ivy League and Hampshire graduates falling in and out of love in...
, along with the international rights to The American President
The American President (film)
The American President is a 1995 romantic comedy film directed by Rob Reiner and written by Aaron Sorkin. It stars Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox and Richard Dreyfuss...
, all of which are held by Universal) are now part of WB's library, although some have ancillary rights held by WB's Turner division.
As aforementioned, WB has re-acquired the international distribution rights to The Green Mile from Universal. However, also as aforementioned, three other films with partial distribution by Universal were not part of the deal, and Universal still handles some interest in these films.
Selected films
- Winter PeopleWinter PeopleWinter People is a 1989 romantic drama film directed by Ted Kotcheff. It stars Kurt Russell and Kelly McGillis.The film is based on the novel by John Ehle. Wayland Jackson, a widower with a young daughter, moves to a small, impoverished mountain village in North Carolina, circa 1934...
(1989) - When Harry Met Sally...When Harry Met Sally...When Harry Met Sally... is a 1989 American romantic comedy film written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner. It stars Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally. The story follows the title characters from the time they meet just before sharing a cross-country drive, through twelve years or...
(1989) - Lord of the FliesLord of the Flies (1990 film)Lord of the Flies is a 1990 American thriller film adapted from the classic novel Lord of the Flies written by William Golding. It is the second film adaptation of the book, the first being the 1963 film Lord of the Flies. The film was a moderate box office success and critics gave it average reviews...
(1990) - Sibling RivalrySibling Rivalry (film)Sibling Rivalry is a 1990 black comedy starring Kirstie Alley, Sam Elliott, Jami Gertz, Bill Pullman, Carrie Fisher, and Scott Bakula, directed by Carl Reiner.-Plot:...
(1990) - Spirit of '76Spirit of '76 (1990 film)The Spirit of '76 is a 1990 comedy film that spoofs American culture of the mid-1970s. It stars David Cassidy, Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner, Olivia d'Abo, and the rock groups Redd Kross and Devo. The movie was initially released October 12, 1990...
(1990) - MiseryMisery (film)Misery is a 1990 American Psychological Horror Film based on Stephen King's 1987 novel of the same name. Directed by Rob Reiner, the film received critical acclaim for Kathy Bates' performance as the psychopathic Annie Wilkes...
(1990) - City SlickersCity SlickersCity Slickers is a 1991 American comedy film directed by Ron Underwood and starring Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Bruno Kirby, Helen Slater and Jack Palance. Palance won an Academy Award for his performance....
(1991) - Late for Dinner (1991)
- Year of the CometYear of the CometYear of the Comet is a 1992 romantic comedy adventure film about the pursuit of the most valuable bottle of wine in history. The title refers to the year it was bottled, 1811, which was known for the Great Comet of 1811, and also as one of the best years in history for European wine...
(1992) - Mr. Saturday NightMr. Saturday NightMr. Saturday Night is a 1992 film that marks the directorial debut of its star, Billy Crystal.It focuses on the rise and fall of Buddy Young Jr., a fictional stand-up comedian. Crystal produced and co-wrote the screenplay with the writing duo Babaloo Mandel and Lowell Ganz...
(1992) - Honeymoon in VegasHoneymoon in VegasHoneymoon in Vegas is a 1992 comedy film directed by Andrew Bergman and starring Nicolas Cage, James Caan and Sarah Jessica Parker.-Plot:...
(1992) - A Few Good MenA Few Good Men (film)A Few Good Men is a 1992 drama film directed by Rob Reiner and starring Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore. It was adapted for the screen by Aaron Sorkin from his play of the same name. A courtroom drama, the film revolves around the trial of two U.S...
(1992) - Amos & AndrewAmos & AndrewAmos & Andrew is a 1993 comedy starring Nicolas Cage and Samuel L. Jackson, filmed in and around Wilmington, North Carolina. It concerns wealthy African-American playwright Andrew Sterling's purchase of a summer home on a predominantly white island.-Plot:When Andrew Sterling Amos & Andrew is a...
(1993) - In the Line of FireIn the Line of FireIn the Line of Fire is a 1993 American thriller film about a disillusioned and obsessed former CIA agent who attempts to assassinate the President of the United States and the Secret Service agent who tracks him...
(1993) - Needful ThingsNeedful Things (film)Needful Things is the 1993 film adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same name directed by Fraser C. Heston, the son of actor Charlton Heston...
(1993) - MaliceMalice (film)Malice is a 1993 American thriller film directed by Harold Becker. The screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and Scott Frank is based on a story by Jonas McCord.-Plot:...
(1993) - Josh and S.A.M.Josh and S.A.M.Josh and S.A.M. is a 1993 American drama-comedy film revolving around two brothers who hate each other and how they react to their parents' divorce. It stars Noah Fleiss, Jacob Tierney, Martha Plimpton, and a young Jake Gyllenhaal...
(1993) - City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's GoldCity Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's GoldCity Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold is a 1994 comedy film directed by Paul Weiland. It is the sequel to City Slickers and stars Billy Crystal, Jack Palance, Jon Lovitz and Daniel Stern....
(1994) - Little Big LeagueLittle Big LeagueLittle Big League is a 1994 family film about a 12-year-old who suddenly becomes the owner and then manager of the Minnesota Twins baseball team. It stars Luke Edwards, Timothy Busfield and Dennis Farina.-Plot:...
(1994) - North (1994)
- BarcelonaBarcelona (film)Barcelona is a 1994 comedy film written and directed by Whit Stillman and set in Barcelona, Spain. The movie stars Taylor Nichols, Chris Eigeman and Mira Sorvino.-Plot:...
(1994) - The Shawshank RedemptionThe Shawshank RedemptionThe Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont and starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman....
(1994) - Before SunriseBefore SunriseBefore Sunrise is a 1995 romantic drama film directed by Richard Linklater and written by Linklater and Kim Krizan. The film follows Jesse , a young American, and Céline , a young French woman, who meet on a train and disembark in Vienna, where they spend the night walking around the city and...
(1995) - For Better or WorseFor better or worseFor better or worse may refer to:* "for better for worse", a phrase from traditional Christian marriage vowsIn film:* For Better, for Worse , a 1919 American film...
(1995) - Dolores ClaiborneDolores Claiborne (film)Dolores Claiborne is a 1995 film based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King, starring Kathy Bates and Jennifer Jason Leigh. It was directed by Taylor Hackford.-Plot:...
(1995) - Forget ParisForget ParisForget Paris is a 1995 film produced, directed, co-written by and starring Billy Crystal as an NBA referee and Debra Winger as an independent working woman whose lives are interrupted by love and marriage....
(1995) - Beyond RangoonBeyond RangoonBeyond Rangoon is a 1995 drama film directed by John Boorman about Laura Bowman , an American tourist who vacations in Burma in 1988, the year in which the 8888 Uprising takes place...
(1995) - A Midwinter's TaleA Midwinter's TaleA Midwinter's Tale is a 1995 romantic comedy written and directed by Kenneth Branagh. Many of the roles in the film were written for specific actors....
(1995) - The American President (1995)
- OthelloOthello (1995 film)Othello is a 1995 film based on William Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name. It was directed by Oliver Parker and stars Laurence Fishburne as Othello, Irène Jacob as Desdemona, and Kenneth Branagh as Iago...
(1995) - Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The MovieMighty Morphin Power Rangers: The MovieMighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is a 1995 American superhero action fantasy based on the television series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers on Fox Kids. It featured the characters and actors from the series itself, and used the zords from Ninja Sentai Kakuranger...
(1995) - The Run of the Country (1995)
- Dracula: Dead and Loving ItDracula: Dead and Loving ItDracula: Dead and Loving It is a 1995 comedy film starring Leslie Nielsen, directed by Mel Brooks. It is a parody of the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, and of some of the films it inspired....
(1995) - The Spitfire GrillThe Spitfire GrillThe Spitfire Grill is a 1996 American motion picture that tells a story of a woman who was just released from prison and goes to work in a small-town café known as The Spitfire Grill. A central theme is redemption....
(1996) - City HallCity Hall (film)City Hall is a 1996 film directed by Harold Becker. Al Pacino and John Cusack star as the Mayor of New York and his idealistic deputy mayor....
(1996) - Some Mother's SonSome Mother's SonSome Mother's Son is a 1996 film written and directed by Irish filmmaker Terry George, co-written by Jim Sheridan, and based on the true story of the 1981 hunger strike in the Maze Prison, in Northern Ireland...
(1996) - Lone StarLone Star (1996 film)Lone Star is an American mystery film written and directed by John Sayles and set in a small town in Texas. It features Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Peña, Kris Kristofferson and Matthew McConaughey and deals with a sheriff's investigation into who murdered one of his predecessors.-Plot:In this ensemble...
(1996) - StripteaseStriptease (film)-Release:Striptease was distributed by Sony and was finally released in the United States on June 28, 1996, after a June 23 premiere in New York City. It opened in Australia, France and Germany in August, and Argentina, Italy, Bolivia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Japan in...
(1996) - Extreme MeasuresExtreme MeasuresExtreme Measures is a 1996 thriller film based on Michael Palmer's 1991 novel of the same name, about the ethics of how far we are willing to go, and how much we are willing to sacrifice, in order to cure the world's ills.-Cast:...
(1996) - SubUrbiaSubUrbiasubUrbia is a play by Eric Bogosian chronicling the nighttime activities of a group of aimless 20-somethings still living in their suburban Boston hometown and their reunion with a former high school classmate who has become a successful musician...
(1996) - Absolute PowerAbsolute Power (film)Absolute Power is a 1997 American political thriller produced, directed by, and starring Clint Eastwood as a thief who witnesses a murder. The screenplay by William Goldman is based on the 1996 novel of the same name written by David Baldacci...
(1996) - Ghosts of MississippiGhosts of MississippiGhosts of Mississippi is a 1996 American drama film directed by Rob Reiner and starring Alec Baldwin, Whoopi Goldberg, and James Woods. The plot is based on the true story of the 1994 trial of Byron De La Beckwith, the white supremacist accused of the 1963 assassination of civil rights activist...
(1996) - HamletHamlet (1996 film)Hamlet is a 1996 film version of William Shakespeare's classic play of the same name, adapted and directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also stars in the title role as Prince Hamlet...
(1996) - AlaskaAlaska (film)Alaska is a 1996 action-adventure film that centers on two children who search through the Alaskan wilderness for their lost father. During their journey they find a polar bear that helps lead them to their father...
(1996) - Turbo: A Power Rangers MovieTurbo: A Power Rangers MovieTurbo: A Power Rangers Movie is a 1997 American superhero action science fantasy film directed by David Winning and Shuki Levy. It is set in the Power Rangers universe, serving as a bridge between Power Rangers Zeo and Power Rangers Turbo...
(1997) - Waiting for GuffmanWaiting for GuffmanWaiting for Guffman is a mockumentary starring, co-written and directed by Christopher Guest that was released in 1997. Its cast included Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, Parker Posey and others who would appear in several of the subsequent mockumentaries directed by Guest.The title of...
(1997) - Zero EffectZero EffectZero Effect is a 1998 mystery film written and directed by Jake Kasdan . It stars Bill Pullman as "the world's most private detective" Daryl Zero and Ben Stiller as his assistant Steve Arlo....
(1998) - My GiantMy GiantMy Giant is a 1998 comedy drama film starring Billy Crystal, and NBA player Gheorghe Muresan in his only film appearance. Crystal also co-wrote the story.-Synopsis:A huckster named Sammy travels to Romania on business...
(1998) - PalmettoPalmetto (film)Palmetto is a 1998 neo-noir film directed by Volker Schlöndorff with a screenplay by E. Max Frye. It is based on the novel Just Another Sucker by James Hadley Chase.-Plot summary:...
(1998) - Sour GrapesSour Grapes (film)Sour Grapes is a 1998 American comedy film written and directed by Larry David.-Plot:Richie Maxwell is down to his last quarter at a slot machine in Atlantic City, so he asks cousin Evan for two more coins for one more spin — a spin that wins a $400,000 jackpot.The joy of victory is quickly...
(1998) (Last movie distributed by Columbia Pictures) - The Last Days of DiscoThe Last Days of DiscoThe Last Days of Disco is a 1998 sardonic comedy-drama film written and directed by Whit Stillman and loosely based on his travels and experiences in various nightclubs in Manhattan, including Studio 54. The film concerns a group of Ivy League and Hampshire graduates falling in and out of love in...
(1998) - Mickey Blue EyesMickey Blue EyesMickey Blue Eyes is a 1999 film directed by Kelly Makin. Hugh Grant stars as Michael Felgate, an English auctioneer living in New York City who becomes entangled in his soon-to-be father in-law's mafia connections...
(1999) (First movie distributed by Warner Bros.) - The Story of UsThe Story of UsThe Story of Us is a 1999 American film directed by Rob Reiner, and starring Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer as a couple married for fifteen years....
(1999) - The Green MileThe Green Mile (film)The Green Mile is a 1999 American drama film directed by Frank Darabont and adapted by him from the 1996 Stephen King novel of the same name...
(1999) - Bait (2000)
- Best in ShowBest in Show (film)Best in Show is a 2000 independent film that follows five entrants in a prestigious dog show. The film focuses on the slightly surreal interactions among the various owners and handlers as they travel to the show and compete. Much of the dialogue was improvised.Christopher Guest directed; he also...
(2000) - Proof of LifeProof of LifeProof of Life is a 2000 American film, directed by Taylor Hackford. The title refers to a phrase commonly used to indicate proof that a kidnap victim is still alive...
(2000) - Miss Congeniality (2000)
- Hearts in AtlantisHearts in Atlantis (film)Hearts in Atlantis is a 2001 American/Australian drama thriller directed by Scott Hicks. It is loosely adapted from Stephen King's novella "Low Men in Yellow Coats", from his story collection Hearts in Atlantis.-Plot:...
(2001) - The Majestic (2001)
- The Salton SeaThe Salton SeaThe Salton Sea is a 2002 American neo-noir film starring Val Kilmer and Vincent D'Onofrio directed by D. J. Caruso.-Plot:While playing the trumpet in a burning room, the protagonist's voice is heard in narration. His story begins with him posing as "Danny Parker", a speed freak addicted to...
(2002) - Murder by NumbersMurder by NumbersMurder by Numbers is a 2002 psychological thriller film produced and directed by Barbet Schroeder. It stars Sandra Bullock, Ben Chaplin, Ryan Gosling and Michael Pitt. It is loosely based on the Leopold and Loeb case....
(2002) - The Sum of All FearsThe Sum of All Fears (film)The Sum of All Fears is a 2002 American action film/political thriller directed by Phil Alden Robinson and based on the novel The Sum of All Fears by Tom Clancy...
(2002) (Only movie distributed by Paramount Pictures) - The Adventures of Pluto NashThe Adventures of Pluto NashThe Adventures of Pluto Nash is a 2002 science fiction comedy film directed by Ron Underwood and starring Eddie Murphy as the owner of a lunar nightclub investigating who was behind the arson that destroyed his club...
(2002) - Two Weeks NoticeTwo Weeks NoticeTwo Weeks Notice is a 2002 romantic comedy film starring Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock from Warner Bros. Pictures. The film was written and directed by Marc Lawrence. Upon release, the film received a successful box office run both in the United States and globally.-Plot:Lucy Kelson is a...
(2002) - A Mighty WindA Mighty WindA Mighty Wind is a 2003 mockumentary about a folk music reunion concert in which three folk bands must reunite for a television performance for the first time in decades. It was directed by Christopher Guest...
(2003) - Kangaroo JackKangaroo JackKangaroo Jack is a 2003 American comedy film directed by David McNally, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and starring Jerry O'Connell, Anthony Anderson, Christopher Walken, Estella Warren and Adam Garcia...
(2003) - DreamcatcherDreamcatcher (film)Dreamcatcher is a 2003 film adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same name. It was directed by Lawrence Kasdan, and co-written by Kasdan and screenwriter William Goldman...
(2003) - Envy (2004)
- Before SunsetBefore SunsetBefore Sunset is a 2004 American romantic drama film and the sequel to Before Sunrise . Like its predecessor, the film was directed by Richard Linklater. However, this time Linklater shares screenplay credit with both actors from the movies, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy...
(2004) - Kangaroo Jack: G'Day U.S.A.!Kangaroo Jack: G'Day U.S.A.!Kangaroo Jack: G'Day U.S.A.! is an animated sequel to 2003's Kangaroo Jack that is directed by Emory Myrick and Jeffrey Gatrall . It was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and sister company Castle Rock Entertainment and was distributed by Warner Bros. and released direct-to-video in 2004...
(2004) - The Polar ExpressThe Polar Express (film)The Polar Express is a 2004 motion capture computer-animated film based on the children's book of the same title by Chris Van Allsburg. Written, produced, and directed by Robert Zemeckis, the human characters in the film were animated using live action performance capture technique, with the...
(2004) - Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and FabulousMiss Congeniality 2: Armed and FabulousMiss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous is a 2005 comedy film directed by John Pasquin, starring Sandra Bullock and Regina King. It is a sequel to the 2000 film Miss Congeniality....
(2005) - For Your ConsiderationFor Your Consideration (film)For Your Consideration is a 2006 comedy film directed by Christopher Guest. It was co-written by Guest and Eugene Levy, both also starring in the film....
(2006) - In the Land of WomenIn the Land of WomenIn the Land of Women is a 2007 American drama film directed and written by Jon Kasdan. It was screened at the Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2006. The film premiered in the United States on April 20, 2007.-Plot:...
(2007) - Music and LyricsMusic and LyricsMusic and Lyrics is a 2007 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Marc Lawrence. It focuses on the relationship that evolves between a former pop music idol and an aspiring writer as they struggle to compose a song for the reigning pop diva.-Plot:Alex Fletcher enjoyed...
(2007) - Chaos TheoryChaos Theory (film)Chaos Theory is a 2007 comedy-drama film starring Ryan Reynolds, Stuart Townsend, Emily Mortimer, and Sarah Chalke. The film was written by Daniel Taplitz and Kathy Gori and was shot in Vancouver, Canada.- Plot :...
(2007) - FractureFracture (2007 film)Fracture is a 2007 legal/crime suspense film from New Line Cinema and Castle Rock Entertainment, directed by Gregory Hoblit, starring Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling...
(2007) - No ReservationsNo Reservations (film)No Reservations is a 2007 American romantic drama film directed by Scott Hicks. The screenplay by Carol Fuchs is an adaptation of an original script by Sandra Nettelbeck, which served as the basis for the 2001 German film Mostly Martha.-Plot:...
(2007) - Michael ClaytonMichael Clayton (film)Michael Clayton is a 2007 American drama film written and directed by Tony Gilroy, starring George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton and Sydney Pollack...
(2007) - SleuthSleuth (2007 film)Sleuth is a 2007 thriller film directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Jude Law and Michael Caine. The screenplay by Harold Pinter is an adaption of Anthony Shaffer's Tony Award-winning play Sleuth...
(2007) - Did You Hear About the Morgans?Did You Hear About the Morgans?Did You Hear About the Morgans? is a 2009 American romantic comedy film directed and written by Marc Lawrence. Golden Globe winners Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker portray the film's protagonists, Paul and Meryl Morgan, a recently separated New York power couple on the verge of divorce until...
(2009) - FlippedFlipped (film)Flipped is a 2010 romantic comedy drama film directed by Rob Reiner. It is an adaptation of the novel Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen. It had a limited release in the US on August 6, 2010. The film had a wide release on August 27, 2010....
(2010) - FasterFaster (2010 film)Faster is a 2010 American action film directed by George Tillman, Jr. It stars Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Carla Gugino, Moon Bloodgood, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and Maggie Grace. It was released in the United States on November 24, 2010.-Plot:...
(2010) - BernieBernie (2011 film)Bernie is an American comedic film directed by Richard Linklater, and written by Linklater and Skip Hollandsworth. The film stars Jack Black as Bernie Tiede, Shirley MacLaine as the elderly widow, Marjorie Nugent, and Matthew McConaughey as the local District Attorney. It made its world premiere...
(2011) - Friends with BenefitsFriends With Benefits (Film)Friends with Benefits is a 2011 American romantic comedy film directed by Will Gluck and starring Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake. The film features an ensemble cast which includes Woody Harrelson, Bryan Greenberg, Jenna Elfman, Richard Jenkins, Emma Stone and Patricia Clarkson...
(2011) - Little Sunshine Hotel (2011) (First movie distributed by Focus Features)
- The First TimeThe First Time (2012 film)The First Time is an upcoming romantic teen comedy-drama film written and directed by Jon Kasdan and stars Dylan O'Brien, Brittany Robertson and Craig Roberts.-Plot:...
(2012)
Television shows
- Heart & Soul (1988)
- SeinfeldSeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
(1989–1998) (Sony Pictures TelevisionSony Pictures TelevisionSony Pictures Television, Inc. is an American and global television production/distribution subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment. In turn, the latter is part of the Japanese conglomerate Sony.-Background:...
currently owns distribution and syndication rights) - Partners in Life (1990)
- Morton & HayesMorton & HayesMorton & Hayes was a short-lived comedy television series, shown Wednesday nights at 8:30 on CBS. Only six episodes were shown, from July 24 to August 28, 1991.This series was centered around the "rediscovered" work of a fictitious comedy duo.-Format:...
(1991) - My Old SchoolMy Old SchoolMy Old School is the 6th song on Steely Dan's 1973 album Countdown to Ecstasy.In its March 24, 2006 edition, Entertainment Weekly details a return trip to Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York by Donald Fagen, in which he describes a raid by sheriff's deputies in May 1969...
(1991) - Please Watch the Jon Lovitz Special (1992)
- The Powers That BeThe powers that beIn idiomatic English, "the powers that be" is a phrase used to refer to those individuals or groups who collectively hold authority over a particular domain. It is a plurale tantum; the singular equivalent, "the power that is," is less commonly used....
(1992) (with ELP Communications) - Helicopters with Elvira (1993-1995)
- TheaThea (TV series)Thea is an American sitcom that premiered September 3, 1993 on ABC, and last aired on February 14, 1994, for a total of 19 episodes. Starring comedienne Thea Vidale, the series marked the first time an African American female comedienne was the star of a series named after her.-Synopsis:Thea Vidale...
(1993–1994) (Sony Pictures TelevisionSony Pictures TelevisionSony Pictures Television, Inc. is an American and global television production/distribution subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment. In turn, the latter is part of the Japanese conglomerate Sony.-Background:...
currently owns distribution and syndication rights) - The Second Half (1993–1994)
- 704 Hauser704 Hauser704 Hauser is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from April to May 1994. A spin-off of All in the Family , the series is built around the concept of an African American family, the Cumberbatches, moving into the former Queens home of Archie Bunker years after Bunker had sold the house...
(1994, pilot only) - The Single GuyThe Single GuyThe Single Guy is an American television sitcom that ran for two seasons on NBC, from September 1995 to April 1997. It starred Jonathan Silverman as struggling New York City writer Jonathan Eliot, and followed several of his close friends The series also starred Joey Slotnick as Eliot's best...
(1995–1997) - The Lazarus ManThe Lazarus ManThe Lazarus Man was a Western television series produced by Castle Rock Entertainment which first aired on January 20, 1996, and ended on November 9, 1996.-Production:...
(1996) - ReunitedReunited"Reunited" was a hit song for R&B vocal duo Peaches & Herb. Released from their 1978 album, 2 Hot, the song was a huge crossover smash, topping both the pop and soul charts...
(1998) - The Army ShowThe Army ShowThe Army Show was an American comedy television series that aired on the WB Network, first shown on 13 September, 1998. The plot follows an army sergeant who must take charge of a group of soldiers at Fort Bendix, Florida, while hiding his profitable schemes from his higher class officers. The show...
(1998) - Mission HillMission HillMission Hill is an American animated television series that first aired on The WB in 1999. Although 18 episodes were planned, only 13 episodes were produced. The show was put on hiatus by the WB Network after two episodes due to poor ratings. It returned to the WB in the summer of 2000 but was...
(1999–2002) - Movie Stars (1999)
- The Michael Richards ShowThe Michael Richards ShowThe Michael Richards Show is a sitcom that debuted on NBC in 2000. The show starred Michael Richards as reality-challenged but successful private detective Vic Nardozza who gets the job done despite his unconventional methods.- History :...
(2000–2001) - Zero EffectZero EffectZero Effect is a 1998 mystery film written and directed by Jake Kasdan . It stars Bill Pullman as "the world's most private detective" Daryl Zero and Ben Stiller as his assistant Steve Arlo....
(2001) (with Warner Bros. TelevisionWarner Bros. TelevisionWarner Bros. Television is the television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself part of Time Warner. Alongside CBS Television Studios, it serves as a television production arm of The CW Television Network , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...
) - BlissBliss (TV series)Bliss is a Canadian produced, half hour dramatic television series, produced by Montreal-based Galafilm and Toronto-based Back Alley Films, an anthology of women's erotica...
(2002–2004) (with Warner Bros. TelevisionWarner Bros. TelevisionWarner Bros. Television is the television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself part of Time Warner. Alongside CBS Television Studios, it serves as a television production arm of The CW Television Network , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...
) - LuckyLucky (TV series)Lucky is an American dark comedy television series which ran for one season on FX Networks in 2003. The show starred John Corbett as Michael "Lucky" Linkletter, a professional poker player and gambling addict. The series was created by Robb Cullen and Mark Cullen...
(2003)