Universal Studios - Universal's Library

Universal's Library

Universal, like other major movie studios, owns a considerable library. It owns almost every feature and short produced by the company with the following exceptions:

• Most of Universal's silent film output (some under copyright, others in the public domain), are in the hands of other independent companies;
• The 1931 version of Waterloo Bridge and the 1936 version of Show Boat, which now belong to Warner Bros./ Turner Entertainment Co.;
• The television rights to The Last Starfighter (those rights are owned by Warner Bros. Television, successor-in-interest to production partner Lorimar) and 1941 (those rights now stand with Sony Pictures Television, whose sister company, Columbia Pictures, co-produced the film with Universal; Sony also owns digital distribution rights, as it can be seen on Sony-owned Crackle); Sony also owns the international releasing rights to the 1994 Street Fighter film, which Universal distributed in the US.
• The theatrical and television rights to Flower Drum Song, held by MGM by acquiring the holdings of former owners The Samuel Goldwyn Company—however, Universal (which produced and originally distributed the film) has retained the film's copyright and home video/DVD rights.

Through subsidiary NBCUniversal Television Distribution, it owns the following:

• Almost all TV shows and miniseries Universal and MCA made, except The Millionaire and My Three Sons (those rights now stand with CBS), and in regards to Centennial, it is mainly owned by the estates of James Michener, author of the original novel, and co-star Lynn Redgrave, as well as the series' producers—it is currently distributed by Warner Bros. Television, though Universal does own the video rights and the series' copyright;
• Almost all the pre-1950 sound features originally made by Paramount Pictures—these films came under Universal ownership in 1962, when MCA bought US Decca – MCA, in turn, had purchased the films in 1957 via its in-name only division EMKA, Ltd. (This library also includes the 1948 MGM film State of the Union, which was acquired by Paramount after its purchase of Liberty Films);
• Much of the post-1973 library of NBC's shows and made-for-TV movies;
• Most of the Jack Webb produced shows produced by Mark VII Productions, with the exception of Pete Kelly's Blues and the film The D.I., which are owned by Warner Bros.
• Some distribution rights to the 1957 Elvis Presley film Loving You, originally released by Paramount and owned by NBC (though video rights are currently owned by Lionsgate).

The company also owns and distributes the libraries of:

• Five Alfred Hitchcock features (Rear Window, The Trouble with Harry, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Vertigo and Psycho) originally released by Paramount. Universal owns Psycho outright; the remaining films are owned by Hitchcock's estate, with Universal handling distribution.
  • The only exception is To Catch a Thief, which is copyrighted by Paramount.
• Walter Lantz Productions (including Woody Woodpecker, Chilly Willy, and other characters).
• Smallfilms (including Ivor the Engine, Noggin the Nog, Pingwings and other short series).
• Focus Features' ancestors USA Films, October Films, and the 1996–1999 films by PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (MGM owns most of the pre-1996 PolyGram library, though Universal owns a few films from that era as well such as Backbeat, An American Werewolf in London, and international rights to The Hudsucker Proxy) and its subsidiaries.

Via its 50% stake in StudioCanal, Universal part owns its library which consists of films (and TV Series) made by:

• Carolco Pictures (apart from films distributed by MGM, Warner Brothers and Universal itself)
• De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
• Embassy Pictures (apart from films made with Polygram Filmed Entertainment, Columbia Pictures, ITC and Nepenthe Productions, along with all its television library)
• Alexander Salkind Productions (except films that are part of the Superman Film Series)
• Ealing Studios (incorporating the film library of Associated Talking Pictures)
• EMI Films (incorporating the film libraries of Associated British Picture Corporation, British International Pictures and British National Studios)
• Associated British Corporation (ABC) (including ABC shows made for Thames Television)
• British Lion Films (1919-1976 films only)
• Anglo-Amalgamated

StudioCanal also owns all distribution rights to the Miramax Films outside North America (Lionsgate owns all the North American distribution rights). However Universal only owns rights to distribute the StudioCanal library in Australia, New Zealand and other areas outside North America, with StudioCanal itself distributing it in UK, Ireland, France and Germany. In North America it is split under several companies

Theatrical Distribution:

• CBS Television Studios and Paramount Pictures (Carolco Pictures and De Laurentiis Entertainment Group)
• MGM (Embassy Pictures)
• Lionsgate (Alexander Salkind Productions, Ealing Studios, EMI Films, ABC, British Lion Films and Anglo-Amalgamated)

Television Distribution:

• CBS Television Studios and Paramount Pictures (Carolco Pictures and De Laurentiis Entertainment Group)
• Sony Pictures (Embassy Pictures)
• Lionsgate (Alexander Salkind Productions, Ealing Studios, EMI Films, ABC, British Lion Films and Anglo-Amalgamated)

Home Entertainment Distribution:

• MGM (Embassy Pictures)
• Lionsgate (Carolco Pictures, De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, Alexander Salkind Productions, Ealing Studios, EMI Films, ABC, British Lion Films and Anglo-Amalgamated)

Internet Distribution:

• Lionsgate (Embassy Pictures, Carolco Pictures, De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, Alexander Salkind Productions, Ealing Studios, EMI Films, ABC, British Lion Films and Anglo-Amalgamated)

It also owns the distribution rights to several films made by others, including some pre-1952 United Artists material, an Alfred Hitchcock feature originally released by Warner Bros. – Rope (later re-released in 1950 by Hitchcock's Transatlantic Pictures, with secondary re-release funding provided by MGM), and the UK distribution rights to most of the RKO Pictures library, as well as the UK distribution rights to the Republic Entertainment theatrical library and Twin Peaks. Through its Focus Features division, Universal handles home video distribution for The Return of the Pink Panther (originally a UA release).

Universal also owns the film rights (with Hanna-Barbera Productions) to the Hanna-Barbera films Jetsons: The Movie, The Flintstones, and The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, In addition to owning the rights to the footage used on the The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera ride. They also own a theme park license for Scooby-Doo and Shaggy Rogers, who appear at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida.

Universal also owns the DePatie-Freleng Enterprises Dr. Seuss specials which were previously owned by CBS.