Focus Features LLC is an American film production and distribution company, owned by Comcast through Universal Pictures, a division of its wholly owned subsidiary NBCUniversal. Focus Features distributes independent and foreign films in the United States and internationally.
In November 2018, The Hollywood Reporter named Focus Features Distributor of the Year for its success behind the year's breakout documentary film Won't You Be My Neighbor? and Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman. The studio's most successful film to date is Downton Abbey, which garnered $194.3 million at the worldwide box office.
Focus Features (formally Universal Focus) is an independent division of Universal Pictures.
History[]
Focus Features was formed from the 2002 divisional merger of USA Films, Universal Focus and Good Machine. USA Films was created by Barry Diller in 1999 when he purchased October Films and Gramercy Pictures from Seagram and merged the two units together.
In March 2004, Focus Features revived Rogue Pictures as a genre label.
In 2014, FilmDistrict was merged into Focus and folded into the trade name High Top Releasing. In May 2015, Gramercy Pictures was revived by Focus as a genre label, that was on action, sci-fi, and horror films.
In February 2016, Focus merged with Universal Pictures International as part of a new strategy to "align the acquisition and production of specialty films in the global market".
In April 2017, Vine Alternative Investments re-acquired the pre-2008 Rogue film library from Focus Features.
Focus World[]
In August 2011, Focus Features launched Focus World, a label focusing on the video on demand market with initial plans to distribute 15 films per year, with one film being released per month.
Distributors[]
Australia[]
- Roadshow Entertainment (2003–2009)
- Icon Film Distribution (2004–2012)
- Universal Pictures (2006–present)
United Kingdom[]
- Momentum Pictures (now Entertainment One) (2006–2014)
- Entertainment Film Distributors (2002–2008)
- Universal Pictures (2006–present)
United States[]
- Universal Pictures
- Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (FilmDistrict/Insidious films)
Canada[]
- Entertainment One
- Alliance Films
- Universal Pictures
As a distributor, Focus' most successful release in North America to date is Downton Abbey, which earned $84.5 million during its first weekend at the box office and surpassing Brokeback Mountain, which earned $83 million at the North American box office. However, this is not counting the domestic total of Traffic, which earned $124.1 million under the USA Films banner. The animated film Coraline (which Focus did not produce, but did distribute) was also highly profitable for the company. Although suffering its share of unsuccessful releases, Focus has been consistently profitable, and its international sales arm (unusual among studio specialty film divisions) allows it to receive the foreign as well as domestic revenues from its releases. Its DVD and movie rights revenues are boosted by cult classics including Wet Hot American Summer.
Filmography[]
Release date | Film title | Notes |
---|---|---|
August 16, 2002 | Possession | co-production with Warner Bros. Pictures; first Focus Features film |
September 6, 2002 | 8 Women | US distribution only; co-production with Canal+
Nominated - César Award for Best Film Nominated - European Film Award for Best Film |
October 11, 2002 | Ash Wednesday | US distribution only; co-production with IFC Films |
November 8, 2002 | Far from Heaven | co-production with Vulcan Productions, Section Eight Productions and Killer Films
Independent Spirit Award for Best Film Nominated - Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Picture |
November 27, 2002 | They | co-production with Dimension Films |
December 25, 2002 | The Pianist | co-production with StudioCanal and Canal+
BAFTA Award for Best Film César Award for Best Film David di Donatello for Best Foreign Film Goya Award for Best European Film Nominated - Academy Award for Best Picture Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama |
February 7, 2003 | Deliver Us from Eva | |
April 4, 2003 | The Guys | |
May 9, 2003 | The Shape of Things | co-production with StudioCanal and Working Title Films |
July 2, 2003 | Swimming Pool | co-production with Pathé, France 3Cinéma and Celluloid Dreams
Nominated - Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Foreign Language Film Nominated - European Film Award for Best Film |
October 3, 2003 | Lost in Translation | co-production with American Zoetrope and Tohokushinsha
César Award for Best Foreign Film Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy Independent Spirit Award for Best Film Nominated - Academy Award for Best Picture Nominated - BAFTA Award for Best Film Nominated - Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Picture Nominated - David di Donatello for Best Foreign Film |
October 17, 2003 | Sylvia | US distribution only; co-production with Capitol Films and BBC Films |
October 28, 2003 | Long Time Dead | US distribution only; co-production with StudioCanal and Working Title Films |
November 21, 2003 | 21 Grams | Nominated - César Award for Best Foreign Film |
March 19, 2004 | Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind | co-production with Anonymous Content
Nominated - BAFTA Award for Best Film Nominated - César Award for Best Foreign Film Nominated - Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Picture Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy Nominated - Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Feature |
March 26, 2004 | Ned Kelly | co-production with StudioCanal and Working Title Films |
April 27, 2004 | My Little Eye | US distribution only; co-production with StudioCanal and Working Title Films |
July 14, 2004 | The Door in the Floor | |
September 1, 2004 | Vanity Fair | |
October 15, 2004 | The Motorcycle Diaries | US distribution only; co-production with BD Cine and Film4 Productions
BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language Nominated - BIFA Award for Best Foreign Independent Film Nominated - César Award for Best Foreign Film Nominated - Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Foreign Language Film Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film |
February 4, 2005 | Rory O'Shea Was Here | co-production with Working Title Films |
May 6, 2005 | Brothers | |
June 17, 2005 | My Summer of Love | co-production with BBC Films
BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film Nominated - BIFA Award for Best British Independent Film Nominated - European Film Award for Best Film |
August 5, 2005 | Broken Flowers | co-production with BAC Films
Nominated - BIFA Award for Best Foreign Independent Film |
August 31, 2005 | The Constant Gardener | co-production with StudioCanal and the UK Film Council
BIFA Award for Best British Independent Film Nominated - BAFTA Award for Best Film Nominated - BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film Nominated - Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Picture Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama |
November 23, 2005 | Pride and Prejudice | co-production with StudioCanal and Working Title Films |
The Ice Harvest | ||
December 9, 2005 | Brokeback Mountain | co-production with River Road Entertainment |
February 3, 2006 | Something New | |
February 17, 2006 | Winter Passing | |
March 31, 2006 | Brick | |
April 7, 2006 | On a Clear Day | |
July 28, 2006 | Scoop | |
September 8, 2006 | Hollywoodland | co-production with Miramax and Back Lot Pictures |
September 15, 2006 | The Ground Truth | |
October 27, 2006 | Catch a Fire | co-production with Working Title Films |
December 15, 2006 | The Secret Life of Words | |
June 29, 2007 | Evening | |
August 3, 2007 | Talk to Me | |
September 14, 2007 | Eastern Promises | co-production with BBC Films and Kudos Pictures |
September 28, 2007 | Lust, Caution | |
October 19, 2007 | Reservation Road | |
October 26, 2007 | Dan in Real Life | co-production with Touchstone Pictures |
December 7, 2007 | Atonement | co-production with StudioCanal and Working Title Films |
February 8, 2008 | In Bruges | co-production with Film4 Productions |
February 29, 2008 | The Other Boleyn Girl | co-production with Columbia Pictures, Relativity Media and BBC Films |
March 7, 2008 | Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day | |
August 29, 2008 | Hamlet 2 | |
September 12, 2008 | Burn After Reading | co-production with Working Title Films |
November 28, 2008 | Milk | co-production with Axon Films and Groundswell Productions |
February 6, 2009 | Coraline | co-production with Laika and Pandemonium |
March 20, 2009 | Sin Nombre | |
May 1, 2009 | The Limits of Control | |
June 26, 2009 | Away We Go | |
July 31, 2009 | Thirst | |
August 28, 2009 | Taking Woodstock | |
September 9, 2009 | 9 | co-production with Relativity Media and Starz Animation |
October 2, 2009 | A Serious Man | co-production with Working Title Films |
November 13, 2009 | Pirate Radio | co-production with Working Title Films |
March 26, 2010 | Greenberg | |
May 7, 2010 | Babies | US distribution only, co-production with StudioCanal |
July 30, 2010 | The Kids Are All Right | |
September 3, 2010 | The American | |
October 8, 2010 | It's Kind of a Funny Story | |
December 24, 2010 | Somewhere | |
February 11, 2011 | The Eagle | co-production with Film4 Productions |
March 11, 2011 | Jane Eyre | co-production with BBC Films |
April 8, 2011 | Hanna | co-production with Studio Babelsberg |
June 3, 2011 | Beginners | |
August 19, 2011 | One Day | co-production with Film4 Productions and Colour Force |
August 31, 2011 | The Debt | distribution; co-production with Miramax |
December 9, 2011 | Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy | US distribution only; co-production with StudioCanal |
December 28, 2011 | Pariah | |
March 2, 2012 | Being Flynn | |
June 22, 2012 | Seeking a Friend for the End of the World | co-production with Mandate Pictures, Indian Paintbrush and Anonymous Content |
June 29, 2012 | Moonrise Kingdom | co-production with StudioCanal and Indian Paintbrush |
August 17, 2012 | ParaNorman | co-production with Laika |
August 31, 2012 | For a Good Time, Call... | |
November 16, 2012 | Anna Karenina | co-production with Working Title Films |
December 7, 2012 | Hyde Park on Hudson | co-production with Film4 Productions |
December 28, 2012 | Promised Land | |
March 22, 2013 | Admission | |
April 12, 2013 | The Place Beyond the Pines | co-production with Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, StudioCanal and Electric City Entertainment |
July 19, 2013 | The World's End | co-production with Working Title Films and Relativity Media |
August 30, 2013 | Closed Circuit | co-production with Working Title Films |
November 1, 2013 | Dallas Buyers Club | co-production with Voltage Pictures and Truth Entertainment |
January 31, 2014 | That Awkward Moment | co-production with FilmDistrict and Treehouse Pictures |
March 21, 2014 | Bad Words | |
June 13, 2014 | The Signal | co-production with IM Global and Automatik |
July 18, 2014 | Wish I Was Here | |
September 26, 2014 | The Boxtrolls | co-production with Laika |
October 10, 2014 | Kill the Messenger | |
November 7, 2014 | The Theory of Everything | US distribution only; co-production with StudioCanal and Working Title Films |
December 19, 2014 | Mr. Turner | International distribution only, co-production with Diaphana Films, Film4 Productions, the British Film Institute, Canal+, Ciné+, France Televisions, France 3 Cinéma and Ingenious Film Partners |
January 23, 2015 | Black Sea | co-production with Stage 6 Films, Film4 Productions and Cowboy Films |
February 13, 2015 | Fifty Shades of Grey | co-production with Michael De Luca Productions and Trigger Street Productions; distributed by Universal Pictures |
June 5, 2015 | Insidious: Chapter 3 | distribution under the Gramercy Pictures label, co-production with Stage 6 Films, Entertainment One and Blumhouse Productions |
July 10, 2015 | Self/less | co-production with Endgame Entertainment |
August 21, 2015 | Sinister 2 | distribution under the Gramercy Pictures label, co-production with Entertainment One, Blumhouse Productions and IM Global |
October 22, 2015 | Suffragette | co-production with Pathé, Film4 Productions, the British Film Institute and Ruby Films |
November 27, 2015 | The Danish Girl | co-production with Working Title Films |
February 19, 2016 | Race | |
March 4, 2016 | London Has Fallen | distribution under the Gramercy Pictures label, co-production with Millennium Films and G-BASE |
March 11, 2016 | The Young Messiah | co-production with 1492 Pictures and Ocean Blue Entertainment |
August 19, 2016 | Kubo and the Two Strings | co-production with Laika |
October 14, 2016 | American Honey | international distribution only with Universal Pictures |
November 4, 2016 | Loving | distribution only; produced by Random Films, Big Beach, Augusta Films, Tri-State Pictures |
November 18, 2016 | Nocturnal Animals | co-production with Fade to Black Films |
December 23, 2016 | A Monster Calls | co-production with Participant Media |
March 31, 2017 | The Zookeeper's Wife | |
June 16, 2017 | The Book of Henry | distribution only |
June 23, 2017 | The Beguiled | distribution only; produced by American Zoetrope and FR Productions |
July 28, 2017 | Atomic Blonde | co-production with Denver and Delilah Productions, Closed on Mondays Entertainment, Sierra/Affinity and 87Eleven |
September 22, 2017 | Victoria & Abdul | |
November 24, 2017 | Darkest Hour | distribution only; produced by Working Title Films and Wanda Pictures |
December 1, 2017 | Lady Bird | international distribution only |
December 25, 2017 | Phantom Thread | co-production with Annapurna Pictures and Ghoulardi Film Company |
March 9, 2018 | Thoroughbreds | Anton Yelchins Posthumous release. distribution only. produced by June Pictures, B Story and Big Indie Pictures |
March 16, 2018 | Mary Magdalene | international distribution only |
May 4, 2018 | Tully | |
May 18, 2018 | Pope Francis: A Man of His Word | |
June 8, 2018 | Won't You Be My Neighbor? | distribution only; produced by Trembolo Productions |
August 10, 2018 | BlacKkKlansman | US/Europe distribution only. produced by Legendary Entertainment, Monkeypaw Productions, Blumhouse Productions, QC Entertainment, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks and Nicky Lies Media |
August 31, 2018 | The Little Stranger | distribution only. |
November 2, 2018 | Boy Erased | |
December 7, 2018 | Mary Queen of Scots | co-production with Working Title Films |
December 25, 2018 | On the Basis of Sex | |
February 8, 2019 | Everybody Knows | distribution only |
March 1, 2019 | Greta | |
March 15, 2019 | The Mustang | |
March 15, 2019 | Captive State | distribution only; produced by Amblin Partners and Participant Media |
June 14, 2019 | The Dead Don't Die | distribution only; produced by Animal Kingdom |
September 20, 2019 | Downton Abbey | Produced by Carnival Productions |
November 1, 2019 | Harriet | |
November 22, 2019 | Dark Waters | distribution only; produced by Participant and Killer Films |
January 17, 2020 | Waves | international distribution only |
January 31, 2020 | The Lighthouse | international distribution only |
February 21, 2020 | Emma (2020) | distribution only; produced by Working Title Films, Blueprint Pictures and Perfect World Pictures |
March 13, 2020 | Never Rarely Sometimes Always | distribution only; produced by PASTEL, BBC Films, Tango Entertainment and Mutressa Movies |
March 13, 2020 | The Roads Not Taken | international distribution only |
May 29, 2020 | The High Note | distribution only; produced by Working Title Films and Perfect World Pictures |
June 26, 2020 | Irresistible | distribution only; produced by Plan B Entertainment |
September 18, 2020 | The Way I See It | distribution only; produced by Jaywalker Pictures, ACE Content, Platform One Media, MSNBC Films and Trilogy Films |
September 25, 2020 | Kajillionaire | US distribution only; produced by Annapurna Pictures and Plan B Entertainment; international distribution by Universal Pictures |
October 30, 2020 | Come Play | distribution only; produced by Amblin Partners, Reliance Entertainment and The Picture Company |
November 6, 2020 | Let Him Go | U.S. distribution only; produced by Mazur Kaplan Company; international distribution handled by Universal Pictures |
December 4, 2020 | Half Brothers | |
December 25, 2020 | Promising Young Woman | distribution only; produced by FilmNation Entertainment and LuckyChap Entertainment |
February 12, 2021 | Land | distribution only; produced by Big Beach, Cinetic Media, HanWay Films, Nomadic Pictures and Flashlight Films |
March 5, 2021 | Boogie | co-production with Immersive Pictures and Wink Productions |
April 30, 2021 | Limbo | distribution only; produced by Caravan Cinema, Film4 Productions, Screen Scotland, and BFI |
May 14, 2021 | Profile | distribution only; produced by Bazelevs Company and Interface Films |
May 21, 2021 | Final Account | distribution only; produced by Participant, ZEF Productions, and Passion Pictures |
Upcoming[]
Release date | Film title | Notes |
---|---|---|
June 18, 2021 | The Sparks Brothers | U.S. distribution only; produced by MRC and Complete Fiction; international distribution handled by Universal Pictures |
July 16, 2021 | Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain | distribution only; produced by CNN Films, HBO Max, and Tremolo Productions |
July 30, 2021 | Stillwater | distribution only; produced by DreamWorks Pictures, Amblin Partners, Anonymous Content, Participant Media, Slow Pony and 3dot Productions |
September 10, 2021 | The Card Counter | distribution only; produced by HanWay Films and LB Entertainment |
September 17, 2021 | Blue Bayou | distribution only; produced by MACRO and Entertainment One |
October 22, 2021 | Last Night in Soho | co-production with Film4 Productions and Working Title Films |
November 12, 2021 | Belfast | distribution only; produced by TKBC |
December 22, 2021 | Downton Abbey 2 | co-production with Perfect World Pictures and Carnival Films |
March 4, 2022 | Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris | distribution only; produced by Entertainment One, Dior, Moonriver Content, Hero Squad, Elysian Films, National Film Institute Hungary |
April 8, 2022 | The Northman | distribution only; produced by New Regency |
Undated films[]
Release date | Film title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2021 | The Forgiven | distribution only; produced by House of Un-American Activities, Brookstreet Pictures, Film4 Productions, Assemble Media, Head Gear Films, Metrol Technology and LipSync Productions |
Vengeance | produced by Blumhouse Productions, Divide/Conquer | |
TBA | The Outfit | distribution only; produced by FilmNation Entertainment |
Wolf | distribution only; produced by Feline Films, Lava Films, Screen Ireland, Polish Film Institute, Eurimages | |
Silent Twins | distribution only; Produced by Madants, Extreme Emotions, 42, 30WEST, Kindred Spirit, Polish Film Institute, Cofiloisir | |
You Won't Be Alone | Produced by; Screen Australia, Film Victoria, Causeway Films, Balkanic Media, Head Gear Films, Metrol Technology |
In development[]
Film title | Notes |
---|---|
Small Dark Look | |
A Thousand and One | |
Bag Man | |
Atomic Blonde 2 | distributed by Netflix; produced by Sierra/Affinity, Denver and Delilah Productions, Closed on Mondays Entertainment, TGIM Films, 87North Productions |
Focus World[]
Release date | Film title | Notes |
---|---|---|
April 26, 2011 | Africa First: Volume One | |
June 14, 2011 | Adrift | |
October 14, 2011 | Bombay Beach | |
February 7, 2012 | Gnarr | |
February 10, 2012 | Return | |
April 27, 2012 | The Broken Tower | |
August 14, 2012 | Juan of the Dead | |
August 15, 2012 | Africa First: Volume Two | |
May 3, 2013 | Greetings from Tim Buckley | |
May 24, 2013 | We Steal Secrets | |
June 21, 2013 | The Attack | |
August 30, 2013 | The Lifeguard | |
September 20, 2013 | C.O.G. | |
January 31, 2014 | Love is in the Air | |
May 2, 2014 | Walk of Shame | |
October 10, 2014 | I Am Ali | |
February 27, 2015 | Maps to the Stars | |
April 8, 2015 | Mr. Right | |
May 8, 2015 | 5 Flights Up | |
June 26, 2015 | A Little Chaos | US distribution only; produced by Lionsgate, Artemis Films, BBC Films, LipSync Productions, and Potboiler Productions |
August 7, 2015 | Cop Car | |
October 9, 2015 | Trash | |
April 29, 2016 | Term Life | |
May 13, 2016 | Search Party | |
June 10, 2016 | Puerto Ricans in Paris | |
August 19, 2016 | A Tale of Love and Darkness | |
September 9, 2016 | Kicks | |
October 21, 2016 | In a Valley of Violence | distribution only; produced by Blumhouse Productions |
March 10, 2017 | Raw | |
November 30, 2018 | Bathtubs Over Broadway |