Wikipedia
Working Title Films
Working Title Films is a British film studio that produces motion pictures and television programs and is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures, a division of NBCUniversal, which is itself a division of Comcast. The company was founded by Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe in 1983. It produces feature films and several television productions. Bevan and Eric Fellner are now the co-chairmen of the company.
| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film production |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founders | |
| Headquarters | , |
Number of locations |
|
Key people |
|
| Parent | Universal Pictures (NBCUniversal/Comcast) |
| Divisions | WT2 Productions Working Title Television |
| Website | workingtitlefilms |
Company
Working Title Films was co founded by producers Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe in 1983. Radclyffe left in 1992, PolyGram became the company's corporate backer, and Eric Fellner, a fellow independent film producer, joined the company.[1]
The company produced a variety of films for PolyGram's London based production company, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment. An Anglo-Dutch film studio, PolyGram Films became a major Hollywood competitor. In 1998, Seagram sold the bulk of its library of PolyGram films released up until 31 March 1996 to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.[citation needed]
In 1999, PolyGram was sold to the Seagram company and merged with MCA Music Entertainment, to form Universal Music Group. PolyGram Films was sold and folded into Universal Pictures in 1999. Although contractually allowed to produce any film with a budget of up to $35 million, on a practical basis, Bevan and Fellner consult with studio executives at Working Title's parent company NBCUniversal.[2]
Working Title is headquartered in London, and has an office in Los Angeles, which is headed by producer Liza Chasin. More recently, the production company renewed its first look deal with Universal Pictures.[3]
WT2 Productions
In 1999, Bevan and Fellner launched a subsidiary company named Working Title 2 Productions, commonly known as WT2. The company is an independent film production arm run by Natascha Wharton, and has produced films that include Billy Elliot, Shaun of the Dead and The Calcium Kid.[1]
Television division
Working Title has been active in television production since the beginning of the 1990s.[4] In February 2010, Working Title officially launched its television division as a joint venture with parent company NBCUniversal, itself owned by Comcast.[5] Since then, they have produced content for both British and American television.[6][7] Notable productions and co productions developed by Working Title Television (WTTV)[8] include NBC's About a Boy, and Showtime's The Tudors.[4]
WTTV has offices in London and Los Angeles.[9][10]
TV productions
1991 ITV franchise bid
In 1991, Working Title was involved in a bid for the London Weekend ITV licence. Working Title, Mentorn, Palace and PolyGram wanted to take over from London Weekend Television and broadcast to London under the name London Independent Broadcasting. In the event LWT retained its licence; London Independent Broadcasting's proposals were deemed by the Independent Television Commission, which was overseeing the bid process, to fail the quality threshold.[11]
Films
1980s
| Release date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 15 November 1985 | My Beautiful Laundrette | with Channel Four Films |
| 24 July 1987 | Wish You Were Here | with Channel Four Films |
| 30 October 1987 | Sammy and Rosie Get Laid | with Channel Four Films |
| 10 September 1988 | Paperhouse | |
| 13 April 1989 | The Tall Guy | with London Weekend Television |
| 19 May 1989 | For Queen and Country |
1990s
| Release date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 27 July 1990 | Chicago Joe and the Showgirl | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and New Line Cinema |
| 24 May 1991 | Drop Dead Fred | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and New Line Cinema |
| 21 August 1991 | Barton Fink | with 20th Century Fox |
| 15 May 1992 | Rubin & Ed | |
| 7 August 1992 | London Kills Me | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Fine Line Features |
| 4 September 1992 | Bob Roberts | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Miramax Films and LIVE Entertainment |
| 23 April 1993 | Map of the Human Heart | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Miramax Films |
| 14 May 1993 | Posse | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures |
| 8 October 1993 | The Young Americans | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Live Entertainment |
| 4 February 1994 | Romeo Is Bleeding | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures |
| 9 March 1994 | Four Weddings and a Funeral | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Channel Four Films and Gramercy Pictures |
| 11 March 1994 | The Hudsucker Proxy | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Warner Bros. and Silver Pictures |
| 3 May 1995 | Panther | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures |
| 5 May 1995 | French Kiss | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and 20th Century Fox |
| 29 September 1995 | Moonlight and Valentino | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures |
| 29 December 1995 | Dead Man Walking | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures |
| 8 March 1996 | Fargo | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures |
| 22 March 1996 | Land and Freedom | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures |
| 20 September 1996 | Loch Ness | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures |
| 7 March 1997 | The Eighth Day | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures |
| 2 August 1997 | Bean | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Tiger Aspect Films and Gramercy Pictures |
| 3 October 1997 | The Matchmaker | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures |
| 5 December 1997 | The Borrowers | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures |
| 6 March 1998 | The Big Lebowski | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures |
| 22 November 1998 | Elizabeth | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, StudioCanal, Channel Four Films and Gramercy Pictures |
| 29 January 1999 | The Hi-Lo Country | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures |
| 28 May 1999 | Notting Hill | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, StudioCanal and Universal Pictures |
| 1 October 1999 | Plunkett & Macleane | with StudioCanal, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures |
2000s
| Release date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2000 | High Fidelity | with Touchstone Pictures |
| 13 October 2000 | Billy Elliot | with BBC Films, Tiger Aspect Productions, StudioCanal and Universal Focus |
| 2 December 2000 | O Brother, Where Art Thou? | with Touchstone Pictures, Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| 13 April 2001 | Bridget Jones's Diary | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Miramax Films |
| 17 August 2001 | Captain Corelli's Mandolin | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Miramax Films |
| 2 November 2001 | The Man Who Wasn't There | with USA Films, Gramercy Pictures and Good Machine |
| 1 March 2002 | 40 Days and 40 Nights | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Miramax Films |
| 22 March 2002 | Ali G Indahouse | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| 17 May 2002 | About a Boy | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and TriBeCa Productions |
| 18 July 2003 | Johnny English | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| 28 October 2003 | Long Time Dead | with Universal Pictures and Focus Features |
| 14 November 2003 | Love Actually | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and DNA Films |
| 26 March 2004 | Ned Kelly | with Focus Features and StudioCanal |
| 30 July 2004 | Thunderbirds | with StudioCanal and Universal Pictures |
| 17 September 2004 | Wimbledon | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| 24 September 2004 | Shaun of the Dead | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Rogue Pictures |
| 19 November 2004 | Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Miramax Films |
| 4 February 2005 | Rory O'Shea Was Here | with Focus Features and StudioCanal |
| 22 April 2005 | The Interpreter | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| 23 November 2005 | Pride & Prejudice | with Focus Features and StudioCanal |
| 27 January 2006 | Nanny McPhee | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| 28 April 2006 | United 93 | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| 27 October 2006 | Catch a Fire | with Focus Features and StudioCanal |
| 26 January 2007 | Smokin' Aces | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| 14 February 2007 | Hot Fuzz | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Rogue Pictures |
| 24 March 2007 | Mr. Bean's Holiday | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Tiger Aspect Films |
| 12 October 2007 | Elizabeth: The Golden Age | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| 4 January 2008 | Atonement | with Focus Features and StudioCanal |
| 14 February 2008 | Definitely, Maybe | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| 12 September 2008 | Burn After Reading | with Focus Features, Relativity Media and StudioCanal |
| 5 December 2008 | Frost/Nixon | with Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and StudioCanal |
| 17 April 2009 | State of Play | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| 24 April 2009 | The Soloist[12] | with DreamWorks Pictures, Universal Pictures, Participant Media, StudioCanal and Krasnoff/Foster Entertainment[13] |
| 2 October 2009 | A Serious Man | with Focus Features, Relativity Media and StudioCanal |
| 13 November 2009 | The Boat That Rocked | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
2010s
| Release date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 12 March 2010 | Green Zone | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| 2 April 2010 | Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang | with StudioCanal |
| 18 March 2011 | Paul | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| 12 August 2011 | Senna | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| 21 October 2011 | Johnny English Reborn | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| 9 December 2011 | Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy | with Focus Features and StudioCanal |
| 13 January 2012 | Contraband | with Universal Pictures |
| 3 February 2012 | Big Miracle | with Universal Pictures and Anonymous Content |
| 16 November 2012 | Anna Karenina | with Focus Features |
| 25 December 2012 | Les Misérables | with Universal Pictures, Relativity Media and Cameron Mackintosh, Ltd. |
| 8 February 2013 | I Give It a Year | with StudioCanal |
| 19 July 2013 | The World's End | with Universal Pictures, Focus Features, and Relativity Media |
| 28 August 2013 | Closed Circuit | with Focus Features |
| 4 September 2013 | About Time | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| 27 September 2013 | Rush | with Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, Exclusive Media, Cross Creek Pictures and Revolution Films |
| 9 October 2014 | Trash | with StudioCanal, O2 Filmes and PeaPie Films |
| 1 January 2015 | The Theory of Everything | with Focus Features |
| 28 August 2015 | We Are Your Friends | with Warner Bros. Pictures, StudioCanal and RatPac Entertainment |
| 9 September 2015 | Legend | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal, Cross Creek Pictures and Anton Capital Entertainment |
| 18 September 2015 | Everest | with Universal Pictures, Walden Media and Cross Creek Pictures |
| 14 October 2015 | The Program | with StudioCanal |
| 27 November 2015 | The Danish Girl | with Pretty Pictures, Revision Pictures, Senator Global Productions, Universal Pictures International and Focus Features |
| 5 February 2016 | Hail, Caesar! | with Universal Pictures and Mike Zoss Productions |
| 11 March 2016 | The Brothers Grimsby | with Columbia Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures Big Talk Productions and Four by Two Productions |
| 16 September 2016 | Bridget Jones's Baby[14] | with StudioCanal, Miramax and Universal Pictures |
| 30 June 2017 | Baby Driver | with Big Talk Productions, TriStar Pictures and Media Rights Capital |
| 15 September 2017 | Victoria and Abdul | with BBC Films, Focus Features and Universal Pictures |
| 13 October 2017 | The Snowman | with Universal Pictures, Perfect World Pictures and Another Park Film |
| 12 January 2018 | Darkest Hour | with Universal Pictures, Focus Features and Perfect World Pictures |
| 16 March 2018 | 7 Days in Entebbe | with Participant Media and Focus Features |
| 26 October 2018 | Johnny English Strikes Again | with StudioCanal, Perfect World Pictures and Universal Pictures |
| 7 December 2018 | Mary Queen of Scots | with Perfect World Pictures and Focus Features |
| 25 January 2019 | The Kid Who Would Be King | with Big Talk Productions, TSG Entertainment and 20th Century Fox |
| 28 June 2019 | Yesterday | with Universal Pictures, Perfect World Pictures and Decibel Films |
| 20 December 2019 | Cats | with Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, Monumental Pictures and Really Useful Group |
2020s
| Release date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 14 February 2020 | Emma. | with Focus Features, Blueprint Pictures and Perfect World Pictures |
| 29 May 2020 | The High Note | with Focus Features and Perfect World Pictures |
| 24 July 2020 | Radioactive | with StudioCanal and Amazon Studios |
| 21 October 2020 | Rebecca | with Netflix and Big Talk Productions |
| 29 October 2021 | Last Night in Soho | with Focus Features, Film4 Productions and Complete Fiction |
| 25 February 2022 | Cyrano | with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Bron Creative |
| 23 September 2022 | Catherine Called Birdy | with Amazon Studios and Good Thing Going[15] |
| 21 October 2022 | Ticket to Paradise | with Universal Pictures, Red Om Films, and Smokehouse Pictures[16] |
| 11 November 2022 | The Swimmers | with Netflix[17] |
| 9 December 2022 | Matilda the Musical | with Netflix, Tristar Pictures and the Roald Dahl Story Company[18] |
Upcoming
| Release Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 24 February 2023 | What's Love Got to Do with It? | with StudioCanal and Instinct Productions[19] |
| 7 April 2023 | Polite Society | with Focus Features and Parkville Pictures[20] |
In development
| Title | Notes |
|---|---|
| Blitz | with Apple TV+, Regency Enterprises, New Regency and Lammas Park[21] |
| In Five Years | with New Line Cinema and HBO Max[22] |
| The Substance | with Universal Pictures[23] |
| Unreasonable Behaviour | with Hardy Son & Baker[24] |
| Untitled Anna May Wong biopic | with Significant Productions[25] |
| Untitled Baby Driver sequel | with TriStar Pictures, MRC, and Big Talk Productions[26][27][28] |
| Untitled Ethan Coen road film | with Focus Features[29] |
| Untitled Melissa McCarthy Christmas film | with Peacock, Universal Pictures, and Linden Productions[30] |
References
- ^ a b Higgins, Charlotte (16 April 2005). "Interview: Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan, co-chairmen Working Title Films". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- ^ "Working Title – Skillset". The Guardian.
- ^ Kay, Jeremy (11 December 2020). "Universal, Working Title renew first-look deal through 2025". Screen. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
- ^ a b "Working Title Television [gb]". IMDb. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- ^ Laughlin, Andrew (17 February 2010). "Working Title launches TV division". Digital Spy. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (16 November 2011). "Working Title Television Sells 6 Projects". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- ^ Leo Barraclough (23 January 2014). "Working Title Television Produces 'The Secrets' for BBC". Variety.
- ^ "About WTTV". workingtitlefilms.com. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- ^ Prudom, Laura (17 October 2014). "BBC America Co-Producing 'London Spy' Miniseries with Ben Whishaw, Jim Broadbent". Variety. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- ^ "Liza Chasin". Variety. 22 September 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- ^ Davidson, Andrew, Under the Hammer: The ITV Franchise Battle, William Heinemann Ltd., p. 297.
- ^ "The Soloist".
- ^ https://cinemastudies.sas.upenn.edu/events/2010/October/RussKrasnoffProducer[dead link]
- ^ Stuart Kemp, Matthew Belloni (3 February 2012). "'Bridget Jones 3' Producer Admits Delay, Vows to Shoot Film in 2012". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- ^ Goldberg, Lesley (21 August 2019). "Lena Dunham Launches New Production Company". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (26 February 2021). "George Clooney & Julia Roberts Re-Team In 'Ticket To Paradise;' Ol Parker Directs For Universal, Working Title". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ Roxborough, Scott (20 April 2021). "Real-life Sisters Cast to Star in Netflix/Working Title Drama 'The Swimmers'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ Wood, Alex (17 January 2020). "New Matilda film confirmed – expected to start shooting later this year". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (2 November 2020). "Lily James, Shazad Latif & Emma Thompson To Star In Working Title Rom-Com 'What's Love Got To Do With It?' From Jemima Khan & Shekhar Kapur; Studiocanal Launches Sales — AFM Hot Pic". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ^ Galuppo, Mia (15 February 2022). "'We Are Lady Parts' Creator Sets Feature Debut 'Polite Society' at Focus, Working Title". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Kroll, Justin (6 June 2022). "Apple Lands Steve McQueen's Next Feature Film 'Blitz'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (22 April 2022). "New Line Acquires Rebecca Serle's Novel 'In Five Years' For HBO Max; Aimee Lagos To Adapt". Deadline. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (31 January 2022). "Demi Moore & Margaret Qualley To Star In Universal/Working Title's 'The Substance'; 'Revenge' Helmer Coralie Fargeat Directs Her Script". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (19 November 2020). "Angelina Jolie To Direct Movie 'Unreasonable Behaviour' About Revered War Photographer Don McCullin; Working Title & Hardy Son & Baker Producing". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ Sun, Rebecca (24 March 2022). "Gemma Chan, Nina Yang Bongiovi Developing Anna May Wong Biopic With Working Title Films (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ Collis, Clark (December 4, 2017). "How director Edgar Wright steered Baby Driver to global success". Entertainment Weekly. from the original on December 7, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
- ^ Hall, Jacob (5 December 2017). "'Baby Driver' Sequel "Being Hammered Out," Edgar Wright Plans to Write the Screenplay". /Film. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
- ^ Travis, Ben; Nugent, John (21 January 2019). "Edgar Wright's Next Film Is A Psychological Horror, Plus Baby Driver 2 Update – Exclusive". Empire. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (1 April 2022). "Ethan Coen Sets Next Feature With Focus And Working Title". Deadline. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (14 December 2022). "Melissa McCarthy To Star In Richard Curtis-Scripted Christmas Comedy For Universal, Working Title & Peacock; Sam Boyd To Direct". Deadline. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
External links
- Official website
- Profile of the founders on BBC News
- Shaun of the Dead production company Working Title to launch TV division