Working Title Films

Working Title Films
Subsidiary
Industry Film production
Founded 1983
Headquarters London, England, UK
Number of locations
Ireland
Los Angeles, California, USA
Key people
Tim Bevan
Sarah Radclyffe
Eric Fellner
Liza Chasin
Debra Hayward
Natascha Wharton
Owner NBCUniversal
(Comcast)
Parent Universal Studios (50%)
Filmwork Holdings (50%)
Divisions WT2 Productions
Working Title Television
Website Official website

Working Title Films is a British film production company, based in London and owned by Universal Studios and Filmwork Holdings Ltd. The company was founded by Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe in 1983. It produces feature films and several television productions. Eric Fellner and Bevan are now the co-chairs of the company.

Company

Working Title Films was co-founded by producers Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe in 1983. In 1992, PolyGram became the company's corporate backer. Radclyffe left Working Title, 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 March 31 1996 to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 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 Studios in 1999.

Although contractually allowed to produce any film with a budget of up to $US35 million, on a practical basis, Bevan and Fellner consult with studio executives at Working Title's parent company NBCUniversal.[2] Working Title is located in London. The company also has other offices located in Los Angeles and Ireland.

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]

TV division

Working Title has been active in television production since the early 1990s.[3] In 2010, Working Title officially launched its TV division as a joint venture with parent company NBCUniversal.[4] Since then, they have produced content for both British and American television.[5][6] Notable productions and co-productions developed by Working Title Television (WTTV)[7] include NBC's About a Boy, and Showtime's The Tudors.[3] WTTV has offices in London, headed by Andrew Woodhead, and Los Angeles, headed by Andrew Stearn.[8][9]

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.[10]

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
13 April 1989 The Tall Guy with London Weekend Television

1990s

Release Date Title Notes
27 July 1990 Chicago Joe and the Showgirl
19 April 1991 Drop Dead Fred with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and New Line Cinema
21 August 1991 Barton Fink with 20th Century Fox
7 August 1992 London Kills Me
4 September 1992 Bob Roberts with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Miramax Films and Live Entertainment
23 April 1993 Map of the Human Heart
14 May 1993 Posse with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures
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 and Channel Four Films
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
21 February 1997 The Borrowers with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures
7 March 1997 The Eighth Day with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures
3 October 1997 The MatchMaker with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures
7 November 1997 Bean with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Tiger Aspect Productions 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 and StudioCanal
2 December 2000 O Brother, Where Art Thou? with Touchstone Pictures, Universal Pictures and StudioCanal
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
30 July 2004 Thunderbirds with StudioCanal and Universal Pictures
17 September 2004 Wimbledon with Universal Pictures
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
22 April 2005 The Interpreter with Universal Pictures
23 November 2005 Pride & Prejudice with Focus Features
27 January 2006 Nanny McPhee with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures
28 April 2006 United 93 with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal
27 October 2006 Catch a Fire
26 January 2007 Smokin' Aces with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal
24 March 2007 Mr. Bean's Holiday with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Tiger Aspect Productions
20 April 2007 Hot Fuzz with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal
12 October 2007 Elizabeth: The Golden Age with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal
4 January 2008 Atonement with Universal Pictures 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
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
20 August 2010 Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang with Universal Pictures and 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 StudioCanal
13 January 2012 Contraband with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal
3 February 2012 Big Miracle with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal
16 November 2012 Anna Karenina with Focus Features
25 December 2012 Les Misérables with Universal Pictures
8 February 2013 I Give It a Year with StudioCanal
23 August 2013 The World's End with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal
28 August 2013 Closed Circuit
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
8 November 2013 About Time with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal
7 November 2014 Theory of Everything with Focus Features
28 August 2015 We Are Your Friends with Warner Bros., StudioCanal and RatPac Entertainment
18 September 2015 Everest with Universal Pictures, Walden Media and Cross Creek Pictures
20 November 2015 Legend with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal, Cross Creek Pictures and AntonCapital Entertainment
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
11 March 2016 Grimsby with Columbia Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures and Big Talk Productions

Upcoming

References

  1. 1 2 Higgins, Charlotte (16 April 2005). "Interview: Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan, co-chairmen Working Title Films". London: The Guardian.
  2. "Working Title – Skillset". The Guardian.
  3. 1 2 "Working Title Television [gb]". IMDb.
  4. "Working Title launches TV division". Digital Spy.
  5. Nellie Andreeva. "Working Title Television Sells 6 Projects". Deadline.
  6. Leo Barraclough. "Working Title Television Produces ‘The Secrets’ for BBC". Variety.
  7. "About WTTV". workingtitlefilms.com.
  8. Laura Prudom. "BBC America Co-Producing ‘London Spy’ Miniseries with Ben Whishaw, Jim Broadbent". Variety.
  9. "Liza Chasin". Variety.
  10. Davidson, Andrew, Under the Hammer: The ITV Franchise Battle, William Heinemann Ltd., p. 297
  11. Stuart Kemp , Matthew Belloni. "'Bridget Jones 3' Producer Admits Delay, Vows to Shoot Film in 2012". The Hollywood Reporter.

External links

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