Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group

History

The Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group was founded in 1998 as the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, as a current division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, owned by Sony. It has many of Sony Pictures' current motion picture divisions as part of it. Its divisions at that time were Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures, Triumph Films, Sony Pictures Classics, and Sony Pictures Releasing.

On December 8, 1998, SPE resurrected its former animation and television division Screen Gems as a film division of Sony Pictures Entertainment's Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group that has served several different purposes for its parent companies over the decades since its incorporation.

In 2002, Columbia TriStar Television was renamed as Sony Pictures Television. The last three remaining companies, with the "Columbia TriStar" brand in its name, were Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, and Columbia TriStar Marketing Group. Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment and Columbia TriStar Film Distributors became Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Sony Pictures Releasing International in 2004 and 2005 and Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group became the second-to-last subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment to use the "Columbia TriStar" brand name in its name.

In 2013, TriStar Productions was launched, as a joint venture of Sony Pictures Entertainment and former 20th Century Fox chairman Thomas Rothman.

In October 2013, Sony Pictures rebranded its motion picture group under the monicker "Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group". Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks were moved from Sony Pictures Digital to its motion picture group.

On June 2, 2016, Doug Belgrad had announced he was to step down as president of the SPMPG and would transition his role to producer at the studio. Belgrad was promoted as president of the SPMPG back in 2014.

Film divisions

3000 Pictures

On July 15, 2019, former Fox 2000 Pictures president Elizabeth Gabler and the entire Fox 2000 staff joined Sony Pictures Entertainment and formed 3000 Pictures with the motion picture group. HarperCollins would be funding half of the division's overhead and development. 3000 Pictures would also pursue projects for TV and streaming.

Filmography

Upcoming

• Klara and the Sun (2026)
• City on Fire (TBA)

Sony Pictures Releasing

Sony Pictures Releasing Corporation is an American film distributor owned by Sony. Established in 1994 as a successor to Triumph Releasing Corporation, the company handles theatrical distribution, marketing and promotion for films produced and released by Sony Pictures Entertainment, including Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures (as well as TriStar Productions), Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Classics, Sony Pictures Animation, Crunchyroll, Stage 6 Films, Affirm Films, Destination Films, and Triumph Films. It is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group. It also has an international division called Sony Pictures Releasing International, which from 1991 to 2005 was known as Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International.

International arrangements

Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (1991–2005)

Columbia Pictures started its own UK theatrical arm in 1929, operating under the name Columbia Pictures Corporation Limited. from 1971 until the end of 1987, Columbia's international theatrical distribution operations were a joint venture with Warner Bros. named Columbia-Warner Distributors, and in some countries, this joint venture also distributed films from other companies like with EMI Films and Cannon Films in the UK under the names of Columbia-EMI-Warner Distributors in 1978 and later Columbia-Cannon-Warner Distributors in 1986. When its theatrical distribution joint venture ended in 1988, the company was later renamed Filmbank Distributors as a non-theatrical licensor. Columbia Pictures Corporation Limited remained the sole distributor in the UK.

In Australia, Columbia Pictures Pty Ltd operated the theatrical release from 1935. which from 1975 to 1996, 20th Century-Fox and Columbia Pictures formed an alliance that they would distribute films for the Australian market, initially going under the name Fox Columbia Film Distributors, before Hoyts came to the venture, and it was renamed first to Hoyts Fox Columbia TriStar Films, then Fox Columbia TriStar Films. Sony Pictures Releasing Pty Limited took over distribution operations directly.

On February 6, 2014, Columbia TriStar Warner Filmes de Portugal Ltda., a joint venture with Warner Bros. which distributed films from both companies in Portugal, announced that they will close their offices on March 31. Sony Pictures' films are distributed in Portugal by Big Picture Films since then, while NOS Audiovisuais took over the distribution duties for Warner Bros. films in the country.

From June 2014 until February 2020, Sony Pictures' Philippine releasing arm under the name of Columbia Pictures Philippines distributed films by United International Pictures' partner studios, Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures (including films by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer), after UIP ended its nine-year distribution agreement with the studio's local distributor Solar Entertainment and their Solar Films subsidiary. The Philippine distribution to films made by Universal lasted up until January 2020, when distribution reverted to Warner Bros. (UIP's former local distributor from the 1990s to 2000) in October 2021 while most Focus Features titles are instead released through a start-up online distribution company, UPSTREAM (which later reverted to Warner Bros. after its closure). Paramount later renewed their distribution agreements with Sony in October 2021.

The theatrical distribution of Sony Pictures' films in Italy was handled by Warner Bros. from 2011 to 2023. One notable example of this is Call Me By Your Name, where Warner Bros. handled Italian theatrical distribution (although the Sony label is still being used) while home video distribution went through Sony itself. In 2023, Eagle Pictures, which was already distributing Sony's films on home video in the country, took over their theatrical distribution as well.

Sony Pictures and Walt Disney Studios formed a film distribution joint venture in Southeast Asia in 1997. By December 2006, 14 joint distribution ventures between Sony Pictures Releasing International and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures were formed and exist in countries including Brazil, Mexico, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. In January 2007, their 15th such partnership began operations in Russia and CIS. In February 2017, Sony starting leaving the Southeast Asia venture with the Philippines. In August 2017, Sony terminated the joint venture agreement for their own operations. As part of the global economic fluctuations caused by the Disney's acquisition, Sony Pictures Production and Release LLC and Disney Studios LLC parted amicably signing a formal demerger on 21 January 2020. The contract would allow Sony Pictures Releasing to operate autonomously.

On June 27, 2025, Sony Pictures and Amazon MGM Studios formed a multi-year deal in which Sony would handle the international theatrical distribution of titles from the latter studio following the expiration of MGM's deal with Warner Bros. Pictures. This deal would reunite Sony with MGM for the first time since 2020. However, MGM Home Entertainment will still have its titles distributed on home media by Alliance Entertainment in North America since 2026 and by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment internationally since 2020.

In Argentina and Poland, United International Pictures handles theatrical distribution of films released by Sony Pictures.

In the Netherlands, Universal Pictures currently handles theatrical distribution of films released by Sony Pictures since 2013.

In the Nordic countries, Columbia TriStar Films (now known as Sony Pictures Releasing) formerly handled Sweden theatrical distribution of films released by 20th Century Fox from 1992 to 1997. Sony Pictures had strong partnership with Nordisk Film, which ended in 2007. Sony Pictures later struck a deal with local partner AB Svensk Filmindustri, which included theatrical and home entertainment distribution.

In South Africa, Ster-Kinekor handles theatrical and home video distribution of films released by Sony Pictures.

In Greece, Sony Pictures and Feelgood Entertainment has long standing partnership for theatrical distribution. In addition, the Middle East is handled by Empire International. For Israel, they struck a deal with Forum Films.

Film library

Main article: Lists of Columbia Pictures films, List of TriStar Pictures films, List of Screen Gems films, List of Sony Pictures Animation productions, List of Sony theatrical animated feature films, List of Sony Pictures Classics films, List of Sony Pictures Releasing International films

Film series

Highest-grossing films

:

|

|}

References

References

1. [https://variety.com/1998/biz/news/sony-hitches-tristar-to-col-1117469309/ "Sony Hitches TriStar to Col"], ''Variety'', March 31, 1998
2. "Los Angeles Times" [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-dec-08-fi-51776-story.html Sony Forms New Movie Division] articles.latimes.com December 8, 1998, Retrieved on April 4, 2016
3. (August 1, 2013). "Tom Rothman in Joint Venture With Sony to Run TriStar Productions". Variety.
4. (August 1, 2013). "Sony Hires Rothman to Head Revived TriStar Unit". [[The New York Times]].
5. (2 June 2016). "Doug Belgrad exits as president of Sony Pictures' motion picture group". Los Angeles Times.
6. "Elizabeth Gabler Breaks Silence on Sony Move, Disney Exit, HarperCollins and Streaming Plans (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
7. (2021-06-01). "Don Winslow's 'City On Fire' Crime Saga Trilogy Acquired In Mid-7 Figure Outright Purchase By Sony & Elizabeth Gabler's 3000 Pictures".
8. [https://businessprofiles.com/details/sony-pictures-releasing/NY-1358802 SONY PICTURES RELEASING CORPORATION] businessprofiles.com, Retrieved on January 20, 2014
9. "Columbia Pictures Corporation Limited". GOV UK - Company House.
10. "Filmbank Website". Columbia Pictures & Warner Bros.
11. "Filmbank Distributors". UK Gov - Company House.
12. "Spider-Man No Way Home: BBFC UK Age Rating". BBFC.
13. "Sony Pictures Releasing Pty Ltd (Formerly Columbia Pictures Pty Ltd)". ASIC GOV AU.
14. (March 1975). "The Australian Film Industry - A Duopoly in Distribution in Exhibition". [[Cinema Papers]].
15. "Sony Pictures Releasing Pty Limited". ABR GOV AU.
16. "Screen Australia & Sony Pictures AU". Screen AU.
17. de Barros, Eurico. (February 6, 2014). "Columbia Tristar Warner encerra escritórios em Portugal". [[Diário de Notícias]].
18. (August 14, 2017). "Sony Launches Its Own Theatrical Distributors in Southeast Asia". Variety.
19. (December 27, 2006). "Disney, Sony team up for Russian content". The Hollywood Reporter.
20. (February 6, 2019). "Clarification on Disney/Fox transaction".
21. "Walt Disney to create a new distribution company in Russia".
22. "Disney и Sony разделят экраны". [[Kommersant]].
23. D'Alessandro, Anthony. (2025-06-27). "Amazon MGM Studios & Sony Pictures Ink Multi-Year International Theatrical Distribution Deal".
24. "Nordisk Split off Sony Pictures". Screen Daily.
25. "SF Studios Distribution". AB Svensk Filmindustri.
26. "Sony Pictures Inks Nordics DVD/Blu-ray Disc Distribution Deal With SF Studios". Media Player News.
27. "Feelgood Entertainment Site". Feelgood Entertainment.
28. "Empire International". Linkedin.
29. "Forum Film Ltd". Planet Cinema.