Relaunch logo, used from 2015 to 2016 | |
| Company type | Label |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film |
| Founded |
|
| Defunct |
|
| Fate | Sold toUSA Networks and merged withInterscope Communications andOctober Films to form USA Films (original) Closed (relaunch) |
| Successor | Focus Features |
| Headquarters | , United States |
| Products | Motion pictures |
| Parent | PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (1992–1998) Universal Studios (1992–1996, 1998–1999) Focus Features (2015–2016) |
Gramercy Pictures was an Americanfilm production label. It was founded on May 20, 1992 as ajoint venture betweenPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andUniversal Pictures. Gramercy was the distributor of PolyGram films in the United States and Canada and also served as Universal's art-house division. AfterSeagram's buyout of PolyGram,Barry Diller acquired Gramercy,Interscope Communications, andOctober Films,[1] merging the three companies to form USA Films in 1999. On May 20, 2015,Focus Features (the current art-house division for Universal) revived the name as a label for action, horror and sci-fi genre films; the label was phased out again after the release of the film adaptation of the video game seriesRatchet & Clank on April 29, 2016, and a shift from genre films by Focus Features.
Gramercy Pictures was formed on May 20, 1992 as a joint venture betweenPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andUniversal Pictures.[2] Gramercy Pictures released its first film, theMario Van Peebles westernPosse, on May 14, 1993.[3][4]
On January 11, 1996, PolyGram bought the 50% stake owned by Universal thus assuming full control of Gramercy.[5] The distributor also had box office hits in 1994'sFour Weddings and a Funeral, 1996'sFargo and 1997'sBean. Several Gramercy releases of the 1990s have grown in stature to becomecult classics in the present day:The Big Lebowski,Dazed and Confused,Clay Pigeons andMallrats. In addition, 1995'sThe Usual Suspects won two Oscars, forBest Original Screenplay (Christopher McQuarrie) andBest Supporting Actor (Kevin Spacey).[citation needed]
WhenSeagram acquiredPolyGram on May 22, 1998, PolyGram was merged and folded into Universal; as a result, it reacquired Gramercy as it controlled Universal. In turn, Seagram sold the bulk of the PolyGram film library titles released up until March 31, 1996 toMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in 1999, and later on, it sold Gramercy and two other specialty divisions,Interscope Communications andOctober Films, toBarry Diller'sUSA Networks, which merged all three companies into USA Films.[6][7][1] USA Films was then merged with Universal's own art-house division, Universal Focus, and transformed intoFocus Features in 2002 afterVivendi Universal acquired USA Networks from Diller.[citation needed]
On May 20, 2015,Focus Features announced that the Gramercy label has been revived to release action, horror and sci-fi genre films. Its first release wasInsidious: Chapter 3 on June 5, 2015.[2] The revived label was later phased out again following thebox-office failure of the film adaptation ofRatchet & Clank (2016) and a shift from genre films byFocus Features.
Focus Features andUniversal Pictures own the distribution rights to Gramercy's films unless otherwise mentioned.
| Release date | Title | Notes | Budget | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 14, 1993 | Posse[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andWorking Title Films | $10 million | $18,289,763 |
| August 20, 1993 | King of the Hill | co-production with Wildwood Enterprises and Bona Fide Productions | $8 million | $1,214,231 |
| September 3, 1993 | Kalifornia[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andPropaganda Films | $8.5 million | $2,395,231 |
| September 24, 1993 | Dazed and Confused | distribution only; produced by Alphaville andDetour Filmproduction | $6.9 million | $7,993,039 |
| November 5, 1993 | A Home of Our Own[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $12 million | $1,677,807 |
| December 3, 1993 | A Dangerous Woman | North American distribution only; co-production withAmblin Entertainment andIsland World | $1,497,222 | |
| February 4, 1994 | Romeo Is Bleeding[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andWorking Title Films | $10 million | $3,275,865 |
| February 25, 1994 | Savage Nights | North American distribution only; produced by Banfilm, La Sept Cinéma and Société Nouvelle de Cinématographie | $662,341 | |
| March 9, 1994 | Four Weddings and a Funeral[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andWorking Title Films | $4.4 million | $245,700,832 |
| April 15, 1994 | Backbeat | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $2,392,589 | |
| May 6, 1994 | Dream Lover[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andPropaganda Films | $256,264 | |
| July 29, 1994 | Foreign Student | U.S. distribution only | ||
| August 10, 1994 | The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $2 million | $29,679,915 |
| September 9, 1994 | A Good Man in Africa[b] | North American, U.K. and Irish distribution only; produced by Polar Entertainment,Capitol Films and Southern Sun | $20 million | $2,308,390 |
| September 28, 1994 | Jason's Lyric[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andPropaganda Films | $7 million | $20,851,521 |
| October 28, 1994 | Drop Squad | co-production with40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks | $734,693 | |
| November 4, 1994 | Double Dragon[c] | U.S. distribution only; produced by Imperial Entertainment | $7.8 million | $2,341,309 |
| January 20, 1995 | S.F.W.[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andPropaganda Films | $63,513 | |
| February 10, 1995 | Shallow Grave[d] | North American distribution only; produced byChannel Four International and Figment Films | $2.5 million | $19,779,614 |
| February 24, 1995 | Before the Rain | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $763,847 | |
| March 17, 1995 | Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andPropaganda Films | $13,940,383 | |
| April 19, 1995 | New Jersey Drive | co-production with40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks | $5 million | $3,565,508 |
| April 28, 1995 | The Underneath | co-production with Populist Pictures | $6.5 million | $536,023 |
| May 3, 1995 | Panther[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andWorking Title Films | $6,834,525 | |
| August 16, 1995 | The Usual Suspects[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $6 million | $34,380,094 |
| September 22, 1995 | Canadian Bacon[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andPropaganda Films | $11 million | $178,104 |
| September 29, 1995 | Moonlight and Valentino[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andWorking Title Films | $2,484,226 | |
| October 20, 1995 | Mallrats | co-production with Alphaville andView Askew Productions | $6.1 million | $2,122,561 |
| November 10, 1995 | Carrington[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $3,242,342 | |
| December 29, 1995 | Dead Man Walking[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andWorking Title Films | $11 million | $83,080,768 |
| February 23, 1996 | La Haine | North American distribution only; co-acquisition withPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andEgg Pictures | €2,590,000 | $309,811 |
| March 8, 1996 | Fargo[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andWorking Title Films Inducted into theNational Film Registry in 2006 | $7 million | $60,611,975 |
| March 22, 1996 | Jack and Sarah[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $218,626 (USA) $2,492,000 (UK) | |
| Land and Freedom | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andWorking Title Films | $228,800 | ||
| April 19, 1996 | Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie | co-production withBest Brains, Inc. | $1,007,306 | |
| May 3, 1996 | Barb Wire | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andPropaganda Films | $9 million | $3,793,614 |
| May 10, 1996 | Cold Comfort Farm | North American distribution only; produced byBBC Films andThames International | $5,682,429 | |
| August 30, 1996 | The Trigger Effect | co-production withAmblin Entertainment | $8 million | $3,622,979 |
| September 13, 1996 | Grace of My Heart | $5 million | $660,313 | |
| September 20, 1996 | Loch Ness[a] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andWorking Title Films | $7 million | £1,239,343 |
| October 4, 1996 | Bound[e] | North American theatrical distribution only; produced byDino De Laurentiis Company andSpelling Films | $6 million | $3,802,260 |
| October 18, 1996 | Jude | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $7 million | $409,144 |
| December 24, 1996 | I'm Not Rappaport | co-production withGreeneStreet Films | $26,011 | |
| December 24, 1996 | The Portrait of a Lady | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andPropaganda Films | $3,692,836 | |
| January 29, 1997 | Gridlock'd | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andInterscope Communications | $5 million | $5,571,205 |
| February 14, 1997 | When We Were Kings | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $2,789,985 | |
| March 7, 1997 | The Eighth Day | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andWorking Title Films | $416,401 | |
| April 11, 1997 | Keys to Tulsa[f] | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andITC Entertainment | $57,252 | |
| May 2, 1997 | Commandments | co-production with Northern Lights Entertainment | $5 million | $548,562 |
| May 9, 1997 | Twin Town | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $3.3 million | $127,923 |
| August 6, 1997 | Def Jam's How to Be a Player | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $12 million | $14,009,368 |
| September 19, 1997 | Going All the Way | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $113,069 | |
| October 3, 1997 | The Matchmaker | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andWorking Title Films | $3,392,080 | |
| November 7, 1997 | Bean | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment,Working Title Films andTiger Aspect Films | $18 million | $251,212,670 |
| December 17, 1997 | Guy | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $4,134 | |
| February 18, 1998 | I Want You | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $1,672 | |
| March 6, 1998 | The Big Lebowski | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andWorking Title Films Inducted into theNational Film Registry in 2014 | $15 million | $46,129,927 |
| March 27, 1998 | No Looking Back | North American withPolyGram Filmed Entertainment distribution only; produced by Marlboro Road Gang,Good Machine and South Fork Pictures | $5 million | $222,099 |
| May 1, 1998 | Go Now | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $25,695 | |
| May 29, 1998 | The Last Days of Disco | U.S. distribution only; produced byCastle Rock Entertainment | $8 million | $3,020,601 |
| June 12, 1998 | The Land Girls[b] | North American distribution withPolyGram Filmed Entertainment only; produced byIntermedia Films | $238,497 | |
| August 21, 1998 | Your Friends & Neighbors | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment | $5 million | $4,714,658 |
| September 25, 1998 | Clay Pigeons[b] | North American distribution withPolyGram Filmed Entertainment only; produced byIntermedia Films | $8 million | $2,253,139 |
| October 16, 1998 | Reach the Rock | $4,960 | ||
| November 22, 1998 | Elizabeth | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andWorking Title Films | $30 million | $82,150,642 |
| January 22, 1999 | The Hi-Lo Country | distribution only; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andWorking Title Films | $166,082 | |
| March 5, 1999 | Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels | U.S. distribution only; produced bySKA Films andThe Steve Tisch Company | $1.4 million | $28,172,686 |
| October 1, 1999 | Plunkett & Macleane | distributed byUSA Films; co-production withWorking Title Films | ||
| October 29, 1999 | Being John Malkovich | distributed byUSA Films; co-production withPropaganda Films and Single Cell Pictures | $13 million | $32,382,381 |
| Release date | Title | Notes | Budget | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 18, 2000 | Pitch Black | distributed byUSA Films; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andInterscope Communications | $23 million | $53,187,659 |
| March 24, 2000 | Waking the Dead | distributed byUSA Films; produced byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment andEgg Pictures | $8.5 million | $327,418 |
| April 14, 2000 | Where the Money Is[b] | distributed byUSA Films; acquired byPolyGram Filmed Entertainment; produced byIntermedia Films, Pacifica Film Distribution andScott Free Productions | $28 million | $7,243,669 |
| August 4, 2000 | Mad About Mambo | distributed byUSA Films; co-production withPhoenix Pictures | $65,283 | |
| September 8, 2000 | Nurse Betty[b] | distributed byUSA Films; co-production withPacifica Film Distribution,Propaganda Films and Ab'Strakt Pictures | $25 million | $29,360,400 |
| Release date | Title | Notes | Budget | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 5, 2015 | Insidious: Chapter 3 | U.S. theatrical distribution only; produced byStage 6 Films,Entertainment One andBlumhouse Productions | $10 million | $112,983,889 |
| July 10, 2015 | Self/less | studio credit; produced byEndgame Entertainment; distributed byFocus Features | $26 million | $30,523,226 |
| August 21, 2015 | Sinister 2 | U.S. distribution only; produced byEntertainment One,Blumhouse Productions andIM Global | $10 million | $52,882,018 |
| January 8, 2016 | The Forest | North American distribution only; produced by AI Film andLava Bear Films | $37,608,299 | |
| March 4, 2016 | London Has Fallen | U.S. distribution only; produced by G-BASE andMillennium Films | $60 million | $191,094,450 |
| April 29, 2016 | Ratchet & Clank | North American distribution withFocus Features only; produced byCinema Management Group, Blockade Entertainment,PlayStation Originals andRainmaker Entertainment; final film released before Gramercy's dissolution and only animated film | $20 million | $12,880,804 |
Off to an auspicious start is Gramercy Pictures, with its first release, 'Posse,' immediately making the chart [of largest rentals from independent distributors]