 Logo used since 2018 | |
| Company type | In-name only subsidiary ofLionsgate Films |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film |
| Founded | July 26, 1991; 34 years ago (1991-07-26) |
| Founders | Bernd Eichinger Arnon Milchan Andrew G. Vajna |
| Headquarters | Burbank, California (1991–2007) Universal City, California (2007–12) Santa Monica, California (2012–present) |
Key people | Patrick Wachsberger Bob Hayward |
| Products | Motion pictures |
| Services | Film distribution (previous) Film production (current) |
| Parent | Lionsgate Films (2012–present) |
| Divisions | Summit Records Summit Premiere |
| Subsidiaries | International Distribution Company, LLC (joint venture with Pedro Rodriguez) |
Summit Entertainment, LLC (formerly theSummit Group,Summit Export Group,Summit Entertainment Group Inc.,Summit Entertainment Limited,Summit Films Limited, andSummit Entertainment N.V.) is an American film production label ofLionsgate Films, owned byLionsgate Studios and is headquartered inSanta Monica, California. It was founded on July 26, 1991.[1]
Summit Entertainment was founded in 1991 as the Summit Group[2] by film producersBernd Eichinger(Constantin Film),Arnon Milchan(Regency Enterprises), andAndrew G. Vajna(Carolco Pictures andCinergi Pictures) to handle film sales in foreign countries.[2] Summit officially launched in 1993 by David Garrett, Patrick Wachsberger, and Bob Hayward under the name Summit Entertainment LP as a distribution and sales organization. By 1995 they were producing and co-financing films, and by 1997 they started fully financing films, as well as striking international deals with companies likeMandalay Pictures,Artisan Entertainment andFranchise Pictures.[2]
Among the company's early successes wereAmerican Pie,Donnie Brasco,Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,Memento,Requiem For A Dream,Die Hard With A Vengeance,The Blair Witch Project, andLock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.[2] In 1998, Summit acquired worldwide distribution rights to the entire filmography ofWim Wenders, including the then-upcomingBuena Vista Social Club, fromRoad Movies Filmproduktion; the deal however excludedThe End of Violence, retained byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer andCiby 2000.[3]
In 2006, it became an independent film studio with over a billion dollars in financing backed by Merrill Lynch.[4] Starting in 2007, Summit Entertainment's home video division was distributed byUniversal Studios Home Entertainment.[5]
In November 2008, Summit found massive success with the release ofTwilight, a teen romance about vampires based on the best-selling book of the same name byStephenie Meyer that made $408,773,703 worldwide. In the spring of 2009, Summit releasedKnowing, the company's second movie to open #1 at the box office and made $182,492,056 worldwide.
In November 2009, Summit released the sequel toTwilight titledThe Twilight Saga: New Moon, also based on the popular novel by Stephenie Meyer, breaking box office records for first weekend grosses at the time, taking in $142,839,137 in the first three days.[6] In June 2010 Summit released the third film of theTwilight series,The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. It broke a midnight screening record of over $30 million and set a one-day Wednesday record of $68.5 million. It became the first movie in the series to cross the $300 million mark domestically. Collectively, the franchise grossed $3.3 billion globally.
In 2008, Summit Entertainment ranked in eighth place among the studios, with a gross of $226.5 million, almost entirely because of the release ofTwilight.[7] In 2009, Summit ranked 7th among studios with a gross of $482.5 million.[8]
Other Summit Entertainment releases include:Ender's Game (released November 1, 2013 in the United States; an adaptation ofOrson Scott Card's 1985 novel);Mr. & Mrs. Smith ($186,330,000 US box office);The Hurt Locker ($16,400,000 US box office; it garnered Summit its firstBest PictureOscar);La La Land ($151,100,000 US box office);Step Up Franchise ($651,000,00 Global box office);Now You See Me ($117,700,000 US box office); the low-budgetPush ($31,811,527 US box office);Deepwater Horizon ($61,400,000 US box office); the sleeper hit,RED ($87,940,198 US box office; nominated for a 2010Golden Globe in theBest Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical category);Vanilla Sky ($100,618344 US box office); and most recently the popularJohn Wick Franchise ($1,011,000,000 grossed globally across the four films).
On February 1, 2009, it was announced that Lionsgate would acquire Summit Entertainment, along with its library of six films and rights to theTwilight franchise,[9] but two days later, these merger negotiations broke down due to concerns over changing content.[10] On January 13, 2012, Lionsgate officially acquired Summit Entertainment for $412.5 million.[11] Lionsgate continues to operate Summit Entertainment as a label.
