2019 Spec Script Sales Analysis: Buyers
Yesterday, we looked at 2019 spec script deals by genre. Today, we break down the numbers per major studios, mini-majors, subsidiaries…
Yesterday, we looked at 2019 spec script deals by genre. Today, we break down the numbers per major studios, mini-majors, subsidiaries, production companies, and financiers to see which were the most and least active in the script acquisition market. The totals:
5
Universal Pictures
Sony Pictures / TriStar Pictures
3
New Line Cinema
2
Amblin Partners
Lionsgate
Paramount Pictures
Screen Gems
1
AGC Studios
Briarcliff Entertainment
Burn Later Productions
Dolphin Entertainment
Entertainment One (eOne)
Legendary Pictures
MGM
Miramax
Oakhurst Entertainment
Overbrook Entertainment
Perfect Village Entertainment
The Picture Co.
Star Thrower Entertainment
Witchcraft Motion Picture Company
Look at these numbers from the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 per each major studio:
Disney 5 / 1 / 2 / 1 / 2 / 0 / 2 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
Paramount 1 / 5 / 4 / 4 / 12 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 4 / 3 / 5 / 2
Sony 8 / 4 / 1 / 7 / 9 / 3 / 10 / 2 / 2 / 4 / 5 / 5
Universal 6 / 6 / 1 / 6 / 9 / 6 / 4 / 6 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Warner Bros. 8 / 8 / 8 / 15 / 7 / 4 / 2 / 4 / 0 / 2 / 2 / 0
Of course, we have bid farewell to one major studio:
20th Century Fox 5 / 3 / 1 / 7 / 3 / 3 / 8 / 4 / 8 / 5 / 1 / RIP
The trendlines with regard to spec script deals literally demonstrates how studios like Disney and Warner Bros. turned away from specs to focus on in-house content they already owned or purchased: Disney (Lucas Films, Marvel, Pixar) and Warner Bros. (DC Comics). And you know eventually, Warners will remake Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.
Meanwhile, although the spec market is floundering, Paramount, Sony, and Universal continue to seek out original content, perhaps a reflection of their relatively spare franchise source material.
Other numbers: The five majors were responsible for 12 of the 32 reported spec script deals which comes out to 38%. If we add Amblin Partners, Legendary Pictures, Lionsgate, MGM, New Line, and Screen Gems, the majors and mini-majors acquires 23 of the 32 spec projects which adds up to a whopping 72%. On the one hand, that means only 9 spec projects were acquired by prod cos and financiers. On the other hand, almost all of those are option deals whereas the majors and mini-majors are straight acquisitions which translates into more money for the writer.
Fingers crossed the numbers go up in 2020.
Tomorrow: Agents and managers. That should be interesting considering over 90% of WGA writers ‘fired’ their agents in 2019 which, as noted previously, must be considered a contributing factor to the decline in spec script deals last year.