Sony Pictures

The Sony Pictures Studios lot in Culver City, California, sits on 44 acres of what was once the MGM backlot. That real estate history matters, because the company that now occupies it was born from a corporate reshuffling in 1987. Coca-Cola, which had owned Columbia Pictures since 1982, decided to spin off its entertainment holdings. The result was Columbia Pictures Entertainment, a new entity that swallowed Tri-Star Pictures whole. Coke kept a majority stake at first, but by 1989, Sony Corporation of Japan stepped in with a $3.4 billion offer. The acquisition closed that year, and in 1991, the studio was rebranded as Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Today, the studio operates as one of the Big Five film studios and holds a seat in the Motion Picture Association. Its film slate leans heavily on franchises: Spider-Man alone has generated more than $8 billion at the global box office. On the television side, Sony Pictures Television produces The Crown, Better Call Saul, and long-running syndicated hits like Wheel of Fortune. The company also owns production outfits in India, the UK, and Latin America, giving it a footprint that stretches well beyond Hollywood.

Financially, Sony Pictures reported ¥1.47 trillion in revenue for the fiscal year ending March 2024, roughly $10.2 billion. That number includes box office returns, television licensing, and home entertainment sales. The studio has also made moves into exhibition: in 2024, it announced a deal to acquire the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain, a bet on the theatrical experience. Meanwhile, its partnership with Marvel Studios continues to evolve, with Spider-Man appearing both in Sony's own universe and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.[edit]