Focus Features

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Focus Features

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Focus Features was founded in 2002 by James Schamus and David Linde{{Cite web |last=Setoodeh |first=Ramin |date=2016-09-18 |title=Toronto: How Focus Features Got Its Art House Mojo Back |url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/focus-features-toronto-nocturnal-animals-1201864022/ |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} and formed from the divisional merger of USA Films, Universal Focus and [[Good Machine]], as well as several assets of the [[Vivendi]]-affiliated film studio [[StudioCanal]].{{Cite web|last1=Lyons|first1=Charles|last2=Bing|first2=Jonathan|date=2002-02-25|title=The new look at U|url=https://variety.com/2002/film/markets-festivals/the-new-look-at-u-1117861323/|access-date=2022-01-02|website=Variety|language=en-US}} USA Films was created by [[Barry Diller]] in 1999, when he purchased [[Interscope Communications]], certain assets of the film division of [[Propaganda Films]], [[October Films]] and [[Gramercy Pictures]] from [[Seagram]] and merged the three labels together;{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aEJFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6746,3385144&dq=gramercy+pictures+barry+diller&hl=en|title=Diller gets back into movies|work=The Telegraph-Herald |access-date=April 1, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-sep-28-fi-14956-story.html |title=Universal Adds Division for Specialty Films |work=Los Angeles Times |date=September 28, 1999 |access-date=September 2, 2013}}{{Cite web |last=Carver |first=Martin Peers, Benedict |date=1999-04-08 |title=Barry bags a bundle |url=https://variety.com/1999/biz/news/barry-bags-a-bundle-1117493078/ |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} USA Films was led by [[Scott Greenstein]].[https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/16/movies/beauty-leads-wide-open-oscar-field.html "Beauty leads wide open Oscar field"], ''[[New York Times]]'' Accessed April 22, 2014. Universal Focus was the specialty film arm of [[Universal Pictures]] that was created in 1999 as Universal Classics, which was led by Paul Hardart and Claudia Gray, to replace the [[October Films]] label in order to get a group of titles to be distributed by USA Films, focused on the marketing of niche-based acquisitions by [[Universal Pictures International]], [[Working Title Films|Working Title]], WT2 Productions, [[Revolution Films]] and [[DNA Films]], and eventually rebranded into Universal Focus by 2000.{{Cite web|last=Lyons|first=Charles|date=1999-09-28|title=Duo tapped to run U inhouse niche unit|url=https://variety.com/1999/film/news/duo-tapped-to-run-u-inhouse-niche-unit-1117756096/|access-date=2022-01-02|website=Variety|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2001-07-25|title=Survival of the leanest|url=https://variety.com/2001/biz/news/survival-of-the-leanest-1117850244/|access-date=2022-01-02|website=Variety|language=en-US}}
Focus Features was founded in 2002 by James Schamus and David Linde{{Cite web |last=Setoodeh |first=Ramin |date=2016-09-18 |title=Toronto: How Focus Features Got Its Art House Mojo Back |url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/focus-features-toronto-nocturnal-animals-1201864022/ |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} and formed from the divisional merger of USA Films, Universal Focus and [[Good Machine]], as well as several assets of the [[Vivendi]]-affiliated film studio [[StudioCanal]].{{Cite web|last1=Lyons|first1=Charles|last2=Bing|first2=Jonathan|date=2002-02-25|title=The new look at U|url=https://variety.com/2002/film/markets-festivals/the-new-look-at-u-1117861323/|access-date=2022-01-02|website=Variety|language=en-US}} USA Films was created by [[Barry Diller]] in 1999, when he purchased [[Interscope Communications]], certain assets of the film division of [[Propaganda Films]], [[October Films]] and [[Gramercy Pictures]] from [[Seagram]] and merged the three labels together;{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aEJFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6746,3385144&dq=gramercy+pictures+barry+diller&hl=en|title=Diller gets back into movies|work=The Telegraph-Herald |access-date=April 1, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-sep-28-fi-14956-story.html |title=Universal Adds Division for Specialty Films |work=Los Angeles Times |date=September 28, 1999 |access-date=September 2, 2013}}{{Cite web |last=Carver |first=Martin Peers, Benedict |date=1999-04-08 |title=Barry bags a bundle |url=https://variety.com/1999/biz/news/barry-bags-a-bundle-1117493078/ |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} USA Films was led by [[Scott Greenstein]].[https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/16/movies/beauty-leads-wide-open-oscar-field.html "Beauty leads wide open Oscar field"], ''[[New York Times]]'' Accessed April 22, 2014. Universal Focus was the specialty film arm of [[Universal Pictures]] that was created in 1999 as Universal Classics, which was led by Paul Hardart and Claudia Gray, to replace the [[October Films]] label in order to get a group of titles to be distributed by USA Films, focused on the marketing of niche-based acquisitions by [[Universal Pictures International]], [[Working Title Films|Working Title]], WT2 Productions, [[Revolution Films]] and [[DNA Films]], and eventually rebranded into Universal Focus by 2000.{{Cite web|last=Lyons|first=Charles|date=1999-09-28|title=Duo tapped to run U inhouse niche unit|url=https://variety.com/1999/film/news/duo-tapped-to-run-u-inhouse-niche-unit-1117756096/|access-date=2022-01-02|website=Variety|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2001-07-25|title=Survival of the leanest|url=https://variety.com/2001/biz/news/survival-of-the-leanest-1117850244/|access-date=2022-01-02|website=Variety|language=en-US}}


In March 2004, Focus Features revived [[Rogue Pictures]] as a genre label, which was once used by [[October Films]] in the late 1990s. Rogue Pictures would be led by the same team who led the standard Focus management.{{Cite web|last=Rooney|first=David|date=2004-03-25|title=Focus widens lens with Rogue|url=https://variety.com/2004/film/features/focus-widens-lens-with-rogue-1117902220/|access-date=2022-01-02|website=Variety|language=en-US}}
In March 2004, Focus Features revived [[Rogue Pictures]] as a genre label, which was once used by [[October Films]] in the late 1990s. Rogue Pictures would be led by the same team who led the standard Focus management. The first film released under this label was ''[[Seed of Chucky]].''{{Cite web|last=Rooney|first=David|date=2004-03-25|title=Focus widens lens with Rogue|url=https://variety.com/2004/film/features/focus-widens-lens-with-rogue-1117902220/|access-date=2022-01-02|website=Variety|language=en-US}}


On October 2, 2013, James Schamus was fired from his position as CEO of Focus, with the New York offices being shut down in the process. He was succeeded by Peter Schlessel, whose company [[FilmDistrict]] would be merged into Focus and folded into the trade name High Top Releasing. This became effective in January 2014, and several titles developed under FilmDistrict would be released under Focus.{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/2013/film/news/breaking-focus-features-ceo-james-schamus-out-peter-schlessel-to-take-over-1200688551/|title= Revamped Focus Features Led by Peter Schlessel Relocating to L.A.|first= Andrew|last= Stewart|date= October 2, 2013|access-date= September 11, 2022|work= Variety}} Under Schlessel, the company began to acquire films with a wider commercial appeal, much like his previous company.{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/2013/film/news/with-filmdistricts-dna-will-focus-get-a-commercial-makeover-1200688612/|title= With FilmDistrict's DNA, Will Focus Get a Commercial Makeover?|first= Dave|last= McNary|date= October 2, 2013|access-date= September 11, 2022|work= Variety}}{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/2014/voices/columns/as-focus-moves-into-more-commercial-territory-indie-films-need-a-new-champion-1201166990/|title= As Focus Moves Into More Commercial Territory, Indie Films Need a New Champion|first= Peter|last= Bart|date= May 1, 2014|access-date= September 11, 2022|work= Variety}} In May 2015, [[Gramercy Pictures]] was revived by Focus as a genre label, that was on action, sci-fi, and horror films.{{cite news|title=Focus Revives Gramercy Pictures Label For Genre Films|url=https://deadline.com/2015/05/focus-features-revives-gramercy-pictures-label-genre-films-1201430500/|date=May 20, 2015|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|access-date=May 20, 2015}}
On October 2, 2013, James Schamus was fired from his position as CEO of Focus, with the New York offices being shut down in the process. He was succeeded by Peter Schlessel, whose company [[FilmDistrict]] would be merged into Focus and folded into the trade name High Top Releasing. This became effective in January 2014, and several titles developed under FilmDistrict would be released by Focus.{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/2013/film/news/breaking-focus-features-ceo-james-schamus-out-peter-schlessel-to-take-over-1200688551/|title= Revamped Focus Features Led by Peter Schlessel Relocating to L.A.|first= Andrew|last= Stewart|date= October 2, 2013|access-date= September 11, 2022|work= Variety}} Under Schlessel, the company began to acquire films with a wider commercial appeal, much like his previous company.{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/2013/film/news/with-filmdistricts-dna-will-focus-get-a-commercial-makeover-1200688612/|title= With FilmDistrict's DNA, Will Focus Get a Commercial Makeover?|first= Dave|last= McNary|date= October 2, 2013|access-date= September 11, 2022|work= Variety}}{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/2014/voices/columns/as-focus-moves-into-more-commercial-territory-indie-films-need-a-new-champion-1201166990/|title= As Focus Moves Into More Commercial Territory, Indie Films Need a New Champion|first= Peter|last= Bart|date= May 1, 2014|access-date= September 11, 2022|work= Variety}} In May 2015, [[Gramercy Pictures]] was revived by Focus as a genre label, that was on action, sci-fi, and horror films.{{cite news|title=Focus Revives Gramercy Pictures Label For Genre Films|url=https://deadline.com/2015/05/focus-features-revives-gramercy-pictures-label-genre-films-1201430500/|date=May 20, 2015|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|access-date=May 20, 2015}}


In February 2016, Focus merged with [[Universal Pictures|Universal Pictures International Productions]] as part of a new strategy to "align the acquisition and production of specialty films in the global market".{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcuniversal.com/press-release/focus-features-and-universal-pictures-international-productions-merge-operations-under|title=FOCUS FEATURES AND UNIVERSAL PICTURES INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTIONS TO MERGE OPERATIONS UNDER FOCUS FEATURES BANNER|date=2016-02-04|newspaper=NBCUniversal|access-date=2016-10-30}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/focus-features-shake-up-peter-862037|title=Focus Features Shake-Up: Peter Schlessel Out|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=2016-10-30}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/focus-features-shake-up-whats-862969|title=Focus Features Shake-Up: What's Behind Peter Schlessel's Abrupt Exit|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=2016-10-30}} Following this, along with several disappointing box office returns, Schlessel was let go from the company and replaced with [[Peter Kujawski]].{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/2016/film/news/focus-features-reboot-peter-schlessel-1201697164/|title= Why Focus Features is Again Getting a Drastic Reboot|first= Brett|last= Lang|date= February 4, 2016|access-date= September 11, 2022}}
In February 2016, Focus merged with [[Universal Pictures|Universal Pictures International Productions]] as part of a new strategy to "align the acquisition and production of specialty films in the global market".{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcuniversal.com/press-release/focus-features-and-universal-pictures-international-productions-merge-operations-under|title=FOCUS FEATURES AND UNIVERSAL PICTURES INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTIONS TO MERGE OPERATIONS UNDER FOCUS FEATURES BANNER|date=2016-02-04|newspaper=NBCUniversal|access-date=2016-10-30}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/focus-features-shake-up-peter-862037|title=Focus Features Shake-Up: Peter Schlessel Out|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=2016-10-30}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/focus-features-shake-up-whats-862969|title=Focus Features Shake-Up: What's Behind Peter Schlessel's Abrupt Exit|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=2016-10-30}} Following this, along with several disappointing box office returns, Schlessel was let go from the company and replaced with [[Peter Kujawski]].{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/2016/film/news/focus-features-reboot-peter-schlessel-1201697164/|title= Why Focus Features is Again Getting a Drastic Reboot|first= Brett|last= Lang|date= February 4, 2016|access-date= September 11, 2022}}
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