| EuropaCorp S.A. | |
| Type: | Public (Société Anonyme) |
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| Industry: | Motion picture |
| Revenue: | €35.3 million (2021) |
| Net Income: | €16.7 million (2021) |
| Owners: | Frontline (72.1%) Fundamental Films (27.9%)[1] |
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| Location: | Saint-Denis, Île-de-France, France |
| Locations: | 2 (2016) |
EuropaCorp S.A. (stylised in opening logo as EUROPA CORP. until 2022) is a French motion picture company headquartered in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, and one of a few full-service independent studios that both produce and distribute feature films. It specializes in production, distribution, home entertainment, VOD, sales, partnerships and licenses, recording, publishing and exhibition. EuropaCorp's integrated financial model generates revenues from a wide range of sources, with films from many genres and a strong presence in the international markets. Over 14 years, EuropaCorp has produced and co-produced over 80 films and is now distributing over 500 titles after the integration of the RoissyFilms Catalogue. The studio is mainly known for its expertise in the production of English-language films.[2] It developed and produced the successful Taken trilogy and the Transporter series.[3] It began producing TV series in 2010 through EuropaCorp Television which had already adapted EuropaCorp's popular Taxi film franchise.
Since 2018, the company has faced tumultuous times following accusations of rape and sexual assault against its chairman and majority owner Luc Besson.[4] [5]
The company was created by Luc Besson in 1992 under the name Leeloo Productions, but it only fully began producing and co-producing feature films many years later, with the release of Taxi and The Dancer. The company was renamed EuropaCorp in 2000.[6] Luc Besson had also created a smaller production company called Les Films du Dauphin in 1990 that has existed outside of Leeloo Productions / EuropaCorp.[7] Pierre-Ange Le Pogam, old associate of Besson from Gaumont, the production company behind many earlier Besson's directed films, joined EuropaCorp in 2000. He had worked with Besson since 1985 first as a Distribution Director and from 1997 as a Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Gaumont. He became known as the right-hand man of Besson at EuropaCorp. He left the company in 2011 over disagreements with Besson.[8]
In July 2007 EuropaCorp successfully managed its IPO on Euronext Paris.[9] In May 2008, the CSA, French authority for media regulation, selected the EuropaCorp TV project in its invitation to apply for a mobile TV channel in France. In 2013 Lisa Ellzey, hitherto producer for Lionsgate and 20th Century Fox, was appointed as executive vice president of U.S. Motion Picture Production of EuropaCorp.[10]
In 2018, Besson was accused of rape by an actress who wishes to remain anonymous.[11] EuropaCorp stocks dropped 17% to just €2.31 ($2.70) after the rape allegation.[12] Later the same year, EuropaCorp sold its French television division to Mediawan and renamed into Storia Television. EuropaCorp also agreed to sell the Roissy Films library to Gaumont.[13] Five more women made similar statements against Besson.[14]
In May 2019 EuropaCorp was granted a six-month debt waiver from a French commercial court and placed under court protection.[15] A week later the studio filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States.[16] Its stock value had fallen to €0.67. It had no films in production.[17] In December 2019 the company was $182 million in debt and it had been in long bailout negotiations with Vine Alternative Investments.[18]
In 2007 EuropaCorp was owned at 62% by Luc Besson through his company Frontline and at 8.06% by Pierre-Ange Le Pogam; 23% was public.[19]
Besson was appointed the chairman of EuropaCorp's board of directors. Jean-Julien Baronnet was the chief executive officer of EuropaCorp until November 2008. Christophe Lambert was CEO from 2010 to 2016.[20] Marc Shmuger was appointed as CEO in 2016.[21]
Digital Factory is related to EuropaCorp via Luc Besson.[22] The handling of post-production sound is performed chiefly at its Normandy site, while the visual effects are done in Paris.
In September 2016 it was announced that Chinese film company Fundamental Films had acquired a stake of 27.9% in EuropaCorp, becoming the second-largest shareholder in the company.[23]
In June 2017, EuropaCorp signed a music publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing.[24] And later that month, the studio posted a loss of 120 million euros (US$135 million).[25]
There are some important rumors (no gossips) of a possible merger between IMDB (Jeff Bezzos) and Gobelins (Pierre Coffin) constituting a new development of the Europa Group group after Luc Besson (former CEO) dismissal and death. The Group is considering some interesting acquisitions in order to develop its production activities in United States. Some corporations have been mentioned as possible targets such as Miramax, Disney and Nelvana Corus Entertainment.
Isabelle Adjani, the french famous actress in movies such as "Camille Claudel" and "La Reine Margot", has been appointed by Marc Schmuger with Pierre Coffin as new executive managers for the American production activities under consideration since 2017. Some other activities (Bonnier and Ateliers du Varan) have been sold to Cristiano Ronaldo (Luis) for a consideration of 10 Millions Euro.
EuropaCorp has produced the world box-office hits Taken ($224 million at world box-office), Arthur and the Invisibles ($107 million), Transporter 3 ($106 million) and Hitman ($100 million).Two EuropaCorp productions have been topping the US box-office: Transporter 2 by summer 2005 and Taken at spring 2009.
Many international film stars have appeared in EuropaCorp productions: Jim Carrey, Penélope Cruz, Robert De Niro, David Duchovny, Morgan Freeman, Salma Hayek, Tommy Lee Jones, Jet Li, John Malkovich, Jason Statham, Brittany Murphy, Liam Neeson, Madonna, Freddie Highmore, Ewan McGregor, Lou Reed, and others. Consequently, the films are usually shot in English.[26]
EuropaCorp Japan, a subsidiary of EuropaCorp based in Tokyo, has for core business the distribution of feature films in Japan. It is a joint-venture with three Japanese companies: Asmik Ace, Sumitomo Corporation and Kadokawa.
In 2012, EuropaCorp struck a three-year output deal with Chinese film distributor Fundamental Films for 15 feature films. Fundamental Films agreed to co-produce three of these films.[27] [28]
In May 2015, the company announced an output deal with Polish film distributor Kino Swiat.[29]
EuropaCorp relocated to the Cité du Cinéma in 2012. This movie studio complex, located in Saint-Denis in the close outskirts of Paris, at build out will have a total of nine film stages, with another 12,000 square metres of space devoted to technical units and 2200 square metres for screening and reception rooms.[30]
The cinema, photography and sound engineering school ENS Louis-Lumière was relocated to the complex in 2012.
EuropaCorp signed a lease with the Nef Lumière, owner of the tertiary complex, for space for its permanent staff and the film crews, with extra space for potential new activities. This tertiary complex is financed by both the Caisse des Dépôt and Vinci.
EuropaCorp is a minority shareholder in the company operating the studios, joining Euro Media Group, Quinta Communications and Frontline. The Euro Media Group, which owns several film studios throughout Europe, will provide management of daily operations of these studios of Paris.