| Working Title Films Limited | |
| Type: | Subsidiary |
| Location City: | London |
| Location Country: | United Kingdom |
| Key People: | |
| Industry: | Film production |
| Parent: | Universal Pictures |
Working Title Films Limited[1] is a British film studio that produces motion pictures and television programs and is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures, a division of NBCUniversal, which is itself a division of Comcast. The company was founded by Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe in 1983. Bevan and Eric Fellner are now the co-chairmen of the company.
Bevan and Radclyffe were partners in pop music promotional company, Aldabra, and set up Working Title Films in London in 1983 where they were commissioned by newly created UK broadcaster, Channel 4, to make a television film, My Beautiful Laundrette (1985), directed by Stephen Frears. My Beautiful Launderette was a success at the Edinburgh Film Festival and received a theatrical release, where it was successful internationally. Accountant Graham Bradstreet joined as a third partner in 1986.[2]
A World Apart was entered in competition at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival and won the Special Grand Prize of the Jury. The Tall Guy (1988) saw the feature film debut of screenwriter Richard Curtis and director Mel Smith.[2]
In 1988, Michael Kuhn of PolyGram started to work with the company and in 1989 PolyGram acquired 49% of the company and they jointly launched Manifesto Film Sales.[3] Manifesto's first third-party pick up for distribution was the Coen brothers' Barton Fink (1991). Bradstreet left the company in 1990 and Radclyffe a year later, with Eric Fellner, a fellow independent film producer, joining the company in 1991.[4] [3] [2] The same year, Kuhn set up PolyGram Filmed Entertainment which acquired 100% of Working Title in 1992.[3] [2] The company produced a variety of films for PolyGram Filmed Entertainment which became a major Hollywood competitor.
Paul Webster set up an office in Los Angeles in 1991 and producer Liza Chasin was appointed as president of production.[5] Webster produced the company's first American films, Rubin & Ed and Drop Dead Fred. Working Title also made Tim Robbins' directorial debut, Bob Roberts (1992).[2]
Gramercy Pictures began distributing the company's films in the United States, starting with Posse (1993). In 1994, the company's Four Weddings and a Funeral, written by Curtis, became the highest-grossing British film of all-time with a gross of $245 million.[3] [2] They also made the Coen brothers' The Hudsucker Proxy (1994). In 1996, Robbins' Dead Man Walking was the company's first film to win an Academy Award, with Susan Sarandon winning the Academy Award for Best Actress. The Coen brothers' Fargo (1996) won two Academy Awards the following year. The company had another major success with Bean (1997) directed by Smith and co-written by Curtis, grossing $251 million.[2]
In 1998, PolyGram was sold to the Seagram company and merged with MCA Music Entertainment, to form Universal Music Group. PolyGram Films was folded into Universal Pictures. In 1999, Seagram sold the bulk of its library of PolyGram films released up until 31 March 1996 to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. 1999 also saw the company's highest-grossing film to date with Notting Hill, again written by Curtis, with a gross of $364 million.
Although contractually allowed to produce any film with a budget of up to $35 million, on a practical basis, Bevan and Fellner consult with studio executives at Working Title's parent company NBCUniversal.[6] Working Title company renewed its first look deal with Universal Pictures in 2020.[7]
In 1999, Bevan and Fellner launched a subsidiary company named Working Title 2 Productions, commonly known as WT2. The company is an independent film production arm run by Natascha Wharton, and has produced films that include Billy Elliot, Shaun of the Dead and The Calcium Kid.[4]
Working Title has been active in television production since the beginning of the 1990s.[8] In February 2010, Working Title officially launched its television division as a joint venture with parent company NBCUniversal, itself owned by Comcast.[9] Since then, they have produced content for both British and American television.[10] [11] Notable productions and co productions developed by Working Title Television (WTTV)[12] include NBC's About a Boy, and Showtime's The Tudors.[8]
WTTV has offices in London and Los Angeles.[13] [14]
| Title | Years | Co-production | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Borrowers | 1992 | |||
| Tales of the City | 1993 | |||
| The Baldy Man | 1995–1998 | |||
| Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) | 2000–2001 | |||
| The Tudors | 2007–2010 | |||
| Love Bites | 2011 | |||
| Yonderland | 2013–2016 | |||
| About a Boy | 2014–2015 | |||
| You, Me and the Apocalypse | 2015 | |||
| London Spy | ||||
| Gypsy | 2017 | Rhythm Arts Entertainment Pen and Paper Industries Universal Television | ||
| Hanna | 2019–2021 | |||
| The Case Against Adnan Syed | 2019 | Instinct Productions Disarming Films HBO Documentary Films NBCUniversal International Studios | ||
| Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City | 2019 | Sweatpants Productions Universal Television NBCUniversal International Studios | Netflix | |
| The Luminaries | 2020 | Southern Light Films TVNZ Fremantle Silver Reel | TVNZ BBC One | |
| We Are Lady Parts | 2021–present | Channel 4 | ||
| Everything I Know About Love | 2022–present | |||
In 1991, Working Title was involved in a bid for the London Weekend ITV licence. Working Title, Mentorn, Palace and PolyGram wanted to take over from London Weekend Television and broadcast to London under the name London Independent Broadcasting. In the event LWT retained its licence; London Independent Broadcasting's proposals were deemed by the Independent Television Commission, which was overseeing the bid process, to fail the quality threshold.[15]
| Release date | Title | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 November 1985 | My Beautiful Laundrette | with Channel Four Films | |
| 24 July 1987 | Wish You Were Here | with Channel Four Films | |
| 30 October 1987 | Sammy and Rosie Get Laid | with Channel Four Films | |
| 17 June 1988 | A World Apart | ||
| 10 September 1988 | Paperhouse | with Vestron Pictures | |
| 13 April 1989 | The Tall Guy | with London Weekend Television | |
| 19 May 1989 | For Queen and Country | ||
| 14 November 1989 | Diamond Skulls |
| Release date | Title | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 June 1990 | Fools of Fortune | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Channel Four Films | |
| 27 July 1990 | Chicago Joe and the Showgirl | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and New Line Cinema | |
| 13 May 1991 | Robin Hood | ||
| 24 May 1991 | Drop Dead Fred | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and New Line Cinema | |
| 21 August 1991 | Barton Fink | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and 20th Century Fox | |
| 18 October 1991 | Edward II | ||
| 13 December 1991 | London Kills Me | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Fine Line Features | |
| 15 May 1992 | Rubin & Ed | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment | |
| 17 July 1992 | Dakota Road | with Channel Four Films, British Screen Productions and Mayfair Entertainment | |
| 4 September 1992 | Bob Roberts | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Miramax Films and LIVE Entertainment | |
| 23 April 1993 | Map of the Human Heart | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Miramax Films | |
| 14 May 1993 | Posse | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 8 October 1993 | The Young Americans | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Live Entertainment | |
| 4 February 1994 | Romeo Is Bleeding | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 9 March 1994 | Four Weddings and a Funeral | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Channel Four Films and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 11 March 1994 | The Hudsucker Proxy | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Warner Bros. and Silver Pictures | |
| 3 May 1995 | Panther | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 5 May 1995 | French Kiss | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and 20th Century Fox | |
| 29 September 1995 | Moonlight and Valentino | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 29 December 1995 | Dead Man Walking | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 8 March 1996 | Fargo | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 22 March 1996 | Land and Freedom | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 20 September 1996 | Loch Ness | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 7 March 1997 | The Eighth Day | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 2 August 1997 | Bean | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Tiger Aspect Films and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 3 October 1997 | The Matchmaker | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 5 December 1997 | The Borrowers | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 6 March 1998 | The Big Lebowski | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 22 November 1998 | Elizabeth | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, StudioCanal, Channel Four Films and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 29 January 1999 | The Hi-Lo Country | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures | |
| 28 May 1999 | Notting Hill | with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, StudioCanal and Universal Pictures | |
| 1 October 1999 | Plunkett & Macleane | with StudioCanal, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Gramercy Pictures |
| Release date | Title | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2000 | High Fidelity | with Touchstone Pictures | |
| 13 October 2000 | Billy Elliot | with BBC Films, Tiger Aspect Productions, StudioCanal and Universal Focus | |
| 2 December 2000 | O Brother, Where Art Thou? | with Touchstone Pictures, Universal Pictures and StudioCanal | |
| 8 December, 2000 | The Man Who Cried | with StudioCanal, Universal Pictures and Adventure Pictures | |
| 13 April 2001 | Bridget Jones's Diary | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Miramax Films | |
| 17 August 2001 | Captain Corelli's Mandolin | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Miramax Films | |
| 2 November 2001 | The Man Who Wasn't There | with USA Films, Gramercy Pictures and Good Machine | |
| 1 March 2002 | 40 Days and 40 Nights | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Miramax Films | |
| 22 March 2002 | Ali G Indahouse | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal | |
| 17 May 2002 | About a Boy | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and TriBeCa Productions | |
| 23 August 2002 | The Guru | co-production with StudioCanal and Universal Pictures | |
| 18 July 2003 | Johnny English | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal | |
| 22 August 2003 | Thirteen | with Fox Searchlight Pictures, Universal Pictures and Antidote Films | |
| 28 October 2003 | Long Time Dead | with Universal Pictures and Focus Features | |
| 14 November 2003 | Love Actually | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and DNA Films | |
| 26 March 2004 | Ned Kelly | with Focus Features and StudioCanal | |
| 30 July 2004 | Thunderbirds | with StudioCanal and Universal Pictures | |
| 17 September 2004 | Wimbledon | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal | |
| 24 September 2004 | Shaun of the Dead | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Rogue Pictures | |
| 19 November 2004 | Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Miramax Films | |
| 4 February 2005 | Rory O'Shea Was Here | with Focus Features and StudioCanal | |
| 22 April 2005 | The Interpreter | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal | |
| 23 November 2005 | Pride & Prejudice | with Focus Features and StudioCanal | |
| 27 January 2006 | Nanny McPhee | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | |
| 28 April 2006 | United 93 | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal | |
| 27 October 2006 | Catch a Fire | with Focus Features and StudioCanal | |
| 26 January 2007 | Smokin' Aces | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal | |
| 14 February 2007 | Hot Fuzz | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Rogue Pictures | |
| 24 March 2007 | Mr. Bean's Holiday | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal and Tiger Aspect Films | |
| 12 October 2007 | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal | ||
| 4 January 2008 | Atonement | with Focus Features and StudioCanal | |
| 14 February 2008 | Definitely, Maybe | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal | |
| 12 September 2008 | Burn After Reading | with Focus Features, Relativity Media and StudioCanal | |
| 5 December 2008 | Frost/Nixon | with Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and StudioCanal | |
| 17 April 2009 | State of Play | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal | |
| 24 April 2009 | The Soloist[16] | with DreamWorks Pictures, Universal Pictures, Participant Media, StudioCanal and Krasnoff/Foster Entertainment[17] | |
| 2 October 2009 | A Serious Man | with Focus Features, Relativity Media and StudioCanal | |
| 13 November 2009 | The Boat That Rocked | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal |
| Release date | Title | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 March 2010 | Green Zone | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal | |
| 2 April 2010 | Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang | with StudioCanal | |
| 18 March 2011 | Paul | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal | |
| 12 August 2011 | Senna | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal | |
| 21 October 2011 | Johnny English Reborn | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal | |
| 9 December 2011 | Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy | with Focus Features and StudioCanal | |
| 13 January 2012 | Contraband | with Universal Pictures | |
| 3 February 2012 | Big Miracle | with Universal Pictures and Anonymous Content | |
| 16 November 2012 | Anna Karenina | with Focus Features | |
| 25 December 2012 | Les Misérables | with Universal Pictures, Relativity Media and Cameron Mackintosh, Ltd. | |
| 8 February 2013 | I Give It a Year | with StudioCanal | |
| 19 July 2013 | The World's End | with Universal Pictures, Focus Features, and Relativity Media | |
| 28 August 2013 | Closed Circuit | with Focus Features | |
| 4 September 2013 | About Time | with Universal Pictures and StudioCanal | |
| 27 September 2013 | Rush | with Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, Exclusive Media, Cross Creek Pictures and Revolution Films | |
| 9 October 2014 | Trash | with StudioCanal, O2 Filmes and PeaPie Films | |
| 1 January 2015 | The Theory of Everything | with Focus Features | |
| 28 August 2015 | We Are Your Friends | with Warner Bros. Pictures, StudioCanal and RatPac Entertainment | |
| 9 September 2015 | Legend | with Universal Pictures, StudioCanal, Cross Creek Pictures and Anton Capital Entertainment | |
| 18 September 2015 | Everest | with Universal Pictures, Walden Media and Cross Creek Pictures | |
| 14 October 2015 | The Program | with StudioCanal | |
| 27 November 2015 | The Danish Girl | with Pretty Pictures, Revision Pictures, Senator Global Productions, Universal Pictures International and Focus Features | |
| 5 February 2016 | Hail, Caesar! | with Universal Pictures and Mike Zoss Productions | |
| 11 March 2016 | The Brothers Grimsby | with Columbia Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures Big Talk Productions and Four by Two Productions | |
| 16 September 2016 | Bridget Jones's Baby[18] | with StudioCanal, Miramax and Universal Pictures | |
| 30 June 2017 | Baby Driver | with Big Talk Productions, TriStar Pictures and Media Rights Capital | |
| 15 September 2017 | Victoria and Abdul | with BBC Films, Focus Features and Universal Pictures | |
| 13 October 2017 | The Snowman | with Universal Pictures, Perfect World Pictures and Another Park Film | |
| 12 January 2018 | Darkest Hour | with Universal Pictures, Focus Features and Perfect World Pictures | |
| 16 March 2018 | 7 Days in Entebbe | with Participant Media and Focus Features | |
| 26 October 2018 | Johnny English Strikes Again | with StudioCanal, Perfect World Pictures and Universal Pictures | |
| 7 December 2018 | Mary Queen of Scots | with Perfect World Pictures and Focus Features | |
| 25 January 2019 | The Kid Who Would Be King | with Big Talk Productions, TSG Entertainment and 20th Century Fox | |
| 28 June 2019 | Yesterday | with Universal Pictures, Perfect World Pictures and Decibel Films | |
| 20 December 2019 | Cats |
| Release date | Title | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 February 2020 | Emma. | ||
| 29 May 2020 | The High Note | with Focus Features and Perfect World Pictures | |
| 24 July 2020 | Radioactive | with StudioCanal and Amazon Studios | |
| 21 October 2020 | Rebecca | with Netflix and Big Talk Productions | |
| 29 October 2021 | Last Night in Soho | with Focus Features, Film4 Productions and Complete Fiction | |
| 25 February 2022 | Cyrano | with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Bron Creative | |
| 23 September 2022 | Catherine Called Birdy | with Amazon Studios and Good Thing Going[19] | |
| 21 October 2022 | Ticket to Paradise | with Universal Pictures, Red Om Films, and Smokehouse Pictures[20] | |
| 11 November 2022 | The Swimmers | with Netflix[21] | |
| 9 December 2022 | Matilda the Musical | with Netflix, TriStar Pictures and the Roald Dahl Story Company[22] | |
| 24 February 2023 | What's Love Got to Do with It? | with StudioCanal and Instinct Productions[23] | |
| 8 April 2023 | Polite Society | with Focus Features and Parkville Pictures[24] | |
| 22 November 2023 | Genie | with Peacock, Universal Pictures, and Linden Productions[25] [26] | |
| 23 February 2024 | Drive-Away Dolls | with Focus Features[27] |
| Release date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 20 September 2024 | The Substance[28] [29] | with A Good Story and Mubi |
| 1 November 2024[30] | Blitz | with Apple TV+, Regency Enterprises, New Regency and Lammas Park[31] |
| 14 February 2025 | Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy[32] [33] | with Miramax, StudioCanal and Universal Pictures |
| 20 February 2026 | with Amazon MGM Studios[34] | |
| TBA | Honey Don't! | with Focus Features[35] |
| Falling | with Universal Pictures[36] | |
| In Five Years | with New Line Cinema and Max[37] | |
| Johnny English 4 | with StudioCanal[38] | |
| Relax | with Independent Entertainment[39] | |
| Unreasonable Behaviour | with Hardy Son & Baker[40] | |
| Untitled Anna May Wong biopic | with Significant Productions[41] | |
| with TriStar Pictures, MRC, and Big Talk Productions[42] [43] [44] |