# Annapurna Pictures

Annapurna Pictures is an American independent media company founded by Megan Ellison on April 2, 2011, and based in Los Angeles, California. It is active in film, television and theatrical production, film distribution, and video game publishing.

## History

Annapurna Pictures was founded in 2011 by Megan Ellison as a production and finance entity focusing on high-end auteur-driven cinema. Ellison had attended University of Southern California’s film school for two semesters and then left in 2005 and traveled the world. Among her stops was Nepal, where she trekked on the Himalayan mountain Annapurna, for which her production company is named.
By 2014 Annapurna had produced and/or financed the films Lawless, The Master, Killing Them Softly, Zero Dark Thirty, Spring Breakers, The Grandmaster, Her, Foxcatcher, and American Hustle, and was starting production on Joy, Sausage Party, Wiener-Dog, 20th Century Women, and Everybody Wants Some!!.
In December 2016, the company announced its new division, Annapurna Interactive, to produce, develop, and distribute video games. Annapurna Interactive has become a major publisher of independently made games.
In January 2017, the company announced they would begin distributing films, with their first being Detroit directed by Kathryn Bigelow, set for release on August 4, 2017. They later signed a multi-year distribution deal with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on March 27, in which MGM will distribute all of Annapurna's films in select international territories. On April 6, the company also announced an exclusive, multi-year output licensing agreement with Hulu.
In May 2017, Plan B Entertainment and Annapurna announced a three-year production deal to partner on at least three films a year, with Annapurna handling distribution and marketing. As part of the deal, Annapurna received the rights to Adam McKay's film Vice starring Christian Bale as Dick Cheney. It was also announced Annapurna would co-distribute Brad's Status through their MGM joint venture Mirror alongside Amazon Studios. In July, the company signed a multi-year U.S. home entertainment pact with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment to oversee its home releases.
Since Sony Pictures' contract to co-produce the James Bond series with MGM and Eon Productions expired with the release of Spectre, Annapurna, along with five major studios – Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures and Sony itself – vied to win the rights to the next film as of April 2017. It was then announced that MGM had secured the domestic, digital and worldwide television rights to the film. Universal was announced as the international distributor of the film and holder of the rights for physical home entertainment distribution.
In October 2017, Annapurna and MGM announced the formation of a US distribution joint venture in which each studio would release their films individually. This marked a return to domestic theatrical distribution for MGM and an expansion of Annapurna's distribution division, with MGM releasing approximately six to eight films per year on a limited basis and Annapurna releasing four to six films per year, in a combined slate of fourteen films. While the two companies are sharing costs for the joint venture's operations, Annapurna's distribution and marketing teams supported the MGM titles, which were distributed under the MGM banner while Annapurna-produced films continued to be distributed under its own banner. The two studios also launched Mirror, a releasing entity that pursues theatrical opportunities for additional third-party films. However, this partnership is not exclusive to all MGM films, as several of them continued to be released through existing studio partners, such as Warner Bros. and Paramount. The newly relaunched Orion Pictures and future worldwide distributor plans for the James Bond franchise, are also not included, which MGM announced on "a later date", May 24, 2018, to have been won by Universal Pictures.
In October 2018, Annapurna signed a music publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music, which administered the studio's film and TV compositions and scores.
In February 2019, Annapurna and MGM rebranded and expanded their US distribution joint venture to release both MGM and Annapurna films under United Artists Releasing, with the distribution teams of Annapurna and Orion Pictures (whose films are added as well) joining the venture and former Screen Gems executive Pam Kunath joining as COO in addition to the heads of MGM and Annapurna joining the board of directors. The decision was made to coincide with the United Artists brand's 100th anniversary, and has plans to release 10–14 films a year through the new label, including the domestic release of No Time to Die (which marks a reunion between the UA brand and the James Bond franchise after two decades). After taking financial losses from distributing Vice, Detroit, and Destroyer, Annapurna had to leave Bombshell just two weeks before it would start production, and also unattached itself from Hustlers.
In December 2022, Annapurna launched its animation division led by former Blue Sky Studios Robert Baird and Andrew Millstein. Nimona was its first release.
On March 4, 2023, it was revealed by The Hollywood Reporter that Amazon had shut down the operations of United Artists Releasing and folded it into MGM.
In August 2024 Annapurna announced a "strategic cooperation agreement" with video game developer Remedy Entertainment during which Annapurna will co-produce and co-finance Control 2, and will also develop film and television projects involving Remedy's Alan Wake and Control.
On September 12, 2024 news broke that the entire Annapurna Interactive Team of 25 resigned following a dispute with its owner to spin off the video-game division as an independent entity.

## Filmography
### As production company

| Year | Film title | Notes |
| 2011 | Passion Play | distributed by Image Entertainment |
| 2011 | Waking Madison | distributed by Entertainment One |
| 2011 | Main Street | distributed by Magnolia Pictures |
| 2011 | Catch .44 | distributed by Anchor Bay Films |
| 2012 | Lawless | co-production with The Weinstein Company, FilmNation Entertainment, Benaroya Pictures, and Red Wagon Entertainment |
| 2012 | The Master | co-production with The Weinstein Company, JoAnne Sellar Productions, and Ghoulardi Film Company Nominated – Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Picture Nominated – Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Feature |
| 2012 | Killing Them Softly | co-production with Plan B Entertainment, Chockstone Pictures, 1984 Private Defense Contractors, and Inferno Entertainment; distributed by The Weinstein Company |
| 2012 | Zero Dark Thirty | co-production with Columbia Pictures and First Light Productions National Board of Review Award for Best Film National Board of Review: Top Ten Films Nominated – AACTA Award for Best International Film Nominated – Academy Award for Best Picture Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Film Nominated – Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Picture Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama Nominated – Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Film |
| 2013 | Spring Breakers | co-production with Hero Entertainment and Muse Productions; distributed by A24 Nominated – Venice Film Festival for Golden Lion |
| 2013 | The Grandmaster | co-production with Block 2 Pictures, Jet Tone Films, Sil-Metropole Organization, and Bona International Film Group; distributed by The Weinstein Company Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best Film Nominated – Golden Horse Award for Best Feature Film |
| 2013 | Her | co-production with Warner Bros. Pictures National Board of Review Award for Best Film National Board of Review: Top Ten Films Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film Nominated – Academy Award for Best Picture Nominated – Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Picture Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Nominated – Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture |
| 2013 | American Hustle | co-production with Columbia Pictures and Atlas Entertainment Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated – AACTA Award for Best International Film Nominated – Academy Award for Best Picture Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Film Nominated – Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Picture Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Movie of the Year Nominated – Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Motion Picture Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie – Drama |
| 2014 | Foxcatcher | co-production with Sony Pictures Classics and Likely Story Nominated – Cannes Film Festival for Palme d'Or Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama Nominated – Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture |
| 2015 | Terminator Genisys | co-production with Skydance Media; distributed by Paramount Pictures |
| 2015 | Joy | co-production with 20th Century Fox and Davis Entertainment Nominated – Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Comedy Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy |
| 2015 | The Click Effect | co-production with Vrse |
| 2016 | Everybody Wants Some!! | co-production with Paramount Pictures Nominated – Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Feature |
| 2016 | Wiener-Dog | co-production with Killer Films; distributed by Amazon Studios and IFC Films |
| 2016 | Sausage Party | co-production with Columbia Pictures, Point Grey Pictures, and Nitrogen Studios |
| 2016 | 20th Century Women | produced by; distributed by A24 Nominated – Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy |
| 2017 | The Bad Batch | co-production with VICE Films and Human Stew Factory; distributed by Neon Venice Film Festival for Special Jury Prize |
| 2017 | Detroit | co-production with First Light Productions and Page 1 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Independent Motion Picture Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture |
| 2017 | Phantom Thread | co-production with Focus Features and Ghoulardi Film Company National Board of Review: Top Ten Films Nominated – Academy Award for Best Picture |
| 2018 | The Sisters Brothers | co-production with Michael De Luca Productions, Why Not Productions, Page 114 Productions, and Apache Films Nominated – César Award for Best Film Nominated – Venice Film Festival for Golden Lion |
| 2018 | If Beale Street Could Talk | co-production with Plan B Entertainment and Pastel Productions Independent Spirit Award for Best Film National Board of Review: Top Ten Films Satellite Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama Nominated – Black Reel Award for Outstanding Film Nominated – Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Picture Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama Nominated – Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Feature Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture |
| 2018 | The Ballad of Buster Scruggs | co-production with Netflix and Mike Zoss Productions |
| 2018 | Vice | co-production with Plan B Entertainment and Gary Sanchez Productions Nominated – AACTA Award for Best International Film Nominated – Academy Award for Best Picture Nominated – Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Picture Nominated – Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Nominated – Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture |
| 2019 | Missing Link | co-production with Laika Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film Nominated – Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Nominated – Annie Award for Best Animated Feature Nominated – Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature Nominated – Producers Guild of America Award for Best Animated Motion Picture |
| 2019 | Booksmart | co-production with Gloria Sanchez Productions GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film – Wide Release Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature |
| 2019 | Where'd You Go, Bernadette | co-production with Color Force |
| 2019 | Hustlers | credit only; produced by Gloria Sanchez Productions, Nuyorican Productions and STX Entertainment Nominated – Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Feature Nominated – Satellite Awards for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical |
| 2019 | Wounds | produced by Two & Two Pictures and AZA Film; distributed by Hulu |
| 2019 | Bombshell | credit only; produced by Bron Studios, Denver and Delilah Productions, Lighthouse Media & Management, Creative Wealth Media; distributed by Lionsgate Nominated – GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film – Wide Release Nominated – Satellite Awards for Best Motion Picture – Drama |
| 2020 | Kajillionaire | co-production with Plan B Entertainment; distributed by Focus Features |
| 2022 | She Said | co-production with Plan B Entertainment; distributed by Universal Pictures |
| 2023 | Nimona | an Annapurna Animation film; co-production with Vertigo Entertainment and DNEG Animation; distributed by Netflix; first Annapurna Animation film Nominated – Academy Award for Best Animated Feature |
| 2023 | Landscape with Invisible Hand | co-production with Plan B Entertainment; distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| 2024 | Nightbitch | co-production with Searchlight Pictures, Bond Group Management, Archer Grey, and Defiant by Nature; distributed by Searchlight Pictures |
| TBA | Not Fade Away | co-production with Sunday Night Productions |
| TBA | The Echo Wife | Currently in production |
| TBA | I Love Boosters | co-production with Ryder Picture Company, Savage Rose Films, and Waypoint Entertainment; distributed by Neon |

### As distributor

The company expects to release "approximately four to six films per year".
| Release date | Film title | Notes |
| August 4, 2017 | Detroit | |
| September 15, 2017 | Brad's Status | Co-distribution with Amazon Studios |
| October 13, 2017 | Professor Marston and the Wonder Women | Co-distribution with Stage 6 Films |
| July 6, 2018 | Sorry to Bother You | |
| September 21, 2018 | The Sisters Brothers | |
| December 14, 2018 | If Beale Street Could Talk | |
| December 25, 2018 | Vice | |
| December 25, 2018 | Destroyer | |
| April 12, 2019 | Missing Link | US distribution through United Artists Releasing |
| May 24, 2019 | Booksmart | US distribution through United Artists Releasing |
| August 16, 2019 | Where'd You Go, Bernadette | US distribution through United Artists Releasing |
| May 13, 2022 | On the Count of Three | US co-distribution with Orion Pictures through United Artists Releasing |

## Reception

Some of the films produced by the company have received widespread critical acclaim. In 2013 alone, Her, American Hustle and The Grandmaster had a combined seventeen Academy Award nominations. Commercially, results have been mixed. Some films like The Master, Foxcatcher, Joy, Detroit and Vice, however, do not return their budget while ones such as Zero Dark Thirty, Sausage Party and American Hustle have grossed more than $100 million, the latter grossing more than $250 million worldwide.

## Annapurna Animation

Annapurna Animation is an American animation studio and division of Annapurna Pictures, founded by former Blue Sky Studios executives Robert L. Baird and Andrew Millstein on December 1, 2022 and based in North Stamford, Connecticut. The studio's first film, Nimona, was released on June 30, 2023, on Netflix.

### Filmography
#### Released

| Release date | Film | Directors | Co-production | Animation services | Distribution |
| June 30, 2023 | Nimona | Nick Bruno Troy Quane | Vertigo Entertainment | DNEG Animation | Netflix |

#### In development

| Film | Director | Notes |
| Foo | Chris Wedge | — |
| Untitled film | Nick Bruno | — |
| Stray | TBA | Based on the game by BlueTwelve Studio |

## Annapurna Television

Annapurna Television is the television production company of Annapurna Pictures, launched on September 27, 2016, and was formerly headed by HBO executive Sue Naegle (with her label, Naegle Ink, now part of the division). In January 2017, it was reported that Annapurna Television would produce the Coen brothers' first TV project, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.

### Television series

| Year | Title | Co-production | Network | Notes |
| 2019 | Search and Destroy | — | Hulu | TV pilot |
| 2019 | Half-Empty | Endeavor ContentAmazon Studios | Amazon Prime Video | TV pilot |
| 2019 | Soundtrack | Random Acts Productions20th Century Fox Television | Netflix | Canceled after one season |
| 2020 | The Plot Against America | RK FilmsBlown Deadline Productions | HBO | Miniseries |
| 2020 | Monsterland | Two & Two PicturesPort Orchard Productions | Hulu | Canceled after one season |
| 2021 | Hot Pink | — | Amazon Prime Video | TV pilot |
| 2022 | Pam & Tommy | Limelight PicturesPoint Grey PicturesThe Robert Siegel-Jen Cohn Company | Hulu | Miniseries |
| 2022 | The Staircase | Emipop What's Up Films | HBO Max | Miniseries |
| 2022 | I Love That for You | Semi-Formal ProductionsThe First ToddSay MamaGo BalloonsShowtime Networks | Showtime | Canceled after one season |
| 2023 | Paul T. Goldman | Point Grey PicturesLionsgate TelevisionSwindleCaviar | Peacock | Miniseries |
| 2023 | Dead Ringers | Morgan Creek Entertainment Astral Projection Amazon Studios | Amazon Prime Video | Miniseries |
| 2023–present | The Changeling | Apple Studios De La Revolución Films | Apple TV+ | Ongoing series |
| 2024–present | Sausage Party: Foodtopia | Point Grey PicturesSony Pictures TelevisionAmazon MGM Studios | Amazon Prime Video | Animated television series |

## Video games

Annapurna Interactive published its first video game, What Remains of Edith Finch, on April 25, 2017. What Remains of Edith Finch received "universal acclaim" on PC and "generally positive" reviews on PS4, according to video game review aggregator Metacritic. Since 2017, Annapurna Interactive has also been responsible for publishing games including Twelve Minutes, Donut County, Kentucky Route Zero, Outer Wilds, Sayonara Wild Hearts, Wattam, Telling Lies, Neon White and Stray. The publisher has also provided funding and publication support for The Artful Escape by Beethoven & Dinosaur, Ashen by A44 and Gorogoa by Jason Roberts.

## Theater

Annapurna Theatre produces plays and live shows on, and off-Broadway.
| Show date(s) | Title | Notes |
| 2018–2019 | Nine Night | |
| 2018–2019 | Network | |
| 2019 | Home I'm Darling | |
| 2019–ongoing | American Utopia | Also viewable in film format from HBO Max. |
| 2019 | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Also viewable in film format from National Theatre Live. |
| 2019 | Fleabag | Also viewable in film format from National Theatre Live. |
| 2019–ongoing | The Lehman Trilogy | Also viewable in film format from National Theatre Live. |
| 2020 | Death of a Salesman | |
| 2020 | Betrayal | |
| 2021–ongoing | Company | |
| 2021–ongoing | A Strange Loop | |

## International distributors

| Country | Distributor | Years |
| Asia | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 2017–2022 |
| Australia and New Zealand | Theatrical: Universal Pictures All Other Media: Entertainment One | 2017–2022 |
| Benelux | Entertainment One | 2017–2022 |
| Canada | Entertainment One | 2017–2022 |
| Central Europe | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 2017–2022 |
| France | Mars Distribution | 2017–2022 |
| Germany | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 2017–2022 |
| Italy | Eagle Pictures/Leone Film Group | 2017–2022 |
| Japan | Longride | 2017–2022 |
| Middle East | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 2017–2022 |
| Scandinavia | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 2017–2022 |
| Spain | Entertainment One | 2017–2022 |
| United Kingdom | Entertainment One | 2017–2022 |
| International | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer via Warner Bros. | 2022–present |