A24 Films

A24 Films LLC, commonly referred to as A24, is an American independent entertainment company that specializes in film and television production, as well as film distribution. The studio is based in Manhattan.

The company was founded in 2012 by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel, and John Hodges. All had worked in film and production before leaving their positions to co-found the company, originally A24 Films, which specialized in film distribution. Starting off in 2013 with '' A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III'', the company's growth started with the release of '' Spring Breakers'' later that year. In 2014, A24 picked up the American rights to '' Ex Machina'' and ''Room'' in 2015, before obtaining worldwide rights to '' The Witch'', which was released theatrically in 2015. They entered into deals with Amazon Prime Video, and DirecTV Cinema in late 2013, with some films distributed through them, and the name was changed to just A24 in 2016. In 2022, A24 produced the film ''Everything Everywhere All at Once'', which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and six more Oscars; the film has also received acclaim from both audiences and critics. It is their first film to reach $100 million at the box office.

A24's television division has produced programs, including ''At Home with Amy Sedaris'' (2017–2020), ''Beef'' (2023–present), '' The Carmichael Show'' (2015–2017), ''Euphoria'' (2019–present), ''Hazbin Hotel'' (2024–present), '' I'm Sorry'' (2017–2019), ''Irma Vep'' (2022), '' Mo'' (2022–2025), '' Mr. Corman'' (2021), '' Ramy'' (2019–2022), and ''Ziwe'' (2021–2022).

The company has also worked with writer-directors, including Ari Aster, Robert Eggers, Darren Aronofsky, Sean Baker, the Daniels, Danny and Michael Philippou, Alex Garland, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, Rose Glass, Celine Song, Joanna Hogg, Yorgos Lanthimos, Sean Durkin, Kristoffer Borgli, David Lowery, Halina Reijn, Mike Mills, and the Safdie brothers.

A24 has developed a reputation for their passionate fanbase, described as an independent film "cult". Its projects have also had a major influence on style in contemporary horror and arthouse films, among other areas. A24 is also known for the originality and artistic style of films it produces, generally shunning the style of films produced or released by the major film studios.

History

2012–2013: Founding and early years

On Daniel Katz, David Fenkel, and John Hodges founded A24. Katz formerly led the film finance group at Guggenheim Partners, Fenkel was the president, co-founder, and a senior partner at Oscilloscope, and Hodges served as "Head of Production and Development" at Big Beach.

The name "A24" was inspired by the Italian A24 motorway on which Katz was driving when he decided to found the company.

Guggenheim Partners provided the seed money for A24. The company was started to share "movies from a distinctive point of view". In October 2012, Nicolette Aizenberg joined as head of publicity from 42West where she was senior publicity executive.

In 2012, A24 contacted GrandArmy, a creative design agency based in New York, to design their logo. They had tasked the agency with creating a branding and logo that was modern but also echoed the golden age of Hollywood. GrandArmy made the logo and motion graphic intro for A24 alongside its website, and their deco-influenced look was featured internally and externally.

2013: Distribution

The company began its distribution of films in 2013. The company's first theatrical release was Roman Coppola's '' A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III'', which had a limited theatrical release. Other 2013 theatrical releases included Sofia Coppola's ''The Bling Ring'', Harmony Korine's '' Spring Breakers'', James Ponsoldt's ''The Spectacular Now'', and Sally Potter's ''Ginger & Rosa''.

In September 2013, A24 entered a $40 million deal with DirecTV Cinema, where DirecTV Cinema would offer day-and-date releases 30 days prior to a theatrical release by A24; ''Enemy'' was the first film to be distributed under the deal. That same year, A24 entered a deal with Amazon Prime, where A24-distributed films would be available on Amazon Instant Video after becoming available on Blu-ray and DVD.

2014–2017: Television and later productions

In May 2015, A24 announced that it would start a television division and began producing the USA Network series '' Playing House'', as well as working to develop a television series that would later become '' Comrade Detective'', produced by Channing Tatum. The company also announced that they would also finance and develop pilots.

In January 2016, Sasha Lloyd joined the company to handle all film, television distribution and business development in the international marketplace. The company, with cooperation from Bank of America, J.P. Morgan & Co. and SunTrust Banks, also raised its line of credit from $50 million to $125 million a month later to build upon its operations. In April, the company acquired all foreign rights to ''Swiss Army Man'', distributing the film in all territories, and partnering with distributors who previously acquired rights to the film, a first for the company. In June, the company, along with Oscilloscope and distributor Honora, joined BitTorrent Now to distribute the work of their portfolio across the ad-supported service.

In January 2017, the company acquired the United States and Chinese distribution rights for their first foreign language film: '' Menashe''.

2018–2019: Management changes and partnerships

On February 28, 2018, A24 launched a podcast titled "The A24 Podcast". Episodes are based around a discussion between two members of the film industry. Guests on the podcast have included Bo Burnham, Sofia Coppola, Paul Schrader, Martin Scorsese, and Alia Shawkat. Despite lacking any pre-defined structure, episodes generally contain discussions around recent works of the two guests, allowing for branching discussions to other areas. The first two guests were Barry Jenkins (director of A24's ''Moonlight'') and Greta Gerwig (director of A24's '' Lady Bird''), who both discussed what it's like to make a movie about the place they grew up. As of October 18, 2023, 38 episodes have been released.

On March 26, 2018, co-founder John Hodges announced that he was exiting the company. On November 15, 2018, A24 and Apple announced that they had entered into a multi-year partnership where A24 will produce a slate of original films for Apple. This was not a first-look deal, meaning that A24 can continue to produce and acquire films to release outside of the deal, and that it would not affect previous deals that A24 had signed with other companies. It is currently unknown if this slate of films will have a theatrical release or be exclusive to Apple's streaming service, Apple TV+.

On November 13, 2019, A24 entered into a premium cable television broadcast deal with Showtime Networks, covering all film releases through November 1, 2022. The deal excludes films that are already part of the Apple partnership.

2020s–present: Academy Awards win, further agreements, and expansion

In July 2021, A24 explored a possible buyout for between $2.5 billion to $3 billion. In January 2022, former HBO and Amazon MGM Studios TV executive Nick Hall joined A24 to oversee creative for the company's growing television slate. In April 2022, the company released its membership "AAA24" for subscription; members' benefits include early access to merch drops, exclusive merch for members only, monthly merch discounts for members, and a zine every four months.

In March 2023, A24 became the first independent studio to win Best Picture, Best Director, and all four acting categories in a single year at the 95th Academy Awards. That same month, the company bought distribution rights to two older films released before the company's inception, starting with Darren Aronofsky's '' Pi'' (1998) and Jonathan Demme's ''Stop Making Sense'' (1984), both of which are remastered versions.

In May 2023, Leonine Studios, a German independent film distributor, partnered with A24 to set up a joint label called "A24 , Leonine Studios", which will distribute films in Austria and Germany. The next month, it was reported that former Disney General Entertainment Chairman Peter Rice signed a deal with A24 as an independent producer, agreeing to co-finance films for global distribution.

During the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes, which took place from May 2 to November 9, A24 was approved to continue filming and promotional activities since they do not have ties to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

In October 2023, ''TheWrap''s Umberto Gonzalez exclusively reported that A24 is planning to expand its "strategy from arthouse films to more commercial films", including "action and big IP projects". According to one production executive from the company, A24 "took a beating on dramas, especially the ones they made," the top agent said. The production exec added that A24 would still acquire dramas, but would move away from making as many of them. "The auteur business is a lousy, high-risk business that does not attract potential buyers ... That's a big problem if you're looking to sell or seek additional investment," another top agent told ''TheWrap''. This decision has been met with mixed responses from some journalists. That same month, A24 forged an exclusive output deal with covering the distribution in Japan of A24's upcoming releases; this marks A24's first major international theatrical output deal. The companies will also build A24 brand awareness across the region, and deepen relationships with local talent and audiences off screen beyond film releases.

In association with Prime Video and Fox Entertainment's Bento Box Entertainment, A24 launched its first animated project: the adult musical comedy series ''Hazbin Hotel''. The eight-episode first season premiered on January 19, 2024, on Prime Video; it received a two-season order.

In January, 2024, it was announced that A24 struck a deal with United Talent Agency (UTA) to produce scripted and unscripted television via the latter's Civic Center Media banner. The deal will see Civic Center Media given resources for development and production via A24. UTA stressed that Civic Center Media will work with talent from all agencies and UTA will continue to work with all studios, with A24 similarly continuing to work with all agencies. "We are excited to partner with A24," said UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer. "Their brand stands for quality and originality, and we believe the Civic Center Media collaboration will provide a great experience for writers, actors, directors and IP holders."

In October, 2021, former NBA CFO J.B. Lockhart joined A24 as Chief Financial Officer.

In January 2025, Scott Belsky joined A24's leadership team as a partner, overseeing the studio's technology and innovation initiatives. In May 2025, A24 shuttered their documentary division, resulting in five layoffs.

Social media

When A24 launched in 2012, they focused on the idea of saving money through lower cost digital marketing and social media as opposed to more traditional forms of media from TV to radio and billboards. The rise of images and memes across social media served as a means to promote their films' art direction and cinematography.

In a 2013 interview, creative director Zoe Beyer discussed her approach to A24's social media:

A24 auctions

A24 has set up auctions as way for fans to bid on props, wardrobe items and set pieces from its films' productions. The proceeds go to FDNY Foundation, Food Bank For New York City, NYC Health + Hospitals, and Queens Community House.

Film library

A24 produces and distributes about 18 to 20 films annually. It has also served as producer or distributor for several dozen television shows, including ''At Home with Amy Sedaris'' (2017–2020), ''Beef'' (2023–present), '' The Carmichael Show'' (2015–2017), ''Euphoria'' (2019–present), ''Hazbin Hotel'' (2024–present), '' I'm Sorry'' (2017–2019), ''Irma Vep'' (2022), '' Mo'' (2022–2025), '' Mr. Corman'' (2021), '' Ramy'' (2019–2022), and ''Ziwe'' (2021–2022).

The action thriller ''Civil War'' (2024), written and directed by Alex Garland, is A24's most expensive in-house production yet, holding a budget of $50 million. The film is described as "an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride through a near-future fractured America balanced on the razor's edge"; Kirsten Dunst stars in the lead role as a reporter. ''Civil War'' was released in the United States on April 12, 2024, having been moved up from a release date of April 26, 2024.

Highest-grossing films

''Everything Everywhere All at Once'' (2022) is currently A24's highest-grossing film and the first film of the company to cross the $100-million mark worldwide.

Styles and themes

The company distributes and produces artistic, psychologically disturbing, and mind-bending horror films often referred to as "Elevated horror". Most of these films share a similar approach, including ambiguity, bleak atmosphere, disruptive formulas, outbursts of violence, psychological dilemmas, and realistic character drama; these include ''Hereditary'' (2018), '' It Comes at Night'' (2017), ''The Killing of a Sacred Deer'' (2017), ''Men'' (2022), '' Under the Skin'' (2013), and '' The Witch'' (2015). The term also refers to genre films with a seemingly more artful sensibility than most fare, plus a focus on dramatic themes such as grief and trauma.

Accolades

As of the 97th Academy Awards, A24 has received a total of 76 Academy Award nominations, winning 21 overall.

* In 2016, A24 won Best Actress (Brie Larson for ''Room''), Best Documentary Feature Film ('' Amy''), and Best Visual Effects ('' Ex Machina'').
* In 2017, ''Moonlight'' won the Academy Award for Best Picture (the first such accolade for the studio), Best Adapted Screenplay (Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney), and Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali).
* In 2021, A24 won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress ( Yuh-jung Youn for ''Minari''); Youn became the first Korean actress to win an Oscar for acting.
* In 2023, A24 experienced its most successful Oscar season when it became the most nominated single studio of that year's ceremony with 18 total nominations between six of their films; ''Everything Everywhere All at Once'' (11 nominations; the most nominated film that year, including Best Picture), '' The Whale'' (3 nominations), and '' Aftersun'', ''Causeway'', ''Close'' and '' Marcel the Shell with Shoes On'' (each with 1 nomination). A24 would ultimately become the most awarded studio that year with nine awards in total, as well as sweeping seven of the major awards. ''Everything Everywhere All at Once'' won seven—Best Picture, Best Director ( Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Best Actress (Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actor (Ke Huy Quan), Best Supporting Actress (Jamie Lee Curtis), Best Original Screenplay (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), and Best Film Editing ( Paul Rogers). ''The Whale'' won two— Best Actor (Brendan Fraser) and Best Makeup and Hairstyling ( Adrien Morot, Judy Chin, and Annemarie Bradley).
* In 2024, for the first time in its history, A24 got two films nominated for Best Picture: '' Past Lives'' and ''The Zone of Interest''. The Zone of Interest won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (representing United Kingdom) and Best Sound.
* In 2025, the A24 film ''The Brutalist'' was nominated for ten Oscars, winning Best Actor (Adrien Brody), Best Original Score (Daniel Blumberg), and Best Cinematography (Lol Crawley).

Additionally, A24 has been nominated and won numerous British Academy Film Awards, Critics' Choice Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Reception and legacy

'' IndieWire'' reported that an unnamed "high-level" Hollywood executive said that "A24 is a business whose aspirations are unlimited. They're not trying to become Focus eatures They want to become a big media company."

Filmmaker David Lowery (director of A24's '' A Ghost Story'' and '' The Green Knight'') praised A24, saying: "The great thing about A24 is that they're always up for a challenge. They remain undaunted; they'll take the most difficult, unsaleable aspect of your movie and turn it into its greatest asset." Fellow filmmaker James Ponsoldt (director of A24's ''The End of the Tour'' and ''The Spectacular Now'') also applauded the company, saying: "A24 is remarkable at championing specific cinematic voices because they genuinely adore their films — and that enthusiasm is reflected in the creativity and laser-like precision of their marketing and releases."

Many of the performances in A24 films have received widespread critical acclaim, with many critics and reviewers describing these actor/actress' performances as some of the best of their career. Such performances include: Mahershala Ali's in ''Moonlight'' (2016), Awkwafina's in '' The Farewell'' (2019), Toni Collette's in ''Hereditary'' (2018), Brendan Fraser's in '' The Whale'' (2022), Mia Goth's in '' X'' (2022) and ''Pearl'' (2022), Tom Hardy's in '' Locke'' (2013), Brie Larson's in ''Room'' (2015), Greta Lee's in '' Past Lives'' (2023), Robert Pattinson's in '' Good Time'' (2017) and '' The Lighthouse'' (2019), Joaquin Phoenix's in '' C'mon C'mon'' (2021) and '' Beau Is Afraid'' (2023), Florence Pugh's in ''Midsommar'' (2019), Saoirse Ronan's in '' Lady Bird'' (2017), Adam Sandler's in ''Uncut Gems'' (2019), Anya Taylor-Joy's in '' The Witch'' (2015), Alicia Vikander's in '' Ex Machina'' (2014), as well as Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh, and Stephanie Hsu's in ''Everything Everywhere All at Once'' (2022).

A24 has frequently worked with many artistically minded writer-directors, for most of which the films released by the company pivoted their careers, including Ari Aster, Sean Baker, the Daniels, Robert Eggers, Alex Garland, Rose Glass, Joanna Hogg, Yorgos Lanthimos, David Lowery, and the Safdie brothers.

Later in 2023, '' Talk to Me'' (2022), directed by twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou, and released theatrically in the United States on July 28, became a triumphant success at the box office and surpassed ''Hereditary'' as A24's highest-grossing horror film domestically with a running total of $44.5 million on September 3. The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised its story, direction, horror sequences, practical effects, sound design, and performances. In a statement to ''Newshub'', filmmaker Peter Jackson highly praised the film, saying: "''Talk to Me'' isn't just good – it's very very good. The best, most intense, horror movie I've enjoyed in years." Aster, Stephen King, George Miller, and Steven Spielberg have all praised the film as well. A sequel is currently in development.

References

External links

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2012 establishments in New York City
American companies established in 2012
American independent film studios
Companies based in Manhattan
Mass media companies established in 2012
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