Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) is a specialty film division of

Sony Pictures Entertainment Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio conglomerate that produces, acquires, and distributes filmed entertainment (theatrical motion pictures, television programs, and rec ...

. The company specializes in acquiring and producing films for a wide variety of distribution platforms.

History

The group became a stand-alone division of

Sony Pictures Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio conglomerate that produces, acquires, and distributes filmed entertainment (theatrical motion pictures, television programs, and rec ...

in 2007. Originally being called as ''Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group'' (SPWAG), the group's name was changed to "Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions" (SPWA) in late 2010. The group had sometimes been called "Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) Worldwide Acquisitions Group". SPWA produces and acquires about 60 films per year, usually through Stage 6 Films, Affirm Films, and Destination Films. SPWA releases some of its films theatrically; the group would analyze how much a theatrical release would impact a film's TV, VOD and

home video Home video is recorded media sold or Video rental shop, rented for home viewing. The term originates from the VHS and Betamax era, when the predominant medium was videotapes, but has carried over to optical disc formats such as DVD and Blu-ray. ...

revenue, and then the group would determine whether the film should bows theatrically. In the case of theatrical releases, SPWA will offer the films to Sony's distribution labels (i.e.

TriStar Pictures TriStar Pictures, Inc. (spelled as Tri-Star until 1991) is an American film studio and production company that is part of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, which is part of the Japanese conglomerate Sony, Sony Group Corporation. The compan ...

Screen Gems Screen Gems is an American film production company owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate, Sony Group Corporation. ''Screen Gems'' has served several different purposes for its parent companies over the de ...

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

, and Sony Pictures Classics) firstly; then, if Sony's distribution labels pass on the films, the company will release the films through other distributors. SPWA also has the rights to the

Morgan Creek Entertainment Morgan Creek Entertainment, LLC is an American film production company, former sales agent and investor, that has released box-office hits including '' Young Guns'', '' Dead Ringers'', '' Major League'', '' True Romance'', '' Ace Ventura: Pet Det ...

library via

Revolution Studios Revolution Studios Distribution Company, LLC (operating as Revolution Studios) is an American independent motion picture and foreign sales company headed by Chief Executive Officer Scott Hemming, founded in 2000, and based in Los Angeles, Los Ang ...

since 2016.

Select United States theatrical releases

2000s

* ''

Paprika Paprika is a spice made from dried and ground red peppers, traditionally ''capsicum annuum''. It can have varying levels of Pungency, heat, but the peppers used for hot paprika tend to be milder and have thinner flesh than those used to produce ...

'' (2007) (production of Madhouse) * '' Daddy Day Camp'' (2007) (production of

) * ''

Revolver A revolver is a repeating handgun with at least one barrel and a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold six cartridges before needing to be reloaded, ...

'' (2007) (production of EuropaCorp. Co-released with

Samuel Goldwyn Films Samuel Goldwyn Films, LLC is an American film company that licenses, releases and distributes art-house, independent and foreign films. It was founded by Samuel Goldwyn Jr., the son of the Hollywood business magnate/mogul, Samuel Goldwyn. Th ...

) * '' Rise: Blood Hunter'' (2007) (production of Ghost House Pictures. Co-released with

) * '' Seraphim Falls'' (2007) (production of Icon Productions. Co-released with

) * ''

Slipstream A slipstream is a region behind a moving object in which a wake of fluid (typically air or water) is moving at velocities comparable to that of the moving object, relative to the ambient fluid through which the object is moving. The term slips ...

'' (2007) (Independently produced. Co-released with

Strand Releasing Strand Releasing is an American film production company founded in 1989 and is based in Culver City, California. The company has distributed over 300 auteur-driven titles from acclaimed international and American directors such as Apichatpong W ...

) * '' Southland Tales'' (2007) (production of Darko Entertainment and Wild Bunch. Co-released with

) * '' Tekkonkinkreet'' (2007) (production on behalf of Studio 4C) * ''

The Nines ''The Nines'' is a 2007 American science fiction psychological thriller film written and directed by John August, and starring Ryan Reynolds, Hope Davis, Melissa McCarthy, and Elle Fanning. Three seemingly disconnected stories, revolving a ...

'' (2007) (production of

Newmarket Films Newmarket Films, LLC was an American Privately held company, privately owned independent film production and distribution company and a former film distribution subsidiary of Newmarket Capital Group. The company produced such films as ''The Mexic ...

) * '' We Own The Night'' (2007) (production of

2929 Productions 2929 Entertainment, LLC. is an American integrated media and entertainment company co-founded by billionaire entrepreneurs Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban. 2929 maintains companies and interests across several industries including entertainment develo ...

) * '' Dark Streets'' (2008) (production of Capture Film International. Co-released with

) * '' Kabluey'' (2008) (Independently produced. Co-released with Regent Releasing) * ''

Elegy An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, and in English literature usually a lament for the dead. However, according to ''The Oxford Handbook of the Elegy'', "for all of its pervasiveness ... the 'elegy' remains remarkably ill defined: sometime ...

'' (2008) (production of

Lakeshore Entertainment Lakeshore Village Entertainment, LLC was an American independent film production, finance, and former international sales and distribution company founded in 1994 by Tom Rosenberg and Ted Tannebaum. Lakeshore Entertainment is headquartered in Bev ...

. Co-released with

) * '' Fireproof'' (2008) (production of Sherwood Pictures. Co-released with

) * '' Married Life'' (2008) (production of Sidney Kimmel Entertainment and Anonymous Content) * '' The Perfect Holiday'' (2008) (production of Flavor Unit Films. Co-released with Yari Film Group) * '' Black Dynamite'' (2009) (production of Ars Nova. Co-released with Apparition) * '' Blood: The Last Vampire'' (2009) (production of East Wing Holdings Corp. and SAJ. Co-released with

) * ''

District 9 ''District 9'' is a 2009 science fiction action film directed by Neill Blomkamp in his feature film debut, written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. It is a co-production of New Zealand ...

'' (2009) (production of WingNut Films and

QED International QED International is a Los Angeles-based independent film production studio, financier and international distributor. It is best known for financing and producing '' District 9'', '' Fury'', and '' Dirty Grandpa''. History Bill Block formed Q ...

) * ''

Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It Orbit of the Moon, orbits around Earth at Lunar distance, an average distance of (; about 30 times Earth diameter, Earth's diameter). The Moon rotation, rotates, with a rotation period (lunar ...

'' (2009) (production of Liberty Films UK) * '' Planet 51'' (2009) (production of Ilion Animation Studios and HandMade Films) * '' The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day'' (2009) (Independently produced. Co-released with Apparition) * ''

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus ''The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus'' is a 2009 fantasy film directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam and Charles McKeown. The film follows a travelling theatre troupe whose leader, having made a Deal with the Devil, bet with the Devil ...

'' (2009) (production of Davis Films and Infinity Features) * ''

The Young Victoria ''The Young Victoria'' is a 2009 British period drama, period drama film directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and written by Julian Fellowes, based on the early life and reign of Queen Victoria, and her marriage to Albert, Prince Consort, Prince Albert ...

'' (2009) (production of GK Films. Co-released with Apparition)

2010s

* '' To Save A Life'' (2010) (production of New Song Pictures. Co-released with

) * '' Chloe'' (2010) (production of

StudioCanal StudioCanal S.A.S. (formerly known as Le Studio Canal+, Canal Plus, Canal+ Distribution, Canal+ D.A., and Canal+ Production and also known as StudioCanal International) is a French film & television production and distribution company which is a ...

and The Montecito Picture Company) * '' Defendor'' (2010) (production of Alliance Films and

Darius Films Darius Films Inc. is a film and television production company founded in 1996. Headquarters are located in Los Angeles, California, and Toronto, Ontario. The company makes about $1-5 million in sales. It has produced over thirty feature films, w ...

) * '' Faster'' (2010) (production of

CBS Films CBS Films Inc. was an American film production and distribution company founded in 2007 as a subsidiary of CBS Corporation and was considered a Major film studio#Mini-majors, mini-major studio up until 2019. CBS Films originally was planned t ...

and

Castle Rock Entertainment Castle Rock Entertainment is an American independent film and television production company founded in 1987 by Martin Shafer, director Rob Reiner, Andrew Scheinman, Glenn Padnick (September 8, 1947 – February 27, 2025) and Alan Horn. Histo ...

) * '' Harry Brown'' (2010) (production of

Hanway Films HanWay Films is an independent British international sales, distribution and marketing company specializing in theatrical feature films. History In 1999, Jeremy Thomas founded international sales company HanWay Films with his colleagues Peter Wat ...

. Co-released with

) * '' Legion'' (2010) (production of Bold Films) * '' REC 2'' (2010) (production of Filmax Entertainment and Castelao Productions) * '' Red Hill'' (2010) (production of Arclight Films and

Screen Australia Screen Australia is the Australian Federal Government's key funding body for the Australian screen production industry, created under the ''Screen Australia Act 2008''. From 1 July 2008 Screen Australia took over the functions of its predecess ...

. Co-released with

) * '' The Tourist'' (2010) (production of GK Films and Spyglass Entertainment) * '' Welcome to the Rileys'' (2010) (production of

Scott Free Productions Scott Free Productions is a film and television production company founded by English filmmakers and brothers Ridley and Tony Scott in 1995. The result of multiple mergers between companies established by the Scott brothers since 1971, it curre ...

and Argonaut Pictures. Co-released with

) * '' A Good Old Fashioned Orgy'' (2011) (production of Endgame Entertainment. Co-released with

) * ''

Attack the Block ''Attack the Block'' is a 2011 British Science fiction film, science fiction comedy horror film written and directed by Joe Cornish and starring John Boyega, Jodie Whittaker, and Nick Frost. Its storyline centres on a teenage street gang who ha ...

'' (2011) (production of Film4 and

) * '' Bloodworth'' (2011) (Independently produced. Co-released with

) * ''

Colombiana ''Colombiana'' is a 2011 French English-language action thriller film co-written and produced by Luc Besson and directed by Olivier Megaton. The film stars Zoe Saldaña with supporting roles by Michael Vartan, Cliff Curtis, Lennie James, C ...

'' (2011) (production of EuropaCorp) * '' Courageous'' (2011) (production of Sherwood Pictures and Provident Films) * '' Elektra Luxx'' (2011) (production of Gato Negro Films. Co-released with

) * '' Insidious'' (2011) (production of Alliance Films and IM Global. Co-released with FilmDistrict) * '' Jumping the Broom'' (2011) (Produced in-house) * '' Midnight in Paris'' (2011) (production of

Mediapro Mediaproducción, S.L.U., better known as Mediapro, is a multimedia communications group in Spain founded in April 1994 in Barcelona. The company is well involved in movie and television production. The company holds branch offices in Madrid, S ...

) * '' POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold'' (2011) (production of Snoot Entertainment and Warrior Poets) * '' Salvation Boulevard'' (2011) (production of Mandalay Pictures. Co-released with

IFC Films Independent Film Company (formerly IFC Films) is an American film production and distribution company based in New York City, New York. It is an offshoot of IFC (U.S. TV channel), IFC, owned by AMC Networks. It mainly distributes independent fil ...

) * '' Soul Surfer'' (2011) (production of Mandalay Pictures, Enticing Entertainment and Brookwell/McNamara Entertainment. Co-released with FilmDistrict) * '' The Grace Card'' (2011) (production of Provident Films. Co-released with

) * ''

Bel Ami ''Bel-Ami'' (, "Dear Friend") is the second novel by French author Guy de Maupassant, published in 1885; an English translation titled ''Bel Ami, or, The History of a Scoundrel: A Novel'' first appeared in 1903. The story chronicles journalist ...

'' (2012) (production of Protagonist Pictures and Rai Cinema. Co-released with Magnolia Pictures) * '' Detention'' (2012) (Independently produced. Co-released with

) * '' Looper'' (2012) (production of Endgame Entertainment and DMG Entertainment. Co-released with FilmDistrict) * '' Meeting Evil'' (2012) (production of Motion Picture Corporation of America. Co-released with Magnolia Pictures) * '' The Pirates! Band of Misfits'' (2012) (production of

Aardman Animations Aardman Animations Limited, known simply as Aardman, is a British animation studio based in Bristol, England, United Kingdom. It is known for films and television series made using stop motion and clay animation techniques, particularly those fe ...

) * '' Red Dawn'' (2012) (production of

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

United Artists United Artists (UA) is an American film production and film distribution, distribution company owned by Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, it was founded in February 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford an ...

, Contrafilm, and Vincent Newman Entertainment. Co-released with FilmDistrict) * '' Robot & Frank'' (2012) (production of Park Pictures. Co-released with

) * '' The Raid: Redemption ''(2012)'' ''(production of XYZ Films, Celluloid Nightmares and P.T. Merantau Films) * '' Sparkle'' (2012) (Produced in-house) * '' The First Time'' (2012) (production of Jerimaca Films. Co-released with

) * '' Tonight You're Mine'' (2012) (production of

BBC Films BBC Film (formerly BBC Films) is the feature film-making arm of the BBC. It was founded on 18 June 1990, and has produced or co-produced some of the most successful British films of recent years, including ''Truly, Madly, Deeply (film), Truly, ...

, Sigma Films and

Creative Scotland Creative Scotland ( ; ) is the development body for the arts and creative industries in Scotland. Based in Edinburgh, it is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government The Scottish Government (, ) is the execut ...

. Co-released with Roadside Attractions) * '' Lake Placid: The Final Chapter'' (2012) * '' Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning'' (2012) (production of Foresight Unlimited. Co-released with Magnolia Pictures) * '' A Dark Truth'' (2013) (production of RollerCoaster Entertainment. Co-released with Magnolia Pictures) * ''Austenland'' (2013) (production of Fickle Fish Films) * '' The Call'' (2013) (production of

WWE Studios WWE Studios Inc. (formerly known as WWE Films) is an American film studio owned by the professional wrestling promotion WWE, a division of TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor (company), Endeavor Group Holdings. WWE Studios ...

and Troika Pictures) * '' Cold Comes the Night'' (2013) (Independently produced. Co-released with

) * ''

Elysium Elysium (), otherwise known as the Elysian Fields (, ''Ēlýsion pedíon''), Elysian Plains or Elysian Realm, is a conception of the afterlife that developed over time and was maintained by some Greek religious and philosophical sects and cult ...

'' (2013) (production of Media Rights Capital) * '' Evil Dead'' (2013) (production of Ghost House Pictures and FilmDistrict) * '' Insidious Chapter 2'' (2013) (production of Blumhouse Productions and

Entertainment One Lionsgate Canada is a Canadian entertainment company and a subsidiary of Lionsgate Studios. Based in Toronto, the company is primarily involved in the acquisition and production of films and television series. The company began on June 1, 1973 ...

. Co-released with FilmDistrict) * ''

Stalingrad Volgograd,. geographical renaming, formerly Tsaritsyn. (1589–1925) and Stalingrad. (1925–1961), is the largest city and the administrative centre of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. The city lies on the western bank of the Volga, covering an area o ...

'' (2014) (production of Russia One and Cinema Fund) * ''

Pompeii Pompeii ( ; ) was a city in what is now the municipality of Pompei, near Naples, in the Campania region of Italy. Along with Herculaneum, Stabiae, and Villa Boscoreale, many surrounding villas, the city was buried under of volcanic ash and p ...

'' (2014) (production of Impact Pictures and

Constantin Film Constantin Film AG is a German film production company based in Munich. The company, which belongs to Swiss media conglomerate Highlight Communications AG, is a large independent German maker and distributor of productions. Constantin has releas ...

, co-release with FilmDistrict ) * '' Moms' Night Out'' (2014) (production of Provident Films and Pure Flix Entertainment) * '' When the Game Stands Tall'' (2014) (production of Mandalay Pictures) * '' The Raid 2: Berandal'' (2014) (production of XYZ Films, Celluloid Nightmares and P.T. Merantau Films) * '' The Remaining'' (2014) (distributed by Affirm Films) * ''

Predestination Predestination, in theology, is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God, usually with reference to the eventual fate of the individual soul. Explanations of predestination often seek to address the paradox of free will, whereby Go ...

'' (2014) (production of Blacklab Entertainment,

and Wolfhound Pictures) * '' Insidious: Chapter 3'' (2015) (co-distributed by Gramercy Pictures) * '' The Final Girls'' (2015) (distributed by Vertical Entertainment and Stage 6 Films). * '' Ratter'' (2016) (distributed by Destination Films and Vertical Entertainment) * '' The Bronze'' (2016) (distributed by Sony Pictures Classics) * '' Fallen'' (2016) (co-distributed by Vertical Entertainment) * '' Professor Marston & The Wonder Women'' (2017) (co-distributed by Annapurna Pictures) * '' November Criminals'' (2017) (co-distributed by Vertical Entertainment) * '' Insidious: The Last Key'' (2018) (co-distributed by

Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...

) * '' Golden Exits'' (2018) (co-distributed by Vertical Entertainment) * '' Gemini'' (2018) (distributed by Neon) * '' Boundaries'' (2018) * '' The Wedding Guest'' (2019) (distributed by

)

2020s

* '' Yellow Rose'' (2020) * ''

Long Weekend A long weekend is a weekend that is at least three days long (i.e. a three-day weekend), due to a public or unofficial holiday occurring on either the following Monday or the preceding Friday. Many countries also have four-day weekends, in w ...

'' (2021) (distributed by Stage 6 Films) * '' Here Today'' (2021) (distributed by Stage 6 Films) * '' A Mouthful of Air'' (2021) (distributed by Stage 6 Films) * ''

Sisu is a Finnish word variously translated as stoic determination, tenacity of purpose, grit, bravery, resilience, and hardiness. It is held by Finns to express their national character. It is generally considered not to have a single-word ...

'' (2023) (co-distributed by

Lionsgate Lions Gate, Lion Gate or similar terms may refer to: Gates *Lion Gate at Mycenae in Greece *Lion Gate, one of the entrances to the ancient Hittite city of Hattusa, now in Turkey *Lion Gate, one of the entrances to the gardens of Hampton Court Pala ...

and

Nordisk Film Nordisk Film A/S () is a Danish entertainment company involved in film production and distribution and a subsidiary of Egmont Group. The multimedia entertainment company is also involved in television production, cinemas, computer games and ...

)

References

{{Sony Pictures Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group Sony Pictures Entertainment