2016 Spec Script Sales Analysis: Buyers

Yesterday we looked at 2016 spec script deals by genre. Today we break down the numbers per major studios, mini-majors, subsidiaries, production companies, and financiers to see which were the most and least active in the script acquisition market. The totals:

8
20th Century Fox

4
Paramount

3
Amazon Studios
Endurance Media
FilmNation
MGM
Thunder Road

2
Black Bear Pictures
DreamWorks
Netflix
Participant Media
Pascal Pictures
Sony Pictures Entertainment
STX Entertainment
Tooley Productions
Universal Pictures

1
A24
Amblin Entertainment
Armory Films
Bold Films
Boundless Pictures
Centropolis Entertainment
Elston Films
Electric Entertainment
End Cue
Entertainment One Films International
The Firm
Fox 2000
Fox International Productions
Fundamental Films
GMH Productions
Good Universe
Green-Light International
Hyperion Media Group
Imprint Entertainment
Lakeshore Entertainment
LD Entertainment
Lionsgate
Millennium Films
NBC
Route One Entertainment
Screen Gems
Storyscape Entertainment
Svensk Filmindustri
The Weinstein Company
Working Title

Look at these numbers from the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 per each major studio:

20th Century Fox 5 / 3 / 1 / 7 / 3 / 3 / 8 / 4 / 8
Disney 5 / 1 / 2 / 1 / 2 / 0 / 2 / 3 / 0
Paramount 1 / 5 / 4 / 4 / 12 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 4
Sony Pictures 8 / 4 / 1 / 7 / 9 / 3 / 10 / 2 / 2
Universal 6 / 6 / 1 / 6 / 9 / 6 / 4 / 6 / 2
Warner Bros. 8 / 8 / 8 / 15 / 7 / 4 / 2 / 4 / 0

With the exception of Fox and Paramount, the majors took a back seat on the spec script caravan last year. Indeed Warner Bros., which for years has topped the chart, completed its pullback from the spec market by joining Disney in the 0-fer category. With Disney drawing upon its Marvel, Pixar, Lucas Films, and live action remake resources, one can understand their absence in the spec market. But Warner Bros.? They’re still several years out from the inevitable Harry Potter reboots and have yet to crack the DC Comics universe.

16 spec sales per the majors proper. Add 2 more (Fox 2000, Fox International Productions). 3 for MGM, 2 DreamWorks, 1 Lionsgate. And I suppose we need to usher in the Amazon (3) and Netflix (2) era. That brings us to a total 29 by the majors and mini-majors. That comes out 39%, down considerably from 2015 (55%) and 2014 (56%).

What does that mean? Over 60% of spec script deals in 2016 were the result of acquisitions by financiers and independent production companies, so while the overall number of deals rose considerably compared to 2015, the outlay of dollars was probably flat or even down.

20th Century Fox
Free GuyGenesisMan AliveOperation Prince of FreedomThe StateStuberTurned OnWomen In Business

Paramount
BravadoDo No HarmNortheast KingdomThe Gun Show

MGM
DeeperFairy GodmotherSet It Up

Sony
Inner CityLove in the Time of Dick Pics

Universal 
Moonfall

What do you take away from this information?

Tomorrow: Agents and managers.

For a list of all the 2016 spec script deals, go here.