Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the home video distribution division of American film studio Universal Pictures, owned by NBCUniversal Film and Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, which is owned by Comcast.

History
Company was founded in 1980 as MCA Videocassette, Inc., with release of films on Beta and VHS, including Jaws (1975), Jaws 2 and 1941. Prior to 1980, Castle Films known as Universal 8 after 1977 had served as Universal home film distribution unit. In 1983, both Laserdisc label MCA Videodisc and VHS Beta label MCA Videocassette were consolidated into a single entity, MCA Home Video, alternating with MCA Videocassette name until December 1983. In 1990, with 75 anniversary of Universal Studios, it became MCA Universal Home Video, alternating with MCA Home Video name from 1990 until 1997. Company later went by various company names, including Universal Studios Home Video and Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

In 1980, they released 2 50 3D motion pictures, Creature From Black Lagoon and It Came From Outer Space, in anaglyphic format on Beta and VHS.

After founding of NBC Universal in 2004, Universal started releasing DVD of shows from new established NBCUniversal Television Distribution.

This company was video distributor for DreamWorks Pictures titles until DreamWorks was sold to Paramount Pictures parent company, Viacom, in 2006, at which point Paramount took over distribution. After Viacom spun off DreamWorks in 2008, Universal Studios Home Entertainment was planned to resume distributing DreamWorks movies, but this deal fell through. Company was also video distributor for Summit Entertainment releases until they were bought by Lionsgate. Until they formed their Home Video Division, their releases were distributed by UPHE except for Dogma (2008), which was distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. In addition to DVD, Universal was a major supporter of HD DVD format until Toshiba discontinued the format. Since July 22, 2008, UPHE released Blu ray and it was last major Hollywood movie studio to do so. Very 1 3 Blu ray releases to come out in US were Mummy (1999), It Sequel and Scorpion King. Since August 9, 2016, UPHE started releasing 4K Ultra HD Blu ray.

UPHE is US home video distributor for Universal Pictures film library, Focus Features film library, and shows from NBCUniversal Television Distribution NBC, E, Syfy, USA Network, Gingo, Universal Kids, and Oxygen. Division also currently has distribution deals with Bleecker Street, HIT Entertainment, Aviron Pictures, Pure Flix Entertainment, Picturehouse, DreamWorks Pictures, GKIDS, Blumhouse Productions, DreamWorks Classics via DreamWorks Animation SKG, Big Idea Entertainment, Neon, Entertainment 1, and Amazon Studios starting with Brad Status releases. On October 10, 2018, it was confirmed that UPHE would become MGM home video distributor for films released by United Artists joint venture, begin with Blu ray release of Operation Finale on December 4, 2018 20 Century Fox Home Entertainment will continue to release MGM April 1986 August 2018 catalogue until June 2020, as well as Orion Pictures releases starting with Belko Experiment.

In 2015, 2 years before Sony Pictures Television acquired 100% stake in Funimation, Funimation formed a multi year home video distribution deal with UPHE. SPHE soon took over after UPHE deal expired.

Starting on June 5, 2018, Universal re released all of DreamWorks Animation SKG film library after their deal with 20 Century Fox end.

On January 14, 2020, Universal and Warner Bros announced that they would partner on a 10 year joint venture involving merger of physical North American operations of both Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and Warner Bros Home Entertainment into 1 entity begin in 2021, subject to regulatory approval.

Internationally
In Netherlands, UPHE distributes most DVD of films released theatrically by Independent Films, although this is now limited to catalogue releases, as more recent films are now released through Warner Home Video and Belga Films.

UPHE also distributes Studiocanal DVD and Blu ray in France, most of Republic Pictures library in UK and most of Carolco Pictures library in Australia, Latin America, and several European countries along with other Studiocanal properties. In 1980 until 1990, they also distributed tapes released by Cineplex Odeon in Canada.

UPHE previously distributed its films on video internationally through CIC Video a division of Cinema International Corporation, later United International Pictures alongside Paramount Pictures. In Japan, releases from both Universal and Paramount appeared on CIC Victor Video Ltd a joint venture between CIC Video and JVC for VHS and on Pioneer LDC Inc for Laserdisc. Following Universal acquisition of Polygram in 1999, Polygram Video which had international operations was dissolved into Universal.

UPHE international operations are a joint venture with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, a carryover from Polygram days, but more often than not, both UPHE and SPHE operate a joint venture in Australia, New Zealand and Scandinavia called Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Venture distributes UPHE and SPHE titles on home media in those countries and also licenses anime series and films from anime library of NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan, Japan division of UPHE company, Universal Pictures International Entertainment, formerly known as Pioneer LDC from 1981 to 2003, Geneon Entertainment from 2003 to 2009 and Geneon Universal Entertainment from 2009 to very late 2013, year they switched to their current name. Name of joint venture is Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Australia. Before that, though, NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan had a marketing and distribution division in North America call Geneon USA, which, like UPHE, also distributed home video. At time, NBCUEJ was known as Geneon Entertainment. Geneon USA shut down in 2007, though UPHE continues to distribute home video worldwide.

From 2017 to 2018, Funimation began directly distributing a select number of it titles in Australia and New Zealand through Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Australia. In 2018, Funimation transferred distribution to Madman Entertainment, with Madman handling distribution and classification within region.

In 2014, Universal established global headquarters for it home video division in Los Angeles.

At start of 2015, Paramount Home Media Distribution signed a distribution agreement with Universal, whereby latter will distribute former titles overseas, particularly territories where Paramount holds an office. Deal began on July 1, 2015, in UK. Universal will continue distributing Paramount DVD and Blu ray out of US and UK.

Alongside announcement of Universal Warner Bros NA physical home media joint venture, Universal announced that they would begin handling home video distribution of Warner Bros titles in German, Austria, Switzerland and Japan in 2020, while Warner Bros announced that they would begin handling home video distribution of Universal titles in UK, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg in 2021.