Orion Pictures: Difference between revisions

On May 22, 1986, Metromedia purchased a minor stake in the studio, and later purchased 67% of the studio on May 20, 1988. In the late 1980s, Orion began to struggle financially, and would declare bankruptcy on December 11, 1991. In 1996, Orion Pictures under Metromedia acquired [[Samuel Goldwyn Entertainment]]. On April 11, 1997, [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.]] acquired Metromedia's film studios (Orion, Goldwyn and the [[Motion Picture Corporation of America]]) and the deal was closed in July. A year later, Orion was folded into MGM, and the Motion Picture Corporation of America separated from MGM to become independent. Orion survived as an in-name-only unit of MGM during that time frame.

In 2013, MGM revived the Orion Pictures brand for use on genre films, and became a standalone division with the same purpose in late 2017. In 2020, the division was revamped again, this time with a new focus on BIPOC and other underserved audiences.

Currently, most of Orion's post-1982 films are owned by MGM (with Orion retaining the copyright). Warner Bros. continues to own all pre-1982 films, select films that they released afterwards (however, MGM/Orion still owns ''A Midsummer's Night Sex Comedy'' and ''Zelig'', two Orion films they released after the initial deal) and films produced by The Saul Zaentz Company. [[StudioCanal]] owns ''First Blood'' through producer [[Carolco Pictures]], [[HBO Films]] owns North American distribution rights to ''Three Amigos'' (MGM retains TV and foreign rights, however), [[Paramount Pictures]] owns North American distribution rights to ''The Addams Family'' and [[Lionsgate Films]] owns films produced by [[Artisan Entertainment|LIVE Entertainment]]. Films produced by [[Nelson Entertainment]] and [[Hemdale Film Corporation]] were originally distributed by Orion and became owned by MGM (with Orion holding the copyright) after MGM purchased the pre-March 31, 1996 [[PolyGram Filmed Entertainment|PolyGram Filmed Entertainment]] library.

'''Logo:''' On a black screen, two rectangles, one {{color|blue}} and one {{color|orange}}, each one tilted forward at a 45 degree angle (making them appear like the floor and ceiling of a tunnel), shoot out towards the center of the screen. When they both connect at the center of the screen, they tilt back 45 degrees, so that they are facing the viewer completely, and enlarge to fill the screen. In the {{color|blue}} rectangle, which is on the top, we see the 1972 [[Warner Bros. Pictures|Warner Bros.]] "Big W" logo and the words "{{color|orange|WARNER BROS}}". In the {{color|orange}} rectangle, which is on the bottom, we see the words "{{color|blue|ORION}} (in their trademark font) {{color|blue|PICTURES COMPANY}} (in an ITC Avant Garde Gothic font)". After a while, the {{color|blue}} and {{color|orange}} rectangles move to each other's spot, briefly overlapping. "A WARNER COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY" and "present" fade-in under "{{color|orange|WARNER BROS}}".

* Another variant looks close to the opening logo, but has a {{color

'''Logo:''' We first see a starry sky, then a constellation of stars (in the shape of the constellation Orion, appropriately) in the middle shine brighter than the rest. It moves to the left, forms a circle, and spins around until, in a small but bright flash, it forms a letter "O". Then the letters "RION" appear via a sliding effect to complete the logo, which is stylized when a line is drawn across it. The traces of the line remain on the left side of each letter except the "I", which has the line across the word. "{{color|deepskyblue|An}}" and "{{color|deepskyblue|PICTURES RELEASE}}" appear above and below the logo accordingly.

* On films from 1980 to 1982, under the logo itself, there was a byline that said "Thru [[Warner Bros. Pictures|WARNER BROS]], A Warner Communications Company", with a little \\' next to the company name and the Warner byline underneath. The byline can be centered or off centered. After Orion purchased [[Filmways Television|Filmways]], the logo was freeze-framed to hide the Warner Bros. references.

'''Closing Variant:''' The end of each film would say just the same as the opening logo, but on a black background of the end credits.

'''Logo:''' Very much the same as the previous logo, but updated with CGI. The starfield behind the logo no longer zooms-out as the logo forms, but shoots out towards the screen. The animation is the same, but the stars now have a "trail" that forms the "O", and the forming of the actual logo, including a laser light, forming the line in the logo, is different. The logo itself is now {{color|silver|silvery}} and 3D, and only "PICTURES" appears below the logo in the same font as last time. Inside the "ORION" text is an animated landscape.

* There is a black and white variant of this logo on [[American International Pictures]] films in black and white.

* Some prints of Orion films distributed by MGM plastered the previous logo with the this one, such as ''No Way Out'' and ''The Falcon and The Snowman''.