Focus Features is reviving the Gramercy Pictures label as branding for action, horror and sci-fi genre movies, the company announced Tuesday.
Focus Features employees will work on both Focus Features and Gramercy Pictures releases year-round, offering filmmakers and producers a breadth and depth of expertise in both wide, commercial openings and platform, specialty releases. There will be no separate or additional staffing for the new label, nor where thill be layoffs, as Focus Features will handle all of titles.
The aim is to heighten the profile of the horror and action genre films with movie fans, especially in terms of video on demand and other home entertainment platforms, leaving Focus associated with the art house and prestige fare it typically handles.
The reimagined Gramercy Pictures will be a home to genre storytellers. The inaugural slate of movies will kick off with “Insidious Chapter 3,” opening June 5, and “Self/Less” (July 10). Also scheduled are “Sinister 2” (August 21), “London Has Fallen” (October 2), “The Forest” (Jan. 8, 2016), and “Ratchet & Clank” (April 29).
The original Gramercy Pictures was a joint venture of PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Universal Pictures. The film distributor launched in May 1992, and distributed PolyGram movies domestically and was Universal’s art-house division.
In January 1996, PolyGram brought the 50 percent stake owned by Universal and assumed full control of Gramercy. Universal’s then-parent company Seagram acquired PolyGram in 1999. It then sold Gramercy and another specialty division, October Films, to Barry Diller‘s USA Networks, and merged both companies into USA Films, which transformed into Focus Features in 2002.