As a subsidiary of Comcast (via NBCUniversal), Universal is unique because its productions are directly tied to physical theme parks (Universal Studios). Their biggest production wins have come from Jurassic World, Fast & Furious, Despicable Me (Illumination), and the Dark Universe horror reboots.

Key Production Strategy: High-Concept Horror & Animation. Universal’s partnership with production company Blumhouse has redefined low-budget, high-return horror with The Black Phone, M3GAN, and Five Nights at Freddy’s. Meanwhile, their animation arm, Illumination, produced The Super Mario Bros. Movie, a production that shattered box office records for video game adaptations by leaning heavily into visual gags and recognizable IP.

Now operating under Netflix in a historic $150 million deal, Shondaland defined network TV with Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal. On streaming, they delivered Bridgerton, which remains Netflix’s most popular English-language series ever (viewed by over 82 million households in its first 28 days). Shondaland’s production formula—fast dialogue, soapy twists, and diverse casting—is a template studied by studios worldwide.

No discussion of popular entertainment studios is complete without The Walt Disney Studios. Disney’s production pipeline is unmatched. They operate via four super-labels:

Disney’s strategy is vertical integration. They produce the content, distribute it via theaters, and then funnel it exclusively to their streaming service, Disney+, ensuring that the studio remains a walled garden of nostalgia.

Perhaps the most protective studio in entertainment, Nintendo only releases a Legend of Zelda or Super Mario game once every few years. Their production quality is legendary for its polish. The massive success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie (produced by Illumination and distributed by Universal) proved that Nintendo’s IP is now a direct competitor to Disney in the family entertainment sector.

We cannot ignore that video game studios are now the most profitable entertainment studios on the planet.