EXCLUSIVE: Focus Features has taken a shine to Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse, the fantasy horror that premieres in Directors’ Fortnight on Sunday. Focus acquired and Universal Pictures International will distribute the film worldwide, except for in North America where, as previously announced, A24 is releasing. A24…

The Crawley family and their servants are back at work as filming kicks off for the feature film spin-off of Downton Abbey. Star Michelle Dockery, who plays Lady Mary, posted a black and white shot, via Instagram, that appears to show her in her traditional garb. A few other details have also started to emerge about…

Focus Features has set a May 18, 2018 domestic release for Wim Wenders’ documentary, Pope Francis – A Man of His Word. The film is a rare co-production with the Vatican, featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and the pope addressing his audience directly, answering questions on life, death, social justice…

EXCLUSIVE: Veteran Universal executive Jack Ledwith is set to retire at the end of the year. Currently Senior Vice President and Managing Director of International Distribution, Ledwith has been at Universal for 21 years and worked in film distribution for 42. Prior to joining Uni in 1996, he held positions at Avco…

Universal Pictures International has set Xavier Albert as Managing Director of its French operating company. He will take over the role previously held by Stephane Huard, who is leaving the company to pursue another opportunity, according to UPI president of distribution Duncan Clark. Albert was most recently…

Former Weinstein Company exec Robert Walak has joined Universal Pictures International Productions as co-managing director alongside Los Angeles-based managing director Peter Kujawski. Deadline confirmed the news last week after we broke Walak’s ankling from TWC and were asked to hold while the exec took a few days…

After setting records for the fastest climb to $2B and then $3B at the international box office, it was just a matter of time before Universal Pictures International set yet another benchmark. With recent titles like Minions and Jurassic World still making waves overseas, and with last week’s receipts factored in…

Iconic British comedy series Dad’s Army, which ran on the BBC for nine seasons thoughout the 1970s, is getting a big-screen makeover with an all-star cast. Bill Nighy, Michael Gambon, Toby Jones and Catherine Zeta-Jones all feature in director Oliver Parker’s film adaptation. It is 1944, and World War II is reaching…

The studio hit $1B, then $2B and now $3B in record time. Universal just keeps taking bites out of box office records domestically, internationally and worldwide. Driven by a plethora of hits — from Fifty Shades Of Grey and Furious 7 to Jurassic World and Minions — Universal Pictures International has just jumped past…

MONDAY UPDATE: With actuals now in, Universal blockbuster Furious 7 has a confirmed $245.05M in the tank from overseas play in 63 markets this frame. That number raises Sunday's projected octane by about $5M, and with a better-than-estimated domestic gross, the global box office is now $391.6M. Mexico currently leads…

Universal Pictures International announced today that Rob Huber has been appointed managing director for the UK and Ireland. He will replace Niels Swinkels, who was promoted in December last year to the role of EVP International Distribution. Huber will report to Swinkels. Huber was most recently VP of sales and…

Universal Pictures International’s local language strategy, including English language films with specific appeal to local languages in the UK and Australia, is paying dividends for the studio. UPI enjoyed successful local-language productions in six major European territories in 2014. The Physician, the…