United International Pictures (UIP) is a British film distribution company and joint venture of Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures that distributes their films outside the United States and Canada that was founded in 1981 by Arthur Abeles and Lew Wasserman.The company is based in London.UIP also had international distribution rights to certain Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and United Artists (UA) films when MGM was part of the venture and also distributed Disney films in certain territories until 1987.In 2001, MGM left UIP,[1] and signed a distribution deal with 20th Century Fox's overseas arm.UIP formerly distributed DreamWorks Pictures releases internationally as well until late 2005.
In 2002, 2007, and 2021, the 20 countries overseas reorganized their organizations, and Universal Pictures decided to have independent distribution systems.
History
Cinema International Corporation (1970–1981)
Paramount's early history with MCA dates back to the 1950s, when part of its talent pool worked for Paramount Pictures; Alfred Hitchcock was among the best known. In 1958, MCA purchased the pre-1950 Paramount sound feature film library. In 1962, MCA purchased Universal Pictures.In 1966, Gulf+Western purchased Paramount.
In a cost-cutting move, in 1970, as a result of American antitrust laws, and due to declining movie-going audiences, both Paramount and Universal agreed to merge their international operations into a new company, Cinema International Corporation, registered in England and Wales.It even operated in Canada and the Caribbean until the late 70s, when those territories were considered part of the "domestic" North American market.
In 1973, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) closed down its distribution offices and became a partner in CIC, which took over international distribution for MGM's films; however, United Artists (UA) took over the US, Canadian and Caribbean distribution for MGM's films that time.CIC also entered the home video market by forming CIC Video, which distributed Paramount and Universal titles on video worldwide.MGM however, had its own video unit, which later became a joint venture with CBS as MGM/CBS Home Video (later known as MGM/UA Home Video, which was later renamed to MGM Home Entertainment).
United International Pictures (1981–present)
In 1981, MGM merged with UA, which had its own international distribution unit. CIC refused to let MGM drop out of the venture at the time, but let them merge UA's overseas arm into CIC, which led to the reorganization of the company as United International Pictures from November 1, 1981.[2]
In 1986, Ted Turner purchased MGM/UA, but later resold the company except for its film library, which included the pre-May 1986 MGM film and television library and the pre-1950 Warner Bros. film library (which the latter was sold to Associated Artists Productions in 1956, and got acquired by UA in 1958). After that library was acquired by Turner, UIP (through MGM/UA) signed a deal to continue distributing the pre-May 1986 MGM and pre-1950 Warner Bros. film libraries for theatrical release.
CIC's name lived on in its video division, which became directly managed as a joint venture between Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures.CIC Video survived until 1999, when Universal pulled out of the venture in favor of its then-newly purchased PolyGram Filmed Entertainment's home video unit (PolyGram Video - which would then be promptly renamed Universal Pictures Video), Paramount meanwhile, took full ownership of CIC Video and renamed it Paramount Home Entertainment International.
2007 reorganisation and post-reorganisation
As the international box office started to exceed the US box office, Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures started discussions about the future of United International Pictures under Universal Pictures vice chairman Marc Shmuger and Paramount vice-chairman Rob Friedman.Shmuger completed them with Rob Moore, recently appointed Paramount Pictures president of worldwide marketing and distribution. The two firms agreed on the countries where UIP would continue operating and on a draft system to select countries where that company would take over UIP operations and the other would have to start up operations. Either may sub-distribute films in the other former UIP countries until 2009. Starting January 1, 2007, United International Pictures considerably reduced its international operations. At least 15 key countries are now directly managed separately by Universal, taking over operations in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, South Korea, Spain and Switzerland, with Paramount taking over operations in Australia, Brazil, France, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.In Russia, and Central Partnership has taken over theatrical distribution rights of future Paramount Pictures' films at the end of 2008.[9]
Past organisation
The company was formerly based in London, United Kingdom, though their operations in that country have been taken over by Universal Pictures.However, as of December 2025, they continue to directly distribute films in 14 countries, Argentina, Colombia, Denmark, Hungary, Malaysia, Norway, Panama, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey.In addition, the company has distribution agreements with locally owned distribution companies in a further 47 countries.[20] One such example is Bontonfilm in the Czech Republic, who previously distributed material from CIC & UIP in both the Czech and the Slovak markets.
In Denmark, UIP distributed films released by Mis. Label. In Spain, UIP distributed films released by Araba Films.In Turkey, UIP distributed most films released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Fida Film, TMC Film and Film Pop.
UIP also had a subscription television arm, UIP Pay TV, which distributed Paramount, MGM/UA, and Universal releases to pay TV broadcasters outside the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Anglophone Caribbean.In 1986, Canal+ had signed an agreement with UIP Pay TV to handle up to eighty titles for the French television market.[3] UIP Pay TV was broken up in 1997 after a 4-year investigation by the European Union, as it accused UIP as a cartel-like organisation.The pay TV rights for the films were eventually transferred to Paramount International Television (later renamed CBS Paramount International Television and currently known as Paramount Global Content Distribution; today, the Paramount films are distributed by Trifecta Entertainment & Media), Universal Worldwide Television (currently known as NBCUniversal International Television Distribution) and MGM Worldwide Television.
Buena Vista Pictures also had a theatrical distribution agreement with UIP since 1982 in which the latter distributed Disney and Touchstone films in Italy, Brazil and West Germany until 1987, when Warner Bros. took over theatrical distribution of Disney material in those territories.
In 1999, Universal Pictures acquired PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, which had its own international division.The division was promptly rebranded as Universal Pictures International,[4] and it released Universal films which would normally have been released by UIP.Only few films were released before UIP and UPI were merged, with films intended for release by UIP, namely The Green Mile and Angela's Ashes, instead being released by UPI.[5] The agreement came after Universal opted to renew its agreement with UIP until 2006.[6][7]
Also in 1999, MGM left UIP, opting to distribute its films internationally through 20th Century Fox.Due to the studio's financial issues, the deal would last until 2010.[8] In 2018, MGM revived its distribution unit, distributing its films internationally through Universal; in 2022, Universal was replaced by Warner Bros., and then by Sony Pictures in 2025.
UIP was planned to continue in Japan, Korea, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, India, Malaysia, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand and Turkey.
Universal announced in November 2007 their withdrawal from UIP in South Korea to set up its own branch at the same time as the other UIP operation ceased; Paramount announced that in that country,
CJ Entertainment
would be the company's exclusive distributor until 2015 when
was hired as the head of Paramount Pictures International.
In its first year, Paramount Pictures International distributed films that made the 1 billion mark in July 2007, the fifth studio that year to do so.[12]
Though their Japanese operations were initially planned to be kept intact, United International Pictures withdrew from the Japanese market in late 2007.[13] As a result, Paramount Pictures started handling their Japanese distribution of their movies themselves until January 31, 2016, when Toho-Towa took over for Japanese theatrical distribution of their films, starting with The Big Short on March 4, 2016.[14] Meanwhile, Universal Pictures Japan had formed a distribution alliance with Toho-Towa for theatrical distribution in February 2007[15] and Geneon Entertainment (now NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan) for home entertainment distribution the following year.[16]
In the Philippines, United International Pictures films were distributed through Warner Bros. until 2000 (with the exception of Twister where Warner Bros. handled theatrical distribution by themselves), when distribution switched to Viva International Pictures.Solar Entertainment Corporation through its Solar Films subsidiary distributed UIP films from 2004 to 2014 and Sony Pictures Releasing International later distributed them from 2014 to 2020.Due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing its cinemas to shutting down, UIP withdrew from the local market, leading to a breakup of the company in the Philippines.In October 2021, it was announced that Universal Pictures International signed a distribution alliance with Warner Bros. for Philippine theatrical distribution of their films, starting with No Time to Die on December 15, 2021, following its success of the alliance for Home Entertainment distribution in North America, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the UK, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Japan, as well as the success of their theatrical distribution alliance in Australia while distribution of select Focus Features titles went through a local start-up distribution company, Upstream (which reverted to Warner Bros. after Upstream's closure).[17] Paramount Pictures meanwhile, has renewed its distribution alliance with Sony Pictures for Philippine theatrical distribution of their films.
Similarly in early 2021, the Brazilian Administrative Council for Economic Defense authorized the Brazilian distribution arm of Warner Bros. Pictures to license Universal's releases in Brazil.[18] The first film under the new deal was Promising Young Woman, released in Brazil in May 2021.[19]
In 2002, United International Pictures withdrew from the Finnish market.As a result, their releases in that country from that point onwards were handled by Buena Vista International Finland until 2006, when distribution passed on to national cinema operator Finnkino.
In 2003, UIP started distributing Sony Pictures films in Poland.
