Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions
Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) is a specialty film division of Sony Pictures.[1] The company specializes in acquiring and producing films for a wide variety of distribution platforms.[2][3]
Company type
2007, in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US
Joseph Matukewicz (President)
Michael Helfand (Executive Vice President of Business Affairs)
30
History[edit]
The group became a stand-alone division of Sony Pictures in 2007.[2] Originally being called as Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group (SPWAG),[4] the group's name was changed to "Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions" (SPWA) in late 2010.[5] The group had sometimes been called "Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) Worldwide Acquisitions Group".
SPWA produces and acquires about 60 films per year, usually through Stage 6 Films, Affirm Films, and Destination Films.[6] SPWA releases some of its films theatrically;[7] the group would analyze how much a theatrical release would impact a film's TV, VOD and home video revenue, and then the group would determine whether the film should bows theatrically.[8]
In the case of theatrical releases, SPWA will offer the films to Sony's distribution labels (i.e. TriStar Pictures, Screen Gems, Columbia Pictures, and Sony Pictures Classics) firstly; then, if Sony's distribution labels pass on the films, the company will release the films through other distributors.
SPWA also has the rights to the Morgan Creek Entertainment library via Revolution Studios since 2016.