Editing Working Title Films (section)

==Company history==
Bevan and Radclyffe were partners in pop music promotional company, Aldabra, and set up Working Title Films in [[London]] in 1983 where they were commissioned by newly created UK broadcaster, [[Channel Four Television Corporation|Channel 4]], to make a television film, ''[[My Beautiful Laundrette]]'' (1985), directed by [[Stephen Frears]]. ''My Beautiful Launderette'' was a success at the [[Edinburgh Film Festival]] and received a theatrical release, where it was successful internationally. Accountant Graham Bradstreet joined as a third partner in 1986.<ref name=mile>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=14 December 1998|page=106|title=WT milestones}}</ref>

''[[A World Apart (1988 film)|A World Apart]]'' was entered in competition at the [[1988 Cannes Film Festival]] and won the [[Grand Prix (Cannes Film Festival)|Special Grand Prize of the Jury]]. ''[[The Tall Guy]]'' (1988) saw the feature film debut of screenwriter [[Richard Curtis]] and director [[Mel Smith]].<ref name=mile/>

In 1988, [[Michael Kuhn]] of [[PolyGram]] started to work with the company and in 1989 PolyGram acquired 49% of the company and they jointly launched Manifesto Film Sales.<ref name=WT15>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=14 December 1998|page=99|title=The billion-dollar indie|last=Dawtrey|first=Adam}}</ref> Manifesto's first third-party pick up for distribution was the [[Coen brothers]]' ''[[Barton Fink]]'' (1991).<ref>{{AFI film|58764|Barton Fink}}</ref> Bradstreet left the company in 1990 and Radclyffe a year later, with [[Eric Fellner]], a fellow [[independent film]] producer, joining the company in 1991.<ref name="The producers">{{cite news|title=Interview: Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan, co-chairmen Working Title Films|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2005/apr/16/business.hayfilmfestival2005|location=London|author=Higgins, Charlotte|date=16 April 2005|access-date=31 July 2018}}</ref><ref name=WT15/><ref name=mile/> The same year, Kuhn set up [[PolyGram Filmed Entertainment]] which acquired 100% of Working Title in 1992.<ref name=WT15/><ref name=mile/>

[[Paul Webster (producer)|Paul Webster]] set up an office in [[Los Angeles]] in 1991 and producer [[Liza Chasin]] was appointed as president of production.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=14 December 1998|page=106|title='Weddings' opened door to H'wd|last=Carver|first=Benedict}}</ref> Webster produced the company's first American films, ''[[Rubin & Ed]]'' and ''[[Drop Dead Fred]]''. Working Title also made [[Tim Robbins]]' directorial debut, ''[[Bob Roberts]]'' (1992).<ref name=mile/>

The company was incorporated and registered as a private limited company in the UK on 14 October 1992, as Visionensure Limited. On 18 December 1992 its name was changed to Working Title Limited, before rebranding as  Working Title Films Limited on 20 February 1995.<ref name="CompaniesHouse">{{Cite web |date=1992-10-14 |title=WORKING TITLE FILMS LIMITED overview   |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02755827 |access-date=2023-09-03 |website=[[Companies House]] |language=en}}</ref>

[[Gramercy Pictures]] began distributing the company's films in the United States, starting with ''[[Posse (1993 film)|Posse]]'' (1993). In 1994, the company's ''[[Four Weddings and a Funeral]]'', written by Curtis, became the [[List of highest-grossing films in the United Kingdom|highest-grossing British film of all time]] with a gross of $245 million.<ref name=WT15/><ref name=mile/> They also made the Coen brothers' ''[[The Hudsucker Proxy]]'' (1994). In 1996, Robbins' ''[[Dead Man Walking (film)|Dead Man Walking]]'' was the company's first film to win an [[Academy Award]], with [[Susan Sarandon]] winning the [[Academy Award for Best Actress]]. The Coen brothers' ''[[Fargo (1996 film)|Fargo]]'' (1996) won two Academy Awards the following year. The company had another major success with ''[[Bean (film)|Bean]]'' (1997) directed by Smith and co-written by Curtis, grossing $251 million.<ref name=mile/>

In 1998, PolyGram was sold to the [[Seagram]] company and merged with [[MCA Records|MCA Music Entertainment]], to form [[Universal Music Group]]. PolyGram Films was folded into [[Universal Pictures]]. In 1999, [[Seagram]] sold the bulk of its library of PolyGram films released up until 31 March 1996 to [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] (MGM).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-23-fi-35357-story.html|title=MGM Agrees to Acquire PolyGram Movie Library|work=Los Angeles Times|date=1998-10-23|access-date=2025-03-12|first=Claudia|last=Eller}}</ref> 1999 also saw the company's highest-grossing film to date with ''[[Notting Hill (film)|Notting Hill]]'', again written by Curtis, with a gross of $364 million.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

Around 2003, New Zealand-born producer [[Tim White (New Zealand producer)|Tim White]] was appointed head of the Australian branch of Working Title Films, and during this time executive produced [[Gregor Jordan]]'s ''[[Ned Kelly (2003 film)|Ned Kelly]]''.<ref name=bigscreen2018>{{cite web | title=Tim White  | website=Big Screen Symposium | date=17 October 2018 | url=https://bigscreensymposium.com/teams/tim-white/ | access-date=14 January 2025}}</ref><ref name=nzscreen>{{cite web | title=Tim White |first=Costa |last=Botes| website=NZ On Screen  | url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/tim-white/biography | access-date=14 January 2025}}</ref> 

Although contractually allowed to produce any film with a budget of up to $35 million, on a practical basis, Bevan and Fellner consult with studio executives at Working Title's parent company [[NBCUniversal]].<ref name=skillset>{{Cite web|title=Working Title – Skillset|work=The Guardian|url=http://www.skillset.org/film/stories/production/article_3457_1.asp}}</ref> Working Title company renewed its first look deal with Universal Pictures in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kay|date=2020-12-11|first=Jeremy|title=Universal, Working Title renew first-look deal through 2025|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/universal-working-title-renew-first-look-deal-through-2025/5155651.article|access-date=2020-12-13|website=Screen|language=en}}</ref>

===WT<sup>2</sup> Productions===
In 1999, Bevan and Fellner launched a subsidiary company named Working Title 2 Productions, commonly known as WT<sup>2</sup>. The company is an independent film production arm run by [[Natascha Wharton]], and has produced films that include ''[[Billy Elliot]]'', ''[[Shaun of the Dead]]'' and ''[[The Calcium Kid]]''.<ref name="The producers"/>