Beacon Pictures

Beacon Communications, LLC
IndustryFilm
Television
FoundedJanuary 1, 1990; 36 years ago (1990-01-01) in Tokyo, Japan
FounderArmyan Bernstein
HeadquartersSanta Monica, California,
United States
Key peopleArmyan Bernstein (chairman)
ProductsMotion pictures
Television series
Websitebeaconpictures.com

Beacon Communications, LLC, commonly referred to as Beacon Pictures, is an American film and television production and international sales company founded on January 1, 1990, by Armyan Bernstein, who is also its chairman. The company produces motion pictures for studios such as Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Universal Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Tom Rosenberg is an original co-founder and was the company's investor. He sold its stake in 1994 to launch Lakeshore Entertainment. In 1991, the company signed a three-year deal with 20th Century Fox. In 1993, the company then signed a first look deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment. In 1996, it struck a first look deal with Universal.

Beacon was acquired in 1994 by COMSAT, who a year later put the company under its Ascent Entertainment Group division. By early 1999, Ascent was about to be broken up due to financial problems, mostly stemming from building the Pepsi Center in Denver. Bernstein and venture capitalist Kevin O'Donnell, son of Kennedy administration special assistant and appointments secretary Kenny O'Donnell, purchased Beacon back, restoring its independent company status.

In 2002, three executives of Beacon, namely producer Marc Abraham, Beacon COO Thomas Bliss and senior VP of development Eric Newman left the company to form Strike Entertainment, with a first-look deal at Universal Pictures. Beacon then signed a deal with The Walt Disney Studios to handle distribution of its future film properties, except for free television in 2002. In 2006, the company expanded to television production with a deal at Touchstone Television.

Films

Television

References

  1. ↑ "People". Beacon Pictures. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Company Profile: Beacon Communications, LLC". Business Directory. Dun & Bradstreet.
  3. ↑ "About Us". Beacon Pictures. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  4. ↑ "People". Beacon Pictures. Archived from the original on February 14, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Lakeshore tide swells under Sighvatsson". Variety. May 15, 1995. Archived from the original on January 1, 2026. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  6. ↑ Staff, Variety (May 6, 1991). "Fox Lights Way For Beacon Film Releases". Variety. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
  7. ↑ Frook, John Evan (May 7, 1993). "Beacon commits to Sony Pictures". Variety. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
  8. ↑ Cox, Dan (January 23, 1998). "Maverick mavens". Variety. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
  9. ↑ Bing, Jonathan (November 20, 2001). "As partners work on split, Beacon seen in new light". Variety. Archived from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  10. ↑ Higgins, Bill (December 16, 1999). "'Hurricane' warning". Variety.
  11. ↑ "Company data". sec.gov. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  12. ↑ Carver, Benedict; Peers, Martin (January 21, 1999). "Beacon buyback". Variety. Archived from the original on January 21, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  13. ↑ Bing, Jonathan (May 9, 2002). "Ex-Beacon prexy lights at Universal". Variety. Archived from the original on May 16, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  14. ↑ Dunkley, Cathy (December 13, 2002). "Beacon guides Mouse in deal". Variety. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
  15. ↑ Adalian, Josef (August 3, 2006). "Beacon lights up TV deals". Variety. Retrieved June 5, 2026.