Combine multiple pictures into fun and creative photomontages quickly and easily on your iPhone or iPad.
The new Magic Crop feature makes it easier than ever to cut out elements from your photos. Just drag a rectangle around what you want to cut out and it removes the background using Machine Learning.
No discussion of popular entertainment studios is complete without acknowledging the traditional powerhouses. These studios have survived the transition from silent films to streaming, leveraging intellectual property (IP) built over a century.
Some productions changed how studios operate. Here are three case studies:
| Production | Studio | Why It Was a Game-Changer | | --- | --- | --- | | Avengers: Endgame (2019) | Disney/Marvel | Proved 10+ years of interconnected storytelling could culminate in a $2.8B box office. Studios everywhere tried to build “universes.” | | Squid Game (2021) | Netflix | First non-English series to become a global phenomenon. Sparked a wave of international greenlights. | | Barbie (2023) | Warner Bros. | A toy-based movie with feminist themes, memetic marketing, and $1.4B gross. Showed IP films can be smart and subversive. | 18 The Brazzers Podcast Episode 12 -2025- www....
These studios built the modern film industry. Today, they operate as divisions of larger media conglomerates.
Why do some productions become global phenomena while others vanish? Four common threads: No discussion of popular entertainment studios is complete
The phrase "popular entertainment studios and productions" once conjured images of the MGM lion or the Universal globe. Today, it means an algorithm-recommended Turkish drama on one screen and a billion-dollar superhero finale on another. Whether it’s the obsessive faithfulness of a Dune: Part Two (Warner/Legendary) or the raw emotional chaos of a Shogun (FX/Disney), these studios share one goal: to capture our fragmented attention and turn it into wonder.
As production technology democratizes and distribution borders vanish, the next world-famous studio might be a startup in Lagos, Buenos Aires, or Jakarta. One thing is certain—your next favorite production is already in post-production, waiting for its moment to go viral. This article is part of a series on global media trends
This article is part of a series on global media trends. For more deep dives into studio strategies and production analysis, explore our Media & Entertainment section.
Perhaps the most diverse portfolio in entertainment, Disney operates through multiple lenses: Walt Disney Animation (frozen, Encanto), Pixar (Inside Out 2), Marvel Studios (Avengers: Endgame), Lucasfilm (Star Wars), and 20th Century Studios (Avatar). The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a landmark case study in "popular productions"—interconnected storytelling that demands fans watch films, Disney+ series, and holiday specials to understand a single timeline. Their production value, from the Volume (virtual production technology) to practical effects, sets an industry standard.
While often overshadowed, Sony owns the Spider-Verse (both live-action and the Academy Award-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). Their collaborations with Marvel have yielded some of the highest-grossing films. Beyond cinema, Sony’s production arm is a leader in television, producing hits like The Crown (via Left Bank Pictures) and Outlander. Their unique strategy focuses on licensing rather than a proprietary streaming service, making their productions ubiquitous across Netflix, Apple TV+, and Amazon.
Home to the DC Universe (Wonder Woman, The Batman), Harry Potter, and Game of Thrones, Warner Bros. remains a pillar of prestige and fandom. Recent productions like Barbie (2023) demonstrated their ability to turn a toy into a billion-dollar philosophical satire, proving that legacy studios can still spark global mania. Their production model blends theatrical blockbusters with Max-exclusive series, such as The Last of Us (co-produced with Sony), which set records for viewership week after week.