This is a list of films produced or distributed by Universal Pictures in 1980–1989, founded in 1912 as the Universal Film Manufacturing Company. It is the main motion picture production and distribution arm of Universal Studios, a subsidiary of the NBCUniversal division of Comcast.
1980
| Release Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| January 25, 1980 | Guyana: Cult of the Damned | North American distribution only |
| February 8, 1980 | The Last Married Couple in America | |
| March 7, 1980 | Coal Miner's Daughter | Nominee of the Academy Award for Best Picture. Winner of the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama. Inducted into the National Film Registry in 2019 |
| March 21, 1980 | Little Miss Marker | |
| April 18, 1980 | North Sea Hijack | British film |
| April 25, 1980 | Where the Buffalo Roam | |
| May 9, 1980 | The Nude Bomb | co-production with Time-Life Films |
| May 23, 1980 | The Gong Show Movie | |
| June 13, 1980 | The Island | co-production with Zanuck/Brown Company |
| June 20, 1980 | The Blues Brothers | Inducted into the National Film Registry in 2020 |
| July 18, 1980 | Cheech and Chong's Next Movie | co-production with C&C Brown Productions |
| August 8, 1980 | Xanadu | |
| August 15, 1980 | Smokey and the Bandit II | co-production with Rastar |
| September 19, 1980 | Melvin and Howard | Nominee of the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. |
| September 26, 1980 | In God We Tru$t | |
| Resurrection | ||
| October 3, 1980 | Somewhere in Time | co-production with Rastar |
| December 5, 1980 | Flash Gordon | North American distribution excluding television only; produced by Dino De Laurentiis Corporation |
1981
| Release Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 1981 | The White Lions | U.S. theatrical distribution only; produced by Alan Landsburg Productions |
| 1981 | Invaders from the Deep | U.S. distribution only; produced by ITC Entertainment; movie compilation of the television series Stingray |
| Burned at the Stake | U.S. theatrical distribution only; produced by Alan Landsburg Productions | |
| January 30, 1981 | The Incredible Shrinking Woman | |
| March 6, 1981 | All Night Long | |
| March 13, 1981 | The Funhouse | distribution only; produced by Mace Neufeld Productions |
| April 10, 1981 | Nighthawks | co-production with Martin Poll Productions and The Production Company |
| April 24, 1981 | Beyond the Reef | North American distribution only; produced by Dino De Laurentiis Corporation |
| Cattle Annie and Little Britches | North American theatrical distribution only; produced by Hemdale, Cattle Annie Films, Inc., King-Hitzig Productions and Monday Films | |
| May 1, 1981 | King of the Mountain | North American theatrical distribution only; produced by PolyGram Pictures |
| May 22, 1981 | The Four Seasons | |
| Bustin' Loose | ||
| The Legend of the Lone Ranger | North American theatrical co-distribution with Associated Film Distribution Corporation only; produced by ITC Entertainment and Wrather Productions | |
| June 26, 1981 | The Great Muppet Caper | North American theatrical co-distribution with Associated Film Distribution Corporation only; produced by ITC Entertainment and Henson Associates |
| July 17, 1981 | Endless Love | North American distribution excluding television only; produced by PolyGram Pictures |
| August 21, 1981 | An American Werewolf in London | North American distribution excluding television only; produced by PolyGram Pictures and Lycanthrope Films Limited |
| Honky Tonk Freeway | North American theatrical co-distribution with Associated Film Distribution Corporation only; produced by EMI Films | |
| September 18, 1981 | Continental Divide | co-production with Amblin Productions |
| Raggedy Man | ||
| October 2, 1981 | Zoot Suit | Inducted into the National Film Registry in 2019 |
| October 23, 1981 | Silence of the North | Canadian film |
| October 30, 1981 | Halloween II | North American distribution only; produced by Dino De Laurentiis Corporation |
| November 13, 1981 | The Pursuit of D. B. Cooper | North American distribution excluding television only; produced by PolyGram Pictures |
| December 18, 1981 | Ghost Story | |
| Heartbeeps |
1982
| Release Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| February 12, 1982 | The Border | co-production with Efer Productions and RKO Pictures |
| On Golden Pond | North American and select international theatrical distribution only; co-distributed by Associated Film Distribution Corporation in North America; produced by ITC Films and IPC Films Nominee of the Academy Award for Best Picture. Winner of the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama. | |
| February 19, 1982 | Barbarosa | North American theatrical co-distribution with Associated Film Distribution Corporation only; produced by ITC Films |
| March 5, 1982 | Evil Under the Sun | North American theatrical co-distribution with Associated Film Distribution Corporation only; produced by EMI Films and Titan Productions |
| March 12, 1982 | Missing | co-production with PolyGram Pictures Nominee of the Academy Award for Best Picture. Nominee of the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama. |
| April 2, 1982 | A Little Sex | North American distribution only; produced by MTM Enterprises |
| Cat People | co-production with RKO Pictures | |
| May 7, 1982 | Death Valley | |
| May 14, 1982 | Conan the Barbarian | North American distribution only; produced by Dino De Laurentiis Corporation |
| May 21, 1982 | Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid | co-production with Aspen Film Society |
| June 11, 1982 | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial | co-production with Amblin Entertainment Nominee of the Academy Award for Best Picture. Winner of the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama. Inducted into the National Film Registry in 1994 |
| June 25, 1982 | The Thing | co-production with The Turman-Foster Company |
| July 23, 1982 | The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas | co-production with RKO Pictures and Miller-Milkis-Boyett Productions Nominee of the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy |
| August 13, 1982 | Fast Times at Ridgemont High | co-production with Refugee Films Inducted into the National Film Registry in 2005 |
| September 26, 1982 | Moonlighting | U.S. distribution under Universal Classics only |
| October 22, 1982 | Halloween III: Season of the Witch | North American distribution only; produced by Dino De Laurentiis Corporation |
| December 3, 1982 | Frances | North American theatrical co-distribution with Associated Film Distribution Corporation only; produced by EMI Films and Brooksfilms |
| December 10, 1982 | Sophie's Choice | theatrical distribution only; co-distributed by Associated Film Distribution Corporation in North America; produced by ITC Entertainment nominee of the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama. |
| La Traviata | U.S. distribution under Universal Classics only | |
| December 17, 1982 | The Dark Crystal | theatrical distribution only; co-distributed by Associated Film Distribution Corporation in North America; produced by ITC Entertainment and Henson Associates |
| Six Weeks | North American theatrical distribution only; produced by PolyGram Pictures |
1983
| Release Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| February 4, 1983 | Videodrome | Canadian film; distribution only; produced by Filmplan International, Canadian Film Development Corporation and Famous Players |
| February 18, 1983 | The Pirates of Penzance | co-production with Edward R. Pressman Productions |
| The Sting II | ||
| February 1983 | Second Thoughts | North American theatrical co-distribution with Associated Film Distribution Corporation only; produced by EMI Films and The Turman-Foster Company |
| March 4, 1983 | Tender Mercies | North American theatrical co-distribution with Associated Film Distribution Corporation only; produced by EMI Films and Antron Media Productions Nominee of the Academy Award for Best Picture. Nominee of the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama. |
| March 23, 1983 | Eddie Macon's Run | |
| March 25, 1983 | Bad Boys | North American theatrical co-distribution with Associated Film Distribution Corporation only; produced by EMI Films |
| March 31, 1983 | Monty Python's The Meaning of Life | British film; co-production with Celandine Films and The Monty Python Partnership |
| May 6, 1983 | Doctor Detroit | co-production with Black Rhino Productions and The Brillstein Company |
| June 3, 1983 | Psycho II | co-production with Oak Industries |
| July 1, 1983 | Stroker Ace | North American theatrical and international home media distribution only; co-production with Warner Bros. |
| July 15, 1983 | Puberty Blues | U.S. distribution under Universal Classics only |
| July 22, 1983 | Jaws 3-D | co-production with Alan Landsburg Productions |
| July 29, 1983 | Private School | co-production with Unity Pictures Corporation |
| August 12, 1983 | Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 | |
| August 19, 1983 | Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn | North American distribution only; produced by Albert Band International Productions |
| September 2, 1983 | Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence | North American distribution only; produced by Recorded Picture Company |
| September 9, 1983 | Nightmares | |
| September 15, 1983 | Heat and Dust | U.S. theatrical distribution under Universal Classics only; produced by Merchant Ivory Productions |
| September 21, 1983 | Cross Creek | North American theatrical co-distribution with Associated Film Distribution only; produced by Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment |
| September 30, 1983 | Going Berserk | co-production with Mutual Productions |
| The Lonely Lady | North American distribution only | |
| Hanna K. | ||
| October 21, 1983 | Rumble Fish | distribution in North and Latin America, the U.K., Scandinavia, Spain and Japan only; produced by Zoetrope Studios |
| December 9, 1983 | Scarface | co-production with Martin Bregman Productions |
| December 16, 1983 | D.C. Cab | co-production with The Guber-Peters Company and RKO Pictures |
1984
| Release Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| January 27, 1984 | The Lonely Guy | co-production with Aspen Film Society |
| February 17, 1984 | Crackers | |
| February 1984 | Slayground | North American theatrical co-distribution with Associated Film Distribution only; produced by Thorn EMI Films |
| March 2, 1984 | Repo Man | distribution only; produced by Edge City |
| March 16, 1984 | Tank | co-production with Lorimar Productions |
| April 6, 1984 | Hard to Hold | |
| April 13, 1984 | Iceman | |
| May 4, 1984 | Sixteen Candles | co-production with Channel Productions |
| May 11, 1984 | Firestarter | North American distribution and select international theatrical distribution only; produced by Dino De Laurentiis Corporation |
| June 1, 1984 | Streets of Fire | co-production with Hill-Gordon-Silver Productions and RKO Pictures |
| June 13, 1984 | Under the Volcano | North American distribution only; produced by Ithaca Enterprises |
| June 29, 1984 | Conan the Destroyer | North American distribution and select international theatrical distribution only; produced by the Dino De Laurentiis Corporation |
| July 13, 1984 | The Last Starfighter | North American distribution excluding television only; co-production with Lorimar Productions |
| July 20, 1984 | One Deadly Summer | U.S. distribution only; produced by TF1 |
| August 10, 1984 | Cloak & Dagger | |
| September 21, 1984 | All of Me | North American theatrical distribution only; produced by Kings Road Productions |
| September 28, 1984 | The Wild Life | |
| October 10, 1984 | Comfort and Joy | North American distribution only; produced by Kings Road Productions |
| October 26, 1984 | Terror in the Aisles | North American distribution only; produced by T.E.M. Programs International and Kaleidoscope Films Limited |
| December 14, 1984 | Dune | North American distribution and select international theatrical distribution only; produced by Dino De Laurentiis Corporation |
| Mass Appeal | distribution only; produced by Operation Cork Productions, The Turman-Foster Company and Jalem Productions | |
| December 19, 1984 | The River |
1985
| Release Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| February 15, 1985 | The Breakfast Club | co-production with A&M Films and Channel Productions Inducted into the National Film Registry in 2016 |
| February 22, 1985 | Into the Night | co-production with Landis/Folsey Productions |
| March 8, 1985 | Mask | |
| April 12, 1985 | A Test of Love | North American distribution only; produced by Film Australia |
| April 26, 1985 | Stick | |
| May 3, 1985 | Gotcha! | co-production with Michael I. Levy Enterprises |
| May 22, 1985 | Brewster's Millions | co-production with Lawrence Gordon Productions and Silver Pictures |
| May 31, 1985 | Fletch | co-production with Douglas/Greisman Productions |
| July 3, 1985 | Back to the Future | co-production with Amblin Entertainment Nominee of the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. Inducted into the National Film Registry in 2007 |
| August 2, 1985 | Weird Science | co-production with Hughes Entertainment and Silver Pictures |
| September 13, 1985 | James Joyce's Women | British film; North American and U.K. distribution only; produced by The Rejoycing Company |
| September 20, 1985 | Creator | North American theatrical distribution only; produced by Kings Road Productions |
| Morons from Outer Space | U.S. theatrical distribution only; produced by Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment | |
| October 4, 1985 | Dreamchild | |
| October 18, 1985 | The Holcroft Covenant | |
| Wild Geese II | ||
| October 1985 | UFOria | distribution only; produced by Melvin Simon Productions |
| December 18, 1985 | Brazil | North American distribution only; produced by Embassy International Pictures |
| December 20, 1985 | Out of Africa | co-production with Mirage Enterprises Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture. Winner of the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama. |
1986
| Release Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| January 31, 1986 | The Best of Times | North American theatrical distribution only; produced by Kings Road Entertainment |
| March 26, 1986 | The Money Pit | co-production with Amblin Entertainment |
| April 18, 1986 | Legend | North American distribution only; produced by Embassy International Pictures |
| May 14, 1986 | Sweet Liberty | |
| June 18, 1986 | Legal Eagles | |
| July 2, 1986 | Psycho III | |
| August 1, 1986 | Howard the Duck | distribution only; produced by Lucasfilm, Ltd. |
| August 29, 1986 | Bullies | U.S. distribution only; produced by Simcom Limited |
| September 12, 1986 | 'night, Mother | co-production with Blackbird Productions |
| October 3, 1986 | Playing for Keeps | North American distribution only; produced by Miramax Films |
| October 10, 1986 | Clockwise | North American theatrical distribution only; produced by Cannon Screen Entertainment |
| November 21, 1986 | An American Tail | co-production with Amblin Entertainment and Sullivan Bluth Studios |
| December 25, 1986 | Brighton Beach Memoirs | co-production with Rastar |
1987
| Release Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| April 10, 1987 | The Secret of My Success | co-production with Rastar |
| May 1, 1987 | The Allnighter | distribution only; produced by Aurora Productions |
| June 5, 1987 | Harry and the Hendersons | co-production with Amblin Entertainment |
| June 26, 1987 | Dragnet | co-production with Applied Action and The Brillstein Company |
| July 17, 1987 | Jaws: The Revenge | |
| August 14, 1987 | North Shore | co-production with Finnegan-Pinchuk Company |
| August 21, 1987 | Born in East L.A. | co-production with Clear Type Productions |
| September 18, 1987 | Amazon Women on the Moon | |
| October 9, 1987 | Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll | co-production with Delilah Films |
| Three O'Clock High | ||
| October 23, 1987 | Prince of Darkness | North American distribution only; produced by Alive Films and Larry Franco Productions |
| October 27, 1987 | Positive I.D. | distribution only; produced by Andersonfilm |
| November 6, 1987 | Cry Freedom | co-production with Marble Arch Productions |
| November 13, 1987 | Cross My Heart | |
| December 4, 1987 | Walker | co-production with Edward R. Pressman Productions and In-Cine Compañía Industrial Cinematográfica |
| December 18, 1987 | Batteries Not Included | co-production with Amblin Entertainment Nominee of the Saturn Award for Best Actress. |
1988
| Release Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| February 5, 1988 | The Serpent and the Rainbow | distribution only; produced by Keith Barish Productions |
| March 18, 1988 | The Milagro Beanfield War | |
| March 25, 1988 | Biloxi Blues | co-production with Rastar |
| April 22, 1988 | Casual Sex? | |
| May 6, 1988 | Shakedown | North American distribution only; produced by Shapiro-Glickenhaus Entertainment |
| June 17, 1988 | The Great Outdoors | distribution only; produced by Hughes Entertainment |
| July 8, 1988 | Phantasm II | North American distribution only; produced by Spacegate Corporation |
| July 20, 1988 | Midnight Run | co-production with City Light Films Nominee of the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. |
| August 12, 1988 | The Last Temptation of Christ | distribution outside Canada only; produced by Cineplex Odeon Films |
| September 9, 1988 | Moon Over Parador | |
| September 23, 1988 | Gorillas in the Mist | North American distribution only; co-production with Warner Bros. and The Guber-Peters Company Nominee of the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama. |
| October 14, 1988 | Madame Sousatzka | U.S. distribution only; produced by Cineplex Odeon Films |
| November 4, 1988 | They Live | North American distribution only; produced by Alive Films and Larry Franco Productions |
| November 18, 1988 | The Land Before Time | co-production with Amblin Entertainment and Sullivan Bluth Studios |
| November 1988 | Missing Link | co-production with Kane International and Guber-Peters-Barris Productions |
| December 1, 1988 | Screwball Hotel | U.S. distribution only; produced by Avatar Film Corporation |
| December 2, 1988 | Watchers | U.S. theatrical distribution only; produced by Concorde Pictures, Centaur Films, Rose & Ruby Productions and Canadian Entertainment Investors No. 2 and Company |
| December 9, 1988 | Twins | |
| December 21, 1988 | Talk Radio | U.S. distribution only; produced by Cineplex Odeon Films and Edward R. Pressman Productions |
1989
| Release Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| February 17, 1989 | The 'Burbs | distribution outside U.S. television only; produced by Imagine Entertainment and Rollins-Morra-Brezner Productions |
| March 17, 1989 | Fletch Lives | co-production with Douglas/Greisman Productions |
| April 7, 1989 | The Dream Team | distribution only; produced by Imagine Entertainment |
| April 21, 1989 | Field of Dreams | North American distribution only; co-production with the Gordon Company Inducted into the National Film Registry in 2017 |
| April 28, 1989 | K-9 | co-production with the Gordon Company |
| June 2, 1989 | Renegades | North American distribution only; produced by Morgan Creek Productions and Interscope Communications |
| June 30, 1989 | Do the Right Thing | co-production with 40 Acres and A Mule Filmworks Nominee of the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama. Inducted into the National Film Registry in 1999 |
| August 2, 1989 | Parenthood | distribution only; produced by Imagine Entertainment |
| August 16, 1989 | Uncle Buck | co-production with Hughes Entertainment |
| September 15, 1989 | Sea of Love | |
| October 27, 1989 | Shocker | North American distribution only; produced by Alive Films |
| November 10, 1989 | Dad | co-production with Amblin Entertainment |
| November 22, 1989 | Back to the Future Part II | |
| December 15, 1989 | The Wizard | North American distribution only; co-production with Finnegan-Pinchuk Company |
| December 20, 1989 | Born on the Fourth of July | co-production with Ixtan Productions Nominee of the Academy Award for Best Picture. Winner of the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama. |
| December 22, 1989 | Always | co-production with United Artists and Amblin Entertainment |
See also
- List of Focus Features films
- List of Universal Pictures theatrical animated feature films
- Universal Pictures
- Category:Lists of films by studio
Notes
- Co-owned by StudioCanal and MGM
- Owned by ITV Studios
- Owned by MGM (via Orion Pictures)
- ^ Universal has licensed certain rights to this film to Lionsgate
- ^ Owned by ITV Studios, with U.S. distribution rights currently licensed to Shout! Studios; Universal retains theatrical rights
- Owned by Disney (via The Muppets Studio); Universal retains theatrical rights
- ^ Owned by StudioCanal, with select distribution rights licensed to Lionsgate; Universal retains theatrical rights
- ^ Co-owned by ITV Studios
- Owned by The Jim Henson Company with Shout! Studios handling distribution; Universal retains theatrical rights due to contractual obligations
- Owned by HanWay Films, with U.S. distribution rights currently licensed to RLJE Films, which has sub-licensed to The Criterion Collection
- Owned by Cohen Media Group
- Co-owned by American Zoetrope
- ^ This film has since been transferred to Universal's Focus Features division
- Owned by Janus Films and The Criterion Collection
- ^ Owned by Lionsgate
- ^ Owned by MGM
- Owned by FilmRise
- ^ Universal has since reclaimed international rights to this film from StudioCanal (the successor-in-interest to international rights holder Carolco Pictures) by 2003
- Co-owned by Revolution Studios
References
- Dick, Bernard F. (2021-11-09). City of Dreams: The Making and Remaking of Universal Pictures. University Press of Kentucky. pp. 167–197. ISBN 978-0-8131-9612-1.
- "The Funhouse (1981)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
The 7 May 1980 HR noted that filming had just completed on the independently financed film, and Universal Pictures had obtained worldwide distribution rights.
- "Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1981)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- "King of the Mountain (1981)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- "Halloween II (1981)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- "A Little Sex (1982)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
- "The Pirates of Penzance (1983)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- "Stroker Ace (1983)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- "Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- "Going Berserk (1983)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- "Rumble Fish (18)". British Board of Film Classification.
- "Rumble Fish (1983)". Swedish Film Database.
- "Rumble Fish (1983)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- "D.C. Cab (1983)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- "Repo Man (1984)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- "The Allnighter (1987)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- "Positive I.D. (1987)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- "Shakedown (1988)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- "The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- "Renegades (1989)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
External links
| Universal Pictures films | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lists of films | |||||
| Films by studio |
| ||||
