The story
Founded by Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures on Nov 1, 1981, in London.1
Cinema International Corporation (1970–1981)
In 1970, Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures combined their international theatrical distribution operations to form Cinema International Corporation (CIC), which was registered in England and Wales. The venture was established as the studios sought to reduce overseas distribution costs amid declining cinema attendance and changing market conditions. CIC initially handled the international distribution of Paramount and Universal films outside the United States and Canada.
In 1973, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) closed its international distribution offices and joined CIC, which thereafter distributed MGM films internationally alongside those of Paramount and Universal.
United International Pictures (1981–2006)
In 1981, following the merger of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and United Artists (UA), UA's international distribution operations were incorporated into CIC. The company thus was subsequently reorganized as "United International Pictures" (UIP), effective November 1, 1981, with Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures and MGM/UA as its principal partners.
In 1986, Ted Turner acquired MGM/UA for $1.5 billion but, subsequently sold United Artists and other parts of the company back to Kirk Kerkorian while retaining much of MGM's pre-May 1986 film and television library.
UIP also operated a subscription television arm, UIP Pay TV, which distributed films from Paramount, MGM/UA and Universal to broadcasters outside the United States and Canada. In 1986, Canal+ reached an agreement with UIP to acquire television rights to as many as 80 films for the French market. In 1992, the company had a financing deal with Lightstorm Entertainment to provide funding for 12 pictures and international rights.
In 1999, Universal Pictures acquired PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, whose international distribution arm was subsequently reorganized as Universal Pictures International. For a brief period, some Universal releases were handled outside UIP before Universal renewed its participation in the joint venture through 2006. In 1999, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) announced that it would leave UIP and transfer its international distribution to 20th Century Fox once its existing agreement with UIP expired in November 2000. In 2002, UIP withdrew from direct distribution in Finland, with its releases subsequently handled by Buena Vista International Finland; in 2006, distribution passed to Finnkino.
Reorganization and later operations (2007–present)
In September 2005, to take advantage of the growth of the international box office since it was originally founded, UIP announced that it would downsize and restructure its operations; beginning 1 January 2007, UIP would exit 16 major international markets (including Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom), and Paramount and Universal would transition to self-distributing their respective films in those markets.
As part of the agreement, UIP's assets in the affected markets were divided between Paramount and Universal on a country-by-country basis, allowing them to become the basis for their own theatrical distribution operations. Paramount and Universal also entered into a two-year agreement allowing their films to be sub-distributed through each other.
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UIP, would continue to directly distribute films in approximately 20 other markets, including Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, India, Malaysia, Norway, Peru, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand and Turkey. In late-2007, UIP withdrew from the Japanese market, with Paramount Pictures establishing its own theatrical distribution operation in the country from 2008. Universal Pictures separately entered a theatrical distribution agreement with Toho-Towa for its releases in Japan. In the Philippines, UIP releases were distributed by several local partners over time, including Warner Bros., Viva International Pictures, Solar Entertainment Corporation and Sony Pictures Releasing. Following the end of UIP's local operations in 2020, Universal later entered a theatrical distribution agreement with Warner Bros., while Paramount continued to use Columbia Pictures for its releases in the country.. In 2021, Warner Bros. began to distribute Universal films in Brazil under a licensing agreement.
Paramount divestment agreement (2026)
In July 2026, the European Commission approved a proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance, but found that Paramount's ownership of Warner Bros. Pictures would lead to market concentration for film distribution in the 19 European territories where UIP operates. To achieve regulatory approval, Paramount agreed to divest its stake in UIP to Universal within 13 months of the sale's completion. In addition, Paramount agreed to not to enter into any distribution agreements with Universal within the European Economic Area for 10 years, nor enter into distribution agreements for Warner Bros. films in the 19 aforementioned territories with companies that also distribute Disney or Universal films.
From Wikipedia’s article on United International Pictures, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4