Motion Picture Corporation of America


Motion Picture Corporation of America is an American film production company founded by Brad Krevoy in 1986.

History

Motion Picture Corporation of America was founded in 1986 by longtime business partners Brad Krevoy and Steve Stabler. The goal of the company was to focus on producing, acquiring and distributing commercial motion picture and television productions. Krevoy and Stabler quickly managed to position MPCA as one of the largest suppliers of high-quality, lower-budget films.
During the company's formative years, they produced a few cult favorites, including The Purple People Eater with Ned Beatty; Back to Back, starring Bill Paxton and Apollonia; and the sex comedy Miracle Beach.

Dumb and Dumber

Krevoy and Stabler took MPCA to new heights when they released the 1994 blockbuster comedy Dumb and Dumber. The script had been around for nearly seven years and was rejected by every major studio. The writers, Bobby and Peter Farrelly, desperately wanted to direct the feature as well, but no one would give them a shot. Once MPCA got behind the script, they were able to package the project, complete with the Farrellys directing and then rising star, Jim Carrey.
Dumb and Dumber broke box office comedy records; it also opened and remained at number 1 on the U.S. box office for 4 straight weeks over the holiday season. The film went on to gross $127 million domestically and $120 million overseas for a worldwide total of $247 million off of a $16 million budget. The film was one of the highest grossing comedies of the 90's. Combined with its ancillary and video sales, the film is estimated to have grossed over half a billion dollars.
Dumb and Dumber propelled the Farrellys' directing career; they became known as the top comedy directors of the time. The success of Dumb and Dumber helped get the Farrellys' passion project, Kingpin, off the ground. It was released in June 1996, starring Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid and Bill Murray. Despite many critics praising the film, it was a commercial disappointment, grossing only $27 million against a $25 million budget over the course of its theatrical run. Roger Ebert championed the film and gave it 3 and a half stars out 4, praising the film's daring comedy. Kingpin became a huge release on home video, finding a dedicated and passionate cult following.
MPCA expanded on their success and went on to produce more big-budget studio comedies, including Beverly Hills Ninja starring Chris Farley and Jungle 2 Jungle with Tim Allen. They also produced Threesome, starring Lara Flynn Boyle and Stephen Baldwin. The film was one of the most successful independent arthouse films of the year, grossing just under $15 million domestically. Threesome was an autobiographical comedy by writer and director, Andrew Fleming. Roger Ebert gave the film three out of four stars, praising the film's honest characterization and strong dialogue.

First-look deals

Starting in November 1995, until it was acquired by Metromedia International Group in 1996, MPCA had a first-look producing deal with Paramount Studios. MPCA also signed a first-look deal with Sony Pictures in the late 90s, where they produced more than 10 movies.

Acquisition by Orion (1996–1998)

In 1996, MPCA was purchased by John Kluge's Metromedia International Group. Metromedia had just purchased the independent production company Orion Pictures from chapter 11 bankruptcy. When MPCA was merged into the company, Krevoy and Stabler took over as the Co-President's of Orion Pictures and were given a six-picture deal.
At Orion, Krevoy and Stabler oversaw the production, acquisition, and distribution of Orion's motion picture and television programming. He produced films for Academy Award-winner Tom Schulman and released films such as 1997's Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, Prisoner of the Mountains, and the acclaimed Ulee's Gold. Ulee’s Gold was a critical hit and won its leading actor, Peter Fonda, his first and only Golden Globe for best actor. Fonda also received his first and only Oscar nomination for best actor.
After two years of revitalizing Orion Pictures, Metromedia went on to sell Orion to MGM. Krevoy was able to take the MPCA name back as part of his original deal.

Restarting as an independent company (1998–2014)

In 1998, Krevoy returned to his independent filmmaking roots and restarted MPCA with a distribution deal through MGM.
Since then, MPCA has produced a wide array of motion pictures including: boxing drama Joe and Max ; the 2002 Sundance premiere Bookies ; and Boat Trip starring Academy Award-winner Cuba Gooding Jr., Horatio Sanz, Vivica A. Fox, and Roger Moore for Artisan/Lionsgate.
In 2004 MPCA produced the drama A Love Song for Bobby Long, starring John Travolta and Scarlett Johansson. The film was well received by audiences and critics, with Roger Ebert awarding it 3 out of 4 stars. The film also earned Scarlett Johansson a Golden Globe nomination.
After the credit crunch hit in 2008, Krevoy found new investors and ramped up production at MPCA. He built a strong international sales team and began assembling an eclectic slate of programming.
MPCA produced the 2009 war drama Taking Chance, based on the true experiences of Lt. Colonel Michael Strobl, who wrote about his time in the widely circulated article “Taking Chance Home". The film was directed by Ross Katz and starred Kevin Bacon. It was shown at the Sundance Film Festival before premiering on HBO. The film was well received by critics who praised the apolitical stance of the film, as well as the discipline of the filmmakers to veer away from emotional sentimentality. Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the film “doesn't miss a single emotional pressure point – Katz clearly believes in the power and necessity of catharsis.” Taking Chance received a total of 27 award nominations and 6 wins including Kevin Bacon for Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television. The film was also nominated for a string of Primetime Emmy awards, as well as nominations in the SAG, PGA, DGA, ACE, ASC, and WGA awards. It also won the prestigious Humanitas Prize.
MPCA also produced a string of successful straight-to-DVD action movies. Four of these featured Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding, Jr. These included Linewatch ; Hardwired, which also starred Val Kilmer; Ticking Clock ; and One in the Chamber, which also featured 80's action star, Dolph Lundgren. They produced two movies with Academy Award Nominee, Samuel L. Jackson: Arena ; and Meeting Evil. During this time MPCA also made two movies with action star Jean-Claude Van Damme – Assassination Games ; and Six Bullets.
In 2011, MPCA made Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 for Disney, a sequel to the 2008 hit comedy. Most of the original cast returned and the film did well in the home video market with sales of over $30 million.

Christmas and Family Movies (2013–present)

Recently, MPCA has become a world-leading producer of Christmas and family-themed entertainment. Since 2013, MPCA has produced more than 40 highly rated original Christmas and family movies for select broadcasters, including Netflix and The Hallmark Channel. Produced in tax-efficient and low-cost production centers like Vancouver and Northern Ontario, Canada, and Bucharest, Romania, with the highest production quality at the lowest possible budget, compelling storytelling, and award-winning directors and writers, these films have broken numerous records for the networks on which they've aired. They have also featured internationally well-known actors such as Rob Lowe, Kristin Davis, Vanessa Hudgens, Kat Graham, Candace Cameron Bure, Lori Loughlin, Mariah Carey, Lacey Chabert, Roger Moore, Kelsey Grammer, Brooke Shields, James Brolin, Ron Cephas Jones, and Jane Seymour.

With Netflix

MPCA's partnership with Netflix has produced a number of high-quality holiday and family original films. Their first production for the streaming service, A Christmas Prince, starring Rose McIver, Ben Lamb and Alice Krige and released on November 17, 2017, was a smash hit. It was a phenomenon on Social Media with reviews and think pieces written on websites like Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, Indiewire, and Pajiba. The film was so successful Netflix released data showing that, for the first 18 days after its release, 53 viewers enjoyed it so much that they watched it at least once, every single day. Two more installments in the franchise have been released with the original cast, ' and '.
MPCA found another huge hit with 2018's The Princess Switch, starring Vanessa Hudgens and Sam Palladio. PopSugar said “you absolutely need to watch The Princess Switch”. This film likewise proved so successful that a sequel was announced for the 2020 holiday season. Also scheduled for release in 2020 is Operation Christmas Drop, starring Kat Graham and Alexander Ludwig.
MPCA's other recent Netflix holiday movies include Holiday in the Wild, starring Rob Lowe and Kristin Davis; The Knight Before Christmas, starring Vanessa Hudgens and Josh Whitehouse; The Holiday Calendar, starring Kat Graham, Quincy Brown, and Ron Cephas Jones; and Christmas Inheritance, starring Eliza Taylor and Jake Lacy.

With Hallmark

MPCA has cultivated a very fruitful partnership with the Hallmark Channel, having produced over 30 original movies for the main channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, including several film franchises. A few of these include all five entries in the popular Murder, She Baked series based on the best-selling series of novels by Joanne Fluke, all three of the Flower Shop Mystery series of films, which star Brooke Shields and are based on the successful book series by Kate Collins, four films in the Darrow & Darrow series from Emmy-winning writer Phoef Sutton, and three installments of The Crossword Mysteries, which star Lacey Chabert and were produced in collaboration with famed NY Times Crossword editor Will Shortz. The Wedding March franchise, with Jack Wagner and Josie Bissett, is another popular film series for Hallmark, with five entries having been released so far.
MPCA is also behind the Hallmark Channel show When Calls the Heart. The series is adapted from the bestselling Canadian West series of books by Janette Oke. The show has been hugely successful in the ratings, including massive numbers for the Christmas specials. The show is currently airing its seventh season, making it the longest-running original series on Hallmark. It also has a passionate, dedicated, and ever-expanding group of fans, calling themselves “The Hearties.” The Hearties have a massive yearly fan expo called the “Hearties Family Reunion,” with fans flying in from all over the world to attend. By cultivating a huge presence online and on social media, When Calls the Heart: Home for Christmas was not only the top-rated non-sports program on its airdate, but was also the #1 tweeted television event across cable and broadcast. In August 2019, a spin-off show titled When Hope Calls launched with Hallmark's new streaming service, Hallmark Movies Now.

Other Hallmark Films

A Princess for Christmas, starring Kate McGrath and Roger Moore, was the #1 rated cable movie of the week, pulling in 4.9 million viewers.
A Royal Christmas, starring Lacey Chabert and Golden Globe winner Jane Seymour, was Hallmark's 2nd highest-rated telecast in network history and rated #1 in all key demographics.
Crown for Christmas, starring Danica McKellar and Rupert Penry-Jones, was the #1 movie when it premiered, drawing 4.29 million viewers.
A Christmas Detour, starring Candace Cameron Bure and Paul Greene, was the #1 show on Hallmark Channel and the biggest part of their largest ever share of the weekly audience. It trended at No. 1 on Twitter and bought in 4.78 million viewers overall.
A Christmas Melody, marked the directorial debut of Mariah Carey and starred Carey with Lacey Chabert. It was a huge success trending at No. 1 on Twitter, pulling in 4.2 million viewers, and was an enormous part of Hallmarks #1 most watched cable network weekend. The film was so well received that Krevoy and Hallmark teamed up for Mariah Carey's Merriest Christmas Special, which featured Chabert again, as well as Emmy award winner Kelsey Grammer.
Every Christmas Has a Story, starring Lori Loughlin and Colin Ferguson, was the highest-rated Hallmark Channel telecast of 2016, pulling in 4.01 million viewers.
A Wish for Christmas, starring Lacey Chabert and Paul Greene, drew 3.4 million viewers and was the week's most talked about original premiere on Twitter, and across social media.
I’ll be Home for Christmas, starring James Brolin and Mena Suvari, had the largest unduplicated audience of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries in 2016, with 2.4 million viewers for the premiere.
Christmas in Angel Falls, starring Rachel Boston, Beau Bridges and Paul Greene, was the 2nd highest-rated movie of 2017 for the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel.
A Royal Matchmaker, starring Joy Lenz and Will Kemp, was the 3rd highest-rated cable program of the week, with 2.9 million total viewers.
Winter Love Story, starring Jen Lilley and Kevin McGarry, garnered 3.2 million viewers.
Christmas in Rome, starring Lacey Chabert and Sam Page, was the second highest-rated original Hallmark movie of the Christmas season, with 3.7 million viewers.

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

Golden Globes

Primetime Emmy Awards

YearFilmCategoryRecipientResult
2000AnnieOutstanding ChoreographyRob Marshall
2000AnnieOutstanding Music DirectionPaul Bogaev
2000AnnieOutstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries, Movie or a SpecialStephen Hendrickson, Edward L. Rubin, and Archie D'Amico
2000AnnieOutstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or a SpecialMarcia Turner, Rosalie Joseph, and Valorie Massalas
2000AnnieOutstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or MovieRalf D. Bode
2000AnnieOutstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a SpecialShay Cunliffe and Patricia McLaughlin
2000AnnieOutstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic SpecialRob Marshall
2000AnnieOutstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or a MovieScott Vickrey
2000AnnieOutstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or a MovieMatthew Kasten, Mishell Chandler, and Natasha Ladek
2000AnnieOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a MovieKathy Bates
2000AnnieOutstanding Television MovieCraig Zadan, Neil Meron, Chris Montan, Marykay Powell, and John Whitman
2000AnnieOutstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a MovieEdward L. Moskowitz, Terry O'Bright, and Keith Rogers

Filmography

Films