New World Pictures

New World Pictures
Company type	Independent
Industry	Film production, Television production, Broadcasting
Founded	July 8, 1970; 56 years ago
Founder	Roger Corman, Gene Corman
Defunct	1997
Fate	Acquired by News Corporation (20th Century Fox)
Headquarters	United States
Key people	Roger Corman, Gene Corman, Larry Kupin, Harry E. Sloan, Larry A. Thompson, Robert Rehme, Ronald Perelman, Brandon Tartikoff
Products	Films, Television programs, Broadcasting stations

New World Pictures—also recognized as New World Entertainment,, New World Communications Group, Inc., and New World International—was an American independent entity specializing in production, distribution, and multimedia ventures. Established in 1970 by entrepreneurs Roger Corman and Gene Corman under the name New World Pictures, Ltd., the company initially concentrated on film production and distribution before branching into television production in 1984. Its portfolio further expanded in 1993 with the acquisition of seven television stations, bolstering its broadcasting division through additional purchases the following year.

By 1994, 20th Century Fox, a subsidiary of News Corporation led by Rupert Murdoch, became a principal investor and ultimately completed the full acquisition of New World in 1997. This merger played a pivotal role in reinforcing Fox's status as the United States' fourth major television network. While New World ceased to operate independently, it continues to exist as holding entities within the Fox Corporation framework, including regional units such as "New World Communications of Tampa."

Co-founder Gene Corman died at age 93 in Beverly Hills in 2020. Roger Corman passed away in Santa Monica in 2024 at age 98, closing a significant chapter for the founders who left a lasting impact on independent filmmaking and media industry strategies.

New World Pictures (1970–1987)

On July 8, 1970, New World Pictures, Ltd. was launched by B-movie filmmaker Roger Corman alongside his brother Gene Corman, following their departure from American International Pictures (AIP). At that time, New World stood as the last nationwide distributor focusing on low-budget films and quickly established itself as a thriving independent company. Roger Corman sought to emulate AIP’s approach by producing cost-effective movies featuring emerging filmmakers and distributing them internationally. Initially, the company operated through ten offices across the United States and maintained one office each in Canada and the United Kingdom, while relying on regional distributors for market reach.

New World specialized in exploitation cinema such as The Student Nurses and played a key role in launching directors like Jonathan Demme, Jonathan Kaplan, Ron Howard, Paul Bartel, and Joe Dante, who began their careers as interns. Additionally, the company broadened its catalog by distributing prestigious international films from auteurs including Ingmar Bergman, Federico Fellini, and Akira Kurosawa, thus moving beyond solely exploitation genres.

In 1983, Roger Corman sold New World for $16.5 million to investors Larry Kupin, Harry E. Sloan, and Larry A. Thompson, who subsequently took the company public. Although Corman retained ownership of the film library, New World secured home video rights. The following year saw former Avco Embassy Pictures and Universal Pictures executive Robert Rehme return as CEO of New World. During this period, Thompson left to establish his own company. New World committed to producing at least fourteen films annually while planning expansion of its regional network.

The organization structured itself into three divisions in 1984: New World International, dedicated to foreign distribution; New World Television, which produced TV content including Santa Barbara; and New World Video, focused on home video releases—a sector where it found early success.

In 1986, New World broadened its capabilities by acquiring Lions Gate Studios, a post-production facility, for $4.4 million. It also purchased Marvel Entertainment Group (MEG), owner of Marvel Comics, from Cadence Industries’ liquidation—a strategic move that significantly diversified its holdings into comic book properties and associated media ventures.

New World Entertainment (1987–1992)

In July 1967, William "Bill" Deneen, who had previously served as a vice president at Encyclopædia Britannica Films and owned an independent film company, established the Learning Corporation of America (LCA). LCA emerged as a prominent competitor in the educational 16mm film sector, producing notable works such as the detailed geography and history title Claudius: Boy of Ancient Rome.

By 1987, New World had acquired both LCA and Highgate Pictures, broadening its range of subsidiaries beyond just film production. That same year, the company adopted the name New World Entertainment to better represent its expanded business operations, which now included ownership of Marvel Comics. Co-founder Harry Sloan highlighted that this renaming reflected the company's evolving corporate framework. Although New World pursued acquisitions of toy manufacturers Kenner Parker Toys and Mattel, these transactions ultimately did not come to fruition.

Confronted with financial difficulties, New World initiated a restructuring process that involved selling Marvel Entertainment Group to financier Ronald Perelman's Andrews Group in January 1989; this sale excluded Marvel Productions. Following an unsuccessful takeover attempt by Giancarlo Parretti’s Pathé Communications, New World was itself acquired by Andrews Group in April 1989 for $145 million. Perelman indicated plans to scale back New World's activities in motion pictures and home video.

In January 1990, the majority of New World's film and home video assets were transferred to Trans-Atlantic Pictures, a production company created by former New World executives; this company was later absorbed by Lakeshore Entertainment in 1996. That same year saw the closure of Highgate Pictures and LCA. On October 7, 1991, New World sold much of its network television holdings to Sony Pictures Entertainment, which utilized these assets to revive TriStar Television. Despite this divestiture, New World continued producing television series such as Santa Barbara and The Wonder Years until their respective cancellations in 1993, after which it paused major broadcast network production until 1995.

New World Communications (1992–1997)

On February 17, 1993, Ronald Perelman purchased a controlling interest in SCI Television from George Gillett. SCI's portfolio included several key CBS affiliates: WAGA-TV (Atlanta), WJBK-TV (Detroit), WJW-TV (Cleveland), and WITI-TV (Milwaukee); NBC affiliate KNSD (San Diego); along with independent station WSBK-TV (Boston). The core group largely consisted of former Storer Communications stations that Gillett had acquired in 1987 using junk bond financing, which led to substantial debt following Black Monday. Additionally, CBS affiliate WTVT in Tampa, directly owned by Gillett, was part of this group. Perelman merged SCI Television into New World Entertainment to create New World Communications.

In 1993, New World further diversified by securing stakes in syndication distributor Genesis Entertainment through Four Star Television and acquiring infomercial producer Guthy-Renker. These strategic investments expanded its media industry offerings.

In May 1994, New World announced plans to purchase Argyle Television’s four stations: CBS affiliates KTBC-TV (Austin) and KDFW-TV (Dallas); NBC affiliate WVTM-TV (Birmingham); and ABC affiliate KTVI (St. Louis). Simultaneously, it acquired four stations owned by Citicasters: ABC affiliates WBRC-TV (Birmingham) and WGHP-TV (High Point); NBC affiliate WDAF-TV (Kansas City); and CBS affiliate KSAZ-TV (Phoenix). Due to overlapping markets involving WBRC and WVTM, New World placed WBRC and WGHP into a blind trust pending their sale. These acquisitions substantially enhanced New World's market presence and competitive strength across major U.S. television markets.

Fox affiliation deal, News Corporation acquisition, and Disney transfer

After Fox secured a $1.58 billion contract for NFL broadcast rights in 1993, the network strategically sought affiliation agreements with prominent VHF stations to boost its market penetration and attract advertisers. On May 23, 1994, Fox and New World Communications entered into a long-term affiliation pact that resulted in most New World stations switching to Fox following its acquisition of Argyle and Citicasters' assets. Concurrently, News Corporation acquired a 20% ownership stake in New World for $500 million. This strategic alliance capitalized on New World's stronghold in vital NFC markets and addressed concerns over CBS's falling ratings and its affiliates.

To compensate for Fox's limited network programming hours, the new Fox affiliates increased their local content, predominantly filling airtime with syndicated shows and local news broadcasts. This agreement set off a widespread reshuffling of affiliations involving over 70 media markets among the major networks CBS, Fox, and ABC.

Three New World stations—WSBK-TV in Boston, WVTM in Birmingham, and KNSD in San Diego—were excluded from this transition due to existing Fox affiliations or market dynamics. In November 1994, New World sold WSBK-TV to Viacom for $100 million. Meanwhile, WVTM and KNSD maintained their NBC affiliations until their acquisition by NBC Television Stations for $425 million in May 1996.

In 1994, Brandon Tartikoff, a distinguished executive and former president of NBC Entertainment, joined New World after the company acquired his production entity Moving Target Productions. This move expanded New World's production and distribution capabilities further through the acquisitions of Genesis Entertainment and exclusive contracts with Stone Stanley Productions. The company's media portfolio diversified even more in 1995 with the purchase of Cannell Entertainment and the entertainment magazine Premiere.

On July 17, 1996, News Corporation announced plans to acquire the remaining shares of New World Communications for $2.48 billion in stock. The transaction finalized on January 22, 1997, integrating New World's television production assets into 20th Century Fox Television and its stations into Fox Television Stations. This conversion turned several key affiliates into owned-and-operated outlets. Additionally, New World Animation and Marvel Films Animation libraries were transferred to Saban Entertainment and Fox Kids Worldwide (which later became part of Disney following the 2001 acquisition of Fox Family Worldwide).

After Disney's takeover of 21st Century Fox in 2019, the New World library was assigned to TFCF America, Inc., a subsidiary under Disney’s umbrella, while the holding companies related to New World remained with Fox Corporation.

Legacy

New World is celebrated for distributing numerous cult classic films; Filmink has described it as one of the most cherished studios from Hollywood’s Corman era.

Former stations

Stations are organized alphabetically by state and city of license.

Stations formerly owned by New World Communications
Media market	State	Station	Acquisition year	Sale year	Remarks
Birmingham	Alabama	WBRC-TV	1994	1995	^{[lower-alpha 1]}
Birmingham	Alabama	WVTM-TV	1995	1996	^{[lower-alpha 2]}
Phoenix	Arizona	KSAZ-TV	1994	1997
San Diego	California	KNSD	1993	1996	^{[lower-alpha 2]}
Tampa–St. Petersburg	Florida	WTVT	1993	1997
Atlanta	Georgia	WAGA-TV	1993	1997
Boston	Massachusetts	WSBK-TV	1993	1995	^{[lower-alpha 2]}
Detroit	Michigan	WJBK-TV	1993	1997
Kansas City	Missouri	WDAF-TV	1994	1997
St. Louis	Missouri	KTVI	1995	1997
High Point–Greensboro–Winston-Salem	North Carolina	WGHP-TV	1994	1995	^{[lower-alpha 1]}
Cleveland	Ohio	WJW-TV	1993	1997
Austin	Texas	KTBC-TV	1995	1997
Austin		K13VC	1994	1997
Dallas–Fort Worth		KDFW-TV	1995	1997
Dallas–Fort Worth		KDFI-TV	1995	1997	^{[lower-alpha 2]}^{[lower-alpha 3]}
Milwaukee	Wisconsin	WITI-TV	1993	1997

Films

... [List continues with key titles and notes shortened for brevity] ...

Release Date	Title	Remarks
June 1970	Angels Die Hard	Debut feature from New World Pictures
August 1970	The Student Nurses	Initiated the "nurse" film series
December 23, 1988	Hellbound: Hellraiser II	Joint production with Film Futures Troopstar
January 26, 1989	Felix the Cat: The Movie
March 31, 1989	Heathers
August 25, 1993	Die Watching	Last film released by New World Pictures

Television programs

Title	Original Run	Network	Remarks
Spider-Woman	1979–1980	ABC	Produced in partnership with DePartie-Frelang Enterprises and Marvel Comics Animation
Maximum Security	1984–1985	HBO	Collaborative production with Major H
Santa Barbara	1984–1993	NBC	Produced jointly with Dobson Productions
Crime Story	1986–1988	NBC	Co-produced alongside Michael Mann Productions
Sledge Hammer!	1986–1988	ABC
Rags to Riches	1987–1988	NBC	Co-production with Leonard Hill Films
The Bold and the Beautiful	1987–present	CBS	Served as international distributor for initial nine seasons; produced and owned by Bell-Phillip Television Productions Inc.
Mariah	1987	ABC
Once a Hero	1987	ABC	Created in collaboration with Garden Party Productions
Tour of Duty	1987–1990	CBS	Produced with Braun Entertainment Group; distribution handled by Sony Pictures Television
The Wonder Years	1988–1993	ABC	Co-produced with The Black-Marlens Company
Dino-Riders	1988	Syndicated	Distribution only; production by Marvel Productions
RoboCop	1988	Syndicated
Murphy's Law	1988–1989	ABC	Produced jointly with Zev Braun Productions and Michael Gleason Productions
A Fine Romance	1989		Co-production with Phoenix Entertainment Group
The Robert Guillaume Show	1989		Produced in partnership with Guillaume-Margo Productions
Tales from the Crypt	1989–1996	HBO	U.S. distribution only; produced by Tales from the Crypt Holdings; currently owned by Warner Bros. Television Studios
Rude Dog and the Dweebs	1989	CBS	Distribution only; production by Marvel Productions and AKOM
Zorro	1990–1993	The Family Channel	Joint production with Goodman/Rosen, Ellipse Programme, and Zorro Productions, Inc.
Grand Slam	1990	CBS	Co-produced alongside Bill Norton Productions
Elvis	1990	ABC
Bagdad Cafe	1990–1991	CBS	Co-production involving Mort Lachman and Associates, Zev Braun Pictures, and CBS Entertainment Productions; now under ownership of CBS Media Ventures
Top Cops	1990–1993	CBS	Distribution only; produced by Grosso-Jacobson Productions and CBS Entertainment Productions; currently owned by CBS Media Ventures
Get a Life	1990–1992	Fox	Co-produced with TriStar Television for season two
The Adventures of Mark & Brian	1991–1992	NBC	Created in collaboration with Don Mischer Productions and Frontier Pictures for TriStar Television
Silk Stalkings	1991–1999	USA Network	Only seasons five and six; co-produced with Stu Segall Productions and Cannell Entertainment
Charlie Hoover	1991	Fox	Produced jointly with Ian Gurvitz Productions and Brillstein-Grey Entertainment for TriStar Television
The Boys of Twilight	1992	CBS	Co-production alongside Echo Cove Productions for TriStar Television
Renegade	1992–1997	Syndication/USA Network	Seasons three through five only; co-produced with Stu Segall Productions and Cannell Entertainment
Real Stories of the Highway Patrol	1993–1998	Syndicated	Seasons one through four only; co-production with Leap Off Productions and Mark Massari Productions
Paradise Beach	1993–1994	Syndicated	U.S. distribution only; produced and owned by Village Roadshow Pictures
Biker Mice from Mars	1993–1996	Syndicated	Production by Marvel Productions/New World Animation, Brentwood Television Funnies, Worldwide Sports & Entertainment, Inc., and Philippine Animation Studios
Valley of the Dolls	1994	Syndicated	Joint production with Take A Meeting Productions
Fantastic Four	1994–1996	Syndicated	Produced by New World Animation, Marvel Films, Wang Film/Philippine Animation Studios
Iron Man	1994–1996	Syndicated	Production handled by New World Animation, Marvel Films, Rainbow Animation Korea
'Spider-Man'	1994–1998	Fox	Produced by New World Animation, Marvel Films, TMS-Kyokuchi Corporation

Genesis Entertainment

Highway to Heaven (1984–1989)
Sale of the Century (1985–1986)
The Judge (1986–1993)
Tales from the Crypt (1989–1996)
The Grudge Match (1991–1993)
Emergency Call (1991–1998)
Infatuation (1992–1994)
Juvenile Justice (1994–1995)

Storer Broadcasting/Rhodes Productions/Blair Entertainment

The Littlest Hobo (1963–1965)
It's Your Bet (1971–1973)
The Hollywood Squares (1971–1981)
Wait Till Your Father Gets Home (1972–1974)
High Rollers (1975–1976)
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976–1977)
Second City Television (1976–1984)
Let's Make a Deal (1980–1981)
Pitfall (1981–1982)
Break the Bank (1985–1986)
Divorce Court (1985–1992)
Strike it Rich (1986–1987)
Fan Club (1987–1988)
Dracula: The Series (1990–1991)
Stuntmasters (1991–1992)