Motion Picture Corporation of America

Motion Picture Corporation of America, commonly known as MPCA, is an American independent entertainment company involved in film and television production, acquisition, packaging, and distribution. Brad Krevoy and Steve Stabler founded the company in 1986. It initially operated as a relatively small independent producer, concentrating on commercially oriented films made outside the traditional major-studio system. Its early slate included the 1988 comedy Purple People Eater, the 1989 action film Back to Back, and the 1992 sex comedy Miracle Beach. MPCA achieved its most consequential early breakthrough with Dumb and Dumber, the 1994 comedy written by Bobby and Peter Farrelly. The project had reportedly been rejected by the major studios before MPCA backed its release. The film became a major commercial success and helped establish the Farrelly brothers as important comedy filmmakers. Its performance also strengthened MPCA's ability to participate in larger studio-oriented productions. The company subsequently worked on films including Kingpin, Beverly Hills Ninja, Jungle 2 Jungle, Threesome, and other comedies, dramas, genre pictures, and direct-to-video projects. In 1996, MPCA was acquired by John Kluge's Metromedia International Group after Metromedia had acquired Orion Pictures from bankruptcy proceedings. MPCA was merged into Orion, and Krevoy and Stabler became co-presidents of Orion Pictures under a six-picture arrangement. During this period, they oversaw production, acquisition, and distribution activity involving Orion's film and television programming. Projects associated with this phase included Prisoner of the Mountains and Ulee's Gold, the latter receiving substantial critical recognition and major awards attention for Peter Fonda. After Metromedia sold Orion Pictures to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Krevoy regained the MPCA name. MPCA returned to independent operation in 1998. During the following years it produced and distributed a broad range of theatrical, television, and home-entertainment titles, including Joe and Max, Bookies, Boat Trip, A Love Song for Bobby Long, and the television film Taking Chance. Taking Chance, a 2009 HBO drama based on Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl's account of escorting the remains of a fallen Marine, received extensive awards recognition, including honors for Kevin Bacon and nominations across several television and guild awards. The company also developed a substantial action and genre-film business during the 2000s and early 2010s. Its credits included Linewatch, Hardwired, Ticking Clock, Arena, Meeting Evil, Assassination Games, One in the Chamber, and Six Bullets. Several of these films were made for home-video or television distribution and featured established action performers such as Cuba Gooding Jr., Val Kilmer, Samuel L. Jackson, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Dolph Lundgren. From the 2010s onward, MPCA became particularly associated with made-for-television and streaming entertainment, especially Christmas and romance programming. It produced projects for Netflix and the Hallmark Channel, including A Christmas Prince, Christmas Inheritance, The Holiday Calendar, The Princess Switch, Falling for Christmas, Irish Wish, and Mother of the Bride. Its television work has also included the When Calls the Heart franchise and a range of mystery, family, seasonal, and inspirational films. MPCA's business model has therefore evolved from low-budget independent theatrical production toward a diversified producer supplying films and television programming to studios, broadcasters, cable outlets, home-entertainment distributors, and streaming platforms.

Motion Picture Corporation of America was established in 1986 by Brad Krevoy and Steve Stabler, longtime business partners who sought to make and distribute commercially viable films outside the major-studio system. The company's initial output consisted largely of modestly budgeted comedies, action films, and genre projects. Early credits included Purple People Eater, Back to Back, and Miracle Beach, demonstrating MPCA's willingness to work across different commercial formats rather than develop a single specialized genre. The company's major breakthrough came in 1994 with Dumb and Dumber. Bobby and Peter Farrelly had difficulty obtaining studio support for their screenplay, but MPCA proceeded with the project and released it. The comedy became a major box-office success and substantially raised MPCA's profile. The company subsequently participated in larger productions and studio relationships, including a first-look arrangement with Paramount Pictures in 1995. Its 1990s slate included Threesome, Kingpin, Beverly Hills Ninja, Jungle 2 Jungle, Bio-Dome, If Lucy Fell, Ulee's Gold, Prisoner of the Mountains, and numerous other theatrical and direct-to-video titles. In 1996, John Kluge's Metromedia International Group acquired MPCA. Metromedia had also acquired Orion Pictures after Orion entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, and MPCA was merged into Orion. Krevoy and Stabler became co-presidents of Orion Pictures and received a six-picture deal. Their responsibilities included overseeing Orion's production, acquisition, and distribution activities in film and television. The Orion period connected MPCA's management with more prestige-oriented projects as well as commercial releases. Prisoner of the Mountains received an Academy Award and Golden Globe nomination for foreign-language film, while Ulee's Gold was critically acclaimed and brought major awards attention to Peter Fonda. Metromedia later sold Orion Pictures to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. As part of the arrangements surrounding the earlier transaction, Krevoy regained the MPCA name, allowing the company to resume independent operation in 1998. The reconstituted MPCA produced projects such as Joe and Max, Bookies, Boat Trip, and A Love Song for Bobby Long. Its output continued to span theatrical films, television movies, genre productions, and projects intended primarily for home entertainment. During the late 2000s and early 2010s, MPCA was active in action and television-oriented filmmaking. It produced Linewatch, Hardwired, Ticking Clock, Arena, Meeting Evil, Assassination Games, One in the Chamber, and Six Bullets, working with performers including Cuba Gooding Jr., Val Kilmer, Samuel L. Jackson, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Dolph Lundgren. It also produced Taking Chance, a 2009 HBO drama directed by Ross Katz and starring Kevin Bacon. Based on Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl's account of escorting the remains of a fallen Marine, the film received strong critical and awards recognition. From 2011 onward, MPCA increasingly developed programming for television, home video, cable, and streaming services. Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 was made for Disney's home-entertainment market. Beginning in the 2010s, the company became especially prominent in Christmas and romantic television films for Hallmark and Netflix. Its credits included A Christmas Prince, Christmas Inheritance, The Holiday Calendar, The Princess Switch and its sequels, Holiday in the Wild, The Knight Before Christmas, Operation Christmas Drop, A Castle for Christmas, Falling for Christmas, Irish Wish, and Mother of the Bride. MPCA has also been involved with continuing television properties such as When Calls the Heart and When Hope Calls. The company's history reflects a progression from independent low-budget theatrical production to a flexible, multi-platform entertainment supplier specializing in accessible feature films, made-for-television movies, genre titles, and seasonal streaming content.

• 2017

  A Christmas Prince

  [1]Motion Picture Corporation of Americaen.wikipedia.org

  MPCA produced A Christmas Prince, an early prominent entry in its Netflix seasonal-film portfolio.

• 2013

  Expansion into seasonal television and streaming

  [1]Motion Picture Corporation of Americaen.wikipedia.org

  MPCA began producing a continuing slate of Christmas films for Netflix and Hallmark.

• 2009

  Taking Chance

  [1]Motion Picture Corporation of Americaen.wikipedia.org

  MPCA produced the HBO drama Taking Chance, which received numerous awards and nominations.

• 1998

  Return to independence

  [1]Motion Picture Corporation of Americaen.wikipedia.org

  MPCA resumed independent operation after the Orion ownership transition.

• 1996

  Acquisition and Orion integration

  [1]Motion Picture Corporation of Americaen.wikipedia.org

  Metromedia International Group acquired MPCA and merged it into Orion Pictures.

• 1994

  Dumb and Dumber breakthrough

  [1]Motion Picture Corporation of Americaen.wikipedia.org

  MPCA released Dumb and Dumber, the Farrelly brothers' comedy that became the company's best-known early commercial success.

• 1986

  Company founded

  [1]Motion Picture Corporation of Americaen.wikipedia.org

  Brad Krevoy and Steve Stabler founded Motion Picture Corporation of America as an independent film production company.

An independent film and television producer focused on commercially accessible entertainment, combining theatrical and home-video genre filmmaking with television, streaming, family, romance, mystery, and Christmas programming.

• Feature film production · 1986

  Independent theatrical feature films

  MPCA's original business centered on independently produced feature films, especially comedies, dramas, action titles, and genre pictures. The company's theatrical credits include Dumb and Dumber, Threesome, Kingpin, Beverly Hills Ninja, Jungle 2 Jungle, A Love Song for Bobby Long, and other releases made with studio, specialty, and independent distribution partners.

• Film production · 1988

  Action and genre films

  MPCA produced a substantial group of action, thriller, horror, and direct-to-video films, often designed for home-entertainment or television distribution. Examples include Linewatch, Hardwired, Ticking Clock, Arena, Meeting Evil, Assassination Games, One in the Chamber, and Six Bullets.

• Television production · 1992

  Television films and series

  The company has produced television movies, specials, and series in partnership with broadcasters, cable networks, and streaming services. Its television work includes Taking Chance, When Calls the Heart, When Hope Calls, mystery-film series, family dramas, and numerous seasonal productions.

• Streaming and television film production · 2013

  Christmas and romance films

  MPCA is particularly associated with accessible Christmas, romance, family, and inspirational films produced for Netflix and Hallmark. Notable titles include A Christmas Prince, Christmas Inheritance, The Holiday Calendar, The Princess Switch, The Knight Before Christmas, Operation Christmas Drop, A Castle for Christmas, Falling for Christmas, and Irish Wish.

• 2013

  Prioritize made-for-television and streaming Christmas filmsStrategy

  Background

  Changes in film distribution created opportunities for independent producers supplying recognizable, repeatable seasonal and romantic formats to television networks and streaming platforms.

  Action taken

  MPCA expanded its production of Christmas and romance films for Netflix and the Hallmark Channel.

  Aftermath

  Seasonal and romantic programming became a prominent part of MPCA's later identity and output.

  Source

• 1996

  Accept acquisition by Metromedia International GroupM&A

  Background

  MPCA was acquired during Metromedia's expansion into independent film production and its purchase of Orion Pictures after Orion's bankruptcy proceedings.

  Action taken

  MPCA was merged into Orion Pictures, while Brad Krevoy and Steve Stabler assumed co-presidential responsibilities at Orion under a six-picture arrangement.

  Aftermath

  After Metromedia sold Orion to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Krevoy regained the MPCA name and relaunched the company as an independent operation.

  Source

1. 1Motion Picture Corporation of Americaen.wikipedia.org