Buene Vista #1 Internationally

Buena Vista is No. 1 Distributor Worldwide for 1999, Sets Company Record

Disney's Buena Vista was the No. 1 distributor worldwide for 1999 with a company record-setting domestic and international cumulative gross of $2.6 billion, it was announced today by Joe Roth, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, and Richard Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group.

Commenting on the announcement, Roth said, "Last year was a fantastic one for our film division and all of us at the Studio are thrilled with the year-end results both domestically and internationally. We are very proud to once again be the industry leader and to have been associated with a terrific group of talented filmmakers. With a diverse group of films ranging from such excellent dramas as The Sixth Sense, The Insider and The Straight Story to outstanding family fare like Tarzan and Toy Story 2, we tried to create a slate that would appeal to a wide variety of moviegoing tastes. Looking ahead to the coming year, we have a great lineup of films for 2000 which we hope will continue our winning streak at the box office."

Cook added, "Buena Vista and Buena Vista International each had a remarkable year and we are extremely proud of their amazing accomplishments. The latest box office figures indicate that the worldwide appetite for quality films has never been stronger and we are working hard to create some exciting new films to satisfy that demand."

Domestic
On the domestic front, Buena Vista was once again No. 1 (as it has been for six of the past ten years) and had three of the year's top ten releases. It also became the first distributor in industry history to ever have two films join the exclusive $200 million club in the same year (The Sixth Sense and Toy Story 2). Additionally, Tarzan climbed past the $100 million mark to reach a final tally of $171 million. Buena Vista's 1999 cumulative gross of $1.24 billion establishes a new company record and represents approximately 17 percent of the overall market. This is the fifth time in the last six years that Buena Vista has reached or surpassed the prestigious $1 billion mark at the box office. Throughout the `90s, Buena Vista consistently led the box office, finishing in either first or second place during that ten year period.

International
Overseas, Buena Vista International was once again the No. 1 distributor (as it has been for four of the last six years) with a sensational annual gross of $1.32 billion. That 1999 box office figure sets a new company record which improves upon the previous high set in 1997 ($1.25 billion) and is 13 percent higher than last year's total. BVI has the distinction of being the only distributor in industry history to cross the $1 billion plateau five years in a row. Adding to the company's success in 1999 were five films which grossed over $100 million -- A Bug's Life, Tarzan, The Sixth Sense, Enemy of the State and Runaway Bride. Two of those films crossed the $200 million mark with A Bug's Life reaching $201 million and Tarzan reaching $228 million to date.

-- Posted January 5, 2000

Source: Company Press Release