The entertainment landscape is currently dominated by five major studios that control the majority of the US and Canadian theatrical market. These titans, all of which have surpassed a century of operations, possess the immense financing and global distribution networks necessary for modern blockbusters.
Universal has continued to master the high-concept thrill ride. The franchise (beginning in 1993) merged awe with terror using groundbreaking CGI. The Fast & Furious saga evolved from a Point Break clone about street racing into a globe-trotting, physics-defying heist series about the sacred value of "family." And their animation arm, Illumination, created the minimalist, viral sensation Minions (from Despicable Me ), a franchise built almost entirely on gibberish and yellow slapstick that has grossed nearly $5 billion. Their theme park, Universal Studios, physically immerses fans in these worlds, from Diagon Alley to the land of Jurassic Park.