Universal Pictures is owned by Comcast (the United States, NASDAQ: CMCSA), which acquired the brand on 28 January 2011 for $13.8 billion.[1][2] Universal Pictures was founded in 1912 in Universal City, California and was independent until 2011.
Universal is the oldest surviving film studio in America, founded in 1912. Its horror pictures of the 1930s created the popular images of Dracula and Frankenstein's monster, and Jaws in 1975 effectively invented the summer blockbuster. Its Universal Monsters characters remain licensable a century later, and the studio has repeatedly tried and failed to relaunch them as a connected film series.
Comcast took majority control of NBCUniversal from General Electric in a transaction valuing the business at about $30 billion, contributing cable channels and $13.75 billion in cash. It turned the largest American cable distributor into a studio owner, and regulators imposed conditions on how it treated rival programmers.
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Frequently asked questions
Who is the parent company of Universal Pictures?
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The parent company of Universal Pictures is Comcast, a publicly listed company headquartered in the United States.
Is Universal Pictures American?
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Yes. Universal Pictures originated in the United States in 1912 and its owner, Comcast, is also headquartered in the United States.
When did Comcast buy Universal Pictures?
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Comcast completed its acquisition of Universal Pictures on 28 January 2011, after announcing the deal on 3 December 2009. The deal was valued at $13.8 billion (enterprise value).
Who owned Universal Pictures before Comcast?
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Universal Pictures was an independent company from its founding in 1912 in Universal City, California until Comcast acquired it in 2011.
Is Universal Pictures still owned by Comcast?
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Yes. As of 16 September 2026, Universal Pictures is still owned by Comcast. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.
Sources (2) & corrections
Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.