Which companies are known for making hit movies and TV series?

The entertainment industry features several major legacy studios and prominent production companies renowned for consistently producing blockbuster movies and critically acclaimed TV series.

• Warner Bros. Pictures / Warner Bros. Television — Home to massive franchises like the DC Universe, the Harry Potter series, and prestige television through HBO (such as Succession and Game of Thrones).
• Walt Disney Studios — Encompassing Disney Animation, Pixar, Marvel Studios, and Lucasfilm, Disney is responsible for the highest-grossing film franchises of all time alongside hit series on Disney+.
• Universal Pictures / Universal Television — A historic studio behind blockbuster cinematic universes (like Jurassic Park and the Fast & Furious series) as well as iconic television hits through Universal Content Productions (UCP) and NBC.
• Paramount Pictures — Known for classic cinematic masterworks and modern hits like Top Gun: Maverick , alongside a massive television footprint via Paramount+ and CBS (producing shows like Yellowstone and Star Trek spin-offs).
• Sony Pictures Entertainment — Renowned for the Spider-Man franchise, critically acclaimed animation like the Spider-Verse films, and hit television series through Sony Pictures Television (such as The Crown and Breaking Bad).
• Netflix — Operating as both a premier streaming platform and a powerhouse studio, Netflix produces massive original film hits and global TV phenomenons like Stranger Things and Squid Game.
• Amazon MGM Studios — Combining the historic library of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer with Amazon's high-budget original productions, creating major hits like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and Fallout.
• A24 — An independent entertainment powerhouse that has redefined modern cinema and TV with critical darlings and box-office hits like Everything Everywhere All at Once and the Emmy-winning series Euphoria.

If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know:

• Are you looking for major Hollywood studios or independent production companies?
• Are you more interested in movies or TV series?

If you mean companies/studios with a strong track record of producing or distributing major hit movies and TV series, these are among the biggest names:

• The Walt Disney Company — Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight. Major hits include Avengers, Star Wars, Toy Story, Frozen, and The Mandalorian.
• Warner Bros. Discovery — Warner Bros., HBO, DC, and more. Known for Harry Potter, The Dark Knight, Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, and Dune.
• Universal Pictures / NBCUniversal — Jurassic World, Fast & Furious, Despicable Me, Oppenheimer, The Office, and many others. Universal's official history highlights its enormous franchise library.
• Sony Pictures Entertainment — Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Television, and franchises such as Spider-Man, Jumanji, Breaking Bad, and The Boys. Sony describes its business as encompassing both motion-picture and television production and distribution.
• Paramount — Paramount Pictures and CBS Studios. Its film catalog includes The Godfather, Titanic, Mission: Impossible, and Transformers, while its TV side includes Star Trek, Yellowstone, Reacher, and Landman.
• Netflix — Especially strong in original TV and streaming films, with hits such as Stranger Things, Wednesday, Bridgerton, Squid Game, and One Piece.
• Amazon MGM Studios — MGM's enormous film/TV library combined with Amazon's Prime Video operation; notable productions include The Boys, Reacher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and the Creed films.
• Apple / Apple TV+ — A newer but highly acclaimed player, with series such as Ted Lasso, Severance, The Morning Show, and Slow Horses.

The traditional Hollywood "Big Five" are generally considered Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, Sony, and Paramount; together they accounted for about 77% of the North American theatrical market from 1995–2025.

If you're asking because you're interested in working for one of these companies, starting a production company, or finding companies that specialize in making hit TV shows, I can also rank them by movies vs. TV, profitability, prestige, or number of hits.

Several major media conglomerates, Hollywood studios, and independent production companies have built powerhouse reputations for producing both blockbuster hit movies and critically acclaimed, high-rating television series.

• Warner Bros. Discovery (Warner Bros. Pictures / Warner Bros. Television)
  • Movies: Known for massive franchises like the Harry Potter and DC Extended Universe films, The Lord of the Rings (historically), and legendary classics.
  • TV Series: Home to iconic TV hits via HBO and Warner Bros. Television, including Game of Thrones, Succession, Ted Lasso (co-produced), and Friends.
• The Walt Disney Company (Walt Disney Studios / ABC / FX / Marvel Studios / Lucasfilm)
  • Movies: Dominates the global box office with cultural phenomena from Walt Disney Animation Studios , Pixar, Marvel Studios (The Avengers ), and Lucasfilm (Star Wars).
  • TV Series: Produces high-profile television and streaming hits spanning ABC, FX (The Bear, Shōgun ), and Disney+ originals from the Marvel and Star Wars universes.
• Universal Pictures / Universal Television (Comcast / NBCUniversal)
  • Movies: Renowned for massive blockbuster and horror stables, including the Jurassic Park/World franchise, Fast & Furious , and films from Illumination (Despicable Me ) and DreamWorks Animation.
  • TV Series: Powers network and streaming hits through Universal Television and NBC, such as The Office, Law & Order, Sunday Night Football adjacent programming, and streaming sensations on Peacock.
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (Columbia Pictures / Sony Pictures Television)
  • Movies: Famous for the Spider-Man franchise, the Jumanji sequels, and critically acclaimed animated features like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
  • TV Series: A powerhouse independent television supplier behind massive hits like Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Boys , and The Crown (co-produced).
• Paramount Global (Paramount Pictures / Paramount Television Studios / CBS)
  • Movies: The historic studio behind Top Gun: Maverick, Mission: Impossible , and The Godfather.
  • TV Series: Operates CBS and produces massive TV phenomena like the Yellowstone universe, NCIS , and hit originals for Paramount+.
• Netflix (Netflix Original Series & Films)
  • Movies: Has disrupted the traditional film industry with heavy-hitting original movies like Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Extraction , and Oscar-winning features like Roma and The Power of the Dog.
  • TV Series: Redefined modern television culture with binge-worthy global hits like Stranger Things, Squid Game, Wednesday , and The Crown.
• Amazon MGM Studios (Amazon Prime Video / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
  • Movies: Combines MGM's historic library (James Bond, Creed ) with major Amazon original films like Road House and awards-season contenders.
  • TV Series: Produces high-budget, acclaimed streaming series including The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Boys , and Reacher.

If you're interested, we can dive deeper into one specific company , look at their biggest upcoming projects , or explore independent production companies that punch above their weight class. What would you like to explore next?

If you mean companies/studios with a strong track record of producing or releasing hit movies and TV series, these are among the biggest names:

• The Walt Disney Company — Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and FX. Known for Avengers, Star Wars, Frozen, The Simpsons, and Only Murders in the Building.
• Warner Bros. Discovery — Warner Bros., HBO, DC, and New Line Cinema. Major hits include Harry Potter, The Dark Knight, Barbie, Game of Thrones, and The Last of Us.
• Universal Pictures / NBCUniversal — Behind franchises such as Jurassic World, Fast & Furious, Despicable Me, plus TV hits through NBC, Peacock, and Universal Television.
• Sony Pictures Entertainment — Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Television, and others. Known for Spider-Man, Jumanji, Bad Boys, Breaking Bad, and The Boys (via Sony Television).
• Paramount Skydance Corporation — Paramount Pictures, CBS, Nickelodeon, and Paramount+. Known for Mission: Impossible, Top Gun, Transformers, Yellowstone, and Star Trek.
• Netflix — Particularly strong at TV and streaming originals, including Stranger Things, Wednesday, The Crown, Bridgerton, and films such as Roma and All Quiet on the Western Front.
• Amazon — Through Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video, it has The Boys, Reacher, Fallout, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and films from MGM's historic library.
• Lionsgate — Known for The Hunger Games, John Wick, Saw, Yellowstone spin-offs, and Orange Is the New Black.
• A24 — Smaller but extremely influential, with acclaimed hits such as Everything Everywhere All at Once, Hereditary, Euphoria, and The Bear.

The traditional “Big Five” Hollywood studios are Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, Sony, and Paramount.

If you're asking because you're interested in working for a company that makes hit movies/TV, I can also rank these by prestige, number of hits, streaming strength, or best career opportunities.

If by “companies” you mean the major studios and streamers with a strong track record of producing or releasing hit movies and TV series, these are the names to know:

The traditional Hollywood “Big Five” are Disney, Paramount, Sony, Universal and Warner Bros.; together they accounted for about 77% of the U.S. theatrical market from 1995–2025. www.congress.gov The Motion Picture Association currently lists Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Amazon MGM, Sony, Universal and Warner Bros. Discovery among its major members.

Particularly strong choices

• For blockbuster movies: Disney/Marvel, Universal, Warner Bros., Sony and Paramount.
• For prestige TV: HBO/Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix, Apple and Amazon MGM.
• For franchises: Disney, Universal, Warner Bros. and Paramount.
• For a combination of movies + TV: Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Universal/NBCUniversal, Paramount and Amazon MGM.

Universal, for example, has a film library encompassing franchises such as Jurassic World, Fast & Furious, Bourne and Back to the Future, alongside Illumination and DreamWorks Animation. www.universalpictures.com Paramount similarly operates Paramount Pictures, CBS Studios and Paramount Television Studios, with franchises and series ranging from Mission: Impossible and Star Trek to Reacher and Landman.

If you're asking because you're looking for companies that consistently make commercially successful entertainment, I can also rank the top 20 studios/production companies by hit rate, box office, TV ratings/streaming popularity, or number of major franchises.

• Disney (The Walt Disney Studios): Known for massive franchises across Marvel Studios, Star Wars (Lucasfilm), Pixar, and Walt Disney Animation Studios, alongside hit TV series on Disney+ and ABC.
• Warner Bros. Discovery: Powerhouse behind the DC Universe, Harry Potter, and massive cinematic hits, plus prestige television from HBO and Max.
• Universal Pictures (NBCUniversal): Renowned for blockbuster franchises like Jurassic Park, Fast & Furious, and Illumination animation hits, alongside NBC and Peacock television series.
• Paramount Pictures: Famous for the Mission: Impossible and Transformers franchises, as well as massive TV hits like Yellowstone (via Paramount Network/Paramount+).
• Sony Pictures: Celebrated for the Spider-Man franchise, the Jumanji series, and critically acclaimed television through Sony Pictures Television (like Breaking Crown and The Boys).
• Netflix: A dominant streaming giant that pioneered binge-worthy original hit series (like Stranger Things and Squid Game) and major original feature films.
• Amazon MGM Studios: Combines the legendary film legacy of MGM (James Bond, Creed) with high-profile Amazon Prime Video original series like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and Fallout.

Would you like me to dive deeper into the streaming platforms, independent production companies , or specific genres these studios specialize in?

• Universal Pictures — One of the oldest Hollywood studios, renowned for legendary franchises like Jurassic Park, Fast & Furious, Despicable Me , and classic monster movies, alongside acclaimed prestige films via Focus Features.
• Warner Bros. Pictures / Television — A powerhouse behind massive cinematic universes like the DC superhero films, Harry Potter , and The Lord of the Rings , as well as legendary TV series like Friends, Succession , and Game of Thrones (via HBO).
• Walt Disney Studios — The giant behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars (Lucasfilm), Pixar animation (Toy Story, Inside Out ), and classic Disney animation, plus massive TV hits on Disney+ and ABC.
• Paramount Pictures — Famous for timeless classics and modern hits like Top Gun: Maverick , the Mission: Impossible series, The Godfather , and massive TV hits via Paramount+ and Taylor Sheridan shows like Yellowstone.
• Sony Pictures Entertainment — Known for the Spider-Man franchise, the Jumanji series, and prestige television through Sony Pictures Television (producing hits like Breaking Bad and The Crown).
• Netflix — A dominant streaming pioneer and studio that changed the landscape with massive original hits like Stranger Things, Squid Game, Bridgerton , and Oscar-winning films like Roma and The Power of the Dog.
• A24 — An independent entertainment company that has built a massive cult following and critical acclaim for breakout indie hits and horror sensations like Everything Everywhere All at Once, Hereditary , and Euphoria (TV).
• HBO / Max — Historically renowned as the gold standard for premium television, producing cultural phenomena like The Sopranos, The Wire, Game of Thrones , and The Last of Us.

Would you like to explore specific genres (like sci-fi, horror, or animation) or focus on streaming vs. traditional studios?

If you mean companies/studios with a strong track record of producing or distributing popular hit movies and TV series, these are some of the biggest names:

• The Walt Disney Company — Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight. Major hits include Avengers: Endgame, Frozen, Avatar, The Mandalorian, and Only Murders in the Building. Disney had the largest U.S. theatrical market share in 2025, at 28%.
• Warner Bros. Discovery — Warner Bros., HBO, DC, New Line Cinema, and more. Known for Harry Potter, The Dark Knight, Barbie, Dune, Game of Thrones, and The Last of Us. Warner Bros. was #2 in U.S. theatrical market share in 2025.
• NBCUniversal — Universal Pictures, DreamWorks Animation, Focus Features, NBC, and Peacock. Hits include Jurassic World, Despicable Me, Oppenheimer, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and The Office.
• Sony Pictures Entertainment — Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Television, Screen Gems, and others. Known for Spider-Man, Jumanji, Breaking Bad, The Boys, and Better Call Saul.
• Paramount Skydance — Paramount Pictures, CBS, Nickelodeon and related studios. Its history includes Top Gun, Mission: Impossible, The Godfather, Yellowstone, and Star Trek.
• Netflix — Particularly strong in original TV and increasingly significant in movies, with hits such as Stranger Things, Wednesday, Squid Game, Bridgerton, and Red Notice.
• Amazon MGM Studios — MGM's enormous film library plus Amazon's original productions, including The Boys, Reacher, Fallout, and the James Bond franchise.
• Lionsgate Studios — Known for The Hunger Games, John Wick, Twilight, Yellowstone (as a distributor/producer in parts of its history), and numerous television productions.
• A24 — Smaller than the giants but famous for critically acclaimed hits such as Everything Everywhere All at Once, Hereditary, Uncut Gems, and Euphoria.

The simplest way to group them

Big Hollywood studios: Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, Sony, Paramount
Streaming powerhouses: Netflix, Amazon MGM
Major independent/“mini-major” studios: Lionsgate, A24

The traditional “Big Five” are Disney, Universal, Sony, Paramount, and Warner Bros.; together they accounted for roughly 77% of the U.S. theatrical market over 1995–2025.

If you're asking because you're looking for companies to work for, invest in, pitch a movie/TV idea to, or study as examples of successful entertainment businesses, the best list would be somewhat different.

If you mean companies/studios with a strong track record of producing or releasing major hit movies and TV series, these are among the biggest names:

The traditional "Big Five" Hollywood movie studios are Disney, Universal, Warner Bros., Sony, and Paramount.

If you're asking because you're interested in working for companies that consistently make hit movies/TV, I'd especially look at Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros., Universal, Sony, Paramount, Amazon MGM, A24, and Apple.

• Walt Disney Studios (including Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar, Marvel Studios , and Lucasfilm ) is renowned for global blockbusters and powerhouse franchises spanning MCU superhero films, Star Wars, and animated classics.
• Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Bros. Television are famous for massive cinematic universes (like DC properties), classic films, and prestige television through HBO (such as Game of Thrones and Succession).
• Universal Pictures has a rich history of legendary franchises from the Jurassic Park/World series to the Fast & Furious saga, alongside iconic horror and animated hits through Illumination and DreamWorks Animation.
• Netflix transformed the entertainment landscape as both a distributor and a massive in-house producer of cultural-phenomenon TV series (like Stranger Things and Squid Game ) and major original films.
• Paramount Pictures stands out for timeless cinematic history and modern staples like the Mission: Impossible franchise and hit television expansion via Paramount+ (such as Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone universe).
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (including Columbia Pictures ) is celebrated for major hits like the Spider-Man franchise, the Sony Pictures Animation Spider-Verse films, and acclaimed television via Sony Pictures Television (like Breaking Bad).

Would you like to focus on film studios, streaming giants , or television networks , or do you want to explore the top-grossing franchises of a specific company?