Empire Pictures
| Industry | Filmed entertainment |
|---|---|
| Fate | Acquired by Epic Entertainment |
| Successor | Epic Productions |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Defunct | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California |
|
Key people
|
Charles Band, Albert Band |
| Subsidiaries | Urban Classics |
Empire International Pictures was an American small scale theatrical distribution company that was formed in 1983 by Charles Band, as a response to the dissatisfaction of how his films were distributed by motion picture companies while making films under the banner of Charles Band International Productions.
The company produced and distributed a number of low-budget horror and fantasy feature films including Trancers and The Dungeonmaster. Notable films from the company include Re-Animator, From Beyond, Trancers, Dolls, TerrorVision, Prison, Troll, and Ghoulies.
Sensing the emerging theatrical market for independently produced horror and science-fiction films, producer Charles Band opted to create a mini-studio that rivaled the studio system of the major Hollywood companies. The first mention of the name Empire Pictures came in May 1983 at Cannes when Band sought funding for Parasite II, the proposed sequel to his successful Parasite from the previous year.
The initial Empire Pictures productions included Swordkill (aka Ghost Warrior) and The Dungeonmaster, which both received limited theatrical releases in 1984.
Empire's first box office success came in early 1985 with the release of Ghoulies. Released in several major markets, the film had grossed up to $3,455,018 by February 1985; upon release in New York City the film grossed over $1 million in that city alone its first weekend. This theatrical success paved the way for the company to showcase future cult hits Trancers and Re-Animator in theaters.
Flush with cash, Band ended up purchasing Castello di Giove, a 12th-century castle located in Giove, Italy. The intention was to use the castle as a European base of operations and a filming location. During this time period Band also purchased Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica, the studio founded by Dino de Laurentiis in 1946, for an alleged $20,000,000.
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