The first home video release from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment was not a blockbuster hit, but a collection of 24 films released on Betamax and VHS in May 1980, including Jaws, Animal House, and The Deer Hunter. This launch marked the beginning of a new era for the company, which was then known as MCA Videoclassette, Inc. The division was founded in 1980 with Gene Giaquinto as its president, and it quickly became a major player in the home video market. Before 1980, Castle Films, known as Universal 8 after 1977, had served as Universal's home film distribution unit. The company's early releases included classic films such as Dracula, Animal Crackers, and Scarface, as well as Jaws 2 and 1941. In late 1983, both the LaserDisc sister label MCA Videodisc and the MCA Videocassette label were consolidated into a single entity, MCA Home Video, alternating with the MCA Videocassette, Inc. name until December 1983. The mid-1980s saw MCA Home Video begin to license catalog titles to smaller, independent video firms with a focus on sell-through product. The first was in 1986 with Kartes Video Communications, followed by a similar agreement with GoodTimes Home Video in 1987. In 1986, the company made agreements with Motown Productions and with children's book publisher Price Stern Sloan to expand its non-theatrical product. 1987 was a busy year for MCA Home Video, as the company underwent an executive shuffle, signed an exclusive three-year deal with International Video Entertainment for video distribution, and began offering new content from Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus. In 1990, with the 75th anniversary of Universal Studios, it became MCA/Universal Home Video and used that name alternating with the MCA Home Video name from 1990 until 1997. On the 9th of December 1996, the company was renamed Universal Studios Home Video when MCA was reincorporated as Universal Studios, which would then later be merged into Vivendi Universal Entertainment in 2000. Universal's first titles on DVD, in 1997, were licensed to Image Entertainment for distribution. These early, bare-bones editions quickly fell out-of-print when Universal started making their own DVDs. When Universal's then-parent company (Seagram) purchased PolyGram Filmed Entertainment in 1998, Universal gained not only the Post-March 1996 PolyGram library, but also a brand new genre for Universal, in a form of Stand-up comedy from the likes of Roy Chubby Brown, Jethro, Jim Davidson, Billy Connolly and Lee Evans. Universal additionally gained distribution rights to some classic British TV content as well, such as the Smallfilms library, The Vicar Of Dibley, Fun Song Factory and the then-upcoming Lock, Stock... TV series, just to name quite a few, as well as the UK home video rights to Barney & Friends (until 2001, when HIT Entertainment purchased Lyrick Studios, after which, HIT immediately started self-releasing Barney titles). In 2004, due to the merger of Universal Studios and NBC to form NBC Universal, Universal started releasing DVDs of shows from the newly established NBC Universal Television Distribution. Before 2004, NBC shows were distributed on DVD by Lions Gate Home Entertainment and A&E Home Video under the label NBC Home Entertainment (formerly NBC Home Video under Trimark until it was bought by Lions Gate). NBC's home entertainment on-screen logo was simply the NBC Enterprises syndication logo. In 2005 (by which point Universal Studios Home Video was renamed to Universal Studios Home Entertainment), the group was restructured; Universal 1440 Entertainment was formed as an internal production arm, while the London-based Universal Pictures Visual Programming (formerly PolyGram Visual Programming) unit was folded into Universal Pictures International; Universal Cartoon Studios was absorbed into the Family Productions unit. The year after, UPHE acquired distribution rights to the Barbie film series after negotiations between Mattel and their previous domestic distributor, Lionsgate Home Entertainment, fell apart (Universal had already been distributing these films internationally). Universal Pictures Home Entertainment was also the worldwide video distributor for DreamWorks Pictures titles (through DreamWorks Home Entertainment) until 2006, when DreamWorks Pictures was sold to Paramount Pictures' parent company, Viacom, and as a result, Paramount Home Entertainment took over distribution. After Viacom spun-off DreamWorks Pictures in 2008, Universal Studios Home Entertainment planned resuming distributing DreamWorks Pictures' movies, but this deal fell through. Until Lionsgate formed their home video division, Universal distributed their releases with the exception of Dogma, which was distributed by Columbia-TriStar Home Video. In 2007, it was signed on as home video distributor of releases by Summit Entertainment (ironically, Summit was later bought by Lionsgate). In addition to DVD releases, Universal was a major supporter of the HD DVD format until Toshiba discontinued the format. Starting on the 22nd of July 2008, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has released Blu-ray Discs, and it was the last main major Hollywood movie studio to do so. The first three Blu-ray Disc releases to release in the United States were The Mummy, its sequel The Mummy Returns and The Scorpion King. Starting on the 9th of August 2016, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has released 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays. In 2013, Universal Pictures' digital distribution division was merged into Universal Studios Home Entertainment as the combined entity under the Universal Studios Home Entertainment name would oversume all home entertainment distribution of NBCUniversal's film and television content, Michael Bonner continued leading the domestic digital distribution team, overseeing domestic distribution for film and television across all platforms under Universal Studios Home Entertainment. In 2014, Universal Studios Home Entertainment took over releasing HIT Entertainment/Mattel titles from Lionsgate Home Entertainment (this would end in 2020, although Universal Studios Home Entertainment continues to distribute the Barbie direct-to-video titles for Mattel). In 2015, Funimation (now known as Crunchyroll, LLC), formed a multi-year home video distribution deal with UPHE. Two years later, Sony Pictures Television acquired a 95% stake in Funimation, which resulted in Sony Pictures Home Entertainment taking over distribution after the UPHE deal expired. In 2016, Universal Studios Home Entertainment was renamed to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Starting on the 5th of June 2018, because Comcast (through NBCUniversal) purchased DreamWorks Animation two years prior, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment re-distributed all of DreamWorks Animation's back catalogue film library on home video after DreamWorks Animation's previous home video distribution deal with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (through DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment) expired, resulting in DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment being folded into Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Internationally, before 1999, Universal releases were distributed by CIC Video, their international home video joint-venture with Paramount Pictures. When Universal nearly pulled out of UIP in 1999 following their then-parent Seagram's purchase of PolyGram, they would pull out of CIC and renamed PolyGram's home video unit (PolyGram Video) as Universal Pictures Video. Distribution deals in the Netherlands, UPHE distributed most DVDs of films released theatrically by Independent Films and TV shows and films from Studio 100 until 2006, although this is now limited to catalog releases, as more recent films are now released through Warner Home Video and later on, Belga Home Video. In South Africa, UPHE distributes films on DVD and VHS through CIC Video in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1999, the company was moved to Ster-Kinekor Home Entertainment after CIC Video was dissolved in the same year. In 2007, it was moved later to Nu Metro Home Entertainment on DVDs and Blu-Ray discs until 2013, when Next Entertainment took over until at least 2019. UPHE also formerly distributed StudioCanal titles on home media in France (until 2024 when distribution moved to ESC Distribution), most of the Republic Pictures library in the UK and most of the Carolco Pictures library in Australia, Latin America, and several European countries (along with other StudioCanal properties) until StudioCanal's global distribution deal with Universal expired in January 2022. In the 1980s until the late 1990s, they also distributed tapes released by Cineplex Odeon in Canada. In the UK, UPHE previously distributed its films on video internationally through CIC Video (a division of Cinema International Corporation, later United International Pictures) alongside Paramount Pictures. In Japan, releases from both Universal and Paramount appeared on CIC-Victor Video, Ltd. (a joint venture between CIC Video and JVC) for VHS and on Pioneer LDC, Inc. for Laserdisc. On the 28th of February 1999, Universal signed a multi-year distribution deal with Columbia-TriStar Home Video to allow the latter to distribute Universal's DVD releases outside North America. In June 2002, Columbia-TriStar Home Entertainment formed a joint-venture with Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd. called UCA (Universal Columbia Alliance), under which Universal would distribute back catalogue Columbia Tristar titles through retail. UPHE's international operations are a carryover from the PolyGram Video days, Universal Studios Home Video And Columbia Tristar Home Video Join For International DVD Distribution but UPHE operates a joint venture in Australia, New Zealand and Scandinavia with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment called Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The venture distributes UPHE and SPHE titles on home media in those countries and also licensed anime series and films from the anime library of NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan, the Japanese division of UPHE's sister company, Universal Pictures International Entertainment, formerly known as Pioneer LDC from 1981 to 2003, Geneon Entertainment from 2003 to 2009 and Geneon Universal Entertainment from 2009 to very late 2013, the year they switched to their current name. The name of the joint venture is Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Australia. Before that, though, NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan had a marketing and distribution division in North America called Geneon USA, which, like UPHE, also distributed home video. At the time, NBCUEJ was known as Geneon Entertainment. Geneon USA shut down in late 2007, and Universal has licensed all of NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan's catalog to other companies rather than directly distributing them themselves. Starting on the 26th of March 2022, NBCUEJ (through UPHE) distributes and licenses anime series and films. From 2017 to 2018, Funimation began directly distributing a select number of its titles in Australia and New Zealand through Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Australia. In September 2018, Funimation transferred distribution to Madman Entertainment, with Madman handling distribution and classification within the region. On the 3rd of October 2014, Universal established global headquarters for its home video division in Los Angeles. At the start of 2015, Paramount Home Entertainment signed a distribution agreement with Universal, whereby the latter will distribute the former's titles overseas, particularly in the territories where Paramount holds an office. The deal began on the 1st of July 2015. The Universal deal expired upon the announcement of the Universal/Warner Bros. physical media joint-venture, and as a result, Paramount signed a new UK home entertainment distribution deal with StudioCanal UK and Lionsgate UK's Elevation Sales on the 14th of July 2020, that began in November that year. Along with the announcement of the Universal/Warner Bros. NA physical home media joint-venture, Universal announced that they would begin distributing Warner Bros. titles in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Japan in the third quarter of 2020 through home video (until 2025), while Warner Bros. announced that they would begin distributing Universal titles in the United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg in the first quarter of 2021 through home video. In 2020, SF Studios had signed a distribution deal with Universal to handle titles across the Nordic region. In late 2023 and late 2024 respectively, Plaion Pictures and Spirit Entertainment signed a distribution deal with Universal to handle titles respectively in Italy and the United Kingdom, which caused Universal's deal with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment to expire in those countries. As for Plaion, they expanded to distribute Universal's titles in Germany, Austria and Switzerland as of the 1st of January 2026. Since early 2024, ESC Distribution now handles Universal's titles on home media in France. Universal 1440 Entertainment is the direct-to-video entertainment label of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment created in 2005. The entity is a successor to MCA Family Entertainment (formerly Universal Family Entertainment). It was originally known as Universal Studios Family Productions, and Universal Animation Studios (formerly Universal Cartoon Studios) is a subsidiary of the company. Filmography Year Title Co-production with the 10th of January 2012 The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption the 9th of October 2012 Werewolf: The Beast Among Us the 22nd of January 2013 Death Race 3: Inferno the 24th of September 2013 Curse of Chucky the 22nd of October 2013 Dead in Tombstone the 1st of April 2014 The Little Rascals Save the Day the 19th of August 2014 Jarhead 2: Field of Fire the 28th of October 2014 Beethoven's Treasure Tail the 13th of January 2015 The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power the 14th of April 2015 The Man with the Iron Fists 2 the 23rd of June 2015 Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle Universal Animation Studios the 29th of September 2015 Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls the 6th of October 2015 Tremors 5: Bloodlines the 2nd of February 2016 The Land Before Time XIV: Journey of the Brave Universal Animation Studios the 17th of May 2016 Kindergarten Cop 2 the 7th of June 2016 Jarhead 3: The Siege the 6th of September 2016 Honey 3: Dare to Dance Hard Target 2 Mostly Ghostly: One Night in Doom House the 17th of January 2017 Death Race 2050 the 18th of April 2017 Bigger Fatter Liar the 13th of June 2017 Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire the 1st of August 2017 Cop and a Half: New Recruit the 29th of August 2017 Bring It On: Worldwide Cheersmack the 12th of September 2017 Dead Again in Tombstone the 3rd of October 2017 Cult of Chucky the 14th of November 2017 All I Want for Christmas Is You the 6th of February 2018 Woody Woodpecker Universal Animation Studios the 6th of March 2018 Aliens Ate My Homework the 3rd of April 2018 Honey: Rise Up and Dance the 1st of May 2018 Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell the 2nd of October 2018 Death Race: Beyond Anarchy Tales from the Hood 2 the 23rd of October 2018 Scorpion King: Book of Souls the 11th of December 2018 Unbroken: Path to Redemption the 8th of January 2019 The Car: Road to Revenge the 29th of January 2019 Benchwarmers 2 Breaking Balls Revolution Studios the 5th of February 2019 Grand-Daddy Day Care Revolution Studios the 20th of April 2019 How High 2 Smith-Garr ProductionsCapital Arts Entertainment the 14th of May 2019 Backdraft 2 Imagine Entertainment the 10th of September 2019 Curious George: Royal Monkey the 24th of September 2019 Inside Man: Most Wanted Imagine Entertainment the 1st of October 2019 Doom: Annihilation Jarhead: Law of Return the 5th of November 2019 Undercover Brother 2 the 7th of January 2020 Bulletproof 2 the 4th of February 2020 Dragonheart: Vengeance the 4th of August 2020 Aliens Stole My Body the 8th of September 2020 Curious George: Go West, Go Wild the 13th of September 2020 Wish Upon a Unicorn the 29th of September 2020 Welcome to Sudden Death the 6th of October 2020 American Pie Presents: Girls' Rules Tales from the Hood 3 the 20th of October 2020 Tremors: Shrieker Island the 8th of December 2020 Bobbleheads: The Movie Threshold Entertainment the 12th of April 2021 Dinosaur Train: Adventure Island The Jim Henson Company the 30th of September 2021 Curious George: Cape Ahoy the 27th of September 2022 The Munsters Spookshow International Films Bring It On: Cheer or Die the 25th of October 2022 Blade of the 47 Ronin Scrappy Heart Productions the 15th of November 2022 R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned Dark Horse Entertainment the 22nd of November 2022 Prancer: A Christmas Tale the 20th of July 2023 Ready Jet Go!: Space Camp Wind Dancer FilmsSilver Creek Falls Entertainment the 1st of August 2023 River Wild Hero Squared Productions the 12th of April 2024 Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp Universal Animation Studios the 16th of April 2024 Half Baked: Totally High STX Entertainment Universal Playback is a division of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and specializing in DVD and Blu-ray releases of TV shows, either it be produced or distributed by Universal Pictures. It offers a variety of titles across different TV genres, including TV shows, documentaries, and special interest content. References External links Studio Distribution Services