For over a decade, the production company A24 has quite literally changed the film industry—and for the better. From drama and dark comedies to the extreme terrors of the horror genre, A24 has no limits when it comes to storytelling. Their unique storytelling approach, which often pushes the boundaries of originality and scriptwriting, never fails to intrigue and fascinate every avid movie lover. With franchises like X, standalone horror phenomena like Hereditary and Talk to Me, and spectacular drama-science fiction like Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, there’s nothing A24 can’t do.
Here’s how the infamous company came to be.
Aspiring filmmakers David Fenkel, Daniel Katz, and John Hodges came together in 2012 to create a new distribution studio in New York. Their love for filmmaking inspired them to formulate their company with a mission to create artistry without boundaries. This mission, to allow filmmakers to be as creative and innovative as they wanted without the dominating influences of big-name studios, inspires and gives hope to many in the industry.
The Beginning of A24
The trio wanted to create movies where filmmakers could be as creative and innovative as they wanted without the dominating influences of big-name studios. Mainstream film distributors such as Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, 20th Century, and many more often have a huge hand in the creative story process, vetoing screenwriters’ and directors’ visions to appease box office success.
Katz was the one to jump-start this trend: “No one had a voice. I felt like there was a huge opportunity to create something where the talented people could be talented.”
A24’s first film that they distributed was A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III. The success was rather mild, but with a big name like Charlie Sheen as the lead actor, it came from a promising start. Ginger & Rosa was their second film released. Although it had better reviews than their first distribution, it wasn’t until the outlandish comedy-crime movie Spring Breakers, directed by Harmony Korine, hit the big screen. Rachel Korine, the director’s wife, was a lead in the film. With well-known actors like James Franco and teen sensation actresses at the time, Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, and Ashley Benson, Spring Breakers was highly controversial, not only because of the teen actresses who primarily did shallow stories with Disney or the likes of ABC Family, but because of the sexual objectification of women. This film marked a turning point for A24, establishing its reputation for distributing unique and controversial films.
What Was A24’s First Successful Film?
Spring Breakers is about four college girls who want to make the most of their spring break, so they rob a diner to fund their outing. Along the way, they encounter a world of trouble. To acquire the rights to distribute the film, A24 made an unusual gift basket based on the film’s premise—glass gun bongs and a munchies package—to ensure their interest in the movie.
A24 movies are all widely different, yet they share one thing in common: unique stories that push boundaries regarding originality and scriptwriting. Many of their films feature strange and weird plots, such as Tusk:
A podcaster is brutally tortured by an unusual man whose plan is to transform him into a walrus.
