Amblin Entertainment

Overview

Amblin Entertainment is the production company founded by Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, and Frank Marshall in 1981. Named after Spielberg's 1968 short film Amblin', the company operates from a dedicated compound on the Universal Studios lot in Universal City, California. Films produced or co-produced by Amblin have generated cumulative worldwide grosses exceeding $10 billion across more than 100 theatrical releases.

The company currently operates under the leadership of Spielberg and producers Kristie Macosko Krieger and Holly Bario, with Jeff Small serving as CEO of Amblin Partners. Amblin maintains a first-look deal with Universal Pictures for theatrical features and a separate multi-year partnership with Netflix signed in June 2021 to produce multiple feature films per year for the streaming service. The Netflix deal has no budgetary or genre restrictions, and theatrical release decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.

For filmmakers seeking a producing partner with the resources to mount large-scale productions and the creative infrastructure of one of the most commercially successful directors in cinema history, Amblin occupies a position that few independent production companies can match. Access is primarily through talent agencies and established producer relationships. Visit the Amblin website for current production information.

History

Spielberg, Kennedy, and Marshall established Amblin Entertainment in 1981, initially operating from a bungalow on the Universal lot. The company's early productions defined the commercial template for the 1980s blockbuster: Poltergeist (1982), Gremlins (1984), The Goonies (1985), Back to the Future (1985), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), and the Indiana Jones sequels. These films combined Amblin's signature blend of sentimentality, spectacle, and broad audience appeal.

Through the 1990s, Amblin produced Schindler's List (1993), Jurassic Park (1993), Twister (1996), Men in Black (1997), and Saving Private Ryan (1998). Spielberg co-founded DreamWorks SKG in 1994 with Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen, creating a separate studio entity. Amblin continued as Spielberg's personal production banner within the DreamWorks and later Universal ecosystem. Kennedy and Marshall departed to form The Kennedy/Marshall Company in 1992, though they continue to produce Amblin-affiliated projects.

In 2015, Amblin Partners was formed as a holding company, with Reliance Entertainment, Entertainment One, and Universal Pictures as equity partners. The restructuring allowed Amblin to expand its financing capacity and secure the Netflix deal that followed in 2021. The Universal first-look deal was extended in December 2020, and the Netflix partnership was announced six months later, giving Amblin dual distribution pathways.

Recent Productions and Upcoming Slate

Recent Amblin productions include The Post (2017), Ready Player One (2018), West Side Story (2021), The Fabelmans (2022), Maestro (2023), and The Bikeriders (2024). The Netflix partnership yielded Carry-On (December 2024), a thriller directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Taron Egerton, which was the first film produced under the Netflix deal.

2025 releases include Jurassic World: Rebirth (July 2, distributed by Universal), Long Distance (July 3, distributed by Universal), The Thursday Murder Club (August 28, distributed by Netflix), and Hamnet (November 27, distributed by Focus Features). The company also co-produced Twisters (2024), which grossed $269 million domestically and $372 million worldwide.

The major upcoming release is Disclosure Day, a Spielberg-directed science fiction film scheduled for theatrical release on June 12, 2026, through Universal Pictures. The film stars Josh O'Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, and Colman Domingo, with a screenplay by David Koepp based on a story by Spielberg. The film returns Spielberg to the extraterrestrial territory of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T., and War of the Worlds.

What Filmmakers Should Know

Project Development and Acquisition

Amblin develops projects internally and acquires material through agent submissions and producer relationships. The company produces across genres, from Spielberg's own directorial projects to films by emerging and established directors. The producing team evaluates projects based on storytelling quality, commercial potential, and alignment with Amblin's identity as a producer of broadly appealing, craft-driven entertainment.

Dual Distribution Pathways

The Universal first-look deal covers theatrical features with broad commercial appeal. The Netflix partnership covers streaming-first features with no genre or budget restrictions. This dual structure gives Amblin flexibility to route projects to the appropriate platform based on their commercial profile and audience. Spielberg decides which projects go to Universal and which to Netflix; neither company has first refusal.

Access Routes

Access to Amblin is primarily through talent agencies (CAA, WME, UTA) and established producer relationships. The company does not accept unsolicited submissions. Independent producers with agency representation can pitch through their agents to Amblin's development team. Holly Bario, President of Production, oversees project development alongside Kristie Macosko Krieger.

Financial Scale

Amblin productions typically operate at studio budget levels. Jurassic World: Rebirth had a reported production budget of approximately $165 million. Maestro was produced at a mid-budget level for Netflix. The Fabelmans had an estimated budget of $40 million. The Netflix deal provides financing for streaming projects, while Universal finances theatrical productions through the first-look arrangement.

Key Business Relationships

• Universal Pictures: First-look deal for theatrical features. Universal distributes Amblin films theatrically and participates in financing.
• Netflix: Multi-year partnership signed June 2021 to produce multiple films per year. Netflix provides financing and distributes on its platform. Theatrical release decisions are case-by-case.
• The Kennedy/Marshall Company: Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy's production company, which co-produces on Amblin projects including the Jurassic World franchise.
• Focus Features: Universal's specialty label, which distributes select Amblin projects with narrower commercial profiles, including Hamnet (2025).

House Style & Genre Focus

Amblin Entertainment, founded by Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, and Frank Marshall in 1980, is known for broad-appeal, emotionally resonant storytelling across adventure, science fiction, fantasy, and family genres. The company's filmography includes E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Jurassic Park (1993), Schindler's List (1993), Saving Private Ryan (1998), War of the Worlds (2005), Bridge of Spies (2015), The Post (2017), West Side Story (2021), and The Fabelmans (2022). Amblin's house style emphasizes spectacle grounded in character, often with Spielberg's signature blend of wonder and sentiment.

Recent and upcoming productions include Disclosure Day (2026, Spielberg's UFO epic for Universal), Hamnet (2025, directed by Chloé Zhao, starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal), and The Thursday Murder Club (2025, directed by Chris Columbus). Amblin operates with a first-look deal at Universal Pictures, with Netflix and Apple also financing select projects. The company produces approximately 2 to 4 films per year across budget tiers.

Amblin does not accept unsolicited submissions. Projects are developed internally or come through established relationships with writers, directors, and producers. The company works with A-list talent and major agencies. Steven Spielberg maintains active creative oversight, directing select projects and producing others. For filmmakers, the pathway to working with Amblin is through representation at major agencies and established industry relationships.

Watch: Trailers & Behind the Scenes

See Also

For understanding how filmmaker-led production companies operate within studio ecosystems, see Distribution Deals Explained. To model revenue projections for theatrical and streaming releases, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For budgeting independent features at various budget tiers, see the Indie Film Budget Calculator.