The toga lady holds her torch high for film audiences everywhere by representing Columbia Pictures, the studio through which Sony Pictures Entertainment produces its big budget movies. The studio was founded in 1924, and in 1982 it was purchased by Coca-Cola. Sony purchased Columbia from Coke in 1989 for $3.4 billion. The deal was the largest acquisition by a Japanese firm up to that time, and initially caused headaches for Sony due to losses from elaborate spending budgets and box office duds ( Ishtar ). In recent years Columbia Pictures has scored hits with its Spider-Man franchise, as well as comedies such as Superbad and Hancock . It operates as part of Sony Picture's Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group.

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