Hammer Films or
Hammer Pictures is a British film production company based in London. Founded in 1934, the company is best known for a series of
Gothic "Hammer Horror" films made from the mid-1950s until the 1970s. Hammer also produced
science fiction,
thrillers,
film noir and
comedies — and, in later years,
television series. During its most successful years, Hammer dominated the
horror film market, enjoying worldwide distribution and considerable financial success. This success was due, in part, to distribution partnerships with major United States studios, such as
Warner Bros.