Will Smith’s business interests extend well beyond acting. At the centre of that wider entertainment strategy is Westbrook Inc., a media company created to develop films, television, digital content, brands and other entertainment businesses. Launched in 2019 by Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Miguel Melendez and Ko Yada, the company was built around a simple idea: give creators a platform to develop stories that can travel across audiences and formats.
The company has since built a portfolio spanning movies, scripted and unscripted television, digital media and entertainment marketing. Its work includes King Richard, Emancipation, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Bel-Air, Cobra Kai, African Queens and Welcome to Earth. Its current website also lists Pole to Pole as a 2026 television series.
For readers researching Will Smith’s company, the important distinction is that Westbrook is not simply a production label attached to the actor. It is a broader media business with several operating capabilities and outside investment.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Company | Westbrook Inc. |
| Industry | Entertainment and media |
| Launched | 2019 |
| Founders | Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Miguel Melendez and Ko Yada |
| Base | Calabasas, California |
| Core activities | Film, television, digital media and entertainment marketing |
| Key operating business | Westbrook Studios |
| Investment | Strategic minority investment from Candle Media announced in 2022 |
| Public-company status | Privately held |
| Notable projects | King Richard, Emancipation, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Bel-Air, Cobra Kai |
| Current 2026 project listed by company | Pole to Pole |
What Is Westbrook Inc.?
Westbrook Inc. is a privately held entertainment and media company founded in 2019 by Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Miguel Melendez and Ko Yada. Its stated mission is to empower artists and creators to develop premium, story-driven entertainment for audiences across cultures and generations.
The business was structured to go beyond traditional Hollywood film production. Its activities have included feature films, scripted television, unscripted programming, digital series, brand content, intellectual-property development and consumer products.
That broader structure matters because entertainment companies increasingly compete across several platforms at once. A successful concept can potentially become a film, television series, digital programme, branded partnership or consumer product. Westbrook’s strategy has focused on participating in several of those stages rather than relying on one type of production.
Its official website currently describes three core areas: motion pictures, TV series and entertainment marketing. It also highlights relationships with major companies including Netflix, Amazon Studios, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., Disney+, Paramount, YouTube, Google, Peacock, Max and National Geographic.
Who Founded Westbrook Inc. and How Is It Structured?
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith are the company’s best-known founders, but the couple did not create the business alone. Miguel Melendez, a longtime producer and member of Smith’s professional team, and Ko Yada were also named as co-founders when the company launched.
Westbrook’s structure has included several businesses and production operations. Westbrook Studios has served as its premium film and television studio, while Westbrook Media has focused on digital content, intellectual property, and branded production. The wider organisation has also included Red Table Talk Productions and Good Goods, a consumer-products operation connected to company intellectual property and talent partners.
This distinction matters when researching the company because Westbrook Studios and Westbrook Inc. are not interchangeable. Westbrook Inc. represents the broader corporate platform, while Westbrook Studios is the film and television production arm.
Westbrook’s Movies and TV Shows
Westbrook’s entertainment portfolio demonstrates how the company has attempted to operate across different genres and distribution platforms.
One of its most important early films was King Richard, the 2021 drama about Richard Williams and the development of his daughters Venus and Serena Williams. The project became a major awards-season title and helped establish Westbrook Studios as a serious film-production player.
Emancipation followed in 2022. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Will Smith, the historical drama was produced through Westbrook Studios alongside Apple Studios and other production companies. Apple released the film in theatres before its global Apple TV+ debut in December 2022.
The company has also participated in major franchise entertainment. Its official portfolio lists Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the 2024 Sony Pictures release starring Smith and Martin Lawrence, among its motion-picture projects.
On television, Westbrook has been involved with projects ranging from the dramatic reboot Bel-Air to Cobra Kai, African Queens and Welcome to Earth. Its official site now lists Pole to Pole as a 2026 television series, showing that the company continues to develop programming beyond its earlier film slate.
The range is strategically important. Instead of building the company around Will Smith’s acting career alone, Westbrook has developed projects involving different creators, formats and distribution partners.
How Does Westbrook Inc. Make Money?
The company does not publicly disclose precise revenue figures, so no reliable public number exists for annual revenue, profit, or net income. That means estimates circulating online should not be treated as official financial results.
Its business model is better understood through the types of activities it undertakes. Film and television production can generate revenue through production agreements, distribution arrangements, licensing and participation in intellectual property. Digital and branded content can create additional commercial opportunities through platform partnerships and entertainment marketing.
Westbrook’s structure also lets it work with external studios, streaming services, technology companies, and brands rather than operating a single consumer-facing subscription platform.
That approach is visible in the company’s partner network. Westbrook’s current website lists relationships involving Netflix, Amazon Studios, Meta, Max, Peacock, National Geographic, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., YouTube and other major entertainment and technology companies.
The commercial advantage is flexibility. A production company doesn’t necessarily need to own a distribution platform when it can develop intellectual property and sell or license projects to companies with large audiences.
Who Owns Westbrook and Did It Receive Investment?
One of the most significant developments in Westbrook’s corporate history came in January 2022, when Candle Media announced a strategic minority investment in the company. Candle Media was founded by former Disney executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs and backed by Blackstone. The official announcement did not disclose the transaction’s financial terms.
Several media reports subsequently described the transaction as an investment of approximately $60 million for a little more than 10% of Westbrook, implying a valuation of roughly $600 million at the time. Outside publications reported those figures rather than disclosing them in official Westbrook financial statements, so they should be treated as reported transaction estimates rather than a current valuation.
The investment was strategically significant because it gave Westbrook access to an experienced media investment partner while allowing the company to remain an independent entertainment business.
Westbrook has no public stock-market valuation because it is not publicly traded. Its current ownership structure and any subsequent changes to the minority stake are not fully disclosed in public financial filings.
Westbrook’s Competitive Position and Business Strategy
Westbrook operates in a crowded entertainment market that includes celebrity-backed production companies, independent studios, major Hollywood studios and increasingly powerful streaming platforms.
Its differentiation is less about competing directly with Netflix or Disney and more about controlling the creative-development side of the value chain. Westbrook can develop projects and then collaborate with larger distributors, broadcasters, streamers and studios.
The company’s connection to Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith provides another competitive asset: established talent, industry relationships and global audience recognition. But that same association creates a potential limitation. A business that becomes too dependent on one celebrity can face concentration risk if the celebrity’s popularity, availability or public reputation changes.
Westbrook has attempted to reduce that dependence by building a wider portfolio of creators and projects. Series such as Cobra Kai and African Queens alongside Smith-led projects show the company is not limited to films starring its co-founder.
The broader entertainment industry also presents structural challenges. Streaming has created enormous demand for content but has simultaneously increased pressure on production budgets, audience acquisition and profitability. Production companies must compete for talent and attractive intellectual property while negotiating with distributors that have substantial bargaining power.
Westbrook’s 2026 Outlook
Westbrook’s clearest indication of its current direction comes from its project portfolio. The company’s website lists Pole to Pole as a 2026 television series while continuing to feature its established film and television catalogue.
That suggests a strategy centred on maintaining a multi-format entertainment pipeline rather than relying on a single franchise or distribution partner. Westbrook’s history of working with companies such as Netflix, Apple, Sony, Warner Bros., Disney and National Geographic also gives it multiple routes to market.
Still, future performance is difficult to quantify because Westbrook does not publish the kind of quarterly financial results available from publicly traded entertainment companies. Its outlook will therefore depend on factors such as the performance of new productions, the value of its intellectual property, relationships with distributors and the broader economics of film and television production.
For business observers, the more interesting question is not simply how many movies Will Smith’s company produces. It is whether Westbrook can continue turning celebrity-driven creative influence into a diversified, durable media enterprise.
Conclusion
Westbrook Inc. has developed into a broader entertainment business rather than functioning solely as Will Smith’s personal production company. Founded in 2019 by Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Miguel Melendez and Ko Yada, it combines film and television production with digital media and entertainment marketing. Its portfolio includes King Richard, Emancipation, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Bel-Air, Cobra Kai, African Queens and other projects.
The 2022 minority investment from Candle Media was an important milestone, although the company’s current valuation and financial performance are not publicly confirmed. The business’s long-term strength will depend on whether it can consistently develop valuable intellectual property, work effectively with major distributors and expand its creative ecosystem beyond its founders’ celebrity profiles. As its 2026 slate shows, Westbrook remains active in the global entertainment market.
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(FAQs)
What does Westbrook Inc. do?
Westbrook Inc. is an entertainment and media company involved in film, television, digital content and entertainment marketing. It develops and produces projects for different platforms and works with major studios, streaming services, broadcasters and brands.
Who founded Westbrook Inc.?
Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Miguel Melendez, and Ko Yada founded Westbrook Inc. in 2019. The company was created around a strategy of developing entertainment that connects creators with global audiences.
Does Will Smith own Westbrook Inc.?
Will Smith is one of Westbrook’s founders, but the company is not simply a personal production label owned entirely by him. Candle Media announced a strategic minority investment in Westbrook in 2022, while the company’s complete current ownership breakdown is not publicly disclosed.
What movies has Westbrook Studios produced?
Westbrook’s film portfolio includes King Richard, Emancipation and Bad Boys: Ride or Die. Westbrook Studios produced Emancipation with Will Smith and Jon Mone, in association with other production companies, and Apple released it.
How does Westbrook Inc. make money?
Westbrook Inc. operates through entertainment production, intellectual-property development, digital media and entertainment marketing. It does not publicly disclose exact revenue and profit figures, so there is no verified current annual revenue figure to report.
Is Westbrook Inc. publicly traded?
No. Westbrook Inc. is a privately held entertainment company, not publicly traded. Consequently, Westbrook has no public stock price or market capitalisation. Its 2022 minority investment from Candle Media was a private transaction, and it did not disclose the financial terms.
