Background: Icon Productions is a production company that is owned by Mel Gibson formed in August 1989. The first production was Hamlet, released December 19, 1990, but a logo wasn't used until the release of Forever Young. The company also produces and distributes films in the UK and Australia through its British subsidiary Icon Entertainment International, and distributes cinema films through its British subsidiary Icon Film Distribution Ltd, and its Australian subsidiary Icon Film Distribution Pty Ltd.
1st Logo (December 11, 1992-May 20, 1994)[]
Visuals: On a black background, two streaks of blue flame come from the left and right, and then collide, causing a red explosion. The blue words "ICON" and "PRODUCTIONS" rise from the flame line from top and bottom of it respectively, with lines on top and bottom of "PRODUCTIONS". Then, a blue outlining of a knight with a sword standing in front of a couple of rock structures with the sun behind it rises from "ICON". As this happens, the majority of the company name turns yellow, leaving only a hint of blue and white on top of "ICON". The sword shines.
Variants:
- A still version appears at the end credits of Forever Young, as well as the beginning of the TV version of Maverick.
- On the theatrical version of Maverick, the logo is already formed with the sword shining.
Technique: Traditional animation mixed with computer animation.
Audio: A loud flaming noise and explosion sound, then an ominous theme with creaking noises. When the sword shines, there is a sound of a sword being drawn.
Availability: Seen on the earliest films produced by Icon Productions, such as Forever Young, The Man Without a Face, Airborne, and Maverick.
2nd Logo (December 16, 1994-)[]
Visuals: We first see lightning striking in the right side of the screen. A picture of an eye (a close up of the Theotokos of Vladimir Icon) fades in, and lightning strikes again, causing the picture's cracks to glow briefly. The camera zooms out revealing more of the picture, and lightning strikes again (à la the Renaissance Pictures logo), forming the word "ICON" (in the Trajan typeface). The word "PRODUCTIONS" (in spaced-out letters and in the same font as "ICON") appears below.
Trivia: The picture is a close-up of the Virgin of Vladimir Icon, a medieval Byzantine Icon of the Virgin Mary and Jesus the Child that has been in Russia since soon after it was painted. It is one of the most venerated orthodox icons and a fine and early example of the iconography of the Eleusatype. This means it's actually the eye of Mary (Jesus' mother).
Variants:
- On the UK and Australia prints of most films starting in 1999, along with the Canadian DVD release of The Passion of the Christ, the word "PRODUCTIONS" is omitted. Most of the time, "ICON" freezes midway after it has been formed.
- Some early foreign releases, such as The Miracle Maker, have "PRODUCTIONS" replaced with "ENTERTAINMENT INTERNATIONAL".
- A rare closing print version exists.
- Sometimes, there is a still version at the end of films.
- There is a short version that was used on TV shows. The logo is already formed and has lightning flash twice.
- On UK VHS releases from Icon Home Entertainment, "PRODUCTIONS" is replaced by "FILM DISTRIBUTION". On DVDs and Blu-rays, the text is replaced by "HOME ENTERTAINMENT".
- On domestic prints of most films beginning with The Passion of the Christ, the picture is slightly cropped. Some films, such as Paparazzi (2004) (using the "PRODUCTIONS" text variant) and international prints of Bridge to Terabithia (using the foreign variant), use the uncropped version of the picture.
Technique: Computer animation by R/Greenberg Associates, Imaginary Forces, and Prologue Films.
Audio: Just the sounds of the thunder.
Audio Variants:
- On some movies, the logo is silent, or has the opening theme playing over it.
- The international/foreign variants have harsher and louder thunder sounds, as well as a big blast when the company name appears. On international prints of Braveheart, Fairy Tale: A True Story, Felicia’s Journey, The Million Dollar Hotel, and Push (2009), this audio is used on the "PRODUCTIONS" variant.
- On Payback (1999), faint thunder sounds are heard on the preceding either the 1995 version of the 1986 Paramount Pictures logo (US release) or the 1999 Warner Bros. Pictures logo (International release), then as the distributor's logo fades out, the build-up of the thunder is heard and as the Icon Productions logo animates, the sounds play as usual. This also occurs on What Women Want, except the standard 1999 version of the 1986 Paramount Pictures logo is shown instead (on overseas prints of the film, the Paramount and Icon logos switch places).
- ABC airings of Complete Savages use a generic theme and leave the thunder intact.
- On What Women Want and international prints of Braveheart, the thunder sounds and their opening themes are heard.
Availability: The logo debuted on Immortal Beloved, and appears on subsequent films produced and/or distributed by Icon Productions, such as Braveheart, What Women Want, The Passion of the Christ, The Miracle Maker, The Million Dollar Hotel, Paparazzi (2004), We Were Soldiers, and Apocalypto. The shortened version appeared on two short-lived shows from 2004: ABC's Complete Savages and CBS' Clubhouse. The international version is rare and was seen on The Miracle Maker and the trailer for One Decent Criminal.