1st Logo (April 6, 1984-May 28, 1993)[]
Nicknames: "The TriStar Pegasus", "'80s Pegasus", "Pegasus of Doom", "Classic Pegasus"
Logo: On a dark blue background with pink skies, we see a splashed white horse that's known as a stallion, gallops into view from the left. Its wings suddenly spread out, ready for the stallion to become a Pegasus and fly. Three stars coming from the left, bottom and right crash into each other, forming a "T" in Didot font. The "T" zooms out, revealing the letters "R", "I" and the word "STAR". The text continues to zoom out as it reveals a triangle with a gold outline that zooms out as well on a background. The word "PICTURES" is revealed as well as the drawing of a Pegasus "jumping" over the logo. All objects zoom out and then stop.
Variants:
- On VHS and DVDs, the left and right sides are cut off, with the same animation intact.
- There is a variant where the Pegasus drawing doesn't zoom out. This variant is more used than the normal logo.
- Another full-screen variant exists.
- Closing: We see the print logo on a black background with "A TRI-STAR RELEASE" above.
- Another closing variant has the print logo next to "A TRI-STAR RELEASE".
- Another closing variant has the print logo above "A TRI-STAR RELEASE".
FX/SFX: Nice animation!
Music/Sounds: An orchestrated piece done by Dave Grusin. When the logo fades in, three low French horn notes play and they repeat. When the Pegasus flies, more enlightening horn notes play combined with a trombone solo. Sometimes, the logo echoes after the logo ends or has the music off-sync. Other times, the logo is silent. On rare occasions, if at all, the opening theme is used. Strangely, on the 2004 Lions Gate DVD of Universal Soldier, the fanfare is barely audible, likely due to a printing error.
Music/Sounds Variant:
- On TBS airings of Matilda, the 1993 fanfare is used, likely due to reverse plastering.
- On very rare cases, the 1995 MGM lion roar is used.
Availability: Common.
- The first film to use this logo was Where the Boys are '84.
- The final film to use this logo was Cliffhanger.
- Strangely, this logo appears on Freeform and TBS airings of Matilda, as well as Nickelodeon airings of The Plum Landing Movie 2, plastering the 1993 logo.
Scare Factor: Low to nightmare, due to the loud music at the end of the logo.
2nd Logo (June 25, 1993-September 28, 2015)[]
Nicknames: "The TriStar Pegasus II", "'90s Pegasus", "Pegasus of Doom II", "Modern Pegasus", "CGI Pegasus"
Logo: We start out on a black background. The background slowly fades in to reveal a dark background with dark cumulonimbus clouds with fog on the bottom. The background brightens up as a white flash of light that almost fills the background, turning the clouds gold. A Pegasus from a far distance spreads its wings while "TRISTAR", in a gold, bold chiseled font, with the "T" and "S" in a bigger font than the other letters fade in slowly while the fog still flows. The text shines and the Pegasus stops when its wings are spread out and the "TRISTAR" text fully fades in.
Byline:
- June 25, 1993-1999: (bylineless)
- 1995-2014: "a SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT company"
- 2014-August 28, 2015: "a Sony Company"
Variants:
- A prototype version exists where the logo is darker and the flash dims away quickly and early before the Pegasus spreads its wings and the "TRISTAR" text appears.
- On Jumanji (the first film to use this logo with the SPE byline), the SPE byline is in blue.
- Closing: We have the print logo with "A TRISTAR RELEASE" below with the SPE byline underneath. 1993-1997 variants have the print logo off-center.
- Starting with Mary Reilly, the SPE byline is in gold.
- On Lords of Dogtown, the words "LOCALS ONLY" appears while the SPE byline appears.
- Starting in 1998, the logo became enhanced by making the clouds a lighter gold color.
- Starting with Sparkle, the SPE byline appears smaller, a bit smaller and slightly off-center like the 1996 Columbia Pictures logo.
- Starting in 2014, the byline is shortened to "a Sony Company". In this variant, the Sony logo precedes this logo.
FX/SFX: Incredibly breathtaking CGI!
Music/Sounds: A more majestic remix of the first jingle, composed by Bill Johnston. Starting in 1998, the fanfare has been rearranged. Sometimes, the opening theme or silence is used.
Music/Sounds Variants:
- On earlier films with this logo, such as Sleepless in Seattle, Jury Duty and Magic in the Water, the 1984 fanfare plays.
- On Little Secrets, the logo is high-pitched.
Availability: Common.
- The first film to use this logo was Sleepless in Seattle.
- The final film to use this logo was War Room.
Scare Factor: None to low. The Pegasus appearing like it might burst through the screen might startle some, along with the dark background at the beginning. Low to nightmare for the version with the 1984 fanfare.
3rd Logo (September 30, 2015- )[]
Nicknames: "The TriStar Pegasus III", "'2010s Pegasus", "Modern Pegasus II", "CGI Pegasus II", "Enhanced Modern/CGI Pegasus"
Logo: It starts with the Sony logo, as it transitions to the previous logo, but only this time, less improved. The same animation as the previous logo is intact, but with the zoom-in. We have a new Pegasus, and the "TRISTAR" text from the previous logo, only it has more gold in it. The Sony byline fades in, like the previous logo.
FX/SFX: Incredibly breathtaking CGI!
Music/Sounds: Same as the previous logo. Sometimes, it used the opening theme. On rare occasions, if at all, it is silent.
Availability: Current and common. It debuted on The Walk and will be seen on future films.
Scare Factor: Low. The Pegasus coming at you may startle some, but other than that, it's a great logo and a worthy successor to the previous logo.
Here is a logo history of the company:
