universal studios (sometimes called universal pictures or universal city) is one of the major american movie studios that has production studios and offices at 100 universal city plaza drive in universal city, california, an unincorporated area of los angeles county between los angeles and burbank. distribution and other corporate, administrative offices are based in new york city. universal is the very first major studio in hollywood (universal's ownership partner of nbcuniversal entertainment japan—which distributes anime by universal worldwide—is the oldest).