In all, there are many factors behind a film's success. this includes the audience/consumer, the studio or production, the writers, the star/director, and the companies behind the disruption.
The audience is where the income comes from. If nobody goes to see it, the film will not be successful and this is a main factor. However, many people now days are downloading films illegally at home and are not contributing to the film's income This is why target audience and special effects come into play. For example, documentary, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, was made to meet the needs of Bieber's fans all over the world, therefore producing a big income. Producers knew that fans would pay for the full movie experience if it involved their idol. A back up plan was also made incase some fans where more likely to download it for free, and that was making the movie 3D, therefore improving the movie experience only available at the cinema. It worked as well, with the film making $30 million on its opening weekend in the US alone. This proves that target audience is very important.
Distribution companies are vitally important as without them, films will not be available for the audience to watch. They also consider target audience. If a British film is made, containing British humor, it may only be shown in the UK rather than worldwide.
A well known main actor or director may play another role. If someone is a fan of an actor/director, they will go see their knew movie to see their newest work. This is similar to the technique seen in Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.
However, production companies, in my opinion, are the most vital stage in the success of a movie. This is because they are the ones that plan the movie and sort out things such as target audience, budget, actors, storyline, setting and plan the distribution of the movie. Most importantly, they invest in the movie itself and decide to make it.
So in conclusion, I think production companies make the movie a success. The audience is also important, but with illegal ways of watching movies for free, they are avoiding contributing to the movie's income. 'Netflix' ,although gives some money to the production company, doesn't let them receive the full amount. Without the production company, there is no film.