What is behind the phenomenal success of entertainment businesses such as Warner Bros., Marvel Enterprises and Manchester United - along with such stars as Jay-Z and Lady Gaga? Which strategies give leaders in film, television, music, publishing, and sports an edge over their rivals?

Anita Elberse, Harvard Business School''s expert on the entertainment industry, has done pioneering research on the worlds of media and sports for more than a decade. Now, in this groundbreaking book, she explains a powerful truth about the fiercely competitive world of entertainment: building a business around blockbuster products - the movies, television shows, songs and books that are hugely expensive to produce and market - is the surest path to long-term success. Along the way, she reveals why entertainment executives often spend outrageous amounts of money in search of the next blockbuster, why superstars are paid unimaginable sums and how digital technologies are transforming the entertainment landscape.

Full of inside stories emerging from her unprecedented access to some of the world''s most successful entertainment brands, Blockbusters is destined to become required reading for anyone seeking to understand how the entertainment industry really works - and how to navigate today''s high-stakes business world at large.

''Convincing . . . Elberse''s Blockbusters builds on her already impressive academic résumé to create an accessible and entertaining book.'' Financial Times