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Godfrey Institute for Biomedical Technologies
The real horror: Like every other biomedical science company in fiction, the Godfrey Institute is actually up to some seriously sinister stuff, like building Frankenstein-style monsters, and developing Project Ouroboros, which you just know from the name wont turn out to be anything good.
Article continues belowPharmaKom Industries
As seen in: Johnny Mnemonic (1995).
The public face: A Japanese pharmaceutical company, working on cures for deadly futuristic diseases like the Black Shakes.
The real horror: Not that different from the public version, except that PharmaKom is so fiercely protective of its drug patents that its willing to send assassins after anyone they suspect of threatening their secrets. Also, PharmaKom isnt actually keen on curing diseases so much as flogging treatments for the symptoms to a desperate public, which is pretty evil.
OsCorp
As seen in: Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004), Spider-Man 3 (2007), The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014).
The public face: A huge multinational with fingers in so many pies no-one really knows exactly what it does, Oscorp was founded by chemist and tycoon Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe in the Raimi films; Chris Cooper in the Webb ones).
The real horror: Crazy experimental stuff! Including creating radioactive spiders with a penchant for biting teenage boys, and developing serums to give people super strength, lizard skin, and maniacal cackles.
Hanso Foundation
As seen in: Lost.
The public face: The company behind the Dharma Initiative, the Hanso Foundation was founded by munitions mogul Alvar Hanso. Its not concerned with weaponry, though the Foundation is all about finding ways to prolong and improve life. Or so they say.
The real horror: The Foundations ethical, er, foundations might be a bit shaky. All that experimenting on unsuspecting human subjects? Not exactly best practice. Plus they seem to be messing with electromagnetic forces, which never ends well.
Blue Sun Corporation
As seen in: Firefly and Serenity (2005).
The public face: A reliable, ever present brand, Blue Sun manufactures packaged food and drinks that are sold in every shop, on every planet, and have been invaluable to settlers on difficult new worlds.
The real horror: Blue Sun mightve started out in the food industry but as it grew it gained influence, and now also creates everything from computer systems to spaceships. Inevitably, its got a biotech division, which is never good news, and its also got enough sway with the Alliance that it can do pretty much whatever it wants.
The Spectacular Optical Corporation
As seen in: Videodrome (1983).
The public face: Your average high street opticians. Theyve probably got a good two-for-one offer going on, or cheap sunglasses, if youre lucky.
The real horror: The rabbit hole goes deep on this one. Spectacular Optical are actually a front for a weapons manufacturer, and theyre also behind the production of the horrific Videodrome TV show, which features explicit footage of torture and murder. And some things you cant unsee.
LuthorCorp
As seen in: Smallville.
The public face: An innovative agricultural company, investing in finding new ways to feed the world. Originally founded by Lionel Luthor (John Glover), it was taken over after his death by his entrepreneurial son, Lex (Michael Rosenbaum).
The real horror: LuthorCorp mightve started out manufacturing fertiliser and pesticides, but it soon started getting into more esoteric research, especially when some meteoric rock was found to have interesting properties when applied to living beings. Also, theres a bionic research division, which might as well have a giant neon light reading evil! pointing right at it.
The Weyland-Yutani Corporation
As seen in: Alien (1979), Aliens (1986), and Alien 3 (1992).
The public face: A British/Japanese megacorporation, supplying advanced technologies to various industries; its also involved in the colonisation of other planets, and does a sideline in shipping and transportation.
The real horror: A prime example of a company growing too big for its boots, Weyland-Yutani has a controlling interest in the United States Colonial Marine Corps, as well as half a dozen other things. Profit is everything, or nearly everything, as Weyland-Yutani pushes its employees into danger time and time again, and is a little too interested in getting hold of alien weaponry
Omni Consumer Products
As seen in: RoboCop (1987) and RoboCop (2014).
The public face: Omni Consumer Products, or OCP, is yet another mega-corporation with fingers in every pie available. Despite the name, OCP isnt just about making consumer bits and pieces it also runs hospitals, prisons, and even a whole privatised city.
The real horror: Although OCP claims its working for the good of the people, reducing crime and improving everyones quality of life, the effects speak for themselves the corporation runs Delta City like a police state, and prioritises profits above all.
Umbrella Corporation
As seen in: Resident Evil (2002), Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), Resident Evil: Extinction (2007), Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010), and Resident Evil: Retribution.
The public face: A multinational pharmaceutical company, shipping drugs and other medical supplies all over the world. It also dabbles in more commercial products, like make-up and foodstuffs.
The real horror: Something horrible is pretty much always going on in the Umbrella Corporation Labs. The T-virus that destroys the world in the Resident Evil universe was cooked up in there, and there are all sorts of other highly unethical human experiments going on. Plus its got a military subsidiary tasked with protecting its interests, even if that means sealing off entire cities and leaving their inhabitants to die.
