Who owns Wicked Pictures?

Wicked Pictures was founded in 1993 by Steve Orenstein. In December 2020, Orenstein sold the company to Gamma Entertainment, which named Axel Braun as Head of Production under the new ownership.

Does Wicked Pictures use condoms?

Yes. Wicked is the only mainstream heterosexual porn studio to maintain a condoms-only policy, in place since 2004. This is a significant differentiator from peer studios including Kink.com and most Aylo-network brands.

Who are Wicked contract stars?

Historic contract stars include Jenna Jameson, jessica drake, Stormy Daniels, Julia Ann, and others. The 'Wicked Girls' line was built around these multi-year exclusive contracts. Jessica Drake amicably concluded her contract in April 2022 after nearly two decades with the studio.

Studio profile

Wicked Pictures — Read This Before You Sign

Note: Before Your Scene is the editorial arm of My First Scene, our DFW production studio. We write about the industry — including us.

If you’ve been offered a Wicked Pictures contract or scene, read this before you sign. Wicked’s public record is one of the cleaner ones in US mainstream porn — condoms-only policy since 2004 (unique in the hetero segment), no major documented performer-safety case, no federal action. What changed recently is the ownership: founder Steve Orenstein sold to Gamma Entertainment in December 2020. The decision questions here are mostly about the contract itself.

Last reviewed: April 23, 2026

At a glance

Type: Studio
Based in: Canoga Park, CA
Founded: 1993
Parent: Gamma Entertainment (acquired December 2020). Founded by Steve Orenstein (still active in industry post-sale)
Known for: Only mainstream hetero studio with a condoms-only policy (since 2004); long-running contract-star tradition (Jenna Jameson, jessica drake, Stormy Daniels)
Status: Operating. Axel Braun as Head of Production since 2020

What it is

Wicked Pictures is a Los Angeles-area adult production studio founded in 1993 by Steve Orenstein. Prior to Wicked, Orenstein was a partner in X-Citement Video. The studio established its identity through feature-length productions and exclusive “Wicked Girls” contract stars, becoming one of the most recognizable premium US studio brands alongside Vivid Entertainment.

The defining policy distinction of Wicked Pictures is its condoms-only requirement, in place since 2004. Wicked is the only mainstream heterosexual studio to maintain this policy. This is the opposite industry posture from Kink.com, which has fought condom-regulation efforts, and from the Aylo network, which generally operates without a mandatory condom requirement. For a performer considering STI-exposure risk, this is a material policy difference.

In December 2020, Orenstein sold Wicked to Gamma Entertainment, a Canadian adult-content company historically known for gay-porn brands. The acquisition brought Axel Braun (longtime industry director) in as Head of Production under the new ownership. Orenstein has remained active in the industry in other capacities post-sale.

How it operates

Wicked books performers through the standard agency-and-industry-relationship channels for its per-scene productions. Its contract-star roster has always been smaller and more curated than per-scene booking, with the “Wicked Girls” line built around multi-year exclusive arrangements.

Shoots follow the Wicked production model: feature-style scripting for major releases, condoms on every hetero scene, professional crews at the high end of industry standards. The Canoga Park production base has been consistent through the Orenstein and Gamma eras.

Distribution is through the Wicked paysite, DVD releases, and licensed syndication. Post-Gamma acquisition, distribution relationships with the broader Gamma portfolio have expanded but Wicked content is not part of the Aylo network syndication chain.

Publicly documented issues

December 2020 · Founder Steve Orenstein sold Wicked Pictures to Gamma Entertainment, a Canadian adult-content company. Axel Braun became Head of Production under new ownership. Corporate structure and release-signing entity changed at this point; contracts signed pre-sale transferred to Gamma. Synergy Magazine (adult industry trade)
April 2022 · Jessica Drake, a Wicked contract star since 2003, concluded her contract by mutual agreement with the studio. Drake retained ownership of her 'Guide to Wicked Sex' educational line and transitioned to OnlyFans-focused content. Amicable termination is referenced here as a documented precedent for contract-end handling. Jessica Drake (public statement)
Contract era (ongoing) · Historical context: Stormy Daniels was a Wicked contract star from 2002 onward, which is the industry-relationship context for the unrelated Trump-hush-money case that brought her to broader public attention. Relevant here only as public-record context for how Wicked's contract-star roster has intersected with external legal and political matters. IMDb News (aggregated)

Rate structure

Public pay figures for Wicked are not disclosed by the company. Industry reporting places Wicked among the higher-paying mainstream studios for female performers, reflecting the premium brand positioning and feature-production budgets. Contract-star arrangements (when offered) have historically included guaranteed scene counts per year and guaranteed minimum income.

Post-Gamma specific rate structures are not publicly documented. Same-day pay at wrap is industry standard and the presumed practice; confirm in writing on the specific release.

Contract patterns

Wicked’s contract-star tradition is the historically notable contract pattern. Multi-year exclusive contracts lock the performer to Wicked productions, typically with restrictions on competing studio work. The calculus is the same as Vixen and Digital Playground exclusive contracts: guaranteed income and brand positioning traded for multi-year exclusivity. Specific terms are individually negotiated and not publicly disclosed.

Per-scene (non-contract) Wicked releases follow standard industry patterns — distribution rights across the Wicked paysite and DVD/syndication partners, broad assignment language, limited takedown recourse. The December 2020 ownership change to Gamma Entertainment means any release signed post-acquisition is under the new corporate entity; successor-assignment language from the Orenstein era transferred to Gamma at sale.

Before signing, verify

Current ownership entity on the release — Gamma Entertainment post-December 2020, not the Orenstein-era Wicked entity
Condom policy specific to your scene — Wicked's studio-wide condoms-only policy is documented; confirm it applies to the specific release
If offered an exclusive contract: scene guarantee per year, rate, exclusivity scope, social-media/OnlyFans restrictions, duration, termination rights
Whether the release binds successor entities — Wicked has already changed hands once; it can change again
PASS testing in addition to the condom policy — confirm both, not condom-only as a substitute for testing
Distribution scope: Wicked paysite, DVD, any Gamma-portfolio licensing, syndication partners
Scene titling and tagging under your stage name — feature productions carry different tag patterns than single-scene releases
Rate and payment terms in writing before travel is booked

How we do it differently

Wicked has one of the cleanest records in mainstream US porn and a condom policy that’s better than most of the industry. The decision isn’t about avoiding Wicked — it’s about whether a multi-year exclusive at a studio that recently changed hands is the right first-scene commitment. My First Scene is a no-commitment alternative.

No multi-year exclusive, no contract-star lock-in. Scene-by-scene only. You shoot with us, you can shoot anywhere else.
Condom use is your call, in writing. Not a studio policy, your preference on each scene.
PASS-compliant testing for every participant, documented. Testing is the backbone; condoms are additive.
No corporate ownership change under you. Single independent entity, one release, one operator.
Same-day pay direct to you. No agency or corporate intermediary.

Apply with us

Disclosure

Before Your Scene is the editorial arm of My First Scene, our DFW production studio. We write about the industry — including us — so performers know what to expect before they shoot with anyone.

Sources

Wicked Pictures — Wikipedia · Wikipedia
Gamma Entertainment Acquires Wicked Pictures · Synergy Magazine
Steven Orenstein — IMDb · IMDb
Jessica Drake — Wikipedia (Wicked contract history) · Wikipedia
Jessica Drake on X — contract end · Jessica Drake (public statement)
SBO Pictures, Inc. (Wicked operating entity) — Business Profile · Dun & Bradstreet