The Donners' Company (formerly Donner/Shuler-Donner Productions) is the film production company of director Richard Donner and producer Lauren Shuler Donner, founded in 1986. It is notable for the Free Willy and X-Men franchises.
History Donner/Shuler-Donner Productions In 1986, film producer Lauren Shuler Donner announced that she would end her production deal with The Walt Disney Studios. She announced that she would merge with Warner Bros.-based Richard Donner Productions, to create Donner/Shuler-Donner Productions, to be operating on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, California.
The first film released under the name was Radio Flyer, which was directed by Richard Donner, produced by Lauren, and it was released by Columbia Pictures in 1992. It flopped at the box office.
The banner made its first major success in 1993 with box office hits Dave and Free Willy. The latter's success spawned two sequels, and a television series. That year, the studio and Warner Bros. originally made a deal with Hammer Film Productions to produce remakes based on its existing UK film properties.
In 1994, the company produced its first television project, an animated adaptation of Free Willy; it aired on ABC for two seasons.
The Donners' Company In 1999, it was announced that Donner/Shuler-Donner Productions would be renamed to the better-sounding name The Donners' Company. On April 4, 2000, it signed a deal with NBC Studios to produce shows for the NBC television network.
That same year, the company scored a major success with X-Men, which was an instant box office hit, grossing over $296.8 million worldwide.
In 2001, The Donners' Company signed a deal with Winchester Films to produce its feature films from its own.
More recently, the company was producing two X-Men series for television, including Legion on FX, and The Gifted on Fox. In 2019, the latter was cancelled months before the former concluded its third and final season.
Richard Donner died on July 5, 2021. He was 91.
Filmography 1990s YearTitleDirectorDistributorNotesBudgetGross (worldwide)1992Radio FlyerRichard DonnerColumbia Picturesfirst film; co-production with Stonebridge Entertainment$35 million$4.6 million1993DaveIvan ReitmanWarner Bros.co-production with Northern Lights Entertainment$28 million$63.3 millionFree WillySimon Wincerco-production with Le Studio Canal+, Regency Enterprises and Alcor Films$20 million$153.6 million1994MaverickRichard Donnerco-production with Icon Productions$75 million$183 million1995Free Willy 2: The Adventure HomeDwight Littleas Shuler-Donner/Donner; co-production with Le Studio Canal+., Regency Enterprises and Alcor Films$31 million$30 millionAssassinsRichard Donnerco-production with Silver Pictures$50 million$83.3 million1997VolcanoMick Jackson20th Century Foxas Shuler Donner/Donner; co-production with Fox 2000 Pictures and Moritz Original$90 million$122.8 millionFree Willy 3: The RescueSam PillsburyWarner Bros.as Shuler Donner/Donner; co-production with Regency EnterprisesN/A$3.4 millionConspiracy TheoryRichard Donneras Shuler Donner/Donner Productions; last film released under Donner/Shuler-Donner insignia; co-production with Silver Pictures$80 million$137 million1998BulworthWarren Beatty20th Century Foxuncredited; co-production with Mulholland Productions$30 million$29.2 millionLethal Weapon 4Richard DonnerWarner Bros.as DoShuDo Productions; co-production with Silver Pictures$100–150 million$285.4 millionYou've Got MailNora Ephronas Lauren Shuler Donner$65 million$250.8 million1999Any Given SundayOliver Stonefirst film under the branding of The Donners' Company; co-production with Ixtlan Productions$55 million$100.2 million
2000s YearTitleDirectorDistributorNotesBudgetGross (worldwide)2000X-MenBryan Singer20th Century Foxco-production with Marvel Entertainment Group and Bad Hat Harry Productions$75 million$296.3 million2001Out ColdThe MalloysBuena Vista Picturesco-production with Touchstone Pictures, Spyglass Entertainment and Barber/Birnbaum$24 million$14.8 million2003Just MarriedShawn Levy20th Century Foxuncredited; co-production with Robert Simonds Productions$18 million$101.5 millionX2Bryan Singerco-production with Marvel Enterprises and Bad Hat Harry Productions$110 million$407.7 millionTimelineRichard DonnerParamount Picturesco-production with Mutual Film Company, Cobalt Media Group and Artists Production Group$80 million$43.9 million2005ConstantineFrancis LawrenceWarner Bros. Picturesco-production with Vertigo/DC Comics, Village Roadshow Pictures, Batfilm Productions, Weed Road Pictures, 3 Arts Entertainment and di Bonaventura Pictures$100 million$230.9 million200616 BlocksRichard Donneruncredited; co-production with Alcon Entertainment, Millennium Films, Cheyenne Enterprises, Emmett/Furla Films, Equity Pictures and Nu Image Films$55 million$65.7 millionShe's the ManAndy FickmanParamount Picturesco-production with DreamWorks Pictures and Lakeshore Entertainment$20 million$57.2 millionX-Men: The Last StandBrett Ratner20th Century Foxco-production with Marvel Entertainment, Dune Entertainment and Ingenious Film Partners$210 million$460.4 millionUnaccompanied MinorsPaul FeigWarner Bros. Picturesco-production with Village Roadshow Pictures$26 million$21.9 million2008Semi-ProKent AltermanNew Line Cinemauncredited; co-production with Mosaic Media Group$55 million$43.9 millionThe Secret Life of BeesGina Prince-BythewoodFox Searchlight Picturesco-production with Dune Entertainment and Overbrook Entertainment$11 million$39.9 million2009Hotel for DogsThor FreudenthalParamount Picturesco-production with DreamWorks Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Cold Spring Pictures and The Montecito Picture Company$35 million$117 millionX-Men Origins: WolverineGavin Hood20th Century Foxco-production with Marvel Entertainment, Seed Productions, Dune Entertainment and Ingenious Film Partners$150 million$373.1 millionCirque du Freak: The Vampire's AssistantPaul WeitzUniversal Picturesco-production with Relativity Media and Depth of Field$40 million$39.2 million
2010s YearTitleDirectorDistributorNotesBudgetGross (worldwide)2011X-Men: First ClassMatthew Vaughn20th Century Foxco-production with Marvel Entertainment, Dune Entertainment, Ingenious Film Partners, and Bad Hat Harry$140–160 million$353.6 million2013The WolverineJames Mangoldco-production with Marvel Entertainment $100–132 million$414.8 million2014X-Men: Days of Future PastBryan Singerco-production with Marvel Entertainment, Bad Hat Harry and Simon Kinberg $200–220 million$747.9 million2016DeadpoolTim Millerco-production with Marvel Entertainment and Kinberg Genre$58 million$782.6 millionX-Men: ApocalypseBryan Singerco-production with Marvel Entertainment, Bad Hat Harry, Hutch Parker and Kinberg Genre $178 million$543.9 million2017LoganJames Mangoldco-production with Marvel Entertainment, Kinberg Genre and Hutch Parker $97 million$619 million2018Deadpool 2David Leitchuncredited; co-production with Marvel Entertainment, Kinberg Genre and Maximum Effort$110 million$785.8 million2019Dark PhoenixSimon Kinberguncredited; co-production with Marvel Entertainment, Kinberg Genre and Hutch Parker$200 million$252.4 million
2020s YearTitleDirectorDistributorNotesBudgetGross(worldwide)2020The New MutantsJosh Boone20th Century Studiosuncredited; co-production with Marvel Entertainment, Kinberg Genre, Sunswept Entertainment$67–80 million$49.2 million2024Deadpool & WolverineShawn LevyWalt Disney Studios Motion Picturesuncredited; co-production with Marvel Studios, 21 Laps Entertainment and Maximum Effort$200 million$1.338 billion
Television YearsTitleCreatorNetworkNotesSeasonsEpisodes1994–95Free WillyPatrick Loubertbased on Free Willy by:Keith A. WalkerCorey Blechmandeveloped by:Patsy CameronTed AnasitiABCco-production with Le Studio Canal+, Nelvana, Regency Enterprises and Warner Bros. Television2212017–19LegionNoah Hawleybased on Legion by:Chris ClaremontBill SienkiewiczFXco-production with 26 Keys Productions, Kinberg Genre, Bad Hat Harry Productions, Marvel Television and FXP327The GiftedMatt Nixbased on characters by:Stan LeeJack KirbyFoxco-production with Flying Glass of Milk Productions, Kinberg Genre, Bad Hat Harry Productions, Marvel Television and 20th Century Fox Television229
In development Television TitleDeveloperNetworkNotesOur TimeSarah WatsonDisney+co-production with The Jackal Group, Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Television
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