Over the years, several Hollywood actors have stepped beyond the spotlight to establish their own film production companies. Like their on-screen success, a few have established themselves as influential forces behind the camera. The need to own a film production company is often driven by a desire for creative control, a wish to tell unique stories, or simply a natural evolution of their careers.
With these production companies, these actors have a say in casting and storytelling and can take risks on ambitious projects that might not have seen the light of day in older, traditional studios. While they may not be able to rival the “Big Five” film studios in terms of funding and capacity, several of these actor-owned film production companies have become household names. Here are 10 popular film production companies you probably didn’t know were owned by actors.
1. Clint Eastwood — Malpaso Productions
Veteran actor-director Clint Eastwood is one of Hollywood’s living legends. Throughout his six-decade career, Eastwood has found success as an actor and as a producer. After the success of the Italian Spaghetti Western Dollars Trilogy, the late Irving Leonard, Eastwood’s financial advisor, established Malpaso Productions with its profits. Malpaso Productions was founded by Clint Eastwood and Irving Leonard in 1967.
The company was named after Malpaso Creek, south of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Clint Eastwood sought to own his film production company, believing other studios wasted money on productions and needed creative control. Malpaso Productions’ first film was the 1968 revisionist Western Hang ‘Em High. Since then, it has produced over 60 movies. A few notable films under Malpaso include Million Dollar Baby (2004), Gran Torino (2008), Invictus (2009), American Sniper (2014), and Sully (2016).
2. Spike Lee — 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks
Although famous as a filmmaker, Spike Lee has a reputation for appearing as an actor in several of his films. Spike Lee co-founded 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks with Monty Ross in 1979. Often shortened as 40 Acres, the name was chosen in reference to the famous military orders given to emancipated black families during the American Civil War. 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks has produced most of Spike Lee’s films, beginning with his sophomore directorial film She’s Gotta Have It (1986). The company’s last produced films were the 2020 Da 5 Bloods and the concert film American Utopia.
3. Mel Gibson — Icon Productions
Mel Gibson co-founded the Australian-American film production company Icon Productions with Australian producer Bruce Davey in August 1989. The need to own a production company came after Gibson struggled to find a studio to finance the 1990 Shakespearean-based film, Hamlet. Unsurprisingly, Hamlet was the first project under Icon Productions. The production company is known and praised for its independence, with Gibson and Davey financing most of its projects.
This has given them creative liberties on projects that traditional Hollywood studios would reject. One of Icon Productions’ most successful projects is the 2004 The Passion of the Christ. Earlier, the company co-produced the Mel Gibson-led 1995 Braveheart. Icon Productions has remained one of Hollywood’s independent film production companies, staying busy with projects for decades.
4. Will Smith — Overbrook Entertainment
Overbrook Entertainment has produced several successful films since its founding in 1998. Will Smith and his manager, James Lassiter, co-founded Overbrook Entertainment on February 2, 1998. Smith chose Overbrook because it was the neighborhood he grew up in West Philadelphia. The film production company has produced many of Will Smith’s films since the early 2000s.
The company’s first project was the 2001 Ali movie. It followed it up with the TV sitcom All of Us (2003–2007). Its next film was the 2004 I, Robot. Other notable works include The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), I Am Legend (2007), The Karate Kid (2010), Bad Boys for Life (2020), The Harder They Fall (2021), King Richard (2021), and Emancipation (2022). On television, it also co-produced Cobra Kai and Bel–Air.
5. Adam Sandler — Happy Madison Productions
Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions is one of Hollywood’s most famous independent film production companies. The company’s logo is a staple in all of Sandler’s movies. Adam Sandler founded Happy Madison Productions on December 10, 1999. The name was coined from a combination of two Sandler films, the 1995 Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore (1996).
Adam Sandler and Tim Herlihy co-wrote the screenplays for the movies. Critically, most of Happy Madison Productions’ films have been panned. However, the movies have largely been commercially successful. The 1999 Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo was Happy Madison Productions’ first film. With two upcoming movies, its last released feature film was the 2023 animated musical comedy, Leo.
6. Leonardo DiCaprio — Appian Way Productions
Another famous film production company is Appian Way Productions. The company was founded by Leonardo DiCaprio in 2001 to produce film, television shows, and documentaries. Appian Way Productions’ first project was the 2004 Martin Scorsese-directed The Aviator. Since then, it has produced 17 films, including The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), The Revenant (2015), and Killers of the Flower Moon (2023).
7. Brad Pitt — Plan B Entertainment
One of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors isn’t left out in owning his own film production company. Brad Pitt co-founded Plan B Entertainment on November 2, 2001, with three others: Brad Grey, Kristin Hahn, and ex-wife Jennifer Aniston. The company’s first movie was 2004 Troy. Its first Oscar win came two years later with Martin Scorsese’s The Departed (2006). With 46 feature films, Plan B Entertainment has produced/co-produced several popular and successful movies. These include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Kick-Ass (2010), World War Z (2013), 12 Years a Slave (2013), War Machine (2017), and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024).
8. Tyler Perry — Very Perry Productions
Tyler Perry is one of the biggest names in film and television production. He has shown the beneficial aspect of having creative control and rights to productions. After a series of setbacks in his life, Perry found success in stage plays. He raised the needed $5.5 million from ticket sales to fund his first movie, Diary of a Mad Black Woman. The movie’s success caused Perry to formally establish Very Perry Productions, which uses the trade name Tyler Perry Studios. Perry’s production company has grown into a major studio in Atlanta with 12 soundstages and several permanent standing sets.
9. George Clooney — Smokehouse Pictures
Smokehouse Pictures wasn’t George Clooney’s first film production company. He first founded Section Eight Productions with director Steven Soderbergh in 2000. Section Eight Productions became defunct in 2006, with Soderbergh looking to focus on directing. This led to the establishment of Smokehouse Pictures. George Clooney and actor-filmmaker Grant Heslov co-founded Smokehouse in 2006. The company’s first project was the 2008 sports comedy Leatherheads. Its other notable films include The Ides of March (2011), Argo (2012), Ocean’s 8 (2018), Ticket to Paradise (2022), and The Boys in the Boat (2023). Smokehouse Pictures also produced the satirical dark comedy miniseries Catch-22.
10. Jordan Peele — Monkeypaw Productions
One recently founded film production company that is already largely successful is Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions. Jordan Peele founded Monkeypaw Productions in 2012. So far, the company has produced feature-length films, television shows, short films, podcasts, books, and a video game.
Monkeypaw Productions first produced the sketch comedy series Key & Peele (2012–2015). Its first movie was the 2016 Keanu, before producing Get Out the following year. It also produced BlacKkKlansman (2018), Us (2019), Nope (2022), Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. (2022), and Monkey Man (2024). In addition to these film production companies owned by actors, check out films produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company.
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