Renaissance Pictures
Encyclopedia
Renaissance Pictures is an American
film production company. Founded by director Sam Raimi
, producer Rob Tapert and actor Bruce Campbell
, with help from publicist Irvin Shapiro
, on August 10, 1979, to produce their film The Evil Dead
, along with its sequels Evil Dead II
and Army of Darkness
.
Renaissance has produced a large number of films involving the three founders, as well as those made by other entertainment professionals connected with them, including the Joel and Ethan Coen written Crimewave
and Josh Becker
's Thou Shalt Not Kill... Except
. Later efforts include the television series' Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
and Xena: Warrior Princess
, both of which featured Campbell in various capacities, as well as Raimi's brother Ted
as recurring character Joxer
. Raimi and Tapert now produce horror films, including Raimi's own Drag Me to Hell
, through Ghost House Pictures.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film production company. Founded by director Sam Raimi
Sam Raimi
Samuel Marshall "Sam" Raimi is an American film director, producer, actor and writer. He is best known for directing cult horror films like the Evil Dead series, Darkman and Drag Me to Hell, as well as the blockbuster Spider-Man films and the producer of the successful TV series Hercules: The...
, producer Rob Tapert and actor Bruce Campbell
Bruce Campbell
Bruce Lorne Campbell is an American film and television actor. As a cult movie actor, Campbell starred as Ashley J. "Ash" Williams in Sam Raimi's Evil Dead series of films and he has starred in many low-budget cult films such as Crimewave, Maniac Cop, Bubba Ho-tep, Escape From L.A. and Sundown:...
, with help from publicist Irvin Shapiro
Irvin Shapiro
Irvin Shapiro was an American producer, film importer and distributor who was responsible for introducing a number of influential foreign films to the United States, as well as handling the early work of some noted directors....
, on August 10, 1979, to produce their film The Evil Dead
The Evil Dead
The Evil Dead is a 1981 horror film written and directed by Sam Raimi, starring Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, and Betsy Baker. The film is a story of five college students vacationing in an isolated cabin in a wooded area...
, along with its sequels Evil Dead II
Evil Dead II
Evil Dead II, also known as Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, is a 1987 horror comedy film directed by Sam Raimi. It is a retcon sequel to the 1981 film The Evil Dead. The film was written by Raimi and Scott Spiegel, produced by Rob Tapert and starring Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams...
and Army of Darkness
Army of Darkness
Army of Darkness, also known as Evil Dead III: Army of Darkness or simply Evil Dead III, is a 1992 horror comedy fantasy action film directed by Sam Raimi. It is the third and final installment in The Evil Dead trilogy. The film was written by Raimi and his brother Ivan, produced by Robert Tapert,...
.
Renaissance has produced a large number of films involving the three founders, as well as those made by other entertainment professionals connected with them, including the Joel and Ethan Coen written Crimewave
Crimewave
Crimewave is a 1985 comedy film directed by Sam Raimi, an unusual slapstick mix of film noir, black comedy and several eras, starring Reed Birney, Paul L. Smith, Louise Lasser, Brion James, Bruce Campbell, and Sheree J. Wilson. It was Raimi's first studio film following the success of The Evil Dead...
and Josh Becker
Josh Becker
Josh Becker is a writer and director, of films and television, whose credits include episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess and his collaborations with Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi.-Writing:...
's Thou Shalt Not Kill... Except
Thou Shalt Not Kill... Except
Thou Shalt Not Kill... Except, given theatrical release in Detroit as Stryker's War, is an American low budget action / horror film, originally released in 1987. The film was written by Josh Becker and Scott Spiegel, with a story by Becker, actor Bruce Campbell, and Sheldon Lettich...
. Later efforts include the television series' Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys is a television series, filmed in New Zealand and the United States. It was produced from 1995, and was very loosely based on the tales of the classical Greek culture hero Heracles...
and Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess is an American–New Zealand supernatural fantasy adventure series that aired in syndication from September 4, 1995 until June 18, 2001....
, both of which featured Campbell in various capacities, as well as Raimi's brother Ted
Ted Raimi
Theodore "Ted"/"Half Ted" Raimi is an American actor, perhaps best known for his roles as Lieutenant Tim O'Neill in seaQuest DSV and Joxer the Mighty in Xena: Warrior Princess/Hercules: The Legendary Journeys...
as recurring character Joxer
Joxer
Joxer is a fictional character in the syndicated television series Xena: Warrior Princess, played by American actor Ted Raimi. He is a comical wanna-be warrior who styles himself "Joxer the Mighty", and later "Joxer the Magnificent"....
. Raimi and Tapert now produce horror films, including Raimi's own Drag Me to Hell
Drag Me to Hell
Drag Me to Hell is a 2009 American horror film, directed by Sam Raimi, with a screenplay by Sam and Ivan Raimi. The plot focuses on loan officer Christine Brown , who tries to impress her boss by refusing to extend a loan to a gypsy woman by the name of Mrs. Ganush...
, through Ghost House Pictures.
Filmography
- 1981 The Evil DeadThe Evil DeadThe Evil Dead is a 1981 horror film written and directed by Sam Raimi, starring Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, and Betsy Baker. The film is a story of five college students vacationing in an isolated cabin in a wooded area...
- 1985 CrimewaveCrimewaveCrimewave is a 1985 comedy film directed by Sam Raimi, an unusual slapstick mix of film noir, black comedy and several eras, starring Reed Birney, Paul L. Smith, Louise Lasser, Brion James, Bruce Campbell, and Sheree J. Wilson. It was Raimi's first studio film following the success of The Evil Dead...
- 1985 Stryker's War
- 1987 Evil Dead IIEvil Dead IIEvil Dead II, also known as Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, is a 1987 horror comedy film directed by Sam Raimi. It is a retcon sequel to the 1981 film The Evil Dead. The film was written by Raimi and Scott Spiegel, produced by Rob Tapert and starring Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams...
- 1990 DarkmanDarkmanDarkman is a 1990 superhero action film directed by Sam Raimi. It is based on a short story Raimi wrote that paid homage to Universal's horror films of the 1930s...
- 1991 Lunatics: A Love Story
- 1992 Army of DarknessArmy of DarknessArmy of Darkness, also known as Evil Dead III: Army of Darkness or simply Evil Dead III, is a 1992 horror comedy fantasy action film directed by Sam Raimi. It is the third and final installment in The Evil Dead trilogy. The film was written by Raimi and his brother Ivan, produced by Robert Tapert,...
- 1993 Hard TargetHard TargetHard Target is a 1993 American action film directed by Chinese director John Woo. The film stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Chance Boudreaux, an out-of-work Cajun merchant seaman who saves a young woman, Natasha Binder , from a gang of thugs in New Orleans...
- 1994 Darkman II: The Return of Durant direct to video
- 1994 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys - Hercules and the Amazon WomenHercules And The Amazon Women"Hercules and the Amazon Women" is the first movie-length pilot episode of the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.-Plot overview:...
TV movie - 1994 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys - Hercules and the Lost KingdomHercules And The Lost Kingdom-Overview:Hercules comes to the aid of a young woman who is seeking the lost city of Troy. Eventually, Hercules leads her to a camp of refugees from the city, which has been taken over by Hera's Blue Priests. Hercules helps the refugees take back the city....
TV movie - 1994 M.A.N.T.I.S.M.A.N.T.I.S.M.A.N.T.I.S. is an American Science fiction television series that aired for one season on the Fox Network between August 1994 and March 1995. The original two-hour pilot was produced by Sam Raimi and developed by Sam Hamm. It stars actor Carl Lumbly. The show is unique in that it depicts an...
TV series - 1994 TimecopTimecopTimecop is a 1994 science-fiction thriller film directed by Peter Hyams and co-written by Mike Richardson and Mark Verheiden. Richardson was also executive producer...
- 1994 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys - Hercules and the Circle of FireHercules And The Circle Of FireHercules and the Circle of Fire is a made for TV movie. It was the third of five pre-series movies so it may be considered part of the TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.-Overview:...
TV movie - 1994 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys - Hercules in the Maze of the MinotaurHercules In The Maze Of The MinotaurHercules in the Maze of the Minotaur is the fifth made-for-TV movie in the series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.-Overview:Hercules has given up his days of traveling, and amazing adventures, and has settled down to spend some time with his family...
TV movie - 1995-99 Hercules: The Legendary JourneysHercules: The Legendary JourneysHercules: The Legendary Journeys is a television series, filmed in New Zealand and the United States. It was produced from 1995, and was very loosely based on the tales of the classical Greek culture hero Heracles...
TV series - 1995-2001 Xena: Warrior PrincessXena: Warrior PrincessXena: Warrior Princess is an American–New Zealand supernatural fantasy adventure series that aired in syndication from September 4, 1995 until June 18, 2001....
TV series - 1995-96 American GothicAmerican Gothic (TV series)American Gothic is an American horror series created by Shaun Cassidy and executive produced by Sam Raimi. The show first aired on CBS on September 22, 1995, and was cancelled after a single season on July 11, 1996.-Plot:...
TV series - 1996 Darkman III: Die Darkman Die direct to video
- 1998 Hercules and Xena - The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount OlympusHercules and Xena - The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount OlympusHercules and Xena - The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus is a 1998 American animated action adventure direct-to-video film starring the voices of Kevin Sorbo, Lucy Lawless, Michael Hurst, Renée O'Connor, Kevin Smith, and Alexandra Tydings, all reprising their roles from Hercules: The...
direct to video - 1998-99 Young HerculesYoung HerculesYoung Hercules is a spin-off from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. It was aired on Fox Kids from September 12, 1998, to May 12, 1999. It lasted one season with 50 episodes and starred Ryan Gosling in the title role.-Plot:...
TV series & direct to video - 2000 Jack of All Trades TV series
- 2000-01 Cleopatra 2525Cleopatra 2525Cleopatra 2525 is an American science fiction television series that aired in syndication for two seasons, from January 2000 to March 2001. It appeared as the first part of the Back2Back Action Hour, followed by Jack of All Trades.-Synopsis:...
TV series - 2002 Xena: Warrior Princess - A Friend in Need direct to video director's cut
- 2004 The GrudgeThe GrudgeThe Grudge is the 2004 American remake of the Japanese film Ju-on: The Grudge, and the first horror film in the Ju-on series, Ju-on 1. The film is the first installment in the American horror film series The Grudge...
- 2008–2010 Legend of the SeekerLegend of the SeekerLegend of the Seeker is a television series based on The Sword of Truth novels by Terry Goodkind. Distributed in U.S. by Disney-ABC Domestic Television, ABC Studios produced the series, which was its first foray into broadcast syndication, with Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Joshua Donen, Ned Nalle and...
TV series