10 of the most successful celebrity production companies

Spike Lee's production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced over 30 films.

Classics like "She's Gotta Have It," "Do the Right Thing," and "Malcom X" were made possible by actor Spike Lee's production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks. Founded in 1979, the company — which is named for the infamous Reconstruction Era policy — has produced over 30 films.

More recently, in 2018, 40 Acres and Mule Filmworks produced "BlacKkKlansman," which was nominated for six Academy Awards in 2019: best adapted screenplay, best director (for Lee), best supporting actor (for Adam Driver), best film editing, best original score, and best picture. Ultimately, the film won the Oscar for best adapted screenplay.

Through her production company, Hello Sunshine, Reese Witherspoon centers female voices.

Hello Sunshine's website states that the company "puts women at the center of every story." Those who have seen its films and TV shows — such as "Where the Crawdads Sing" and "Little Fires Everywhere" —  know that to be true.

Hello Sunshine collaborates with Witherspoon's book club. Many of the production company's films and TV shows are screen adaptations of books featured in the club.

In a 2021 CBS Mornings interview, Witherspoon discussed what her woman-centered production company means to her, saying, "To be in a position where I'm able to open the door for people who have felt other for so long, and say, 'Now you get to tell your story in your own words,' is enormously fulfilling, and I feel excited every day to wake up and do that for a living."

In 2021, Witherspoon sold Hello Sunshine for $900 million, although she still oversees the company's day-to-day operations with CEO Sarah Harden.

 

Adam Sandler founded Happy Madison Productions in 1999.

Sandler named his production company after two comedic films in which he starred — 1996's "Happy Gilmore" and 1995's "Billy Madison." Happy Madison is the production company behind box-office hits such as "You Don't Mess With the Zohan," "Bedtime Stories," "Just Go With It," "Grown Ups," and "Grown Ups 2." The "Grown Ups" series alone has grossed over $500 million worldwide.

Although many of Happy Madison's films are popular among viewers, critics aren't always fans. The 2011 film "Jack and Jill," for example, received a 3% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Paper Kite Productions, Amy Poehler's production company, has produced hits including Comedy Central's "Broad City."

Paper Kite Productions is responsible for hit shows like "Broad City" and "Russian Doll," and movies like "Moxie" and "Lucy and Desi." Paper Kite's debut project was "The Mighty B!" — a cartoon for children starring Amy Poehler herself.

"Broad City" won a Critics Choice TV Award for best comedy series, and a Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding motion design.

In 2022, Poehler spoke to Insider about her work at Paper Kite Productions, saying, "I've been very lucky to be able to work with incredibly talented women, to learn from them and learn with them."

Oprah Winfrey's production company, Harpo Productions, has produced many critically acclaimed films and series.

Harpo Productions is Winfrey's self-titled production company – "Harpo" is "Oprah" spelled backwards. Harpo has produced critically acclaimed projects such as  "Selma," a 2014 a historical drama about Martin Luther King Jr. which won best original song and was nominated for best director at the 2015 Oscars; and "When They See Us," a 2019 fictionalized account of the story of the Central Park Five which was nominated for 16 Emmys in 2019.

Harpo Films is currently in the process of producing a 2023 adaptation of Alice Walker's "The Color Purple." Winfrey made her acting debut in the 1985 movie adaptation of the novel.

Elizabeth Banks' production company, Brownstone Productions, is responsible for the "Pitch Perfect" series.

Brownstone Productions is widely recognized for its major success as the production company behind the "Pitch Perfect" series. The first "Pitch Perfect" debuted in 2012 and became an instant hit, prompting the production of two sequels in the years to follow. The trilogy has grossed over $350 million to date.

More recently, Brownstone Productions was behind the 2019 version of "Charlie's Angels." In addition to being produced by Banks' company, she wrote and directed the action-comedy film, and played the role of Boz, although the movie was not as well received as her other projects.

"Well, if you're going to have a flop, make sure your name is on it at least 4x. I'm proud of #CharliesAngels and happy it's in the world," Banks tweeted in November 2019.

Nicole Kidman didn't just star in "Big Little Lies" — the show was produced by Blossom Films, her production company.

In addition to starring in the TV adaptation of "Big Little Lies," Nicole Kidman produced the series through her production company, Blossom Films, which she started in 2010.

The first season of "Big Little Lies" received 16 Emmy nominations in 2017 and ultimately won eight, including two for Kidman: outstanding lead actress in a limited series or movie, and outstanding limited series, which she won as its executive producer. Its second season, which premiered in 2019, was nominated for five Emmys.

Blossom Films is also the production company behind the popular shows "Nine Perfect Strangers" and "The Undoing." Kidman starred in both.

Cube Vision, Ice Cube's production company, was founded by the rapper in 1998.

"Next Friday," "All About the Benjamins," and "Barbershop" were created by Ice Cube's production company, Cube Vision, which he founded in 1998 with his producing partner Matt Alvarez.

In a 2009 interview with Contact Music, Ice Cube discussed his philosophy on filmmaking.

"We got the idea that you don't have to spend $100 million to make $100 million," he said. "If you got a good story, good actors, people willing to work, if you can keep the budget down, at the end of the day everybody's happy and you get a chance to do another one."

Three films produced by Plan B, which was co-founded by Brad Pitt, have won the Academy Award for best picture.

Three films produced by Plan B, Brad Pitt's production company, have won the Academy Award for best picture: "The Departed," "12 Years a Slave," and "Moonlight," which won in 2007, 2014, and 2017, respectively. 

In addition to these films, Plan B has produced box-office hits such as "Eat, Pray, Love" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

Plan B has since been acquired by Mediawan, a French media conglomerate. The December 2022 sale made Brad Pitt one of the top earners in entertainment last year — according to Forbes, he earned $113 million after fees from the deal.

Gary Sanchez Productions was co-founded by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay in 2006.

HBO's "Succession" is just the latest of Gary Sanchez Productions' hits. The company, founded by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, produces films across genres, such as "Vice" — an historical drama — and "Step Brothers" — a light-hearted comedy which has grossed over $128 million to date.

In 2019, Ferrell and McKay ended their partnership and, according to People, released a joint statement, saying, "The two of us will always work together creatively and always be friends. And we recognize we are lucky as hell to end this venture as such."

However, despite the positive tone of their joint statement, McKay has since claimed he and Ferrell were not on speaking terms after ending their partnership. In 2021, McKay told Vanity Fair that the last time they'd spoken at that point was when they ended the partnership.

"I said, 'Well, I mean, we're splitting up the company,'" McKay said. "And he basically was like, 'Yeah, we are,' and basically was like, 'Have a good life.' And I'm like, 'F---, Ferrell's never going to talk to me again.' So it ended not well."