Davis Entertainment (also known as Davis Entertainment Company) is an American independent film and television production company, founded by John Davis in 1984.
Davis's three divisions–feature film, independent film, and television–develop and produce film and television projects for the major studios, independent distributors, networks and cable broadcasters. The company itself has enjoyed a long-standing first-look production deal at 20th Century Studios, although it also produces projects for all studios and mini-majors.
History
The company was founded in 1984 by filmmaker John Davis and it was incorporated in Nevada on December 2, 1985. The company was officially established on May 21, 1986, in order to produce mid-to-high budget action films that were financed entirely by a studio, starting with Predator, a co-production with Lawrence Gordon Productions and Silver Pictures, and a series of other films that were planned for release by 20th Century Fox. It was decided that it would be done independently with co-investors, and it would help anticipate the expansion of telefilms and sitcoms.
On February 18, 1987, Davis Entertainment partnered with Mark L. Lester of his Mark Lester Films company in order to handle the development of action-adventure films which were produced by the company, directed by Mark L. Lester, and it was independently financed by the two companies. The films that were made by the Lester/Davis alliance had ranked in the $5–10 million range, and would expect the co-venture to handle the production of two films before the yearend.
In 1994, it launched its first foray into interactive games, and launched Catapult Entertainment, Inc., intended to produce a modem that would link video game players by telephone lines; this would end up becoming the XBAND. That same year, Davis Entertainment Company signed a production deal with 20th Century Fox to develop feature films.
In 1995, Davis Entertainment launched its art-house division Davis Entertainment Classics, which was subsequently renamed Davis Entertainment Filmworks in 2002. In 1998, Davis Entertainment struck a deal with 20th Century Fox Television to produce television shows for its networks, both broadcast and cable.
In 2007, Michael Dorman joined its television division. At the same time, they signed a development pact with Fox Television Studios to produce series for television.
In 2011, John Fox, a former employee of 20th Century Fox, joined the company.
Filmography
Theatrical films
1980s
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Director
!Distributor
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="2" |1987
|Predator
|John McTiernan
|20th Century Fox
|co-production with Lawrence Gordon Productions and Silver Pictures
|-
|Three O'Clock High
|Phil Joanou
|Universal Pictures
|uncredited; co-production with Aaron Spelling Productions
|-
|1988
|License to Drive
|Greg Beeman
|20th Century Fox
|co-production with Licht/Mueller Productions
|-
|1989
|Little Monsters
|Richard Alan Greenberg
|MGM/UA Distribution Co.
|co-production with Licht/Mueller Productions, Vestron Pictures and United Artists
|}
1990s
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Director
!Distributor
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="2" |1990
|The Last of the Finest
|John Mackenzie
|Orion Pictures
|
|-
|Predator 2
|Stephen Hopkins
|20th Century Fox
|co-production with Gordon Company and Silver Pictures
|-
|1991
|Shattered
|Wolfgang Petersen
|MGM/UA Distribution Co.
|co-production with Capella International, Palace Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
|-
| rowspan="2" |1992
|Fortress
|Stuart Gordon
|Dimension Films<br>Columbia Pictures
|co-production with Village Roadshow Pictures
|-
|Storyville
|Mark Frost
|20th Century Fox
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |1993
|The Firm
|Sydney Pollack
| rowspan="2" |Paramount Pictures
|
|-
|The Thing Called Love
|Peter Bogdanovich
|
|-
|Grumpy Old Men
|Carlos Saldanha
|Sony Pictures Releasing
|co-production with Columbia Pictures
|-
| rowspan="4" |2025
| Flight Risk
| Mel Gibson
| Lionsgate
| co-production with Icon Productions, Hammerstone Studios, Flight Risk Films and Media Capital Technologies
|-
| The Pickup
| Tim Story
| Amazon MGM Studios
| co-production with The Story Company and Eddie Murphy Productions
|-
| Predator: Badlands
| Dan Trachtenberg
| Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
| co-production with 20th Century Studios and Lawrence Gordon Productions
|-
| Song Sung Blue
| Craig Brewer
| Focus Features
|
|}
Upcoming
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Director
!Distributor
!Notes
!Status
|-
| 2026
| 72 Hours
| Tim Story
| Netflix
| co-production with Sony Pictures, Hartbeat Productions, Counterbalance Entertainment, and The Story Company
| Filming
|}
Direct-to-video films
1990s
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Director
!Distributor
!Notes
|-
|1990
|Enid Is Sleeping
|Maurice Phillips
|Live Home Video
|co-production with Vestron Pictures
|}
2000s
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Director
!Distributor
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="2" |2000
|The Settlement
|Mark Steilen
|MTI Home Video
|co-production with CineTel Films, Dosgmile Pictures and JeanRoy Entertainment
|-
|Labor Pains
|Tracy Alexson
|USA Home Entertainment
|uncredited; co-production with Dogsmile Pictures and Prosperity Pictures
|-
|2006
|Dr. Dolittle 3
|Rich Thorne
| rowspan="6" |20th Century Home Entertainment
|
|-
|2007
|Garfield Gets Real
|Mark A.Z. Dippé
|co-production with The Animation Picture Company and Paws, Inc.
|-
| rowspan="2" |2008
|Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief
|Craig Shapiro
|
|-
|Garfield's Fun Fest
|Mark A.Z. Dippé
|co-production with The Animation Picture Company and Paws, Inc.
|-
| rowspan="2" |2009
|Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts
|Alex Zamm
|
|-
|Garfield's Pet Force
|Mark A.Z. Dippé<br>Kyung Ho-Lee
|co-production with The Animation Picture Company and Paws, Inc.
|}
Television/streaming films
1990s
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Director
!Network
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="3" |1990
|Curiosity Kills
|Colin Bucksey
|USA Network
|co-production with MTE
|-
|Dangerous Passion
|Michael Miller
|ABC
|co-production with Stormy Weather Productions and Carolco Pictures
|-
|Silhouette
|Carl Schenkel
| rowspan="2" |USA Network
|co-production with Faye Dunaway Productions and MTE
|-
|1992
|Wild Card
|Mel Damski
|co-production with MTE
|-
| rowspan="2" |1993
|The Last Outlaw
|Geoff Murphy
|HBO
|co-production with HBO Pictures
|-
|Voyage
|John Mackenzie
|USA Network
|co-production with ITC Entertainment, Quinta Communications and USA Pictures
|-
| rowspan="4" |1994
|This Can't Be Love
|Anthony Harvey
|CBS
|co-production with World International Network and Pacific Motion Pictures
|-
|One Christmas
|Tony Bill
| rowspan="2" |NBC
|co-production with Karpf Productions
|-
|Tears and Laughter: The Joan and Melissa Rivers Story
|Oz Scott
|
|-
|New Eden
|Alan Metzger
|Sci-Fi Channel
|co-production with MTE
|-
| rowspan="2" |1997
|Asteroid
|Bradford May
|NBC
|co-production with NBC Studios
|-
|Volcano: Fire on the Mountain
|Graeme Campbell
| rowspan="2" |ABC
|co-production with Pacific Motion Pictures and World International Network
|-
|1998
|Miracle at Midnight
|Ken Cameron
|co-production with Walt Disney Television
|-
|1999
|The Jesse Ventura Story
|David Jackson
|NBC
|co-production with NBC Studios
|}
2000s
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Director
!Network
!Notes
|-
|2000
|Little Richard
|Robert Townsend
|NBC
|co-production with Fox Television Studios
|-
|2001
|Sunk on Christmas Eve
|Bill Jardine
|National Geographic Channel
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |2005
|Nadine in Date Land
|Amie Steir
|Oxygen
|co-production with Departure Studios
|-
|Life Is Ruff
|Charles Haid
| rowspan="2" |Disney Channel
|co-production with Salty Pictures
|-
|2007
|Jump In!
|Paul Hoen
|co-production with Hop, Skip and Jump Productions
|}
2010s
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Director
!Network
!Notes
|-
|2011
|Locke & Key
|Mark Romanek
| rowspan="2" |Fox
|television pilot; co-production with 20th Century Fox Television, DreamWorks Television and K/O Paper Products
|-
|2017
|Behind Enemy Lines
|McG
|television pilot; co-production with 20th Century Fox Television and Temple Hill Entertainment
|-
|2019
|Dolemite Is My Name
|Craig Brewer
|Netflix
|limited theatrical release
|}
2020s
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Director
!Network
!Notes
|-
|2020
|Echo
|TBA
|NBC
|pilot order; co-production with Universal Television
|-
|2022
|Prey
|Dan Trachtenberg
|Hulu
|co-production with 20th Century Studios and Lawrence Gordon Productions
|-
|2024
|Uglies
|McG
|Netflix
|co-production with Anonymous Content, Industry Entertainment, YRF Entertainment and Wonderland Sound and Vision
|-
|2025
| Predator: Killer of Killers
|Dan Trachtenberg
| Hulu
| co-production with 20th Century Studios, 20th Century Animation and Lawrence Gordon Productions
|}
<!--
Upcoming
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Director
!Distributor
!Notes
!Status
|-
|}-->
Television series
2010s
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Creators
!Network
!Notes
|-
|2013–2023
|The Blacklist
|Jon Bokenkamp
| rowspan="3" |NBC
|co-production with Open 4 Business Productions, Universal Television and Sony Pictures Television
|-
|2013
|Ironside
|based on the 1967 series by:<br>Collier Young<br>developed by:<br>Michael Caleo
|co-production with Post 109, Yellow Brick Road Productions and Universal Television
|-
|2015
|The Player
|John Rogers<br>John Fox
|co-production with Kung Fu Monkey Productions, Universal Television and Sony Pictures Television
|-
|2015–2017
|Dr. Ken
|Jared Stern<br>Ken Jeong<br>John Fox
|ABC
|co-production with Old Charlie Productions, ABC Studios and Sony Pictures Television
|-
|2016–2018
|Timeless
|Eric Kripke<br>Shawn Ryan
| rowspan="2" |NBC
|co-production with Kripke Enterprises, MiddKid Productions, Universal Television and Sony Pictures Television
|-
|2017
|The Blacklist: Redemption
|Jon Bokenkamp<br>John Eisendrath<br>Lukas Reiter<br>J. R. Orci
|co-production with John Eisendrath Productions, Flatwater Scribe, Open 4 Business Productions, Universal Television and Sony Pictures Television
|-
|2018
|Alex, Inc.
|Matt Tarses<br>based on StartUp podcast by:<br>Gimlet Media, Inc.
|ABC
|co-production with Two Soups Productions, ABC Studios and Sony Pictures Television
|-
|2018–2024
|Magnum, P.I.
|based on the 1980 TV series by:<br>Donald P. Bellisario<br>Glen A. Larson<br>developed by:<br>Peter M. Lenkov<br>Eric Guggenheim
|CBS/NBC
|co-production with 101st Street Entertainment, Perfect Storm Entertainment, Universal Television and CBS Studios
|}
2020s
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Creators
!Network
!Notes
|-
| 2021–2025
|The Equalizer
|based on the 1985 TV series by:<br>Michael Sloan<br>Richard Lindheim<br>developed by:<br>Queen Latifah<br>Richard Lindheim
|CBS
|co-production with Flavor Unit Entertainment, Martin Chase Productions, Milmar Pictures (seasons 1—2), Wilson Avenue (season 3), Shattered Glass (season 3), Universal Television and CBS Studios
|-
| 2021
|Rebel
|Krista Vernoff
|ABC
|co-production with ABC Signature, Sony Pictures Television and Trip The Light Productions
|-
| 2022
|Blockbuster
|Vanessa Ramos
|Netflix
|co-production with Universal Television, Fat Paws and Shark vs. Bear Productions
|-
| 2024
|Laid
|based on the 2011 Australian TV series by:<br>Marieke Hardy<br>Kirsty Fisher<br>developed by:<br>Nahnatchka Khan<br>Sally Bradford McKenna
|Peacock
|co-production with Universal Television, Porchlight Films, All3Media International, That's Bananas and Fierce Baby Productions
|}
Highest-grossing films
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto; margin:auto;"
|+Highest-grossing films in the United States
|-
! Rank!! Title !! Year !! Domestic gross !! Notes
|-
! 1
| The Firm
| 1993
| $158,348,367
|
|-
! 2
|I, Robot
| 2004
| $144,801,023
| co-produced by Overbrook Entertainment
|-
! 3
| Dr. Dolittle
| 1998
| $144,156,605
| co-produced by Friendly Films
|-
! 4
|Jungle Cruise
| 2021
| $116,987,516
| co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Flynn Picture Company and Seven Bucks Productions
|-
! 5
|Dr. Dolittle 2
| 2001
| $112,952,899
|
|-
! 6
| Daddy Day Care
| 2003
| $104,297,061
| co-produced by Revolution Studios
|-
! 7
| Norbit
| 2007
| $95,673,607
| co-produced by DreamWorks Pictures and Tollin/Robbins Productions
|-
! 8
| Predator: Badlands
| 2025
| $91,075,083
| co-produced by 20th Century Studios and Lawrence Gordon Productions
|-
! 9
| Waterworld
| 1995
| $88,246,220
| co-produced by Gordon Company and Licht/Mueller Film Corporation
|-
! 10
| Ferdinand
| 2017
| $84,410,380
| co-produced by Blue Sky Studios
|-
! 11
| Alien vs. Predator
| 2004
| $80,282,231
| co-produced by Brandywine Productions
|-
! 12
| Garfield: The Movie
| 2004
| $75,369,589
| co-produced by Paws, Inc.
|-
! 13
| Eragon
| 2006
| $75,030,163
|
|-
! 14
| Game Night
| 2018
| $69,179,066
| co-produced by New Line Cinema, Access Entertainment and Aggregate Films
|-
! 15
| Mr. Popper's Penguins
| 2011
| $68,224,452
| rowspan="2" | co-produced by Dune Entertainment
|-
! 16
| Chronicle
| 2012
| $64,575,175
|-
! 17
| Predator
| 1987
| $59,735,548
| co-produced by Lawrence Gordon Productions and Silver Pictures
|-
! 18
| Courage Under Fire
| 1996
| $59,031,057
| co-produced by Fox 2000 Pictures, Joseph M. Singer Entertainment and Friendly Films
|-
! 19
| Behind Enemy Lines
| 2001
| $58,856,790
|
|-
! 20
| Joy
| 2015
| $56,451,232
| co-produced by Annapurna Pictures and Fox 2000 Pictures
|-
! 21
| Predators
| 2010
| $52,000,688
| co-produced by Dune Entertainment and Troublemaker Studios
|-
! 22
| The Predator
| 2018
| $51,024,708
|
|-
! 23
| Fat Albert
| 2004
| $48,116,322
|
|-
! 24
| When a Stranger Calls
| 2006
| $47,860,214
| co-produced by Screen Gems
|-
! 25
| The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
| 2015
| $45,445,109
|
|}
References
Further reading
External links
- Box office grosses for Davis Entertainment releases (The Numbers)