Dark Castle Entertainment
Encyclopedia
Dark Castle Entertainment is a division of Silver Pictures
, a production house affiliated with Warner Bros.
It was formed in 1999 by Joel Silver
, Robert Zemeckis
, and Gilbert Adler
. Susan Downey
was the Vice President of Development until February 2009, a term running congruent to her tenure as a VP of Production at parent company Silver Pictures.
Dark Castle Entertainment's name pays homage to William Castle
, a horror filmmaker from the 1950s and 1960s. When first formed, the goal was to remake Castle's horror film
s (very similar to another production company Platinum Dunes
). After two remakes, it moved on to producing original material, along with remakes of non-Castle films. Starting with RocknRolla
, the company began producing films in genres other than horror.
Initially, most of the company's films were mostly critically panned, however, most recently their films began to garner critical acclaim starting with Orphan
, Splice
and Unknown.
(A) Indicates minimum, as that is only two countries totals merged.
Silver Pictures
Silver Pictures is a film production company founded by Hollywood producer Joel Silver during 1985. All movies after Ricochet have been distributed by Warner Bros and its subsidiary New Line Cinema.-Films:-Television series:*Moonlight...
, a production house affiliated with Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
It was formed in 1999 by Joel Silver
Joel Silver
Joel Silver is an American Hollywood film producer, co-creator of the sport of Ultimate, co-founder of Dark Castle Entertainment and owner of Silver Pictures.-Life and career:...
, Robert Zemeckis
Robert Zemeckis
Robert Lee Zemeckis is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Zemeckis first came to public attention in the 1980s as the director of the comedic time-travel Back to the Future film series, as well as the Academy Award-winning live-action/animation epic Who Framed Roger Rabbit ,...
, and Gilbert Adler
Gilbert Adler
Gilbert Adler is a US film producer, writer and director.-Filmography:* Dylan Dog: Dead of Night * Valkyrie * Superman Returns * Constantine...
. Susan Downey
Susan Downey
Susan Nicole Downey is an American film producer. Until February 2009 she was Co-President of Dark Castle Entertainment and Executive Vice President of Production at Silver Pictures, Joel Silver's production company, but has since stepped down to work more closely with her husband, actor Robert...
was the Vice President of Development until February 2009, a term running congruent to her tenure as a VP of Production at parent company Silver Pictures.
Dark Castle Entertainment's name pays homage to William Castle
William Castle
William Castle was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. Castle was known for directing films with many gimmicks which were ambitiously promoted, despite being reasonably low budget B-movies....
, a horror filmmaker from the 1950s and 1960s. When first formed, the goal was to remake Castle's horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
s (very similar to another production company Platinum Dunes
Platinum Dunes
Platinum Dunes is a production company created in 2001 by filmmakers Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, and Andrew Form. The company specializes in horror films, particularly remakes.Their website is part of Bloody Disgusting's site....
). After two remakes, it moved on to producing original material, along with remakes of non-Castle films. Starting with RocknRolla
RocknRolla
RocknRolla is a 2008 British crime film written and directed by Guy Ritchie, and starring Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Strong, Toby Kebbell, Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, Karel Roden, and Thandie Newton...
, the company began producing films in genres other than horror.
Initially, most of the company's films were mostly critically panned, however, most recently their films began to garner critical acclaim starting with Orphan
Orphan (film)
Orphan is a 2009 psychological thriller directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, starring Isabelle Fuhrman, Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard. The film centers on a couple who, after the death of their unborn child, adopt a mysterious 9-year old girl...
, Splice
Splice (film)
Splice is a 2009 Canadian/French science fiction horror film directed by Vincenzo Natali and starring Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley. The story concerns experiments in genetic engineering being done by a young scientist couple who attempt to introduce human DNA into their work of splicing animal...
and Unknown.
Filmography of Dark Castle Entertainment
| Year | Film | Director Film director A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:... |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 1999 in film The year 1999 in film involved several noteworthy events and has been called "The Year That Changed Movies". Several significant feature films, including Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut, Pedro Almodóvar's first Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, science fiction The Matrix, Deep... |
House on Haunted Hill House on Haunted Hill (1999 film) House on Haunted Hill is a 1999 American horror film, directed by William Malone and starring Geoffrey Rush, Famke Janssen, Taye Diggs, Ali Larter and Jeffrey Combs. It also includes a cameo appearance by Peter Graves... |
William Malone William Malone (director) William Malone is an American horror filmmaker who directed such films as the 1999 remake of House on Haunted Hill, Scared to Death and FeardotCom.-History:... |
| 2001 2001 in film The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy... |
Thir13en Ghosts | Steve Beck |
| 2002 2002 in film The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of... |
Ghost Ship | |
| 2003 2003 in film The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,... |
Gothika Gothika -Box office:Gothika was released on November 21, 2003 in North America, grossing $19,288,438 in the opening weekend and ranking at #2, behind The Cat in the Hat. It went on to gross $59,694,580 in the domestic market and $81,896,744 from foreign markets for a worldwide total of $141,591,324... |
Mathieu Kassovitz Mathieu Kassovitz Mathieu Kassovitz is a French director, screenwriter, producer and actor, best known for his Cannes-winning drama La Haine. Kassovitz is also the founder of MNP Entreprise, a film production company.... |
| 2005 2005 in film - Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005... |
House of Wax House of Wax (2005 film) House of Wax is a 2005 horror film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. It shares the name of a 1953 horror film, which was a remake of the 1933 film Mystery of the Wax Museum. It was released in theaters on May 6, 2005 to negative reviews, but a financial success... |
Jaume Collet-Serra Jaume Collet-Serra Jaume Collet-Serra is a Spanish film director and producer.Collet-Serra is most famous for the 2005 remake House of Wax, and 2009's Orphan... |
| 2007 2007 in film This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007... |
The Reaping The Reaping The Reaping is an 2007 American horror film, starring Hilary Swank. The film was directed by Stephen Hopkins for Warner Bros. and Dark Castle Entertainment. The music for the film was scored by John Frizzell.-Plot:... |
Stephen Hopkins Stephen Hopkins (director) Stephen Hopkins is a Jamaican-born film director and producer. He is best-known for his continuation of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise with A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child and the Predator franchise with Predator 2... |
| Return to House on Haunted Hill Return to House on Haunted Hill Return to House on Haunted Hill is a 2007 horror film and sequel to the 1999 remake of House on Haunted Hill. Directed by Víctor García, the film depicts a group of people searching for a mysterious idol hidden inside a haunted psychiatric asylum... |
Víctor García | |
| 2008 2008 in film This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008... |
RocknRolla RocknRolla RocknRolla is a 2008 British crime film written and directed by Guy Ritchie, and starring Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Strong, Toby Kebbell, Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, Karel Roden, and Thandie Newton... |
Guy Ritchie Guy Ritchie Guy Stuart Ritchie is an English screenwriter and film maker who directed Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Revolver, RocknRolla and Sherlock Holmes.-Early life:... |
| 2009 2009 in film The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note... |
The Hills Run Red The Hills Run Red (2009 film) The Hills Run Red is a 2009 horror film directed by Dave Parker and written by David J. Schow and starring Sophie Monk and William Sadler.- Plot :... |
Dave Parker |
| Orphan Orphan (film) Orphan is a 2009 psychological thriller directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, starring Isabelle Fuhrman, Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard. The film centers on a couple who, after the death of their unborn child, adopt a mysterious 9-year old girl... |
Jaume Collet-Serra Jaume Collet-Serra Jaume Collet-Serra is a Spanish film director and producer.Collet-Serra is most famous for the 2005 remake House of Wax, and 2009's Orphan... |
|
| Whiteout | Dominic Sena Dominic Sena -Life and career:Sena was born in Niles, Ohio. He is of Italian-American heritage. His family hails from the town of Bagnoli Irpino, Avellino, Italy. As one of the founders of Propaganda Films, Sena worked primarily in music videos early in his career. Sena directed several of Janet Jackson's... |
|
| Ninja Assassin Ninja Assassin Ninja Assassin is a 2009 American martial arts film directed by James McTeigue. The story was written by Matthew Sand, with a screenplay penned by J. Michael Straczynski of Babylon 5. The film stars South Korean pop musician Rain as a disillusioned assassin looking for retribution against his... |
James McTeigue James McTeigue James McTeigue is an Australian film director. He has been an assistant director on many films, including No Escape , the Matrix trilogy and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones , and made his directorial debut in the 2006 film V for Vendetta.Born on Sydney's North Shore, he grew up in... |
|
| Echelon Conspiracy Echelon Conspiracy Echelon Conspiracy is a 2009 science fiction action thriller film directed by Greg Marcks and starring Shane West, Edward Burns, and Ving Rhames.-Plot:... |
Greg Marcks Greg Marcks Greg Marcks is a writer/director of motion pictures who lives in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California.-Early life:Marcks grew up in the town of Chelmsford, Massachusetts and attended Chelmsford High School.... |
|
| 2010 2010 in film The year 2010 saw many new films released worldwide. 2010 saw a dramatic increase and prominence in the use of 3D-technology in filmmaking and film releases after the success of Avatar in the format, with releases such as Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Jackass 3D, all animated films and... |
The Losers The Losers (film) The Losers is a 2010 American action based on the adaptation of the Vertigo comic book series of the same name by Andy Diggle. Directed by Sylvain White, the film features an ensemble cast that includes Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana and Chris Evans.... |
Sylvain White Sylvain White Sylvain White is a film director.Son of an American professional basketball player and a French flight attendant, Sylvain White was born in France and grew up mostly in Paris. After attending La Sorbonne University for law, he earned a scholarship to Pomona College in California, where he... |
| Splice Splice (film) Splice is a 2009 Canadian/French science fiction horror film directed by Vincenzo Natali and starring Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley. The story concerns experiments in genetic engineering being done by a young scientist couple who attempt to introduce human DNA into their work of splicing animal... |
Vincenzo Natali Vincenzo Natali Vincenzo Natali is an American-Canadian film director and screenwriter, best known for writing and directing science fiction films such as Cube, Nothing and Splice.-Early life:... |
|
| 2011 2011 in film The year 2011 is notable for containing the release of the most film sequels in a single year, at 27 sequels. The following tables list films that are in production or have completed production and will be released in the United States and Canada at some point in 2011.- Highest-grossing films :... |
Unknown | Jaume Collet-Serra Jaume Collet-Serra Jaume Collet-Serra is a Spanish film director and producer.Collet-Serra is most famous for the 2005 remake House of Wax, and 2009's Orphan... |
| The Devil & Windows | Kim-Sang-Man | |
| 2012 2012 in film The following tables list films that are in production or have completed production and will be released in the United States and Canada at some point in 2012... |
The Apparition The Apparition The Apparition is a supernatural thriller film directed and written by Todd Lincoln, and starring Ashley Greene, Sebastian Stan, Tom Felton, Julianna Guill, and Luke Pasqualino.-Plot:... |
Todd Lincoln |
| 2013 | Ben 10 Ben 10 The Omnitrix was originally created by a Galvan named Azmuth. The Omnitrix was intended to allow beings to experience life as other species in order to bring understanding and foster peace in the universe.... |
Unknown |
Lifetime grosses
| Year | Film | Budget | Domestic Box Office | Foreign Box Office | Total | US DVD sales | Total (with DVD sales) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | House on Haunted Hill | $37 Mio. | $40,846,082 | $3,515,228 (A) | $44,361,370 | N/A | N/A |
| 2001 | Thirteen Ghosts | $42 Mio. | $41,867,960 | $26,600,000 | $68,467,960 | N/A | N/A |
| 2002 | Ghost Ship | $20 Mio. | $30,113,491 | $38,236,393 | $68,349,884 | N/A | N/A |
| 2003 | Gothika | $40 Mio. | $59,694,580 | $81,896,744 | $141,591,324 | N/A | N/A |
| 2005 | House of Wax | $40 Mio. | $32,064,800 | $36,701,321 | $68,766,121 | N/A | N/A |
| 2007 | The Reaping | $40 Mio. | $25,126,214 | $37,644,845 | $62,771,059 | $19,784,364 | $82,555,423 |
| 2008 | RocknRolla | $15 Mio. | $5,700,626 | $20,027,463 | $25,728,089 | $7,400,623 | $33,139,638 |
| 2009 | Orphan | N/A | $41,596,251 | $36,741,122 | $78,337,373 | $12,250,443 | $90,587,816 |
| 2009 | Whiteout | $35 Mio. | $10,275,638 | $7,565,229 | $17,840,867 | $3,192,934 | $21,033,801 |
| 2009 | Ninja Assassin | $50 Mio. | $38,122,883 | $23,471,000 | $61,593,883 | $13,841,623 | $75,435,506 |
| 2010 | The Losers | $25 Mio. | $23,591,432 | $5,385,903 | $28,977,335 | $6,462,496 | $35,439,831 |
| 2010 | Splice | $30 Mio. | $17,010,170 | $6,964,022 | $23,974,192 | $3,695,686 | $27,669,878 |
| Overall Total | US DVD Sales | Total |
|---|---|---|
| $646,033,429 | $62,932,483 | $708,965,912 |
(A) Indicates minimum, as that is only two countries totals merged.
See also
- Gilbert AdlerGilbert AdlerGilbert Adler is a US film producer, writer and director.-Filmography:* Dylan Dog: Dead of Night * Valkyrie * Superman Returns * Constantine...
- William CastleWilliam CastleWilliam Castle was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. Castle was known for directing films with many gimmicks which were ambitiously promoted, despite being reasonably low budget B-movies....
- Susan DowneySusan DowneySusan Nicole Downey is an American film producer. Until February 2009 she was Co-President of Dark Castle Entertainment and Executive Vice President of Production at Silver Pictures, Joel Silver's production company, but has since stepped down to work more closely with her husband, actor Robert...
- Joel SilverJoel SilverJoel Silver is an American Hollywood film producer, co-creator of the sport of Ultimate, co-founder of Dark Castle Entertainment and owner of Silver Pictures.-Life and career:...
- Robert ZemeckisRobert ZemeckisRobert Lee Zemeckis is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Zemeckis first came to public attention in the 1980s as the director of the comedic time-travel Back to the Future film series, as well as the Academy Award-winning live-action/animation epic Who Framed Roger Rabbit ,...
- Warner Bros. Pictures