Originally desiring to be an actor, early in his career Richard Donner actually was convinced to go into Direction and started his prolific and successful career in television, directing television episodes of science fiction and Western series such as The Wild Wild West, The Man from UNCLE, and The Twilight Zone.
His first feature film was 1961's X-15, an aviation drama film hefore breaking out with his first major successful film, the suspenseful horror film The Omen starring Gregory Peck. He is probably best know for directing the first great modern superhero film which was 1978's Superman, starring Christopher Reeves, Marlon Brando, Margot Kidder and Gene Hackman. It was a huge success, making $134 million dollars and when counting for inflation a box office that wouldn't be surpassed for twenty four years with the release of Spider-man in 2002. He was fired from the set of Superman II partway through the project which led to the release of the Superman II: Richard Donner cut in 2006 which was widely seen as a improvement over the original 1980 sequel, incorporating a great deal of the cut content that Richard Donner had filmed.
Richard Donner also directed The Goonies, Maverick and the first four Lethal Weapon movies.
He later also founded the Donners Company, which produced the Fox X-Men film franchise. Geoff Johns, one of the biggest names in DC Comics and Comics in general, was also mentored by Richard Donner as well.
As a filmmaker, Richard Donner supported the idea of moving Superhero films from being 'camp' and that they deserved to be treated 'straight' with respect to their comic book origins.
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His first feature film was 1961's X-15, an aviation drama film hefore breaking out with his first major successful film, the suspenseful horror film The Omen starring Gregory Peck. He is probably best know for directing the first great modern superhero film which was 1978's Superman, starring Christopher Reeves, Marlon Brando, Margot Kidder and Gene Hackman. It was a huge success, making $134 million dollars and when counting for inflation a box office that wouldn't be surpassed for twenty four years with the release of Spider-man in 2002. He was fired from the set of Superman II partway through the project which led to the release of the Superman II: Richard Donner cut in 2006 which was widely seen as a improvement over the original 1980 sequel, incorporating a great deal of the cut content that Richard Donner had filmed.
Richard Donner also directed The Goonies, Maverick and the first four Lethal Weapon movies.
He later also founded the Donners Company, which produced the Fox X-Men film franchise. Geoff Johns, one of the biggest names in DC Comics and Comics in general, was also mentored by Richard Donner as well.
As a filmmaker, Richard Donner supported the idea of moving Superhero films from being 'camp' and that they deserved to be treated 'straight' with respect to their comic book origins.
Director Richard Donner of 'Lethal Weapon,' 'Goonies' fame, dead at 91
Fox News confirmed through his rep and his production company that Richard Donner died Monday. A cause of death was not disclosed.
www.foxnews.com
