10 Female Movie Producers You Need to Know [Posted from Complex]

JAN 25, 2013 | 10:27 AM

Reposted from http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/01/10-female-movie-producers-you-need-to-know/

By Peter Hoare

While the movie producing business was once largely a boys club, times have certainly changed. From The Hunger Games to Inception to the Oscar-nominated Zero Dark Thirty, some of the greatest movies of our generation are being produced by women who are major Hollywood players.

Diablo Cody
Production company: Independent
Notable projects: Jennifer’s Body (2009), Young Adult (2011)

Back in 2007, Diablo Cody won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for the fantastic dramedy Juno, which was the ex-stripper’s first-ever feature film. Since then, Cody, whose real name is Brook Busey, has been a hot commodity in Hollywood. On the heels of Juno’s success, she was quickly able to add “producer” to her resume. She executive produced 2009’s Jennifer’s Body, an erotic horror film starring Megan Fox, and 2011’s Young Adult. Diablo also co-wrote both.

And Cody’s set to produce two more big upcoming features: Sweet Valley High, a film adaptation of the popular book series, and Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament, another horror flick.

Drew Barrymore
Production company: Flower Films
Notable projects: Charlie’s Angels (2000), He’s Just Not That Into You (2009), Whip It (2009)

Everyone knows Drew Barrymore for being a talented actress and former wild child, but it’s lesser known that she’s also an extremely successful producer. Ever since executive producing her first film, 1999’s Never Been Kissed, Drew’s consistently produced big, broad, money-making movies. And they’re usually films which she also stars in. Aside from producing all of the Charlie’s Angels films, Barrymore’s also produced big budget comedies like 2003’s Duplex, and 2005’s Jimmy Fallon vehicle, Fever Pitch.

And although none of them have a confirmed production date, the multitasking talent is currently attached to produce four more films: Heist Society, How to Be Single, Surrender Dorothy and The Au Pairs. It’s not yet confirmed whether or not Drew’s set to star in the films, but, aside from producing, she is attached to direct three out of the four.

Megan Ellison
Production company: Annapurna Pictures
Notable projects: Spring Breakers (2012), The Master (2012), Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

Megan Ellison’s producing career got off to a rocky start. In 2010, she produced three films—Walking Madison, Passion Play and Main Street—all of which were released to little if any fanfare. But after investing in and producing True Grit, 2010’s Oscar-nominated Coen Brothers film, Ellison’s career really kicked into high gear. Ever since then, the phenom’s been churning out hit after hit. In fact, at this year’s Academy Awards, Megan produced two films that are each nominated for multiple awards,The Master and Zero Dark Thirty.

And aside from the upcoming Spring Breakers, this year Megan has two more big films lined up. The first is Spike Jonze’s Her, which stars Amy Adams, Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix; the other is Foxcatcher, a drama that stars Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo and Sienna Miller.

Karen Rosenfelt
Production company: Sunswept Entertainment
Notable projects: Marley & Me (2008), Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (2012)

Over the last five years, Karen Rosenfelt has been busy producing two very different film franchises, Twilight and Alvin and the The Chipmunks. And when she wasn’t dealing with vampires or rodents, Rosenfelt found time to produce other films like Marley & Me, Yogi Bear and The Devil Wears Prada. Since 2006, she’s produced 13 films, 12 of which were highly profitable, the only exception being 2011’s Jack Black/Owen Wilson stinker, The Big Year.

And it looks like Karen has some big years ahead of herself. She currently has 10 films lined up, the first being Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, which hits theaters this August.

Nina Jacobson
Production company: Color Force
Notable projects: Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010), The Hunger Games (2012)

Though she’s produced films like Anne Hathaway’s One Day and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Nina Jacobson is best known for producing the big screen adaptation of The Hunger Games novels. Not only did Jacobson produce the first film, which was released last year and grossed a staggering $693 million, but she’s also producing the next three installments, the first of which is titled The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and will be released this November.

Gale Anne Hurd
Production company: Valhalla Motion Pictures
Notable projects: Armageddon (1998), Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Gale Anne Hurd has been a major player in the film industry ever since she both wrote and produced The Terminator back in 1984. Since then, Gale’s been consistently producing big-budget, blockbuster action flicks. To say that her body of work is impressive would be an understatement. Aliens, Tremors, Armageddon. The Incredible Hulk—all major films.

And aside from her film work, Hurd also executive produces of one of the hottest shows on television, AMC’s The Walking Dead.

E.L. James
Production company: Independent
Notable projects: Fifty Shades of Grey (2014)

This British scribe is new to the movie business, but she’s already a major player. Fifty Shades of Grey, the erotic novel which James wrote, became a cultural phenomenon back in 2011. The original, along with its two sequels Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, have sold over 35 million copies in the United States, and over 65 million copies worldwide. So, it should come as no surprise that Hollywood quickly offered E.L. a boatload of money and a cherry deal for the film rights.

Focus Features will be developing the adaptation, with E.L. producing. And if the success of the novels is any indicator of how the films will do, it looks like E.L. will have a bright future as a producer in the film world.

Emma Thomas
Production company: Syncopy Films
Notable projects: The Dark Knight (2008), Inception (2010),The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Emma Thomas is a bona fide force to be reckoned with in Hollywood. It’s as if everything she touches turn to gold. After first working as a coordinator for Polygram Filmed Entertainment, Emma went on to start Syncopy Films alongside the incomparable Christopher Nolan in 2005. The company is responsible for such big-time blockbusters as Inception, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises.

And in the next two years, Emma has two more monster films lined up. She produced the latest Superman film, Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, which hits theaters this June, and Johnny Depp’s Transcendence, out in 2014.

Kathryn Bigelow
Production company: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)
Notable projects: The Hurt Locker (2008), Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

After beginning her film career in the late ’70s as a director, Kathryn Bigelow began producing in 2002. The first movie in which she pulled double duty, both directing and producing, was 2002’s K-19: The Widowmaker. And as it turns out, splitting her time between both roles has proved to be very prosperous. Bigelow both directed and produced 2009’s The Hurt Locker, which earned the California native two Academy Awards, one for Best Director and the other for Best Picture.

Although she got snubbed for the Best Director nod at this year’s Oscars, her latest film, Zero Dark Thirty, undoubtedly the most talked about film this awards season, is up for Best Picture at next month’s show.

Kathleen Kennedy
Production company: LucasFilm
Notable projects: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Jurassic Park (1993), Lincoln (2012)

Kathleen Kennedy is an absolute legend in Hollywood whose filmography can’t be touched. The engine behind some of the most beloved movies in film history since 1981, Kennedy’s worked on every film from Schindler’s List and The Goonies to The Sixth Sense and the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII.

Before becoming the president of Lucas Film and the brand manager of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises in October of last year, Kennedy founded Amblin Entertainment with Frank Marshall and Steven Spielberg.

Nominated for a staggering 120 Academy Awards throughout her career, Kennedy is up for another Best Picture win with 2012’s blockbuster hit Lincoln, also the most nominated film at this year’s Oscars.