Renaissance Pictures

Renaissance Pictures is an American film production and television company. It was founded by director Sam Raimi, producer Rob Tapert and actor Bruce Campbell, with help from publicist Irvin Shapiro, on August 10, 1979 to produce their film The Evil Dead, along with its sequels Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness.

Renaissance has produced a large number of films involving the three founders, as well as those made by other entertainment professionals connected with them, including the Joel and Ethan Coen written Crimewave and Josh Becker's Thou Shalt Not Kill... Except. Later efforts include big budget action films such as Darkman (also directed by Raimi), Hard Target and Timecop, the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess, both of which featured Campbell in various capacities, as well as Raimi's brother Ted as recurring character Joxer. Raimi and Tapert now produce horror films, including Raimi's own Drag Me to Hell, through Ghost House Pictures.

The original logo of the company paid homage to the opening of the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, before it was changed to a Mona Lisa-esque Renaissance painting being torn apart by lightning in 1994.

Filmography

 * 1981: The Evil Dead
 * 1986: Crimewave
 * 1985: Stryker's War
 * 1987: Evil Dead II
 * 1990: Darkman
 * 1991: Lunatics: A Love Story
 * 1992: Army of Darkness
 * 1993: Hard Target
 * 1994: Darkman II: The Return of Durant (direct-to-video)
 * 1994: Hercules and the Amazon Women (TV movie)
 * 1994: Hercules and the Lost Kingdom (TV movie)
 * 1994–1995: M.A.N.T.I.S. (TV series)
 * 1994: Timecop
 * 1994: Hercules and the Circle of Fire (TV movie)
 * 1994: Hercules in the Underworld (TV movie)
 * 1994: Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur (TV movie)
 * 1995–1999: Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (TV series)
 * 1995–2001: Xena: Warrior Princess (TV series)
 * 1995–1996: American Gothic (TV series)
 * 1996: Darkman III: Die Darkman Die (direct-to-video)
 * 1997: Spy Game (TV series)
 * 1998: Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus (direct-to-video)
 * 1998–1999: Young Hercules (TV series)
 * 2000: Jack of All Trades (TV series)
 * 2000–2001: Cleopatra 2525 (TV series)
 * 2002: Xena: Warrior Princess - A Friend in Need (Director's Cut) (direct-to-video)
 * 2008–2010: Legend of the Seeker (TV series)