The Wild Wild West,
Gilligan s Island and
Donner would make his directorial debut in film with 1961 s
X-15, which starred Mary Tyler Moore in her first feature film role. He would follow that film seven years later, directing 1968 s
Salt and Pepper with Sammy Davis Jr. and Peter Lawford.
The director s breakthrough would come with 1976 s
The Omen, a supernatural horror film that would go on to be the fifth highest-grossing movie of that year.
Superman would follow in 1978, bringing both Donner and starring hero Reeve international acclaim. Its $55 million budget made it the most expensive film ever made up to that point, and would gross more than $300 million at the global box office.
Marvel s Kevin Feige Reacts to the Death of Richard Donner
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Earlier today, the film and comics industries were saddened by the loss of Richard Donner. The filmmaker behind hits like
Superman: The Movie and the
Lethal Weapon movies passed away today, according to statements from his wife,
X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner. The filmmaker, who also directed
Scrooged and
The Goonies, remained a significant part of the superhero-movie discourse for years after he was done with his
Superman films. On the DVD box set for Christopher Nolan s Dark Knight Trilogy, a conversation between Donner and Nolan is included as a bonus feature. A tribute to Donner mounted a few years ago featured appearances by then-Warner Bros. and DC executive Geoff Johns as well as Marvel honcho Kevin Feige.
Richard Donner’s net worth revealed – Twitter pays tribute to Superman’s director
Superman (1978),
Lethal Weapon, dies at 91.
The prolific director passed away on Monday, July 5, and the news was confirmed by his wife, the famed producer Lauren Shuler Donner. So far no cause of death has been revealed. The filmmaker is survived by his wife Lauren, whom he married in 1986.
Many artists, actors and fans swarmed to Twitter to pay tribute to the famed director.
SEE: Everything we know about Richard Donner’s wife!
Denver Post via Getty Images
Richard Donner’s net worth revealed
Superman’s director was worth approximately $100 million.