Producers David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman join me by phone to discuss their film Wonder and their work as producers in film and television.
David Hoberman
David Hoberman (Producer) is the founder and co-owner of Mandeville Films and Television. He is one of the leading producers in the entertainment industry today. His Disney-based company, Mandeville Films, is among the most profitable and respected production labels in the entertainment industry.
Other notable films include the critically hailed Academy Award©-nominated feature THE FIGHTER, starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams, and directed by David O. Russell. Produced for $25 million, the film went on to gross almost $130 million worldwide and earned a host of awards, including an Academy Award© nomination for Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor and Actress Awards for Bale and Leo.
Hoberman founded Mandeville Films in 1995 and signed a five-year first look pact with the Walt Disney Studios. In 1999, Hoberman signed a first-look deal for Mandeville at the Walt Disney Studios with Lieberman. Two years later, Lieberman became a co-partner in the company.
Hoberman created the award-winning “Monk,” a one-hour series for USA Network. Executive-produced by Mandeville and spearheaded by Hoberman, “Monk” aired for eight seasons.
Prior to forming Mandeville Films, Hoberman served as president of the Motion Picture Group of the Walt Disney Studios, where he was responsible for overseeing development and production for all feature films for Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures. During Hoberman’s tenure, Disney was often the top studio in domestic box-office grosses. In 1990, PRETTY WOMAN, supervised by Hoberman, was the top- grossing film of the year, and its soundtrack was the top-selling soundtrack of the year. Hoberman was also behind major blockbusters at the studio, including FATHER OF THE BRIDE, WHAT ABOUT BOB, DEAD POETS SOCIETY, ED WOOD, DANGEROUS MINDS, RUTHLESS PEOPLE, BEACHES, THREE MEN AND A BABY and HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS. While an executive at Disney, Hoberman championed the first-ever full-length stop-motion animation feature, Tim Burton’s THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
Hoberman started his career working in the mailroom at ABC and quickly ascended in the entertainment business, working for Norman Lear’s Tandem/T.A.T. in television and film. He worked as a talent agent at ICM before joining Disney in 1985.
Today, Hoberman is an associate professor at UCLA’s Graduate School in the Producers Program. He sat on the board of the Starlight Starbright Foundation for more than 10 years, is a member of the Board of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America and sat on the Board of the Los Angeles Free Clinic for six years.
Hoberman is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He is a member of the Board of Suffolk University in Boston and on the Board of Overseers at the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles.
Todd Lieberman
Todd Lieberman (Producer) is a co-owner of Mandeville Films and Television. He is one of the leading producers in the entertainment industry today. His Disney-based company, Mandeville Films, is among the most profitable and respected production labels in the entertainment industry.
In 2001, Lieberman was named one of the “35 under 35” people to watch in the business by The Hollywood Reporter, which also ranked Lieberman and Hoberman among the 30 most powerful producers in Hollywood. He holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. Lieberman is a member of the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences and a judge for the Academy’s Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. He is also a member of the Television Academy and a Producer’s Guild mentor, as well as an active member of the Los Angeles chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization.
About Mandeville Films
Since its founding in 1995, Mandeville Films has produced feature films that have grossed more than $2.5 billion in domestic box-office receipts and their slate includes a wide variety of genres, anchored by character-driven stories with universal, often uplifting themes.
Todd and David’s most recent movie is Disney’s live-action retelling of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, starring Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as The Beast. The critically- hailed film, directed by Bill Condon, has broken boxoffice records worldwide and has become the highest grossing PG-rated film in North America of all time. It also stars Emma Thompson, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Luke Evans, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ian McKellan, Ewan McGregor, Audra MacDonald.
Upcoming movies include STRONGER, the inspirational story of Boston marathon survivor Jeff Bauman, directed by David Gordon Green, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson and Clancy Brown, to be released September 22, 2017 by Roadside Attractions. STRONGER makes its world premiere at the 2017 Toronto Film Festival. Following that is WONDER, based on R.J. Palacio’s best-selling YA novel, directed by Stephen Chbosky, starring Julia Roberts, Jason Tremblay and Daveed Diggs, to be released November 17, 2017 by Lionsgate. Both films were developed in house at Mandeville. Mandeville is currently in production on EXTINCTION, a sci-fi thriller starring Michael Pena and Lizzy Caplan, directed by Ben Young, to be released by Universal Pictures. Mandeville is also in pre-production THE AERONAUTS for Amazon Studios, written by Jack Thorne, based on the true story of balloon pilot Amelia Wren and scientist James Glaisher and their extraordinary and harrowing journey to discover the secrets of the skies.
Mandeville also produced THE MUPPETS, starring Jason Segel, Amy Adams and Walter, the newest Muppet. Directed by James Bobin, written by Segel and Nick Stoller, THE MUPPETS was one of the best-reviewed films of 2011 and earned the Academy Award© for Best Song. Mandeville also produced the next MUPPET installment, MUPPETS MOST WANTED. Lieberman also produced WARM BODIES, the genre-bending “zombie romance” based on Isaac Marion’s novel, starring Nicholas Hoult, John Malkovich and Teresa Palmer, written and directed by Jonathan Levine, for Summit/Lionsgate. Mandeville executive produced INSURGENT and ALLEGIANT, part of the DIVERGENT movie series.
Mandeville has a first look deal with Disney, which has been the company’s home for over 20 years.
Under the Disney banner, Mandeville produced a string of hits, including the romantic comedy THE PROPOSAL, starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. THE PROPOSAL became the highest grossing romantic comedy of 2009, earning over $317 million worldwide. It was the People’s Choice award winner for Best Comedy of the year and Mandeville crossed the billion dollar mark in terms of box office revenue with THE PROPOSAL.
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