21 Laps Entertainment

21 Laps, Inc.
21 Laps Entertainment
FormerlyWunjo, Inc. (1999–2005)
IndustryFilm
Television
FoundedJanuary 29, 1999; 25 years ago (1999-01-29) (as Wunjo, Inc.)
2005; 20 years ago (2005) (as 21 Laps Entertainment)[1]
FounderShawn Levy
Headquarters888 Seventh Avenue,
New York City, New York 10106
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
ProductsMotion pictures, television programs

21 Laps, Inc.,[2] doing business as 21 Laps Entertainment, is an American film and television production company founded and run by filmmaker Shawn Levy.[3] The company is best known as the producers of Stranger Things, and exclusively distributes content through a partnership with Netflix.[4] It has also produced films like Cheaper by the Dozen, The Spectacular Now, Real Steel, Arrival, and the Night at the Museum franchise, as well as Levy's collaborations with actor and producer Ryan Reynolds, which include Free Guy, The Adam Project and Deadpool & Wolverine. The companies' name originates from the number of laps Levy's eldest daughter ran in a jogathon when she was 5 years old.[5] In addition to the logo, the icon is supposed to represent a race track.

History

In 1999, Shawn Levy, who after his start on television incorporated and founded the company as Wunjo, Inc. It was in-name only from the beginning until 2005. Levy made his breakout role as a film director on Big Fat Liar, Just Married, and Cheaper by the Dozen. In 2003, Levy, after the success of his aforementioned feature films, launched his own production company with a first-look deal at 20th Century Fox Television. The deal was to produce half-hour sitcoms and hour-long dramas.[6] In 2005, Levy rebranded the studio to 21 Laps Entertainment and it signed a non-exclusive deal with 20th Century Fox to produce their films. The film division would be run by Tom McNulty, formerly employee from Happy Madison Productions, and its television division by J.J. Klein. The first two products were Cheaper by the Dozen 2 and Pepper Dennis.[7] In 2010, Levy and Marty Adelstein signed on to form a television company called 21 Laps/Adelstein Productions, and they signed a deal with 20th Century Fox Television and hired Becky Clements to serve as president.[8] In 2014, both Levy and Adelstein parted ways, with the latter launching Tomorrow Studios as a joint venture with ITV Studios.[9] In July 2016, one of the company's television projects, Stranger Things, premiered on Netflix and achieved critical acclaim, earning a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes with 55 out of 58 reviews being positive.[10] The show's first season was also one of Netflix's most watched series, averaging 14.07 million adults 18–49 in its first 35 days.[11] Along with producing the series, Levy directed two of the premiere season's episodes.[12] The third season premiered on July 4, 2019[13] and the fourth season premiered in two parts on May 27, 2022 and July 1, 2022. It was renewed for a fifth and final season.[14] In 2020, the company signed a first look deal with Netflix.[15]

Filmography

Films

Release date Title Director Distributor Notes
October 23, 2001 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus John Shepphird PAX first film; uncredited; co-production with Regent Entertainment, ACH and Medien Capital Treuhand
February 8, 2002 Big Fat Liar Shawn Levy Universal Pictures first theatrical film; uncredited; co-production with Tollin/Robbins Productions
January 10, 2003 Just Married 20th Century Fox uncredited; co-production with The Donners' Company and Robert Simonds Productions
December 25, 2003 Cheaper by the Dozen uncredited; co-production with Robert Simonds Productions
December 21, 2005 Cheaper by the Dozen 2 Adam Shankman

First credited film under the 21 Laps label

December 22, 2006 Night at the Museum Shawn Levy co-produced with 1492 Pictures and Dune Entertainment
May 9, 2008 What Happens in Vegas Tom Vaughan co-produced with Regency Enterprises, Mosaic Media Group, Dune Entertainment and Penn Station Entertainment
August 20, 2008 The Rocker Peter Cattaneo co-produced with Fox Atomic
May 22, 2009 Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian Shawn Levy co-produced with 1492 Pictures, Dune Entertainment and Ingenious Film Partners
April 9, 2010 Date Night co-produced with Dune Entertainment
October 7, 2011 Real Steel Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures co-produced with Touchstone Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures and Reliance Entertainment
July 27, 2012 The Watch Akiva Schaffer 20th Century Fox
June 7, 2013 The Internship Shawn Levy co-produced with Regency Enterprises, Wild West Picture Show Productions and TSG Entertainment
August 2, 2013 The Spectacular Now James Ponsoldt A24 co-produced with Andrew Lauren Productions and Global Produce
September 19, 2014 This Is Where I Leave You Shawn Levy Warner Bros. Pictures co-produced with Warner Bros. Pictures and Spring Creek Productions
October 10, 2014 Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Miguel Arteta Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures co-produced with Walt Disney Pictures and The Jim Henson Company
December 19, 2014 Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb Shawn Levy 20th Century Fox co-produced with 1492 Pictures and TSG Entertainment
November 11, 2016 Arrival[16] Denis Villeneuve Paramount Pictures
(North America & P.R.China)
Stage 6 Films
(International)
Entertainment One
(United Kingdom)
Roadshow Films
(Australia) 		co-produced with FilmNation Entertainment and Lava Bear Films
December 23, 2016 Why Him? John Hamburg 20th Century Fox co-produced with Red Hour Productions and TSG Entertainment
February 17, 2017 Fist Fight[16] Richie Keen Warner Bros. Pictures co-produced with New Line Cinema, Village Roadshow Pictures, RatPac-Dune Entertainment and Wrigley Pictures
March 3, 2017 Table 19 Jeffrey Blitz Fox Searchlight Pictures co-produced with 3311 Productions
April 20, 2018 Kodachrome Mark Raso Netflix co-produced with The Gotham Group and Motion Picture Capital
August 3, 2018 The Darkest Minds Jennifer Yuh Nelson 20th Century Fox
August 31, 2018 Kin Jonathan Baker and Josh Baker Lionsgate co-produced with Summit Entertainment and No Trace Camping
October 16, 2020 Love and Monsters Michael Matthews Paramount Pictures
(North America)
Netflix
(International) 		co-produced with Entertainment One
February 19, 2021 The Violent Heart Kerem Sanga Gravitas Ventures co-produced with Material Pictures and 3311 Productions
August 13, 2021 Free Guy Shawn Levy Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures co-produced with 20th Century Studios, Maximum Effort, Berlanti Productions, TSG Entertainment, Lit Entertainment Group
October 6, 2021 There's Someone Inside Your House[17] Patrick Brice Netflix co-produced with Atomic Monster
March 11, 2022 The Adam Project Shawn Levy co-produced with Maximum Effort and Skydance Media
October 14, 2022 Rosaline Karen Maine Hulu
(United States)
Disney+
(International, via Star)
Star+
(Latin America) 		co-produced with 20th Century Studios
December 9, 2022 Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again Matt Danner Disney+ co-produced with Walt Disney Pictures, Atomic Cartoons and Alibaba Pictures
May 12, 2023 Crater Kyle Patrick Alvarez co-produced with Walt Disney Pictures
June 2, 2023 The Boogeyman Rob Savage Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures co-produced with 20th Century Studios and NeoReel
July 26, 2024 Deadpool & Wolverine Shawn Levy co-produced with Marvel Studios and Maximum Effort
September 20, 2024 Never Let Go Alexandre Aja Lionsgate Films co-produced with HalleHolly and Media Capital Technologies
Upcoming
March 28, 2025 Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip Marvin Lemus Disney+ co-produced with Walt Disney Pictures and The Jim Henson Company
TBA Abbi and the Eighth Wonder Clea DuVall Sony Pictures Releasing co-produced with TriStar Pictures[18]
Be More Chill TBA Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures co-produced with 20th Century Studios, 5000 Broadway Productions and Berlanti Productions
Boy Band Paramount Pictures co-produced with Maximum Effort
Club 33[19] Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures co-produced with Walt Disney Pictures
Consume David Gelb Searchlight Pictures co-produced with Supper Club[20]
Riders of Justice[21] Michael Schwartz
Tyler Nilson 		Lionsgate Films
Sabine TBA Sony Pictures Releasing co-produced with Screen Gems[22]
Seismic[23] Netflix co-produced with Lit Entertainment Group
Untitled Free Guy sequel Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures co-produced with 20th Century Studios, Maximum Effort, Berlanti Productions and Lit Entertainment Group
Untitled Sesame Street film Jonathan Krisel Warner Bros. Pictures co-produced with Marc Platt Productions,[24] Entertainment 360,[25] and Sesame Workshop
Untitled Backrooms film[26] Kane Parsons A24 co-produced with A24, Chernin Entertainment, and Atomic Monster
Untitled international heist film[27] Shawn Levy Netflix co-produced with Maximum Effort and Genre Films

Television

Year Title Creator(s) Network Notes
2006 Pepper Dennis Gretchen J. Berg
Aaron Harberts 		The WB co-produced with 20th Century Fox Television and Two Presbyterians Productions
2011–2017
2018–2021 		Last Man Standing Jack Burditt ABC
Fox 		Credited as 21 Laps-Adelstein Productions
co-produced with 20th Century Fox Television, Double Wide Productions, NestEgg Productions, Mr. Big Shot Fancy-Pants Productions and Lyonsberry Productions
2014–2015 Cristela Cristela Alonzo
Kevin Hench 		ABC Credited as 21 Laps-Adelstein Productions
co-produced with 20th Century Fox Television and Hench in the Trench Productions
2016–present Stranger Things The Duffer Brothers Netflix co-produced with Monkey Massacre Productions
2017 Imaginary Mary Adam F. Goldberg
David Guarascio
Patrick Osborne 		ABC uncredited; co-produced with Sony Pictures Television, ABC Studios, Happy Madison Productions, Adam F. Goldberg Productions and David Guarascio Productions
2020 I Am Not Okay with This Jonathan Entwistle
Christy Hall 		Netflix co-produced with Ceremony Pictures and Raindrop Valley
2020–present Unsolved Mysteries John Cosgrove
Terry Dunn Meurer 		co-produced with Cosgrove-Meurer Productions
2020 Dash & Lily Joe Tracz co-produced with Boy Detective Inc. and Image 32
2021–2023 Shadow and Bone Eric Heisserer co-produced with Chronology and Loom Studios
2022 Lost Ollie Shannon Tindle co-produced with Fufufufu Productions
2023 All the Light We Cannot See Steven Knight co-produced with Nebula Star
2024 The Perfect Couple Jenna Lamia co-produced with Blossom Films, Pathless Woods Productions Inc., Two–Four Two–Four Go and The Jackal Group
Upcoming
TBA Real Steel TBA Disney+ co-produced with Compari Entertainment, Angry Films, DreamWorks SKG, and 20th Television

References

  1. ^ "Fox Animation Acquires Film Rights to Sanrio's Mr. Men Little Miss Properties". Business Wire. January 27, 2015.
  2. ^ "21 LAPS, INC". OpenCorporates. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  3. ^ Breznican, Anthony. "Shawn Levy to produce 'Man Made' book about toughened-up dad". EW.com.
  4. ^ "'Stranger Things' Producer Inks Massive Overall Deal With Netflix". The Hollywood Reporter. December 6, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  5. ^ Shawn Levy (March 19, 2018). The Story Behind The Name '21 Laps Entertainment'. Producer's Guild of America.
  6. ^ Adalian, Josef (November 14, 2003). "Twentieth TV takes up with 'Married' man". Variety. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  7. ^ Fleming, Michael (October 7, 2005). "Levy homes in on Fox". Variety. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  8. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (June 18, 2010). "Shawn Levy And Marty Adelstein Form TV Company, Sign With 20th Century Fox TV And Tap Becky Clements As Prez". Deadline. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  9. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (June 4, 2014). "Marty Adelstein Sets Joint Venture With ITV Studios US To Launch Tomorrow ITV Studios". Deadline. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  10. ^ "Stranger Things - Season 1 Reviews". Rotten Tomatoes.
  11. ^ Holloway, Daniel (August 25, 2016). "'Stranger Things' Ratings: Where Series Ranks Among Netflix's Most Watched". Variety.com.
  12. ^ Guerrasio, Jason. "How the man behind Netflix hit 'Stranger Things' is taking over Hollywood". Business Insider.
  13. ^ Wigler, Josh (December 31, 2018). "Netflix Reveals 'Stranger Things' Season 3 Premiere Date". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  14. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (September 30, 2019). "'Stranger Things' Renewed for Season 4 as Creators Ink Nine-Figure Netflix Deal". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  15. ^ McNary, Dave (November 19, 2020). "'Stranger Things' Producer Shawn Levy Signs First-Look Feature Deal With Netflix, Expands TV Pact". Variety. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  16. ^ a b Barnes, Brooks (November 25, 2016). "A Filmmaker's Belief in Himself Pays Off". New York Times. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  17. ^ Squires, John (August 23, 2021). "'Creep' Director Patrick Brice's New Movie 'There's Someone Inside Your House' Crashes Netflix in October". BloodyDisgusting. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  18. ^ Grobar, Matt (May 9, 2024). "Clea DuVall To Direct 'Abbi And The Eighth Wonder' For TriStar, 21 Laps". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  19. ^ Kit, Borys (May 21, 2024). "Disney's Club 33 Getting Movie Treatment From 'Goosebumps' Writer Darren Lemke, Shawn Levy's 21 Laps (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  20. ^ Kit, Borys (November 4, 2019). "'Jiro Dreams of Sushi' Filmmaker Sets Thriller 'Consume' With 21 Laps, Fox Searchlight (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  21. ^ Kroll, Justin (May 31, 2024). "'Peanut Butter Falcon' Filmmakers Michael Schwartz & Tyler Nilson To Helm 'Riders Of Justice' For Lionsgate; 21 Laps Producing". Deadline Hollywood.
  22. ^ D’Alessandro, Anthony (July 8, 2020). "Screen Gems Picks Up Female Thriller Spec 'Sabine' For 21 Laps". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  23. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 13, 2023). "Netflix Picks Up 'Seismic' From 'Mortal Kombat's Greg Russo; Shawn Levy's 21 Laps Producing". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  24. ^ Galuppo, Mia (December 5, 2018). "Anne Hathaway Eyes Starring Role in 'Sesame Street' Movie". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  25. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (November 15, 2016). "Can You Spell David Guion & Michael Handelman? They Are Writing 'Sesame Street' Film For Warner Bros". Deadline Hollywood.
  26. ^ Grobar, Matt (February 6, 2023). "'The Backrooms' Horror Film Based On Viral Shorts By 17-Year-Old Kane Parsons In Works At A24, Atomic Monster, Chernin & 21 Laps". Deadline. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  27. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (December 14, 2023). "'Deadpool 3's Shawn Levy Boards Ryan Reynolds Heist Comedy As Director & Producer At Netflix". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 12, 2024.