Red Crown Productions

What Red Crown Productions does

Red Crown Productions is a privately financed, New York-based independent film and television production company founded in 2010 by Daniel Crown and Daniela Taplin Lundberg (with Riva Marker as a co-founder). The company produces films spanning a range of genres and budgets, targeting content that bridges critical recognition and commercial viability — exemplified by titles such as Beasts of No Nation (Netflix's first feature acquisition in 2015), Honey Boy (Amazon Studios, 2019), Hello My Name is Doris (Roadside Attractions, SXSW Audience Award), and Monster (BRON Studios co-production, 2018). Its operating model centers on developing and financing projects with A-list talent, premiering at major festivals (Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW), and securing distribution through enterprise partners including Netflix, Amazon Studios, Magnolia Pictures, and Roadside Attractions/Sony Worldwide.

The company monetizes films through one-time licensing arrangements — theatrical distribution deals, streaming platform acquisitions, and home entertainment sales — rather than recurring contracts. Marketing is event-driven, anchored to festival premieres and industry press coverage (Variety, Deadline, TheWrap). Red Crown has built a portfolio recognized with multiple industry honors: a SAG Award (Idris Elba, 2015), Golden Globe nomination, NAACP Outstanding Independent Motion Picture, two Independent Spirit Awards, a Sundance Special Jury Award, and an SXSW Audience Award. As of 2019, the company had a lean team of 1-10 employees and an active development slate including The Last Shot, Queen, Dovey Johnson Roundtree, Managing Mr. Horowitz, and an untitled ELO Films co-production.

The business is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or external funding rounds. Revenue, headcount details beyond a 1-10 range, and detailed financial metrics are not publicly disclosed. Distribution strategy combines domestic theatrical (Magnolia, Roadside) with global streaming (Netflix, Amazon), and the company increasingly partners with other producers (BRON Studios, Funny or Die, ELO Films, Donna Gigliotti) to co-finance and co-produce projects, suggesting a capital-efficient approach to scaling output without balance sheet expansion.

Name

Red Crown Productions

Legal name

Red Crown Productions

Website

https://www.redcrownproductions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Red Crown Productions is a privately financed, New York-based independent film and television production company founded in 2010, producing award-recognized features sold to distributors and streamers including Netflix, Amazon Studios, Magnolia Pictures, and Roadside Attractions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

West New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Film Production Revenue: Red Crown produces films across a wide range of genres and budgets, generating revenue through theatrical distribution deals, streaming platform licensing, and home entertainment sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Red Crown Productions is a privately financed New York-based film and television production company that develops, finances, and produces feature films and television projects across independent and studio spaces. It generates revenue by licensing completed films to theatrical distributors and streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Studios, Magnolia Pictures, and Roadside Attractions, targeting festival premieres at Sundance, Tribeca, and SXSW to build commercial and awards momentum.

Product overview

Red Crown Productions is a privately financed New York-based film and television production company founded in 2010 by Daniel Crown and Daniela Taplin Lundberg. The company produces independent and studio films spanning a wide range of genres and budgets, focusing on pictures that combine smart and commercial appeal. Their notable films include What Maisie Knew (2012), Hello My Name Is Doris (2014), Beasts of No Nation (2015), Monster (2018), and Honey Boy (2019). They also have several projects in development including The Last Shot, Queen, Dovey Johnson Roundtree, Managing Mr. Horowitz, and an untitled production with ELO Films.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• What Maisie Knew A contemporary NYC-based adaptation of the Henry James novella about a 7-year-old girl caught in a custody battle between her aging rock star mother and art dealer father. The film was licensed to distributors and streaming platforms for theatrical and home entertainment release.
• Life Partners A comedy about two codependent best friends in their late 20s whose bond shifts when one meets a romantic partner, starring Leighton Meester and Gillian Jacobs. U.S. rights were licensed to Magnolia Pictures following its Tribeca premiere.
• Hello, My Name Is Doris An indie comedy about an isolated 60-year-old woman who, motivated by a self-help seminar, romantically pursues a younger coworker, starring Sally Field, Max Greenfield, and Beth Behrs. Won the SXSW 2015 Audience Award and was distributed by Roadside Attractions/Sony Worldwide.
• Goats A coming-of-age film about a 14-year-old leaving his Tucson home for prep school, starring David Duchovny and Vera Farmiga. Licensed to distributors for theatrical and home entertainment release.
• Baked in Brooklyn A comedy about a 22-year-old college graduate who enters the world of weed dealing on the streets of Manhattan after losing his job. Licensed to distributors for theatrical and home entertainment release.
• Beasts of No Nation A film about a young West African boy forced to join guerrilla soldiers during civil war, based on Uzodinma Iweala's novel, directed by Cary Fukunaga and starring Idris Elba. Distributed globally by Netflix as its first feature film acquisition and earned multiple awards.
• The Family Fang A comedy-drama starring Jason Bateman, Nicole Kidman, and Christopher Walken about adult siblings who return home to uncover a mystery surrounding their famous artist parents' disappearance. Licensed to distributors for theatrical and home entertainment release.
• Monster (All Rise) A film adaptation of Walter Dean Myers' bestselling novel about a 17-year-old honors student and aspiring filmmaker charged with felony murder, starring Jeffrey Wright, Jennifer Hudson, and A$AP Rocky. Co-produced with BRON Studios, Tonik, Get Lifted, Creative Wealth Media, and Charlevoix Entertainment.
• Honey Boy A drama written by and starring Shia LaBeouf, following two threads of time watching a father and son's contentious relationship across a decade, directed by Alma Har'el. Co-distributed theatrically and via streaming by Amazon Studios.

Quantifiable outcome

• Beasts of No Nation received two awards at Independent Spirit Awards, NAACP Outstanding Independent Motion Picture, SAG award for Best Supporting Actor Idris Elba, and one Golden Globe nomination
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• ELO FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2019Co-production partnership on untitled film directed by Celine Held and Logan George. The script is an Academy Nicholl semi-finalist and won PAGE Screenwriting Awards for drama 2016. Produced by Kara Durrett.
• BRON Studios / Tonik / Get LiftedmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019Co-production partners on Monster (All Rise), a film adapted from Walter Dean Myers' bestselling novel, starring Jeffrey Wright, Jennifer Hudson, and A$AP Rocky, with additional involvement from Creative Wealth Media and Charlevoix Entertainment.
• Magnolia PicturesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 October 2014Acquired U.S. rights to Life Partners following its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.
• Funny or Die ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producing The Last Shot, a basketball comedy written by Funny or Die creative director and former SNL head writer Andrew Steele, with Sports Illustrated writer Lee Jenkins contributing to the script.
• Donna GigliottimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer on Dovey Johnson Roundtree project. Gigliotti, known for producing Hidden Figures, acquired film rights to the civil rights-era hero's 2009 memoir Mighty Justice.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• A24: A24 is an independent New York-based film production and distribution company known for festival-driven, award-winning titles across indie and prestige categories — directly comparable to Red Crown's positioning, festival strategy, and target market.
• Neon: Neon is an independent film distributor and producer that acquires festival premieres and wins awards (e.g., Parasite). It overlaps with Red Crown on festival-driven theatrical and streaming distribution of prestige independent films.
• Bleecker Street: Bleecker Street is an independent film distribution and production company focused on prestige and commercial indie titles, including senior-skewing audiences like Hello, My Name is Doris — a direct category overlap with Red Crown's slate.
• Annapurna Pictures: Annapurna Pictures is a privately-held production and financing company producing prestige and art-house films. Comparable to Red Crown on production strategy and target audience despite operating at larger budget tiers.
• Plan B Entertainment: Plan B is a privately-held production company producing prestige dramas and award-caliber films (e.g., 12 Years a Slave, Moonlight). Directly comparable to Red Crown on slate profile and the smart-and-commercial positioning.
• Participant Media: Participant produces mission-driven, award-caliber films (e.g., Spotlight, Roma). Overlaps with Red Crown on socially-themed titles like Dovey Johnson Roundtree and Beasts of No Nation.

Emerging players

• Roadside Attractions: Roadside Attractions is a U.S. theatrical distributor that partnered with Red Crown on Hello, My Name is Doris. It operates in the same independent theatrical distribution channel, occasionally co-producing, making it a distribution-side peer.
• Magnolia Pictures: Magnolia Pictures acquired U.S. rights to Red Crown's Life Partners. It is an independent film distributor focused on theatrical and VOD, representing the same indie distribution ecosystem that Red Crown's films flow into.

Broad incumbents

• STX Entertainment: STX Entertainment is a larger studio combining production and distribution for mid-budget and prestige-leaning commercial films. Comparable to Red Crown at a larger scale on the studio-leaning end of Red Crown's slate.
• Lionsgate: Lionsgate is a major independent studio with a substantial indie/specialty production and distribution arm. Comparable to Red Crown on independent production category but operates at vastly larger scale and budget tiers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/red-crown-productions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Red Crown Productions