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Rainforest Films
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Rainforest Films was a film production company founded in 1994 by Rob Hardy and Will Packer that produced films geared towards African Americans.
Key Information
History
[edit]With fraternity brothers William Packer and Gregory Anderson producing, Rob Hardy wrote and directed Chocolate City, a $20,000 film that Blockbuster distributed through its video stores.[1] The film about a young man's profound experience on a black college campus, was shot using 16mm color film on the campus of Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida. In 1994, on the eve of the success of Chocolate City, Hardy and Packer created Rainforest Films. One of the most important goals of Rainforest Films is to create work that will uplift, instead of degrade, the African-American spirit.[2]
After relocating from Tallahassee to Atlanta, Georgia, the company produced the erotic thriller Trois in 2000. Funded, produced and distributed independently, Trois became the fastest black indie film to ever surpass the $1 million mark at the box office. With this achievement, Rainforest Films landed at the #34 spot of The Hollywood Reporter’s Top 500 Film Distributors of 2000, and resulted in Trois being named one of Daily Variety’s Top 50 Highest Grossing Independent Films of the Year.[3]
In 2002, Rainforest Films released the critically acclaimed motion picture Pandora’s Box at the American Black Film Festival.[4] Later that year, The Hollywood Reporter listed Rob Hardy and William Packer amongst the New Establishment of Black Power Brokers in Hollywood. Rainforest Films acquired the US distribution rights to Master P’s gritty prison drama Lockdown in 2003. The film received a limited theatrical run but eventually became one of Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment’s top selling independent releases of the year.[5]
Dissolution of company and lawsuit
[edit]In June 2014, Packer and Hardy announced that Rainforest Films was being dissolved that month pursuant to a 68.1% vote by the shareholders of its holding company, Rainforest Productions Holdings, on June 2, 2014.[citation needed] The last Will Packer-produced film that appears under the Rainforest Film's banner is About Last Night. Think Like a Man Too, No Good Deed, The Wedding Ringer and Ride Along 2 (all Will Packer-produced films that were filming or in post-production at the time of Rainforest Films dissolution) will fall under the new shingle Will Packer Productions.[6][7]
On June 20, 2014, Bronner Bros. president and CEO Bernard Bronner, who owns 30.8% of the Rainforest Productions Holdings and voted against the dissolution of Rainforest Films,[citation needed] filed a lawsuit against the holding company and co founders Will Packer and Rob Hardy alleging, inter alia, breaches of fiduciary duty, gross mismanagement, misappropriation of corporate assets, waste of corporate assets and abuse of control. Bronner states in the suit that he invested over $500,000 and raised another $250,000 to start Rainforest Films back in 2000 and was one-third owner of the company. Bronner claims he was systematically shut out of Rainforest by Hardy and Packer, who assumed daily operations of the company, limited information Bronner received about the company as well as limited Bronner's decision-making authority. Bronner, who is demanding a trial by jury, is seeking judgement against Hardy and Packer for the allegations as well as an award of punitive damages.[8] Rainforest Productions Holdings has described Bronner's lawsuit as frivolous, and said that the lawsuit has been sent to its lawyers for vigorous defense and potential countersuit against Bronner in light of the scurrilous nature of Bronner's allegations. Rainforest Productions Holdings and Hardy and Packer are not presently commenting further on the Bronner lawsuit.[citation needed]
Movies produced by Rainforest Films
[edit]Theatrical releases
[edit]| Release date | Title | Directed by | Budget | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 10, 2000 | Trois | Rob Hardy | $250,000 | $1,161,843 |
| September 15, 2000 (international) February 14, 2003 (U.S.) |
Lockdown | John Luessenhop | TK | $449,482 |
| August 9, 2002 | Trois 2: Pandora's Box | Rob Hardy | $800,000 | $881,950 |
| October 7, 2005 | The Gospel | Rob Hardy | $4,000,000 | $15,778,152 |
| January 12, 2007 | Stomp the Yard | Sylvain White | $13,000,000 | $75,511,123 |
| November 21, 2007 | This Christmas | Preston A. Whitmore II | $13,000,000 | $49,778,552 |
| April 24, 2009 | Obsessed | Steve Shill | $20,000,000 | $73,830,340 |
| August 27, 2010 | Takers | John Luessenhop | $32,000,000 | $69,055,695 |
| April 20, 2012 | Think Like a Man | Tim Story | $12,000,000 | $100,070,507 |
| January 17, 2014 | Ride Along | Tim Story | $25,000,000 | $153,262,184 |
| February 14, 2014 | About Last Night | Steve Pink | $12,500,000 | $49,002,684 |
Direct-to-Video releases
[edit]- Chocolate City (1994)
- Motives (2004)
- Trois: The Escort (2004)
- The Gospel Live (2005)
- Puff, Puff, Pass (2006)
- Motives 2: Retribution (2007)
- Three Can Play That Game (2008)
- Stomp the Yard: Homecoming (2010)
References
[edit]- ^ "Campus Campaign To Sell His Movie Rob Hardy And Buddies From Florida A&m Made The Circuit Of African American Colleges Plugging His Erotic Thriller, "Trois." - philly-archives". Articles.philly.com. 2000-03-14. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
- ^ "The Company | Rainforest Films". Archived from the original on 2013-12-30. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
- ^ Variety Staff (2001-07-26). "Limited release B.O. winners – 2000". Variety. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
- ^ "Monica Calhoun". IMDb.
- ^ "The Company | Rainforest Films". Archived from the original on 2013-12-30. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
- ^ Yamato, Jen (2014-06-23). "'Think Like A Man Too' Producers Dissolve Hitmaking Shingle Rainforest Films". Deadline. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
- ^ "Will Packer Productions | Film Production Company". Willpackerprods.com. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
- ^ "EUR Exclusive: 'Think Like a Man Too' Producers Sued for Gross Mismanagement, Abuse of Control". Eurweb.com. 2014-04-25. Archived from the original on 2015-05-24. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
External links
[edit]Rainforest Films
View on GrokipediaOverview
Founding and Key Personnel
Rainforest Films was founded in the summer of 1994 by Rob Hardy and Will Packer, who were engineering students at Florida A&M University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, Florida, at the time.[9] The company emerged from their collaboration on the low-budget student film Chocolate City (1994), a $20,000 production about a young man's experiences at a historically Black college, which Packer helped distribute directly to video stores nationwide through Blockbuster.[10][11] This early success provided the duo with credibility and motivation to formalize their production venture, focusing initially on independent films targeted at African American audiences.[12] Rob Hardy served as co-founder and primary director for many of the company's projects, leveraging his FAMU background in mechanical engineering to transition into filmmaking.[9] Will Packer, the other co-founder, acted as lead producer and oversaw business operations, drawing from his electrical engineering studies at FAMU, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1996.[10] Their partnership emphasized independent production and distribution, building on the hands-on experience gained from Chocolate City.[11] Among early collaborators, Bernard Bronner, chairman of Bronner Bros. and publisher of Upscale magazine, joined as an investor starting with the company's second film, Trois (2000), providing substantial funding exceeding $500,000 to support production efforts.[13] Following their 1996 graduation, Hardy and Packer relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, where they established the company's headquarters to capitalize on the growing film market in the region.[10][11]Mission and Operations
Rainforest Films was dedicated to producing films that uplift the African-American community by avoiding degrading stereotypes and instead highlighting positive representations of Black experiences and cultural empowerment.[14] The company's name drew an analogy to preserving rainforests, viewing African-American males—who are seen as precious and endangered like rainforests—as central to nurturing and protecting the African-American spirit through storytelling that promotes self-respect and communal pride.[14][15] This focus targeted African-American audiences with culturally relevant content that emphasized resilience and achievement.[15] As an independent production company, Rainforest Films operated by developing low-to-mid budget projects, starting from modest independent efforts and scaling to broader theatrical releases through strategic distribution partnerships.[15] It frequently collaborated with major studios such as Sony Pictures for wider market access, enabling the company to handle production while leveraging established networks for release and promotion.[16] This model allowed Rainforest to maintain creative control over narratives centered on Black perspectives without relying solely on high-cost studio financing. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Rainforest Films capitalized on the city's emergence as a key film industry hub during the early 2000s, supported by state tax incentives that attracted production activity to the region.[14] The headquarters at 323A Edgewood Avenue facilitated operations amid Georgia's growing infrastructure for filmmaking, including soundstages and local talent pools.[3] This location not only reduced costs but also aligned with the company's commitment to regional economic contributions. Rainforest Films prioritized African-American talent across all levels, from directors and producers to casts, to foster empowerment and authentic portrayals within the industry.[14] By centering Black creatives, the company sought to counter negative media tropes and build opportunities for underrepresented voices, promoting a sustainable pipeline of diverse professionals in film.[15]History
Early Years and Initial Productions
Rainforest Films entered its formative period following the modest success of its debut production, Chocolate City (1994), a low-budget film distributed via home video by Blockbuster that provided initial momentum for the company founded by Florida A&M University students Rob Hardy and William Packer.[11] This early achievement allowed the Atlanta-based independent studio to transition toward theatrical releases, though it operated with constrained resources during the late 1990s. The company's focus remained on urban-themed dramas targeting African-American audiences, often relying on film festivals for visibility. The studio's breakthrough came with its first theatrical feature, Trois (2000), directed by Hardy and produced on a $200,000 budget. Starring Gary Dourdan and Kenya Moore, the erotic thriller explored marital infidelity and premiered at the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), generating buzz before its limited release. It grossed $1.16 million domestically, marking the fastest African-American distributed independent film to surpass $1 million at the box office and ranking among the top 50 highest-grossing independent films of the year.[5] This success elevated Rainforest's profile, landing it at No. 34 on The Hollywood Reporter's list of the top 500 film distributors in 2000.[17] Building on this momentum, Rainforest acquired U.S. distribution rights for Lockdown (international release 2000), a prison drama directed by John Luessenhop and starring Master P and Richard T. Jones. The film received a limited U.S. theatrical run in February 2003 through a collaboration with Sony's Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, grossing $449,482 domestically despite its gritty subject matter and prior international availability. This deal highlighted Rainforest's growing role in bridging independent urban films to wider audiences, though theatrical earnings were modest compared to video sales.[18]) (Note: Using Wikipedia only for distributor confirmation; primary data from The Numbers) In 2002, Hardy returned to direct the sequel Trois 2: Pandora's Box, produced on an approximately $800,000 budget and focusing on psychological thriller elements with Monica Calhoun in the lead. Released to limited theaters, it earned $881,950 domestically, continuing the franchise's appeal while demonstrating Rainforest's ability to develop series content on escalating but still limited funds. That same year, Hardy and Packer were recognized as part of the "New Establishment" of Black power brokers in Hollywood by The Hollywood Reporter, affirming their emerging influence in the industry.[19][20] Throughout this era from 1994 to 2002, Rainforest faced significant challenges, including shoestring budgets that restricted marketing and wide releases, as well as dependence on festivals like ABFF for exposure and credibility among niche audiences. These hurdles underscored the difficulties of independent Black-owned studios in securing theatrical traction without major studio backing, yet the company's early outputs laid a foundation for urban cinema representation.[17][21]Growth and Major Hits
Following the modest successes of its early independent productions, Rainforest Films began scaling up operations in the mid-2000s through strategic partnerships with major studios, particularly Sony Pictures' Screen Gems division, which provided access to larger budgets and wider distribution networks. This shift was evident with the 2005 release of The Gospel, a faith-based drama directed by Rob Hardy that marked the company's first collaboration with Screen Gems; produced on a $4 million budget, it grossed $15.8 million worldwide, demonstrating viability in the urban market and paving the way for more ambitious projects. The partnership enabled Rainforest to transition from low-budget indies to mid-tier features targeting African-American audiences while appealing to broader demographics, fostering growth in production scale and marketing resources from 2003 onward.[22][9] Breakthroughs came in 2007 with two consecutive hits that solidified Rainforest's commercial momentum. Stomp the Yard, a dance drama starring Columbus Short, was made for $14 million and earned $75.5 million globally, becoming the company's first film to top the domestic box office during its opening weekend and highlighting its ability to capitalize on youth-oriented genres. Later that year, This Christmas, a holiday ensemble comedy featuring Idris Elba and Loretta Devine, achieved similar success with a $13 million budget and $49.7 million in worldwide earnings, further establishing Rainforest's knack for seasonal, family-friendly fare that resonated during peak release periods. These films not only recouped investments multiple times over but also boosted the company's profile, attracting top talent and leading to expanded ensemble casts in subsequent productions.[23][24] The peak years from 2009 to 2012 saw Rainforest reach new heights with higher-stakes thrillers and comedies, often exceeding $70 million in global grosses. Obsessed (2009), a psychological thriller starring Idris Elba and Beyoncé with a $20 million budget, grossed $74 million worldwide, capitalizing on star power to drive mainstream appeal. This was followed by Takers (2010), a heist action film featuring an ensemble including Idris Elba, Paul Walker, and Matt Dillon, which was produced for $32 million and earned $70.6 million globally, marking Rainforest's most expensive project to date and underscoring its growing risk tolerance for genre blends. The romantic comedy Think Like a Man (2012), directed by Tim Story and boasting a cast including Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, and Michael Ealy, proved even more lucrative with a $12 million budget yielding $113.4 million worldwide, becoming the company's highest-grossing release and exemplifying its focus on relatable, star-driven narratives.[25][26][27] By 2014, as Rainforest approached its dissolution, it delivered two final major hits that amplified its legacy of box-office dominance. Ride Along, a buddy cop comedy pairing Kevin Hart with Ice Cube, was made for $25 million and grossed $153.7 million worldwide, setting records for January openings and showcasing Hart's rising stardom as a key draw. Similarly, About Last Night, a romantic comedy remake starring Kevin Hart and Michael Ealy with a $13 million budget, earned $50.4 million globally, reinforcing Rainforest's expertise in ensemble-driven urban comedies. These successes elevated the company's visibility in mainstream Hollywood, with films routinely featuring A-list talent like Elba and Hart, and contributed to over $500 million in cumulative worldwide grosses across its portfolio, cementing its role in expanding African-American representation in high-grossing cinema from 2003 to 2013.[28][29]Productions
Theatrical Releases
Rainforest Films produced and released 10 feature films for theatrical distribution between 2000 and 2014, primarily targeting African-American audiences with genres spanning drama, thriller, comedy, and action. These productions marked the company's evolution from low-budget independent efforts to higher-profile collaborations with studios like Screen Gems, achieving significant commercial success in urban markets. The films collectively grossed over $600 million worldwide, demonstrating Rainforest's knack for cost-effective filmmaking and strong returns on investment.[7][30] The following table summarizes the key production and financial details for each theatrical release:| Release Date | Title | Director | Budget | Worldwide Gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 11, 2000 | Trois | Rob Hardy | $250,000 | $1.16M |
| August 9, 2002 | Trois 2: Pandora's Box | Rob Hardy | $800,000 | $0.88M |
| October 7, 2005 | The Gospel | Rob Hardy | $4M | $15.8M |
| January 12, 2007 | Stomp the Yard | Sylvain White | $13M | $75.5M |
| November 21, 2007 | This Christmas | Preston A. Whitmore II | $13M | $49.8M |
| April 24, 2009 | Obsessed | Steve Shill | $20M | $73.8M |
| August 27, 2010 | Takers | John Luessenhop | $32M | $69.1M |
| April 20, 2012 | Think Like a Man | Tim Story | $12M | $113.1M |
| January 17, 2014 | Ride Along | Tim Story | $25M | $153.3M |
| February 14, 2014 | About Last Night | Steve Pink | $12.5M | $49M |

