Donner gained fame with his first feature, 1976's "The Omen." A then-unheard-of offer followed: $1 million to direct 1978's "Superman." Donner channeled his love of the character into making the film, repeatedly facing off with producers over the need for special effects that would convince the audience that a superhero could really fly. In the title role, Donner cast Christopher Reeve, who was associated with "Superman" for the rest of his life.
Donner followed "Superman" with an indie, "Inside Moves," in 1980 and "The Toy" with Richard Pryor in 1982. In 1985, he made the kids' adventure classic "The Goonies" and "Ladyhawke," which would introduce him to his future wife, Lauren Shuler Donner.
The two married the following year. In 1993, they founded The Donners Company, which has produced such hits as "Deadpool," "The Wolverine" and the "X-Men" franchise. Adjusted for inflation, his films have generated more than $1 billion in box office receipts.
In 1987, Donner cast Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as a mismatched police pair in the buddy-cop action film "Lethal Weapon." The film was a smash, spawning several sequels and a TV show.
Donner followed up with the Bill Murray hit "Scrooged" in 1988 and "Lethal Weapon 2" the next year.
His other credits include "Maverick," "Conspiracy Theory" and "Radio Flyer."
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