Once an actor reaches a certain level of fame and warm reception, it’s almost expected that they move toward producing alongside acting. Whether this be by producing films for their friends and colleagues or just producing their own feature films, all the greats have made this move toward being a multi-hyphenate talent. One of these multi-focused talents is the great Robert De Niro. While most probably know him from his appearances in so many of Martin Scorsese’s classic films, De Niro has made a career for himself out of being among the most consistent leading men in Hollywood. When De Niro’s name is on it, the chance of it being good is quite high.
Even with a name as renowned as Robert De Niro, many may not know about his producing work. De Niro has attached his name to some 20 odd movies as a producer, some of which are among his most well-known work and some not. Regardless, the power of his name has led to quite a few movies getting produced and that is a kind of power in Hollywood that should be recognized. Here is a list of the best movies that Robert De Niro has produced, ranked.
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10 Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
TriStar Pictures
Not many will be aware of this adaptation of the classic Mary Shelley novel, but it is one you have to see to believe. Directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh of Murder on the Orient Express and Harry Potter fame, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is an odd but heavily stylized take on the classic monster story. While panned upon initial release and chalked up to Branagh’s runaway ego, the film stands as a fascinating take on a story we’ve all seen many times over. De Niro produced the film as well as starred in the feature as “The Creation” — this adaptation’s version of Frankenstein’s monster. It’s worth watching for De Niro’s performance alone.
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9 The Good Shepherd
Universal Pictures
2006’s The Good Shepherd makes it onto this list because it is one of the two directing credits that Robert De Niro has. The film is about the early days of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and takes a more contemplative approach to the concept of a spy thriller. Matt Damon stars, with Angelina Jolie, Alec Baldwin, and De Niro himself rounding out the rest of the main cast, although there are supporting performances from William Hurt and Joe Pesci that stand out. Those expecting an action movie will be disappointed, but if you’re in the mood for a reflective, moody drama about espionage, this one is a treat. While more of a realistic spy movie, it still leaves a big impression.
8 Rent
Columbia Pictures
Yes, De Niro produced the 2005 film adaptation of Broadway classic Rent. One of the most celebrated and well regarded stage musicals was brought to the silver screen thanks to De Niro’s producing and Chris Columbus (of Harry Potter and Mrs. Doubtfire fame) in the director’s chair. Rent sees a group of Bohemians living in the East Village of New York City, struggling to survive during a tumultuous economic and social crisis, as well as living with the rise of AIDS. It’s a powerful musical that continues to inspire generations of young queer people, and thanks to De Niro, it exists in a more easily accessible and consumable form.
7 Meet the Parents
Universal Pictures
One of the more notable comedies of De Niro’s career, Meet the Parents was a huge hit when it came out in 2000. Spawning two sequels and ushering in an era of comedic performances for De Niro, it’s notable to include on this list. Nurse Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) meets his girlfriend’s parents before proposing to her, but things start to go awry when her father (De Niro) gets suspicious of his intentions. It’s a classic screwball romantic comedy concept that is done exceedingly well with the help of Stiller and De Niro at the fore.
6 A Bronx Tale
Savoy Pictures
De Niro’s other directorial effort, A Bronx Tale is a great gangster movie through and through. Those craving to see De Niro in his The Godfather Part II or Once Upon a Time in America zone will eat this one up. When a local gangster befriends a young boy, the boy’s father (De Niro) becomes worried of what will happen should he fall under the allure of the gangster lifestyle. A Bronx Tale is commonly referred to as one of the best gangster movies of the post-Godfather era and for good reason. De Niro behind the camera and behind the scenes is more than capable of making this one to remember.
5 About a Boy
StudioCanal
Another classic film that you’d see on cable all the time, About a Boy is a sweet-hearted dramedy about an immature man (Hugh Grant) who has to learn how to take care of a young boy. The man ends up learning a lot about life from this boy, and the boy learns a lot from him as well. It’s a very sweet, if not slightly acerbic, early-2000s comedy from the creators of American Pie of all things. De Niro’s involvement in the film is a very interesting story to read, as he apparently muscled his way through the studio system and stood by directors Paul and Chris Weitz’ vision the whole way through.
4 Wag the Dog
New Line Cinema
Starring alongside Dustin Hoffman and the late Anne Heche, Wag the Dog is a social satire that De Niro helped produce as well. The film is about a radio DJ and a Hollywood producer who work together to fabricate a war in order to cover up a presidential scandal. The film, while released in 1997, is one of those satires that has only grown in relevance as time has gone on. It’s biting and all around very interesting to watch, especially when you consider how De Niro’s fingerprints are all over it. While not quite a masterpiece, it’s certainly up there as one of the best political satires since Dr Strangelove.
3 Public Enemies
An executive producer on this one (though uncredited), De Niro helped to get Michael Mann’s recounting of John Dillinger’s life story made and put on the big screen. Public Enemies is a look at the crime boom of the early-1930s, when gangsters were celebrities and everyone wore big suits and dresses everywhere. Like all of Mann’s films, it features people who are very good at their jobs, but their jobs happen to be committing crimes. Starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, it’s really quite a sight to behold. There are few who are better at making engaging crime films than Mann, and it seems like De Niro knew that after working with him on the 1995 film Heat. This one is a great film to watch with your history buff father, so he can tell you which parts are historically inaccurate.
2 Cape Fear
While one of the more underappreciated Scorsese films of the 1990s, Cape Fear is among one of the most interesting of any Scorsese project. After convicted rapist Max Cady (De Niro) is released from prison after a 14-year sentence, he goes off to get revenge on the person who put him in jail in the first place: defense attorney Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte). It’s one of Scorsese’s rare dips into thriller territory, of which he does as masterfully as he makes any other type of film. De Niro is giving a performance unlike any other he’d given up to that point, which makes sense given he had his name on this thing as both the star and a producer.
1 The Irishman
Netflix
Costing a monumental amount of money to produce and make, per Cinema Blend, The Irishman stands alone among all of these other films even outside its budget. Scorsese’s Netflix-produced opus is a feat to behold, and not just because it boasts De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, and Harvey Keitel in the cast either. The film encompasses all of Scorsese’s previous obsessions — gangsters, toxic masculinity, crime families, found families — and balls it up into a sprawling, nearly four-hour-long epic about the murder of Jimmy Hoffa and the man who claims he did it. It’s one of the best films of the 2010s and the absolute best movie that De Niro ever produced (so far).
