Denise Di Novi

Denise Di Novi is an American film producer and director.

Early life She is the daughter of jazz musician Gene DiNovi. When Di Novi was three years old, her family moved to Los Angeles from New York, where her father had been a Bebop jazz musician in Big Bands, as well as musical conductor for Peggy Lee, Lena Horne, Ann-Margret, and Dinah Shore. In the 70s, the family moved to Toronto, Canada. Her mother, Patricia McNeil Di Novi, was a dancer in New York City on Broadway.

Career Di Novi studied communications at Simmons College in Massachusetts, and received a degree in journalism. After working as a copy editor at the National Observer and staff writer for Canada AM, she became a reporter for Toronto's Citytv, but left to take a job as a unit publicist for Final Assignment. She became a principal in the Montreal-based production company Filmplan International, acting in various production capacities on nine major studio releases, including Scanners. In 1983, Filmplan relocated to Los Angeles and merged with Arnold Kopelson's Film Packages.

Di Novi joined New World Pictures as Executive Vice President of production. She later shifted into an overall deal as an independent producer, producing Heathers (1988) starring Winona Ryder. Di Novi then headed Tim Burton Productions and was responsible for producing several films. She set up her own production company, Di Novi Pictures, in 1993, at Columbia Pictures. She then entered into a producing deal with Warner Brothers Pictures.

Di Novi has produced over 40 films. These include six from her partnership with Tim Burton: Edward Scissorhands (1990), Batman Returns (1992), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Cabin Boy (1994), Ed Wood (also 1994) and James and the Giant Peach (1996). She produced four films based on books by Nicholas Sparks: Message in a Bottle (1999), A Walk to Remember (2002), Nights in Rodanthe (2008) and The Lucky One (2012).

For four years, Di Novi was executive producer of The District, a CBS primetime series created by Terry George. Di Novi made her directorial debut on the thriller Unforgettable (2017), for Warner Bros.

Most recently Di Novi completed a series for FX, The Veil, starring Elisabeth Moss, which aired in 2024.

Filmography She was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

Film Year Film Credit 1983 Going Berserk Associate producer For Those I Loved Associate producer 1988 Heathers 1990 Meet the Applegates Edward Scissorhands 1992 Batman Returns 1993 The Nightmare Before Christmas 1994 Cabin Boy Ed Wood Little Women 1996 James and the Giant Peach 1998 Almost Heroes Practical Magic 1999 Message in a Bottle 2001 Happy Campers Original Sin 2002 A Walk to Remember 2003 What a Girl Wants 2004 New York Minute Catwoman 2005 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2007 Lucky You 2008 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 Nights in Rodanthe 2010 Ramona and Beezus Life as We Know It Executive producer 2011 Monte Carlo Crazy, Stupid, Love 2012 The Lucky One 2014 If I Stay Executive producer You're Not You The Best of Me 2015 Focus Danny Collins Executive producer 2017 Unforgettable 2019 Little Women 2022 The Sky Is Everywhere 2026Practical Magic 2 The Selection

As director

Year Film 2017 Unforgettable

Miscellaneous crew

Year Film Credit 1980 The Lucky Star Unit publicist Final Assignment Unit publicist 1983 Videodrome Creative consultant Of Unknown Origin Assistant to director 1985 Fraternity Vacation Production executive

Script and continuity department

Year Film Credit 1981 Gas Script coordinator 1982 Visiting Hours Script coordinator

Thanks

Year Film Credit 1995 Live Nude Girls Special thanks 2015 The Intern Special thanks

Television

As executive producer

Year Title Notes 2000 The '70s Television film 2002 Jo Television film 2003 Eloise at the Plaza Television film Eloise at Christmastime Television film Hotel Television pilot 2000−2004 The District Television series 2004 Sudbury Television film 2017 Beaches Television film 2021 Ways & Means Television pilot 2024 The Veil Limited series TBA Untitled Sarah Cooper/Cindy Chupack project Television pilot Teachable Television pilot

As director

Year Title 2017 Bones 2018 Sneaky Pete Outlander Ray Donovan

Thanks

Year Title Credit 2015 The Veronica Exclusive Dedicated to