Tom DeSanto (born January 1, 1968) is an American film producer and screenwriter.
DeSanto is a founding writer/producer behind several of the biggest franchises in movie history (X-Men, Transformers). DeSanto's films have grossed more than $5 billion worldwide, with a per-film average of more than $746 million at the box office, in addition to billions more in home video, merchandising, and video games.
After the success of X-Men, DeSanto began working on a reboot of Battlestar Galactica to be developed for Universal Television. The show eventually returned in 2003 but under the direction of Ronald D. Moore.
DeSanto then became part of the creative team for X2: X-Men United, including the continuation of the Phoenix storyline that DeSanto set up in the first film. That same year, he moved towards Transformers, another dormant property. DeSanto brought the idea to his friend and fellow producer Don Murphy. Hasbro gave them the rights for free.
After being rejected by the major studios, DeSanto made a second pass at DreamWorks Pictures. After Steven Spielberg read his treatment, he decided his studio would do the film. DeSanto set the project up with DreamWorks and Paramount, selling his story line and attaching to produce.
The first film grossed over $700 million worldwide. Transformers was the first live-action franchise for DreamWorks and Paramount's largest moneymaking series in its history. DeSanto returned as producer of Revenge of the Fallen in 2009, and the film became the biggest moneymaker of the year with over $800 million in box office alone. DeSanto also produced Dark of the Moon and Age of Extinction, both grossing over $1.1 billion worldwide. The Last Knight, produced by DeSanto as well, earned over $600 million at the box office.
After the Transformers saga had been released, DeSanto then produced Bumblebee, an origin story for one of the characters from the franchise, earning a total of $470 million in box office.
DeSanto has produced several social issue documentaries, including Lost in America, which deals with youth homelessness, and Kidnapped for Christ, which puts a spotlight on abusive evangelical camps for children.
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