# Excellent Cadaver
**Excellent Cadaver** (Mafia term for the murder of a prominent figure) is an American film and television production company founded in 2018 by the actor [Jennifer Lawrence](https://www.edgepedia.org/jennifer-lawrence) and her producing partner Justine Ciarrocchi.[1](https://www.cineart.nl/download/file/id/12765) The company drew press attention when Deadline reported in October 2018 that it had signed a first-look development deal, and when commentators noted its unusual name.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/oct/31/jennifer-lawrence-excellent-cadaver-celebrity-production-companies)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2018, by Jennifer Lawrence and producing partner Justine Ciarrocchi[1](https://www.cineart.nl/download/file/id/12765) |
| First press report | Deadline reported a first-look development deal in October 2018[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/oct/31/jennifer-lawrence-excellent-cadaver-celebrity-production-companies) |
| Fiction features | Causeway (2022) and No Hard Feelings (2023)[3](https://cinegraph.org/companies/excellent-cadaver) |
| Documentaries | Bread & Roses (2024) and Zurawski v Texas (2024)[3](https://cinegraph.org/companies/excellent-cadaver) |
| Awards for Bread & Roses | Peabody Award; Emmy nomination for Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary[1](https://www.cineart.nl/download/file/id/12765) |
| Namesake confusion | Shares its name, in plural form, with the 1999 HBO television movie Excellent Cadavers[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/oct/31/jennifer-lawrence-excellent-cadaver-celebrity-production-companies) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151734/) |
## Name
The company's name prompted speculation when it was announced. The Guardian's Stuart Heritage suggested the name might reference *Excellent Cadavers*, a made-for-TV 1999 HBO mob movie starring [Chazz Palminteri](https://www.edgepedia.org/chazz-palminteri) as the Sicilian anti-Mafia prosecutor [Giovanni Falcone](https://www.edgepedia.org/giovanni-falcone), while concluding that the origin of Lawrence's choice might never be known.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/oct/31/jennifer-lawrence-excellent-cadaver-celebrity-production-companies) The 1999 film, directed by Ricky Tognazzi and based on Alexander Stille's book, dramatizes the political battle against the Mafia in Sicily in the late 1980s and early 1990s.[4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151734/)
The name also places Lawrence in a tradition of actors giving their banners idiosyncratic titles. Contemporaries cited in the same Guardian piece include [Johnny Depp](https://www.edgepedia.org/johnny-depp)'s Infinitum Nihil, Sandra Bullock's Fortis Films, Ice Cube's Cube Vision, Tim Allen's Boxing Cat Films, and [Vin Diesel](https://www.edgepedia.org/vin-diesel)'s One Race Films.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/oct/31/jennifer-lawrence-excellent-cadaver-celebrity-production-companies)
## Productions
Cinegraph lists four films connected to the company: the drama *Causeway* (2022), the comedy *No Hard Feelings* (2023), and the documentaries *Bread & Roses* (2024) and *Zurawski v Texas* (2024).[3](https://cinegraph.org/companies/excellent-cadaver)
**Bread & Roses.** The company produced *Bread & Roses*, a documentary about the effect of the 2021 Taliban takeover on Afghan women, which premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. It was later awarded a Peabody Award and received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary.[1](https://www.cineart.nl/download/file/id/12765)
**Zurawski v Texas.** Alongside Hillary Clinton and [Chelsea Clinton](https://www.edgepedia.org/chelsea-clinton), Excellent Cadaver produced the documentary *Zurawski v. Texas*.[1](https://www.cineart.nl/download/file/id/12765)
## References
1. [Die My Love press kit, Cineart](https://www.cineart.nl/download/file/id/12765)
2. [Jennifer Lawrence's Excellent Cadaver: why do stars give their companies weird names? Stuart Heritage, The Guardian, 31 October 2018](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/oct/31/jennifer-lawrence-excellent-cadaver-celebrity-production-companies)
3. [Excellent Cadaver, Cinegraph company page](https://cinegraph.org/companies/excellent-cadaver)
4. [Excellent Cadavers (TV Movie 1999), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151734/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen production organizations › Production companies and industry people › Independent production companies › American and Canadian companies*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license