Adam Wingard (/ˈwɪŋɡɑːrd/ WING-gard;[1][2] born December 3, 1982) is an American filmmaker. He has served as a director, producer, screenwriter, editor, cinematographer, actor, and composer on numerous projects.[3][4] Following an early career as a member of the mumblecore movement, he became notable for his works in the horror and action genres, especially the films You're Next (2011), and The Guest (2014), and the bigger budget franchise films Blair Witch (2016), Death Note (2017), and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021).
This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. (August 2015) |
Adam Wingard | |
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Born | (1982-12-03) December 3, 1982 (age 39) Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S. |
Alma mater | Full Sail University (BS) |
Occupation |
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Years active | 2004–present |
Wingard was born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and graduated from Full Sail University in 2002. His first feature, the horror comedy Home Sick, starring Bill Moseley and Tiffany Shepis, proved to be a stepping stone to his second feature, the psychotropic ghost story horror film Pop Skull. Made on a total budget of $2,000, Pop Skull had its international premiere at the Rome Film Festival and its domestic premiere at the AFI Film Festival in 2007. A Horrible Way to Die (2010) and What Fun We Were Having (2011) followed.
The serial killer love story horror film A Horrible Way to Die premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival in the ‘Vanguard’ section and was acquired by Starz/Anchor Bay at the festival for a North American theatrical and home media release. What Fun We Were Having is a 4-part anthology dealing with the subject of date rape. The anthology had its premiere at the 2011 Fantastia Film Festival in Montreal where Wingard was honored by the festival with his very own sidebar section: “Medicated Monsters – A Spotlight on Filmmaker Adam Wingard”.
In 2011, Wingard co-directed Autoerotic with mumblecore icon (and frequent actor in Wingard films) Joe Swanberg. He was selected to direct one chapter of The ABCs of Death, a 26-chapter horror comedy anthology for Drafthouse Films and Magnet. A solo directorial effort, You're Next, a home invasion slasher, premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival as part of the ‘Midnight Madness’ section.[5] The film was acquired by Lionsgate and received a wide release in August 2013 to generally favorable reviews.
In 2014, Wingard directed The Guest starring Dan Stevens, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival and Fantastic Fest, receiving wide critical acclaim upon its wider theatrical release in mid-September.[6] Wingard directed Lionsgate's horror film Blair Witch, based on a script by Simon Barrett. The film is a sequel to the 1999 found footage horror classic The Blair Witch Project and received mostly ambivalent reviews.[7]
In 2015, Wingard signed on to direct a live action American film adaptation of Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata's popular horror crime-thriller manga series Death Note.[8] The neo-noir dark fantasy horror-thriller was released on Netflix on August 25, 2017, to a mixed reception, with criticism aimed at the number of changes from the source material, rushed plot, shallow execution, writing and pacing- while praise was aimed at the visual style, direction, performances of the cast, soundtrack and the dark, macabre sense of humour, along with the attempted unique and distinctive take on the Death Note mythos.
In May 2017, Wingard was announced as the director for Godzilla vs. Kong, which was released in March 2021.[9] In February 2021, it was announced that Wingard would direct and co-write, with Simon Barrett, a sequel to Face/Off.[10] In March 2021, Wingard was announced as the director of ThunderCats, also co-writing it with Barrett.[11] In May 2021, it was announced that Wingard would direct an adaptation of the comic Hardcore by Robert Kirkman. Wingard will also write the screenplay with Will Simmons from a story by Kirkman.[12]
In April 2021, The Hollywood Reporter stated that Legendary was "quietly taking steps" to stretch the MonsterVerse into "one or more installments," while negotiating with Wingard to potentially return to direct. Various ideas were being considered, with Son of Kong being one potential title.[13] In May 2022, it was reported that Wingard would return to direct a sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong.[14]
Wingard's film Pop Skull[15][16][17] won the Best Feature Film award at the Indianapolis International Film Festival[18] and the Jury award at the Boston Underground Film Festival.[19] Wingard's A Horrible Way to Die won Best Screenplay (Simon Barrett), Best Actor (A.J. Bowen) and Best Actress (Amy Seimetz) at the 2010 Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas.[20] Wingard's You're Next won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay (Simon Barrett), and Best Actress (Sharni Vinson) at the 2011 Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas.[21]
Year | Title | |||||
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Director | Writer | DOP | Editor | Notes | ||
2007 | Home Sick | Yes | No | No | No | |
Pop Skull | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Also producer | |
2010 | A Horrible Way to Die | Yes | No | No | Yes | Also camera operator and music supervisor |
Blackmail Boys | No | No | Yes | No | ||
2011 | Caitlin Plays Herself | No | No | Yes | No | Co-cinematographer with Joe Swanberg |
Autoerotic | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Co-directed with Joe Swanberg and co-cinematographer with Chris Hilleke Also camera operator | |
What Fun We Were Having: 4 Stories About Date Rape |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
You're Next | Yes | No | No | Yes | Also composer | |
Art History | No | No | Yes | No | Co-cinematographer with Joe Swanberg | |
The Zone | No | No | Yes | No | ||
2012 | Marriage Material | No | No | Yes | No | |
2014 | The Guest | Yes | No | No | Yes | |
The Last Survivors | No | No | No | Yes | Co-edited with Sarah Broshar | |
2016 | Blair Witch | Yes | No | No | No | Also composer |
2017 | Death Note | Yes | No | No | No | |
2021 | Godzilla vs. Kong | Yes | No | No | No | |
2024 | Untitled Godzilla vs. Kong sequel | Yes | No | No | No |
Year | Title | Role |
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2007 | Pop Skull | Raymond |
2010 | Autoerotic | |
2011 | Art History | Bill |
2013 | 24 Exposures | Billy |
2014 | The Last Survivors | Compound Soldier |
2020 | She Dies Tomorrow | Dune Buggy Man |
Year | Title | Director | Editor | Notes |
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2007 | An Evening with P. Oswalt | No | Yes | Live-comedy show |
2016 | Outcast | Yes | No | 1 episode; Also executive consultant |
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | DoP | Editor | Actor | Role | Notes |
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2004 | The Little One | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | ||
2005 | The Girlfriend | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | ||
2007 | 1000 Year Sleep | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | ||
2008 | Laura Panic | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | ||
Paradox Mary | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | |||
Little Sister Gone | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | |||
2009 | Her Name is Laura Panic | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | ||
2011 | Ultra Modern | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Segment from 60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero | |
2012 | Tape 56 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Brad | Segment from V/H/S; Also camera operator and sound designer |
Q is for Quack | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Adam | Segment from The ABCs of Death | |
2013 | Phase I Clinical Trials | Yes | No | Executive | No | Yes | Yes | Herman | Segment from V/H/S/2; Also set photographer |
Year | Title |
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2013 | Cheap Thrills |
2017 | XX |
Films directed by Adam Wingard | |
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Feature films |
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Anthology films |
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General | |
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National libraries |