KNIVES OUT

RIAN JOHNSON [Director / Writer / Producer] Since his stylized breakout directorial debut, Rian Johnson has become internationally known for crafting films with their own artfully designed voice and look, and for telling unique stories that blend the pulp of genre with a genuine soulfulness. Johnson is currently gearing up for the release of his next film Knives Out, which he produced, directed, and wrote that features an all-star cast including Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Daniel Craig, Toni Collette, Michael Shannon, Katherine Langford, Jamie Lee Curtis, Lakeith Stanfield, and Christopher Plummer. The whodunnit crime thriller will be released by Lionsgate November 27, 2019.

Lucasfilm announced that Johnson will be overseeing a new trilogy of Star Wars films that will explore far-away corners of the galaxy separate from the Skywalker canon. Johnson will write and direct the first episode of the trilogy, creating a whole new world for Star Wars fans.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Johnson's most recent directorial effort, is the 12th highest-grossing movie of all time, taking in over $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office. TIME said "[Director Rian Johnson's] movie has a sense of humor about itself and a sense of joy, but its emotional generosity, even in the midst of all the extravagant green-screen work, is its best special effect" and Peter Travers called it "the epic you've been looking for."

In September 2012, Johnson released his third feature, Looper. The original film, which Johnson also wrote, stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis as younger and older versions of the same man. They are pitted against each other in a world where time travel is used by mobs of the future to dispose of enemies. The film also stars Emily Blunt, Jeff Daniels, Piper Perabo, Paul Dano, and Garrett Dillahunt. Looper grossed over $176 million worldwide, was nominated for five Critic's Choice Awards, and earned Johnson the National Board of Review Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Johnson released his sophomore feature, Focus Features' The Brothers Bloom, starring Adrien Brody, Rachel Weisz, and Mark Ruffalo in 2008. Johnson both wrote and directed the screenplay, which he describes as "A con man movie that's ultimately about how we all use storytelling, for good and ill, in our lives." Bloom follows two brothers, played by Brody and Ruffalo, who travel the world conning society's elite. They lead a successful enterprise until their last target, a beautiful heiress (Weisz), offers an unexpected and romantic twist.

His first feature, Brick, brought the director international acclaim. This dark, moody mystery was a surprise hit when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2005. Made on a micro budget and funded by family and friends, the film follows Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a loner high school student as he digs through his small town's criminal underbelly in search of his ex-girlfriend's killer. A clever, sincere modern take on classic detective fiction, the film was nominated for a host of awards, including several film critics associations and two Independent Spirit Awards. The film also won the Special Jury Prize at Sundance.

Johnson grew up making homespun movies with his friends, and through that early education he developed a love for all aspects of filmmaking. Johnson sought formal education at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts.

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