C. Robert Cargill

Last updated
C. Robert Cargill
C. Robert Cargill & Ryan Harrison - Fantastic Fest 2009 (cropped).jpg
Cargill at Fantastic Fest 2009
Born
Christopher Robert Cargill

(1975-09-08) September 8, 1975 (age 48)
San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Occupations
  • Screenwriter
  • Novelist
  • Podcast Host

Christopher Robert Cargill (born September 8, 1975) is an American screenwriter, novelist, podcast host, and former film critic known under the pseudonyms Massawyrm (on Ain't It Cool News) and Carlyle (on Spill.com). Cargill currently resides in Austin, Texas with his wife. [1] He is best known for writing the films Sinister (2012), Sinister 2 (2015), Doctor Strange (2016), and The Black Phone (2021). He is a frequent writing collaborator of Scott Derrickson.

Contents

Early life

Cargill was raised in a military family, growing up on army bases around the United States. He held several jobs prior to writing, including video store clerk and travel agent.[ citation needed ]

Career

Film critic

Cargill wrote his first article in 2000, when he volunteered to write a review of the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon for a website called "Guerilla Films." His article managed to get the highest amount of traffic of over 50,000 hits, "a HUGE deal" at the time, which secured him the job to write more reviews.[ citation needed ]

While working for Guerilla Films, Cargill began spending time with Ain't It Cool News' Eric Vespe (AKA 'Quint' on the site), which landed him a job on Ain't It Cool's "Indie Indie Column," a previously abandoned post. [2] He began writing for Ain't It Cool News under the name Massawyrm in May 2001. [3] His first review for the blog was of Jon Favreau's movie, Made. [3] During his work as a blogging critic, Cargill met various directors, which occasionally led to small roles in independent productions. [4] In 2011, he told Jordan Gass-Pooré with Slackerwood that it was getting "tougher and tougher" to write movie reviews because of his relationships with people in the movie industry. [3] "I've always had a strict code about writing about films made by people I'm friends with," said Cargill. "It's harder to write objectively about film without people feeling that you're being biased." [3] Besides his work for Ain't It Cool News and his involvement with Spill.com, he also did freelance work for Film.com [5] and Hollywood.com (the site that owned Spill.com). [1]

Novelist

I considered every film another day of classes and writing a review a home work assignment and it was graded by everyone who wrote nasty comments on the internet.

C. Robert Cargill [4]

Having wanted to be a fiction writer from a young age, Cargill considered every film he reviewed and its feedback as a learning experience. According to an interview with The Austin Chronicle he compared it to "a strenuous, endless crash course—maybe even a master class—in what does and doesn't work in a story." [4] [6]

On the 26th of February 2013, Cargill released his first novel, Dreams and Shadows, an urban fantasy story of folklore and mythology, which also follows three modern characters from childhood to adulthood. [7] Subsequent novels included Sea of Rust and Day Zero.

Screenwriter

The idea for his first film came to fruition when he met up with a fan and friend Scott Derrickson at a bar in Las Vegas where he pitched his idea for Sinister . Derrickson, showing great interest in this concept, contacted producer Jason Blum who particularly liked the simplicity of the concept and understood the urge to make it as fast as possible before it could be made by anyone else. Shooting of the movie started in September 2011, 6 months after [2] and was first screened at South by Southwest. In an interview with Film.com, Cargill stated that his days as a film critic were over for the time being due to his success and dedication to his new-found career path. "I may pop in every once in a while and write up reviews, but ever since I was a child, I've wanted to be a fiction writer, and now I have the chance to do it in both formats that I am in love with." [2] Sinister was released to positive reviews with many praising the snuff film segments, directing, cinematography, atmosphere, and acting. It was a box office success grossing over $87 million on a $3 million budget. Both Cargill and Derrickson returned as writers for Sinister 2 (2015), which was directed by Ciaran Foy. [8] Unlike its predecessor, the sequel was critically panned. Many criticisms were aimed at the overuse of jump scares, horror cliches, story, and heavy amounts of excessive violence and gore. Cargill and Derrickson were working on a movie adaptation of the Deus Ex video games. [9] [10] They both left the project after Kevin Feige hired them to work on a film adaptation of Doctor Strange in 2014, which would become the 14th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. [11] [12]

Cargill, along with Derrickson and Jon Spaihts, worked on the script for Marvel's Doctor Strange (2016). [13] The film received positive reviews from critics and audiences, With praise being aimed towards the acting, special effects, and musical score. It grossed over $677 million worldwide. Cargill and Derrickson were set to return for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness but left due to "creative differences". [14] Sam Raimi was hired to helm the project after they left. [15] More recently, the writing duo of Derrickson and Cargill signed a deal with Blumhouse Television. [16]

Cargill, under the pseudonym of Kit Lesser, wrote a biopic about FBI agent William Hagmaier (played by Elijah Wood) and his relationship with serial killer Ted Bundy. [17] "There have been a lot of movies and a lot of media made about Ted Bundy, and one of the things that bugged me a lot was that it's all kind of selling the myth of Ted Bundy and kind of glorifying him in a way," Cargill told Jordan Gass-Poore, the host of the horror-comedy podcast, Pod of Madness. "And the deeper you dig into the story you realize there's nothing to mystify here, there's nothing amazing about him." The film was released in 2021 as No Man of God .

Derrickson's departure from directing Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness led him to The Black Phone, a project he and Cargill had already planned on making. It is an adaptation of Joe Hill's short story of the same name. The film premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 25, 2021, and was theatrically released by Universal Pictures on June 24, 2022. It has grossed $157.2 million and received generally positive reviews from critics for its performances and faithfulness to the source material. It received praise from Joe Hill. In October 2023, the sequel was officially announced by Universal Pictures with a scheduled release date of June 27, 2025. [18] The following month, it was reported that Hawke, Thames, McGraw, Davies and Mora would reprise their roles in the sequel. Derrickson and Cargill also returned to write the script. [19]

Cargill and Derrickson will also team up to write the script for The Outer Limits, a movie based on the influential 1960s television show of the same name. The film, produced by MGM, will be adapted from a single episode of the classic show, "Demon with a Glass Hand." [20]

Podcasts

Cargill co-hosts the film podcast Junkfood Cinema with critic Brain Salisbury, [21] and the writing advice podcast Write Along with author David Chen. [22]

Filmography

Actor

YearTitleRoleNotes
2002 The Rules of Attraction Bus Station Townieuncredited [23]
2005Last Days of AmericaBreakdown Guy
2006 Pathogen Janitor
2007When Is TomorrowStephen
2009 Zombie Girl: The Movie Himself

Writer/Producer

YearTitleWriterProducerNotes
2012 Sinister Yes [2] [24]
2015 Sinister 2 Yes
2016As They Continue to FallYes
Doctor Strange Yes
2019 Into the Dark ExecutiveEpisode My Valentine
2021 No Man of God YesCredited as "Kit Lesser"
ShadowprowlerYesExecutiveShort film
The Black Phone YesYes
2023 V/H/S/85 YesSegment "Dreamkill"
2024 The Gorge Yes [25]

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Derrickson</span> American filmmaker (born 1966)

Scott Derrickson is an American filmmaker. He is best known for his work in the horror genre, directing films such as The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005), Sinister (2012) and The Black Phone (2021). He is also known for the superhero film Doctor Strange (2016), based on the Marvel Comics character.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JoBlo.com</span> Film review website

JoBlo.com is an anchor website of the JoBlo Movie Network focused on news, film reviews, and movie trailers. The network has YouTube channels that focus on trailers, movie clips, celebrity interviews, original content, and film distribution.

<i>When Gravity Fails</i> 1986 novel by George Alec Effinger

When Gravity Fails is a cyberpunk science fiction novel by American writer George Alec Effinger, published in 1986. It was nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1987 and the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1988. The title is taken from "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues", a song by Bob Dylan: "When your gravity fails and negativity don't pull you through".

Paul Harris Boardman is an American screenwriter and film producer, best known for his work in the horror genre. Boardman has also written other screenplays for various studios and production companies, including TriStar, Disney, Bruckheimer Films, IEG, APG, Sony, Lakeshore, Screen Gems, Universal and MGM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pascal Laugier</span> French screenwriter and film director (born 1971)

Pascal Laugier is a French screenwriter and film director.

End of the Line is a 2007 Canadian horror film written, produced and directed by Maurice Devereaux.

<i>Sinister</i> (film) 2012 film by Scott Derrickson

Sinister is a 2012 supernatural horror film directed by Scott Derrickson and written by C. Robert Cargill and Derrickson. It shows Ethan Hawke as a struggling true-crime writer whose discovery of snuff films depicting gruesome murders in his new house puts his family in danger. Juliet Rylance, Fred Thompson, James Ransone, Clare Foley, and Michael Hall D'Addario appear in supporting roles.

<i>Strange Factories</i> 2013 British film

Strange Factories is a 2013 British experimental horror film written, directed by John Harrigan and produced by the British immersive theatre and production collective FoolishPeople. The film is an example of interactive cinema, featuring a mixture of film and live performance. It centers on a writer, who travels through a mysterious landscape filled with cultists, hallucinatory visions, and a mysterious factory that emanates a strange humming sound.

<i>Deliver Us from Evil</i> (2014 film) 2014 American film

Deliver Us from Evil is a 2014 American supernatural horror film directed by Scott Derrickson and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. The film claims to be based on a 2001 non-fiction book entitled Beware the Night by Ralph Sarchie and Lisa Collier Cool, and its marketing campaign highlighted that it was "inspired by actual accounts", however the plot is an original piece written by director Derrickson. The film stars Eric Bana, Édgar Ramírez, Sean Harris, Olivia Munn, and Joel McHale in the main roles and was released on July 2, 2014. The film grossed $87.9 million against a $30 million budget.

<i>Doctor Strange</i> (2016 film) Marvel Studios film

Doctor Strange is a 2016 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the 14th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Scott Derrickson from a screenplay he wrote with Jon Spaihts and C. Robert Cargill, and stars Benedict Cumberbatch as neurosurgeon Stephen Strange along with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benjamin Bratt, Scott Adkins, Mads Mikkelsen, and Tilda Swinton. In the film, Strange learns the mystic arts after a career-ending car crash.

<i>Sinister 2</i> 2015 supernatural horror film by Ciarán Foy

Sinister 2 is a 2015 supernatural horror film directed by Ciarán Foy and written by Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, serving as a sequel to the 2012 film Sinister, and stars James Ransone, reprising his role from the original film, alongside Shannyn Sossamon. The film follows the now ex-deputy as he attempts to put an end to Bughuul's curse, while a boy is being tormented by the entity's previous victims who lived in the house where he, his twin brother, and mother now reside, hiding from his abusive father. Unlike the first film, which utilized 8 mm film in the story's home movies and snuff films, this film utilized 16 mm film, vinyl records, and ham radio broadcasts in the film's storyline.

Ciarán Foy is an Irish film director and screenwriter, best known for directing and writing Citadel and directing Sinister 2 and Eli

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dean Israelite</span> South African film director

Dean Israelite is a South African film director, writer, and producer, best known for directing the found footage film Project Almanac, the 2017 reboot of Power Rangers, and the 2019 reboot of Are You Afraid of the Dark.

<i>Doctor Strange</i> (soundtrack) 2016 soundtrack album by Michael Giacchino

Doctor Strange (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the Marvel Studios film of the same name, composed by Michael Giacchino. Hollywood Records released the album digitally on October 21, 2016, with a physical release on November 18, 2016.

<i>Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness</i> 2022 Marvel Studios film

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a 2022 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Doctor Strange. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sequel to Doctor Strange (2016) and the 28th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Sam Raimi, written by Michael Waldron, and stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange, alongside Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Rachel McAdams. In the film, Stephen Strange must protect America Chavez (Gomez), a teenager capable of traveling the multiverse, from Wanda Maximoff (Olsen).

<i>The Black Phone</i> 2021 film by Scott Derrickson

The Black Phone is a 2021 American supernatural horror film directed by Scott Derrickson and written by Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, who both produced with Jason Blum. It is an adaptation of the 2004 short story of the same name by Joe Hill. The film stars Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, James Ransone, and Ethan Hawke. In the film, an abducted teenager uses a mysterious black rotary dial phone to communicate with the previous victims of his deranged captor in order to escape.

<i>No Man of God</i> 2021 film directed by Amber Sealey

No Man of God is a 2021 American crime mystery film directed by Amber Sealey and written by C. Robert Cargill, under the pseudonym of Kit Lesser. The film stars Elijah Wood, Luke Kirby, Aleksa Palladino and Robert Patrick. It is based on real life transcripts selected from conversations between serial killer Ted Bundy and FBI Special Agent Bill Hagmaier that happened between 1984 and 1989, and the complicated relationship that formed between them during Bundy's final years on death row.

Scott Teems is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer best known for his work on That Evening Sun (2009), The Quarry (2020), Halloween Kills (2021), Firestarter (2022) and Insidious: The Red Door (2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Day Zero (novel)</span> Dystopian fiction

Day Zero is a science fiction novel by American writer C. Robert Cargill, published by Harper Voyager on May 25, 2021. The plot centers around a young boy, Ezra, being protected by a robot, Pounce, as they make their way through the post-apocalyptic world. Day Zero is a prequel of Cargill's novel, Sea of Rust.

Madeleine McGraw is an American actress. She is known for her role as Gwen in the 2021 horror film The Black Phone. She is also known for her role as Zoey Campbell in the Disney Channel series Secrets of Sulphur Springs.

References

  1. 1 2 "C. Robert Cargill bio". C. Robert Cargill. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Whale, Chase (2012-10-09). "From Blogger to Screenwriter: 'Sinister' Co-Writer C. Robert Cargill". Film.com . Retrieved 2013-06-20.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Gass-Poore', Jordan (2011-11-16). "The 'Sinister' Side of Local Writer C. Robert Cargill". Slackerwood.com . Retrieved 2020-01-03.
  4. 1 2 3 Grobler, Craig (2012-10-22). "Writer C. Robert Cargill gets Sinister with us whilst chatting about his love of film..." The Establishing Shot. Retrieved 2013-06-23.
  5. ↑ "C. Robert Cargill-Film.com". Film.com . Retrieved 2013-06-20.
  6. ↑ Whittaker, Richard (2013-02-28). "Chasing C. Robert Cargill's 'Dreams and Shadows'". The Austin Chronicle . Retrieved 2013-06-23.
  7. 1 2 "Dreams and Shadows by C. Robert Cargill". Goodreads . Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  8. ↑ Fischer, Russ (2014-04-17). "The 'Sinister 2' Director Is 'Citadel' Filmmaker Ciaran Foy." Slashfilm.com. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  9. ↑ Lussier, Germain (1 March 2013). "'Sinister 2′ Moving Forward From Original Creators". slashfilm . Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  10. ↑ Bibbiani, William (2013-02-20). "It Will Be Cyberpunk: Scott Derrickson & C. Robert Cargill on Deus Ex". CraveOnline. Archived from the original on 2013-11-09. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
  11. ↑ Andy Chalk published (2022-04-06). "The cancelled Deus Ex movie script actually sounds pretty good". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
  12. ↑ Kit, Tatiana Siegel,Borys; Siegel, Tatiana; Kit, Borys (2014-06-03). "Scott Derrickson to Direct Marvel's 'Doctor Strange' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-08-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ McMillan, Graeme (25 April 2016). "'Doctor Strange' Screenwriter: "Every Single Decision That Involves the Ancient One Is a Bad One"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  14. ↑ Donnelly, Brent Lang,Matt; Lang, Brent; Donnelly, Matt (2020-01-10). "'Doctor Strange 2' Director Scott Derrickson Drops Out (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2022-07-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ↑ Kroll, Adam B. Vary,Justin; Vary, Adam B.; Kroll, Justin (2020-02-06). "Sam Raimi in Talks to Direct 'Doctor Strange 2' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2022-07-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ↑ Petski, Denise (2020-12-14). "Scott Derrickson & C. Robert Cargill Ink First-Look TV Deal With Blumhouse". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-12-15.
  17. ↑ Gass-Poore', Jordan (2020-10-30). "There's No Safe Word In Hell". Podofmadness.com . Retrieved 2020-01-03.
  18. ↑ Welk, Brian (2023-10-27). "Another Original Horror Film Gets IP Treatment: 'The Black Phone 2' Set for June 2025". IndieWire . Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  19. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (2023-11-29). "Blumhouse's The Black Phone 2: Ethan Hawke & Original Cast Returning For Scott Derrickson Sequel". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 2023-11-29.
  20. ↑ Kit, Borys (2014-06-19). " 'The Outer Limits' Movie in the Works From MGM, Scott Derrickson." HollywoodReporter.com. Retrieved 2014-06-20.
  21. ↑ "Junkfood Cinema".
  22. ↑ "Home". writealongpodcast.com.
  23. ↑ "The Rules of Attractions (2002)". Movieclips. Archived from the original on 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
  24. ↑ Bibbiani, William (2013-02-19). "Horrific Images: Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill on Sinister". CraveOnline . Retrieved 2013-06-23.
  25. ↑ "Apple Original Films Boards Skydance's 'The Gorge' with Anya Taylor-Joy Set to Co-Star Opposite Miles Teller". 11 October 2022.
  26. ↑ "C Robert Cargill - Queen of the Dark Things cover art and synopsis". Upcoming4.me. Archived from the original on 2013-12-19. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  27. ↑ Cargill, C. Robert. "Sea of Rust". HarperCollins US. Archived from the original on 2017-09-27. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
  28. ↑ Cargill, C. Robert. "We Are Where the Nightmares Go and Other Stories". HarperCollins US. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  29. ↑ Cargill, C. Robert. "Day Zero". HarperCollins US. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.