David Leitch (director)

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Leitch in 2018 David Leitch by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Leitch in 2018

David Leitch is an American filmmaker, stunt coordinator, second unit director, stuntman, actor and producer. He made his directorial debut on the 2014 action film John Wick with Chad Stahelski, though only Stahelski was credited. [1] Leitch then directed the 2017 thriller film Atomic Blonde , starring Charlize Theron, and 2018's Deadpool 2 , the sequel to the 2016 film. He is currently directing Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw , a spin-off from The Fast and the Furious franchise.

A stunt coordinator, usually an experienced stunt performer, is hired by a TV, film or theatre director or production company for stunt casting that is to arrange the casting and performance of stunts for a film, television programme or a live audience.

Actor person who acts in a dramatic or comic production and works in film, television, theatre, or radio

An actor is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is ὑποκριτής (hupokritḗs), literally "one who answers". The actor's interpretation of their role—the art of acting—pertains to the role played, whether based on a real person or fictional character. Interpretation occurs even when the actor is "playing themselves", as in some forms of experimental performance art.

A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script; coordinating writing, directing, and editing; and arranging financing.

Contents

Career

He was a stunt double for Brad Pitt five times and two times for Jean-Claude Van Damme.[ citation needed ] Leitch and his crew won two awards for The Bourne Ultimatum at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. [2] He also shared a 2008 Taurus World Stunt Award with fellow stunt-person Kai Martin for high work. [3]

Brad Pitt American actor and filmmaker

William Bradley Pitt is an American actor and film producer. He has received multiple awards and nominations including an Academy Award as producer under his own company Plan B Entertainment.

Jean-Claude Van Damme Belgian actor, martial artist, director

Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg, professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme and abbreviated as JCVD, is a Belgian actor and retired martial artist best known for his martial arts action films. His most successful of these projects include Bloodsport (1988), Kickboxer franchise (1989-2018), Cyborg (1989), Lionheart (1990), Double Impact (1991), Universal Soldier franchise (1992-2012), Nowhere to Run (1993), Hard Target (1993), Timecop (1994), Street Fighter (1994), Sudden Death (1995), The Quest (1996), Inferno (1999), Replicant (2001), In Hell (2003), Until Death (2007), JCVD (2008), The Expendables 2 (2012), Dragon Eyes (2012), Kung Fu Panda 2, and Kung Fu Panda 3 (2011–2016).

He wrote and starred in Confessions of an Action Star , a parody of action films and the action film industry released in 2009. [4] [5]

<i>Confessions of an Action Star</i> 2005 film by Brad Martin

Confessions of an Action Star is an American action comedy mockumentary starring David Leitch, Angelina Jolie, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Eric Roberts, Dax Shepard, Debbie Allen, Lee Arenberg and directed by Brad Martin. The film was entitled Sledge: The Untold Story during its film festival run and is distributed by Vivendi Entertainment and Lightyear Entertainment.

Leitch and Chad Stahelski opened an action design production company called 87Eleven in 1997. They both made their directoral debut with the 2014 film John Wick [6] , although Leitch himself wasn't credited as co-director.

<i>John Wick</i> (film) 2014 American action thriller film directed by David Leitch

John Wick is a 2014 American neo-noir action thriller film directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad. It stars Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, and Willem Dafoe. It is the first installment in the John Wick film series.

He has moved on to direct movies such as Atomic Blonde and Deadpool 2 with his wife and creative partner, Kelly McCormick.

<i>Atomic Blonde</i> 2017 film by David Leitch

Atomic Blonde is a 2017 American action thriller spy film based on the 2012 graphic novel The Coldest City, which revolves around a spy who has to find a list of double agents who are being smuggled into the West, on the eve of the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The film is directed by David Leitch, in his first solo directorial credit, and it is written by Kurt Johnstad. The film's cast includes Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, John Goodman, Til Schweiger, Eddie Marsan, Sofia Boutella, and Toby Jones.

<i>Deadpool 2</i> 2018 film directed by David Leitch

Deadpool 2 is a 2018 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Deadpool. It is the eleventh installment in the X-Men film series, and is the sequel to 2016's Deadpool. The film was directed by David Leitch from a screenplay by Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Ryan Reynolds, who stars in the title role alongside Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, T.J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, and Jack Kesy. In the film, Deadpool forms the X-Force to protect a young mutant from the time-traveling soldier Cable.

He is currently working on the The Fast and the Furious spin-off, Hobbs & Shaw .

<i>The Fast and the Furious</i> Series of action films

The Fast and the Furious is an American media franchise based on a series of action films that is largely concerned with illegal street racing, heists and espionage, and includes material in various other media that depicts characters and situations from the films. Distributed by Universal Pictures, the series was established with the 2001 film titled The Fast and the Furious; this was followed by seven sequels, two short films that tie into the series, and as of May 2017, it has become Universal's biggest franchise of all time, currently the eighth-highest-grossing film series of all time with a combined gross of over $5 billion.

Filmography

Film

YearFilm
Director Producer Writer Notes
2005 Confessions of an Action Star NoNoYes
2007FetchNoExecutiveNoShort film
2014 John Wick UncreditedYesNo Directorial Debut
Co-directed with Chad Stahelski
2017 John Wick: Chapter 2 NoExecutiveNo
No Good Deed YesNoNoShort film
Atomic Blonde YesNoNo
2018 Deadpool 2 YesNoNo
2019 Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw [7] YesNoNoPost-production
TBA The Division YesYesNoPre-production

Second-unit director

Acting credits

YearTitle
RoleNote
2001 The Order Detective Mike Moran
2002 Nine Lives Paul
2003 In Hell Paul
2005 V for Vendetta Convenience Store V
Confessions of an Action Star Frank Sledge
The Dukes of Hazzard Puncher
2007FetchJohn "Fetch" FetcherShort film
2009 Ninja Assassin Europol Door Guard
2010 The King of Fighters Terry Bogard
2011 The Mechanic Sebastian
2012 The Bourne Legacy The Driver
2018 Deadpool 2 Cain Marko / Juggernaut
and Ground Church Mutant
For Juggernaut, Leitch provided motion-capture performance on-set,
while Ryan Reynolds provided facial motion-capture and voice performances

Stuntwork credits

Television

Stunts

YearTitleNotes
1995Sherman OaksSeason 1
1996 7th Heaven Season 1
1997-2001 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 1 - Episodes "The Harvest", "Teacher's Pet", "Angel" and "The Puppet Show";
Season 2 - Episodes "Some Assembly Required", "Reptile Boy", "The Dark Age", "Phases" and "Killed by Death";
Season 3 - Episodes "Faith, Hope & Trick", "Homecoming", "Revelations", "The Wish", "Helpless" and "Doppelgangland";
Season 5 - Episodes "No Place Like Home", "Listening to Fear", "Checkpoint" and "Intervention"
1998 CHiPs '99 TV movie
1999 The Practice Season 4 - Episode "Day in Court"
The Strip Season 1
2000 The President's Man TV movie
2001 The Pretender 2001 TV movie
Scrubs Season 1
2006 2006 MTV Movie Awards TV Special;
Stunt double
General Hospital Season 1 - "Episode #1.10967"

Acting Credits

YearTitleRoleNotes
1998 Martial Law David HasbroSeason 1 - Episodes "Diamond Fever", "Dead Ringers", "Funny Money" and "Trackdown"
2000 Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue BrianSeason 1 - Episode "Up to the Challenge"
2001 Walker Texas Ranger Floyd JessopSeason 9 - Episode "Medieval Crimes"
2003L.A. County 187Earnest CopTV movie
2004 Charmed InnocentSeason 7 - Episode "There's Something About Leo"

Video games

YearTitleCredited asNotes
1999 007: Tomorrow Never Dies Stunts Sony PlayStation release
Developed by Black Ops Entertainment
Co-published by Electronic Arts and MGM Interactive
2000HBO BoxingStunt coordinatorSony PlayStation release
Developed by Acclaim Sports and Osiris Studios
Published by Acclaim Entertainment

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References

  1. "John Wick' Filmmakers on How to Direct Action, DGA, Keanu Reeves' Advice, and More". The Film Stage. October 21, 2014. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  2. "Final 14th Annual SAG Awards Recipient Press Release". Screen Actors Guild. 2008-01-27. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
  3. "Taurus World Stunt Award Winners and Nominees 2008". Taurus World Stunt Award. 2008.
  4. "Interview with David Leitch (Matrix, 300, Wolverine, Bourne Ultimatum, Confessions of an Action Star) Pt. 1". Action Flick Chick. May 15, 2009.
  5. "Interview with David Leitch (Part 2)". Action Flick Chick. June 16, 2009.
  6. "Keanu Reeves, 'John Wick' Directors on How Their 'Matrix' Past Helped With Assassin Film". The Hollywood Reporter . 24 October 2014. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  7. https://www.gamesradar.com/exclusive-first-look-at-fast-and-furious-spin-off-starring-dwayne-johnson-and-jason-statham-plus-the-official-title-is-revealed/

https://ew.com/movies/2019/01/14/dwayne-johnson-jason-statham-idris-elba-hobbs-shaw-photo/