Destin Daniel Cretton | |
|---|---|
 Cretton at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con | |
| Born | Destin Yori Daniel Cretton |
| Alma mater | Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego State University |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Spouse | Nicola Chapman (m. 2016) |
| Children | 2 |
Destin Yori Daniel Cretton is an American filmmaker. He is best known for his films Short Term 12 (2013), The Glass Castle (2017), Just Mercy (2019) and the Marvel Studios film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).
Cretton was born and raised in Haiku, Hawaii on the island of Maui. He is of half-Japanese descent. [2] [3] He was home-schooled by his Christian mother. [4] [5] His sister Joy is a costume designer who has worked on several of Destin's projects. [6] He lived in Haiku in a two-bedroom house with his five siblings, [7] until he was 19 years old. He moved to San Diego, California, to attend Point Loma Nazarene University, where he majored in communications. [8] After graduating, Cretton worked for two years as a staff person at a group home for at-risk teenagers. [9] [10]
He made short films as a hobby, which developed as a vocational path. He attended and graduated from film school at San Diego State University. [9]
While at San Diego State University, Cretton made a 22-minute short film, Short Term 12, based on his experiences at the facility for teenagers. The short film premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking. [11]
After graduating from film school, Cretton made his feature directorial debut with the 90 minute film, I Am Not a Hipster , which premiered at Sundance on January 20, 2012. [12] The film was produced by Ron Najor, who would later go on to produce the feature adaptation of Short Term 12 alongside Maren Olson, Asher Goldstein, and Joshua Astrachan. [13] Cretton's feature-length screenplay won one of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' five Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting in 2010. [14]
The film premiered on March 10, 2013, at South by Southwest, where it won the Grand Jury and Audience Awards for a Narrative Feature. [15] Widely acclaimed as one of the best films of 2013, it was listed on many film critics' annual top ten lists. [16] The film earned several accolades, including three Independent Spirit Award nominations. [17]
In 2014, Cretton was attached to rewrite the script and direct The Glass Castle , an adaptation of Jeannette Walls' 2005 best-selling memoir of the same name about a successful young woman raised by severely dysfunctional parents. [18] Starring Brie Larson, the film also features Woody Harrelson and Naomi Watts as her alcoholic father and eccentric mother, respectively. [19] Larson's role was originally considered by Jennifer Lawrence, but she dropped out while the studio was seeking the male lead. [20] The film was released on August 10, 2017. [19] It received mixed reviews from critics; they praised the performances of its cast (particularly Larson and Harrelson) but criticized the emotional tones and adaptation of the source material. [21]
In 2016, it was announced that Ryan Coogler had teamed up with Cretton and poet/playwright Chinaka Hodge to develop Minors, a television drama series produced by Charles D. King. Drawing from Cretton's experiences working in residential foster care, Hodge's background teaching under-served youth in San Francisco Bay area continuation schools and Coogler's upbringing in the East Bay, Minors promises to take an unflinching look at institutionalization, exploring juvenile facilities and the children who grow up in that system. The series will show how that system shapes young people over a one-year period. Hodge will write the series, and Coogler and Cretton will direct. [22]
Cretton subsequently teamed with Larson and Michael B. Jordan for Just Mercy , a drama film based on civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson's New York Times bestselling memoir: Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. [23] Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, where he provided defense counsel to men on death row. The plot follows Stevenson (Jordan) as he explores the case of a death row prisoner, Walter McMillian, whom he fought to free. [24] The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2019, [25] and was theatrically released on December 25, 2019, by Warner Bros. Pictures. Just Mercy was critically acclaimed. [26]
In March 2019, Cretton was hired by Marvel Studios to direct a film based on Shang-Chi. [27] Both the film and Cretton's involvement were confirmed during San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, with the film being titled Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings . [28] The film, which is Marvel's first superhero movie tentpole franchise with an Asian protagonist, [23] stars Simu Liu as the title character, with Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Awkwafina co-starring. [28] On January 5, 2020, Cretton said that he signed up to the project because he wanted "to give [his] son a superhero to look up to". [29] The film was set to be released on February 12, 2021, [28] but was delayed to May 7 [30] and later July 9 [31] due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Shang-Chi's production in Australia was temporarily suspended while Cretton self-isolated. Production was halted on March 12, 2020, [32] and resumed in August 2020 and concluded in October 2020. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was released in theaters on September 3, 2021. [33] In December 2021, Cretton signed a deal with Marvel Studios and Hulu's Onyx Collective to develop a Shang-Chi sequel and new Disney+ MCU series through his production banner Family Owned. [34] In June 2022, the series was revealed to be in early development and titled Wonder Man , centered on the character Simon Williams / Wonder Man, with Cretton directing two episodes of the series and developing it with series creator and showrunner Andrew Guest. [35] [36] In July, Cretton was confirmed as the director of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty for Marvel Studios. [37] In November 2023, Cretton stepped down as the director of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to focus on other Marvel projects, such as the Shang-Chi sequel and Wonder Man. [36]
In December 2022, Cretton was revealed to be an executive producer on the short film Same Old , which was written and directed by Lloyd Lee Choi. Cretton is set to produce a feature-length film adaptation of the short, titled Lucky Lu, through his Family Owned banner alongside Ron Najor and Asher Goldstein, with Choi returning as writer and director. [38] [39] The following year, Cretton was reported to be an executive producer on Choi's short film Closing Dynasty. [39]
In February 2024, Cretton was revealed to be directing, co-writing, and co-producing Naruto , based on the manga series of the same name for Lionsgate. [40] In September that same year, it was announced Cretton would be directing the untitled Spider-Man: No Way Home sequel for Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios. [41]
In 2016, Cretton married fashion designer Nicola "Nikki" Chapman. [42] [43] They have two children. [44]
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | I Am Not a Hipster | Yes | Yes | Also producer and editor |
| 2013 | Short Term 12 | Yes | Yes | |
| 2017 | The Glass Castle | Yes | Yes | Co-wrote with Andrew Lanham and Marti Noxon |
| The Shack | No | Yes | Co-wrote with John Fusco and Andrew Lanham | |
| 2019 | Just Mercy | Yes | Yes | Co-wrote with Andrew Lanham |
| 2021 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | Yes | Yes | Co-wrote with Dave Callaham and Andrew Lanham |
Executive producer
Documentary film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Drakmar: A Vassal's Journey | Yes | Yes | Also co-producer and editor |
| Year | Title | Director | Executive Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–24 | Tokyo Vice | No | Yes | |
| 2023 | American Born Chinese | Yes | Yes | 2 episodes |
| 2025 | Wonder Man † | Yes | Yes | Post-production; 2 episodes [36] |
Brianne Sidonie Desaulniers, known professionally as Brie Larson, is an American actress. She played supporting roles in comedies as a teenager, and has since expanded to leading roles in independent films and blockbusters. Her accolades include an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2019.
Ryan Kyle Coogler is an American filmmaker. He is a recipient of four NAACP Image Awards and four Black Reel Awards, and has been nominated for two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and a Grammy Award.
Nathaniel Sanders is an American film editor. He is best known for his collaborations with Destin Daniel Cretton and Barry Jenkins. He won Independent Spirit Awards for both Short Term 12 (2013) and Moonlight (2016), as well as being nominated for an Academy Award for the latter.
The Glass Castle is a 2017 American biographical drama film directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and written by Cretton, Andrew Lanham, and Marti Noxon. It is based on Jeannette Walls' 2005 best-selling memoir of the same name. Depicting Walls' childhood, where her family lived in poverty and sometimes as squatters, the film stars Brie Larson as Walls, with Naomi Watts, Woody Harrelson, Max Greenfield, and Sarah Snook in supporting roles.
Michael Gracey is an Australian visual effects artist and filmmaker. He is best known for directing the film The Greatest Showman (2017).
Just Mercy is a 2019 American biographical legal drama film co-written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and starring Michael B. Jordan as Bryan Stevenson, Jamie Foxx as Walter McMillian, Rob Morgan, Tim Blake Nelson, Rafe Spall, and Brie Larson. It explores the work of young defense attorney Bryan Stevenson who represents poor people on death row in the South. Featured is his work with Walter McMillian, who had been wrongfully convicted of the murder of a young woman. The film is based on Stevenson's 2014 eponymous memoir, in which he explored his journey to making his life's work the defense of African American prisoners.
The following outline serves as an overview of and topical guide to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), an American media franchise and shared universe created by Marvel Studios and owned by the Walt Disney Company. The franchise began in 2008 with the release of the film Iron Man and has since expanded to include various superhero films and television series produced by Marvel Studios, television series from Marvel Television, short films, digital series, literature, and other media. These are based on characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige produces every film and series from that studio for the MCU. The shared universe, much like the original Marvel Universe in comic books, was established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is a 2021 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Shang-Chi. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Destin Daniel Cretton from a screenplay he wrote with Dave Callaham and Andrew Lanham, and stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi alongside Awkwafina, Meng'er Zhang, Fala Chen, Florian Munteanu, Benedict Wong, Yuen Wah, Michelle Yeoh, Ben Kingsley, and Tony Leung. In the film, Shang-Chi is forced to confront his past when his father Wenwu (Leung), the leader of the Ten Rings terrorist organization, draws Shang-Chi and his sister Xialing (Zhang) into a search for a mythical village.
Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a group of American superhero films and television series produced by Marvel Studios based on characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. Phase Four features all the Marvel Studios productions released from 2021 through 2022. It is the first phase in the franchise to include television series, alongside television specials marketed as "Marvel Studios Special Presentations", with Marvel Studios developing several event series for the streaming service Disney+ in addition to the feature films that it was already set to produce. Animation in the phase was produced by Marvel Studios Animation. Phase Four began with the series WandaVision, which premiered in January 2021, while the first theatrical film in this phase is Black Widow, which was released in July 2021 by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The phase concluded with the television special The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special in November 2022. The release schedule of Phase Four was changed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kevin Feige produced every film and executive produced every series and special in this phase, alongside producers Jonathan Schwartz for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Nate Moore for Eternals and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Amy Pascal for Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Brad Winderbaum for Thor: Love and Thunder.
Charlie Shotwell is an American actor. He started acting professionally at the age of six. His first notable role being the young Nai Cash in the 2016 comedy-drama film Captain Fantastic for which he received nominations for SAG Awards and Young Artist Awards. He was lead of the Netflix horror film Eli and the coming-of-age psychological thriller John and the Hole, and appeared in the comedy film Troop Zero.
Xu Shang-Chi is a fictional character portrayed by Simu Liu in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) multimedia franchise, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. In the franchise, Shang-Chi is the son of Ying Li and Wenwu, the founder and first leader of the Ten Rings terrorist organization. Trained to be a highly skilled martial artist and assassin by his father, alongside his sister Xialing, Shang-Chi left the Ten Rings for a normal life in San Francisco, only to be drawn back into the world he left behind when Wenwu seeks him out. After traveling to his mother's home of Ta Lo and confronting his father, Shang-Chi is bequeathed Wenwu's ten rings.
Wonder Man is an upcoming American television miniseries created by Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It is intended to be the 17th television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, via its Marvel Television label, sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. Guest serves as showrunner. The series is also produced by Family Owned and Onyx Collective.
Justin Tipping is an American television and film director, screenwriter, and executive producer best known for his work on Kicks (2016), Flatbush Misdemeanors (2021), and Joe vs. Carole (2022).
Andrew Lanham is an American film screenwriter best known for his collaborations with Destin Daniel Cretton, including The Shack (2017), The Glass Castle (2017), Just Mercy (2019), and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).
Joel P. West is an American composer, singer, songwriter and guitarist based in San Diego. He is the lead vocalist and guitarist of the band Joel P. West and the Tree Ring. He is also known for his collaborations with filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton, composing such films of his as Short Term 12 (2013) and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).
Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a group of American superhero films and television series to be produced by Marvel Studios based on characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. Phase Six features all of the Marvel Studios productions set to be released starting from mid-2025 to mid-2027, with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures distributing the films, while the series release on Disney+. Live-action series are released under Marvel Studios' "Marvel Television" label. The first film in the phase will be The Fantastic Four: First Steps, scheduled for release in July 2025. The release schedule of Phase Six was changed several times due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes. Kevin Feige produces every film and executive produces every television series in this phase, alongside Anthony and Joe Russo for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, and Amy Pascal for the untitled Spider-Man: No Way Home sequel.
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