Don Mancini | |
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Born | George Donald Mancini [1] January 25, 1963 |
Other names | Kit Du Bois Donald G. Mancini [2] |
Education | St. Christopher's School |
Alma mater | University of California, Los Angeles Columbia University |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1988–present |
George Donald Mancini (born January 25, 1963) [2] is an American screenwriter, director, and producer. He is best known for creating and writing the Child's Play franchise (1988–present).
Having been a horror fan since his childhood, Mancini's inspiration for Child's Play were films like Trilogy of Terror and The Twilight Zone episode "Living Doll"; aware of the "killer doll" as a horror trope, Mancini realized that the concept had never been executed as a feature-length film with animatronic effects work. As a film student at UCLA in the mid-1980s, Mancini was amused by the popularity of the Cabbage Patch Kids line of dolls, and that the ubiquitous dolls were disappearing from toy shelves and prompting physical fights between parents. Mancini's father had worked in the advertising industry all his life, and he knew how effective marketing could result in consumer bedlam. Based on this, Mancini wanted to write a dark satire about how marketing affected children, with his first effort being as the co-writer of Child's Play (1988). [3] [4]
Mancini wrote all seven films in the original Child's Play film series, and was the executive producer of Bride of Chucky and Cult of Chucky . He began directing Child's Play franchise entries with Seed of Chucky (2004), followed by Curse of Chucky (2013) and Cult (2017), and was the creator, writer, and director of the Chucky TV series. [5] He was not involved with the 2019 reboot. [4]
In 2007, he won the EyeGore award for career contributions to the horror genre. He sometimes goes by the pseudonym Kit Dubois. Mancini attended St. Christopher's School in Richmond, Virginia, University of California in Los Angeles, and Columbia University (Brad Dourif was among his teachers [6] ) in New York City. [7] [8] [3]
Mancini grew up in Richmond, Virginia. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles, studying film. [9] He is gay. [10] [11] [12] He has described consciously incorporating queer elements into the Child's Play films; [11] his experiences as a gay man, including receiving bullying and abuse from his father because of it, informed Mancini's creative direction on the Chucky TV series, which features a gay protagonist. [11]
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Executive Producer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1988 | Cellar Dweller | No | Yes | No | Credited as "Kit Du Bois" |
Child's Play | No | Yes | No | ||
1990 | Child's Play 2 | No | Yes | No | |
1991 | Child's Play 3 | No | Yes | No | |
1998 | Bride of Chucky | No | Yes | Yes | |
2004 | Seed of Chucky | Yes | Yes | No | |
2013 | Curse of Chucky | Yes | Yes | No | |
2017 | Cult of Chucky | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | Tales from the Crypt | No | Yes | No | Episode: "Fitting Punishment" |
2015 | Hannibal | No | Yes | Yes | Writer (2 episodes) / Producer (8 episodes) |
2016–2017 | Channel Zero | No | Yes | Supervising | Writer (3 episodes) / Supervising producer (6 episodes) |
2021–2024 | Chucky | Yes | Yes | Executive | Creator and executive producer (24 episodes) / Director (Episode: "Death on Denial") / Director and writer (Episode: "Death by Misadventure") / Writer (8 episodes) |
Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Saturn Awards | Best Writing (with Tom Holland and John Lafia) | Child's Play (1988) | Nominated |
Best Writing | Bride of Chucky (1998) | Nominated | |
Special Recognition Award | Cult of Chucky (2017) and Child's Play franchise [13] | Won | |
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Screenplay | Bride of Chucky (1998) | Nominated |
Bradford Claude Dourif is an American semi-retired actor. He is known for voicing Chucky in the Child's Play franchise (1988–present), portraying Gríma Wormtongue in The Lord of the Rings film series and his Oscar-nominated role as Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975).
Child's Play 3 is a 1991 American slasher film and the third installment in the Child's Play film series. The film is written by Don Mancini and directed by Jack Bender. Brad Dourif once again reprised his role as Chucky from the previous films while new cast members include Justin Whalin, Perrey Reeves and Jeremy Sylvers. It was executive-produced by David Kirschner, who produced the first two Child's Play films. Although released only nine months after Child's Play 2, the story takes place eight years following the events of that film, and one month before the events of Bride of Chucky. The film follows Andy Barclay (Whalin) now 16, enrolling at Kent Military School. Andy is unknowingly followed by a revived Chucky (Dourif), who sets his sight on a younger kid cadet Ronald Tyler (Sylvers).
Child's Play is a 1988 American supernatural slasher film directed by Tom Holland, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Don Mancini and John Lafia based on a story by Mancini. The film stars Catherine Hicks and Chris Sarandon with Brad Dourif as Chucky. Its plot follows a widowed mother who gives a new doll to her son, unaware that it is possessed by the soul of a serial killer.
Child's Play 2 is a 1990 American supernatural slasher film and the direct sequel to Child's Play, written by Don Mancini and directed by John Lafia, one of the co-writers of the first film. It is the second installment in the Child's Play franchise and set two years after the first film; the plot follows Charles Lee Ray continuing his pursuit for Andy Barclay, who was placed in foster care, and transferring his soul into him after being resurrected. Alex Vincent and Brad Dourif reprised their roles while Christine Elise, Jenny Agutter, Gerrit Graham and Grace Zabriskie joined the cast.
Charles Lee "Chucky" Ray is the main antagonist of the Child's Play horror franchise. Chucky is portrayed as a vicious serial killer who, as he bleeds out from a gunshot wound, transfers his soul into a "Good Guy" doll and continuously tries to transfer it to a human body. The character has become one of the most recognizable horror icons and has been referenced numerous times in popular culture. In 1999, the Chucky character was nominated for the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain for the film Bride of Chucky. He was created by writer Don Mancini and is portrayed by Brad Dourif in both live action and voice over. For the 2019 remake of the same name, Mark Hamill voiced an artificial intelligence (AI) version of Chucky as a tragic villain, having previously voiced the Charles Lee Ray version of the character in an episode of Robot Chicken.
David Maxwell Kirschner is an American film and television producer and screenwriter. His producing credits include Don Bluth's An American Tail and Titan A.E. animated features as well as the Child's Play horror franchise.
Child's Play is an American slasher media franchise created by Don Mancini. The films mainly focus on Chucky, a notorious serial killer who frequently escapes death by performing a voodoo ritual to transfer his soul into a "Good Guy" doll. The original film, Child's Play, was released on November 9, 1988. The film has spawned six sequels, a television series, a remake, comic books, a video game, and tie-in merchandise. The first, second, and fourth films were box office successes with all of the films earning over $182 million worldwide. Including revenues from sales of videos, DVDs, VOD and merchandise, the franchise has generated over $250 million. It also won a Saturn Award for Best Horror Franchise.
Fiona Christianne Dourif is an American actress and producer. She is best known for her starring role as Nica Pierce in the Child's Play franchise, including the horror film Curse of Chucky (2013), its sequel Cult of Chucky (2017), and the television series Chucky (2021–2024). She appears in these works alongside her father, Brad Dourif, who portrays the series' main antagonist, Chucky.
Bride of Chucky is a 1998 American black comedy slasher film written by Don Mancini and directed by Ronny Yu. The fourth installment in the Child's Play franchise, it stars Jennifer Tilly, Brad Dourif, John Ritter, Katherine Heigl, and Nick Stabile. Unlike the first three films, Bride of Chucky takes a markedly humorous turn towards self-referential parody. It also departs from the Andy Barclay storyline of the first three films, focusing mainly on series villain Chucky, a doll possessed by a serial killer, and his former lover and accomplice Tiffany, whose soul is also transferred into a doll.
Seed of Chucky is a 2004 black comedy slasher film. It is the fifth film in the Child's Play series, following Bride of Chucky. The film was written and directed by Don Mancini in his directorial debut, and stars Jennifer Tilly, Redman, Hannah Spearritt, John Waters, Billy Boyd and Brad Dourif. The film is set six years after Bride of Chucky and follows a young doll named Glen/Glenda, the child of Chucky and Tiffany, resurrecting their parents, causing chaos.
Curse of Chucky is a 2013 American slasher film and the sixth installment of the Child's Play franchise. The film was written and directed by Don Mancini, who created the franchise and wrote the first six films. It stars Fiona Dourif, Danielle Bisutti, Brennan Elliott, Maitland McConnell, Chantal Quesnelle, Summer Howell, A Martinez, and Brad Dourif. The film grossed $3.8 million in DVD sales.
Nica Pierce is a fictional character in the Child's Play franchise. She was created by Don Mancini and is portrayed by Fiona Dourif. She is the protagonist in two of the seven films, first appearing in Curse of Chucky (2013) and subsequently in Cult of Chucky (2017). She is also featured in all 3 seasons of the Chucky television series.
Cult of Chucky is a 2017 American supernatural slasher film written and directed by Don Mancini. The seventh installment of the Child's Play franchise, following the 2013 film Curse of Chucky, it stars Fiona Dourif, Michael Therriault, Adam Hurtig, Alex Vincent, Elisabeth Rosen, Grace Lynn Kung, Marina Stephenson Kerr, Zak Santiago, Ali Tataryn, Jennifer Tilly, Christine Elise, and Brad Dourif. Cult of Chucky began production in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in January 2017 and premiered at the London FrightFest Film Festival on August 24 the same year. As with the previous film, it was released direct-to-video by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment via Blu-ray, DVD and VOD on October 3.
Kyle is a fictional character in the Child's Play franchise, created by Don Mancini and portrayed by actress Christine Elise. She appeared in Child's Play 2,Cult of Chucky, and the Chucky television series. Kyle is a main character in the Child's Play novels and comic book adaptations.
Child's Play is a 2019 horror film directed by Lars Klevberg from a screenplay written by Tyler Burton Smith. Serving both as a remake of the 1988 eponymous film and a reboot of the Child's Play franchise, the film stars Aubrey Plaza, Gabriel Bateman, Brian Tyree Henry, and Mark Hamill as the voice of Chucky. It follows a family terrorized by a high-tech doll that malfunctions and becomes subsequently hostile and murderous.
Chucky is an American horror comedy television series created by Don Mancini based on the Child's Play franchise. It serves as a sequel to Cult of Chucky, the seventh film in the franchise, and stars Brad Dourif reprising his role as the voice of the title character, alongside Zackary Arthur, Björgvin Arnarson, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Teo Briones, and Devon Sawa. The cast also includes Fiona Dourif, Alex Vincent, Christine Elise, Jennifer Tilly, and Billy Boyd reprising their roles from previous films.
The first season of the American horror series Chucky, created by Don Mancini, premiered on Syfy and USA Network on October 12, 2021, and concluded on November 30, 2021. The season consists of 8 episodes. The series is based on the Child's Play film franchise.
The second season of the American horror series Chucky, created by Don Mancini, was broadcast simultaneously on Syfy and USA Network between October 5 and November 23, 2022, comprising eight episodes. Based on the Child's Play film franchise, the series serves as a sequel to Cult of Chucky, and stars Brad Dourif reprising his role as the voice of the titular character, alongside Zackary Arthur, Alyvia Alyn Lind, and Björgvin Arnarson in the ensemble cast.
Jake Wheeler is a fictional character in the Child's Play franchise who was created by Don Mancini and is portrayed by Zackary Arthur. He is the main protagonist of the Syfy and USA Network's Chucky television series, which shares continuity with the original seven Child's Play films. He first appears in "Death by Misadventure", the premiere episode of the show's first season.
The third and final season of the American horror series Chucky, created by Don Mancini, premiered on Syfy and USA Network on October 4, 2023. The season consisted of 8 episodes. Based on the Child's Play film franchise, the series serves as a sequel to Cult of Chucky, and stars Brad Dourif reprising his role as the titular character, alongside Zackary Arthur, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Björgvin Arnarson, and Devon Sawa in the ensemble cast.
I was never aware of being discriminated against [by film studio executives]...particularly as a gay guy. Although, you know, it's possible that I was and didn't clock it... because it's certainly -- even more than it is now -- was very much a straight white male club.