Gerard Johnstone

Last updated

Gerard Johnstone
Born
Invercargill, New Zealand
Occupations
  • Director
  • writer
Years active2008–present
Children2

Gerard Johnstone is a New Zealand screenwriter and director. He is known for the comedy sitcom series The Jaquie Brown Diaries and the horror films Housebound and M3GAN .

Contents

Early life and career

Johnstone was born in Invercargill, New Zealand, [1] where he attended Verdon College. [2] In the early 2000s, Johnstone and Jaquie Brown worked together at C4. A few years later, they created a production company, Young, Gifted & Brown, to make the New Zealand sitcom The Jaquie Brown Diaries , based on a satirical fictionalised version of Brown. It began airing in 2008 with Johnstone serving as writer and director. [3] [4]

In March 2014, Johnstone made his directorial debut with Housebound at the South by Southwest festival. [5] The comedy horror film was released on 17 October 2014 in select theatres and VOD. [6] The following year, Johnstone approached New Zealand weightlifter Sonia Manaena, who set the world record in 2013 for deadlifting, about directing a film detailing her life being a competitive weightlifter. [7] Filming was scheduled to begin in 2016, [7] but as of 2023 Johnstone said, "It's been cooking in the background for a long time". [8]

In 2016, he released Terry Teo, a reboot of the 1985 television series, Terry and the Gunrunners . [9] By August 2017, Johnstone was reported to be in the running to direct Warner Bros.' Dark Universe , but instead was hired to polish the script. [10]

Johnstone directed episodes of the first season of The New Legends of Monkey , airing in 2018. [11] That same year, he signed on to direct the comedy horror film, M3GAN . [12] Producer James Wan chose Johnstone for the job after admiring his ability to balance horror and comedy elements in Housebound. [13] M3GAN was released on 6 January 2023 to commercial and critical success. It grossed over $30 million on its opening weekend and garnered positive reviews. [14] [15]

Personal life

Johnstone is married. [16] He has two sons, born in 2012 and 2014. [17]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleDirectorWriter
2014 Housebound YesYes
2022 M3GAN YesNo

Television

YearTitleDirectorWriterExecutive
Producer		Notes
2008–2009 The Jaquie Brown Diaries YesYesNo14 episodes
2016Terry TeoYesYesNo6 episodes (director); 4 episodes (writer)
2018 The New Legends of Monkey YesNoYes6 episodes

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References

  1. ↑ "Kiwi director Gerard Johnstone poised to polish Justice League Dark script". Stuff . 1 September 2017. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  2. ↑ Maka, Valu (13 January 2023). "From meat works to making waves in Hollywood". Otago Daily Times . Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  3. ↑ "Young, gifted and Brown". The New Zealand Herald . Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  4. ↑ "The Jaquie Brown diaries. Series one [videorecording] / director, Gerard Johnstone ; producer, Hayley Cunningham ; writers, Gerard Johnstone, Jodie Molloy". National Library of New Zealand . Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  5. ↑ Whittaker, Richard (11 March 2014). "SXSW Gets Housebound". The Austin Chronicle . Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  6. ↑ Dickson, Evan (6 October 2014). "Housebound Movie Clip: Beware the Teddy Bear". Collider . Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  7. 1 2 Salter, Caitlin (14 May 2015). "Film to be made about Southland power lifter Sonia Manaena". Stuff . Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  8. ↑ Connelly, Brendon (10 January 2023). "M3gan interview: Gerard Johnstone on his brilliant career and creating a horror icon". Film Stories. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  9. ↑ Johnstone, Gerard (24 November 2016). "Throwback Thursday: The maker of Terry Teo (2016) on Terry Teo (1985)". The Spinoffn . Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  10. ↑ Kroll, Justin (29 August 2017). "'Justice League Dark' Gets Script Polish From Gerard Johnstone". Variety . Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  11. ↑ "Gerard Johnstone". NZ On Screen . Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  12. ↑ Kit, Borys (18 July 2018). "Jason Blum, James Wan Team for Horror-Thriller 'M3GAN' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  13. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (8 January 2023). "How 'M3GAN' Boogied Her Way To The Box Office Via TikTok; Sequel Already In Works". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  14. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (8 January 2023). "'M3GAN' Slays With $30M+ Opening; 'Avatar: The Way Of Water' Hits Half Billion Faster Than 'Top Gun 2', 'Rogue One – Sunday AM Box Office Update". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  15. ↑ "M3GAN (2022)". Rotten Tomatoes . Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  16. ↑ Lyon, Joshua (12 January 2023). "For a Deadly Doll, a Killer Wardrobe". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  17. ↑ Colangelo, B. J. (6 January 2023). "M3GAN Director Gerard Johnstone On How To Balance Comedy With Creepiness [Exclusive Interview]". /Film . Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
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