John Hyams

Last updated
John Hyams
Occupation(s)Film director, screenwriter, cinematographer
Years active1986–present

John Hyams is an American screenwriter, director and cinematographer, best known for his involvement in the Universal Soldier series, for which he has directed two installments. Hyams is the son of director Peter Hyams.

Contents

Career

Hyams graduated from Syracuse University School of Visual and Performing Arts, becoming a noted painter and sculptor exhibiting and selling work in New York and Los Angeles. [1] He became known in Hollywood in 1997 after writing, producing, and directing the critically acclaimed One Dog Day. The film debuted at the Taos Talking Picture Film Festival. After that, Hyams directed several documentaries, most notably The Smashing Machine , which follows the life of fighter Mark Kerr. Hyams also directed several episodes of ABC Television's NYPD Blue .

In 2009, Hyams took over the Universal Soldier franchise, directing the film Regeneration , starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren. It was shot mostly in Bulgaria on a budget of $9 million. [2] Then, in 2012, he wrote and produced a sequel called Day of Reckoning , [3] which also featured Van Damme and Lundgren. It was shot in 3D with a budget of $8 million.

Over the course of 2014 and 2015, Hyams directed several episodes of the horror series Z Nation , including the pilot. Hyams has also directed for numerous other TV series, including Chicago P.D. , Chicago Fire , and Chucky , and acted as showrunner for the Z Nation spin-off Black Summer . In 2018 he returned to feature work with the independent comedy-drama All Square , starring Michael Kelly. In 2020 he directed the thriller Alone , and in 2022 the Kevin Williamson-scripted, Blumhouse-produced horror film Sick.

Filmography

Films

TitleYearCredited asNotes
DirectorProducerWriter
One Dog Day1997YesYesYes
The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr 2002YesCo-No Documentary film, also editor
Fight Day2003YesNoNo Featurette, also editor
Rank2006YesYesNoDocumentary film, also editor
Cowtown: Bull Riding Sessions2006YesYesNoFeaturette
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt 2009NoAssociateNo
Universal Soldier: Regeneration 2009YesNoNoAlso editor
The Razzle Dazzle2009YesCo-No Short film
The Ignorant Bliss of Sun and Moon2010YesNoNoShort film, also editor, cinematographer and sound editor
Dragon Eyes 2012YesNoNo
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning 2012YesNoYesAlso editor
Days of Reckoning: The Making of Universal Soldier 42013NoYesNoFeaturette
Skin Trade 2014NoNoNoUncredited script revisions
All Square 2018YesNoNo
Alone 2020YesNoNoAlso editor
Sick 2022YesNoNo

Television

The numbers in directing and writing credits refer to the number of episodes.

TitleYearCredited asNetworkNotes
CreatorDirectorProducerWriterExecutive
producer
NYPD Blue 2003–05NoYes (4)YesNoNo ABC Producer (season 12)
Blind Justice 2005NoYes (1)NoNoNo
Z Nation 2014–17NoYes (9)Co-Yes (5)Co- Syfy Co-producer (season 1: 8 episodes)
Co-executive producer (season 2: 13 episodes)
The Originals 2016–17NoYes (3)NoNoNo The CW
12 Deadly Days 2016NoYes (1)NoNoNo YouTube Red Anthology series
Chicago P.D. 2017–19NoYes (4)NoNoNo NBC
Chicago Fire 2017NoYes (1)NoNoNo
Legacies 2019NoYes (1)NoNoNoThe CW
Black Summer 2019–2021YesYes (9)NoYes (5)Yes Netflix Also showrunner
Roswell, New Mexico 2022NoYes (1)NoNoNoThe CW
Chucky 2022–23NoYes (3)NoNoNoSyfy
USA Network

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean-Claude Van Damme</span> Belgian actor and martial artist (born 1960)

Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg, known professionally as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor. Born and raised in Brussels, his father enrolled him in martial arts classes at the age of ten, which led Van Damme to hold the rank of 2nd-dan black belt in karate, and compete in several karate and kickboxing competitions. With the desire of becoming an actor, he moved to the United States in 1982, where he did odd jobs and worked on several films, until he got his break as the lead in the martial arts film Bloodsport (1988).

Stephen Sommers is an American film director, screenwriter and producer, best known for big-budget action movies, such as The Mummy (1999), its sequel, The Mummy Returns (2001), Van Helsing (2004), and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009). He also directed The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993), Disney's live action version of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book (1994) and the cult classic horror film Deep Rising (1998).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dolph Lundgren</span> Swedish actor and martial artist (born 1957)

Hans "Dolph" Lundgren is a Swedish actor, filmmaker and martial artist. Born in Spånga, Sweden, Lundgren became interested in martial arts at a young age. This would lead him to hold the rank of 4th dan black belt in Kyokushin karate and become European champion in 1980 and 1981. In 1982, while studying to get a master's degree, he became the boyfriend of singer Grace Jones. With her he moved to New York City and started to take acting classes. In 1985, Lundgren had a breakthrough role playing the lead villain as an imposing Soviet boxer named Ivan Drago in Sylvester Stallone's Rocky IV.

Peter Hyams is an American film director, screenwriter and cinematographer known for directing 1977 conspiracy thriller film Capricorn One, the 1981 science fiction-thriller Outland, the 1984 science fiction film 2010: The Year We Make Contact, the 1986 action/comedy Running Scared, the comic book adaptation Timecop, the action film Sudden Death, and the horror films The Relic and End of Days.

<i>Timecop</i> 1994 film by Peter Hyams

Timecop is a 1994 American science fiction action film directed by Peter Hyams and co-written by Mike Richardson and Mark Verheiden. Richardson also served as executive producer. The film is based on Timecop, a story created by Richardson, written by Verheiden, and drawn by Ron Randall, which appeared in the anthology comic Dark Horse Comics, published by Dark Horse Comics. It is the first installment in the Timecop franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Marshall</span> English filmmaker

Neil Marshall is an English film and television director, editor, producer, and screenwriter. He directed the horror films Dog Soldiers (2002) and The Descent (2005), the science fiction action film Doomsday (2008), the historical war film Centurion (2010), the superhero action film Hellboy (2019), and the adventure horror film The Reckoning (2020).

<i>Universal Soldier</i> (1992 film) 1992 film by Roland Emmerich

Universal Soldier is a 1992 American military science-fiction action film directed by Roland Emmerich, produced by Allen Shapiro, Craig Baumgarten, and Joel B. Michaels, and written by Richard Rothstein, Christopher Leitch, and Dean Devlin. The film tells the story of Luc Deveraux, portrayed by Jean-Claude Van Damme, a former U.S. Army soldier who was killed in the Vietnam War in 1969, and returned to life following a secret military project called the "Universal Soldier" program. However, he finds out about his past, though his memory was erased, and escapes alongside a young TV journalist. Along the way, they have to deal with the return of his archenemy, Sgt. Andrew Scott, who had lost his sanity in the Vietnam War, and became a psychotic megalomaniac, intent on killing him and leading the Universal Soldiers.

<i>Sudden Death</i> (1995 film) 1995 American film

Sudden Death is a 1995 American action-thriller film directed by Peter Hyams and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Powers Boothe, Raymond J. Barry, and Dorian Harewood. The film pits a lone fire marshal against extortionists who hold unsuspecting NHL players and fans for ransom during game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals, and set payment milestones to coincide with the game's progress. It was Hyams' second directorial collaboration with Van Damme, after Timecop (1994) and before Enemies Closer (2013).

Matteo Martin "Matt" Battaglia is an American producer, actor and former American football linebacker.

The Asylum is an American independent film production and distribution company that focuses on low-budget, direct-to-video films. It is notorious for producing titles that capitalize on productions by major studios, often using film titles and scripts very similar to those of current blockbusters in order to lure customers. These titles have been dubbed "mockbusters" by the press. Its titles are distributed by Echo Bridge Home Entertainment, GT Media, and as of 2015, Cineverse.

Russell Paul Carpenter, ASC is an American cinematographer and photographer, known for collaborating with directors James Cameron, Robert Luketic and McG. He won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for the 1997 Best Picture-winning film Titanic.

Sheldon Lettich is an American screenwriter, film director and producer. He is best known for his collaborations with Jean-Claude Van Damme and his work in the action film genre.

<i>Universal Soldier: Regeneration</i> 2010 film by John Hyams

Universal Soldier: Regeneration is a 2009 American science fiction action film directed and co-edited by John Hyams, written by Victor Ostrovsky, and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren. It is the fifth installment in the Universal Soldier franchise and the alternative sequel to the original Universal Soldier from 1992, ignores the events from the 1999 theatrical sequel Universal Soldier: The Return and the two made for television sequels that were produced in 1998.

<i>Universal Soldier</i> (film series) Series of military science fiction action films

Universal Soldier is a series of military science fiction action films. The franchise began in 1992 with Universal Soldier and as of 2012 comprises six entries. The films centered on the character of Luc Deveraux until Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning, which focuses on a new protagonist named John.

<i>Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning</i> 2012 American science fiction action film by Hyams

Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning is a 2012 American science fiction action film directed by John Hyams, who co-edited with Andrew Drazek, and wrote the screenplay with Doug Magnuson and Jon Greenlagh. It stars Scott Adkins with Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren, who both reprise their roles from the first film, alongside newcomer Andrei Arlovski. It is the sixth and final installment in the Universal Soldier film series.

David Schmoeller is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is notable for directing several full-length theatrical horror films including Tourist Trap (1979), The Seduction (1982), Crawlspace (1986), Catacombs (1988), Puppet Master (1989), and Netherworld (1992). In May, 2012, Schmoeller was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Fantaspoa Film Festival in Porto Alegre, Brazil where his new feature film, 2 Little Monsters (2012) was screened along with his other notable films.

<i>Enemies Closer</i> 2013 film

Enemies Closer is a 2013 American action thriller film directed by Peter Hyams and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Tom Everett Scott, Orlando Jones and Linzey Cocker. In it, a former Navy SEAL is marked for death by the mourning brother of a comrade he left behind, only to have to team up with him when they both become targets of a deranged crime lord.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dimitri Logothetis</span> American film director

Dimitri Logothetis is a Greek-American filmmaker and actor.

<i>Black Water</i> (2018 film) 2018 American action thriller film directed by Pasha Patriki

Black Water is an American action thriller film directed by Pasha Patriki. It stars Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren in their fifth collaboration, specifically the second time they appear as on-screen allies. The film was released direct-to-video in the US on May 25, 2018.

<i>Black Summer</i> (TV series) American streaming television series

Black Summer is an American streaming television series created by Karl Schaefer and John Hyams. It is a spinoff of Z Nation. The first season, consisting of eight episodes, was released on Netflix on April 11, 2019. The series is produced by The Asylum, the same production company behind Z Nation, and is written and directed primarily by Hyams, with Abram Cox writing and directing additional episodes. Jaime King stars in the lead role as Rose, a mother who is separated from her daughter during the earliest and deadliest days of a zombie apocalypse. The series garnered moderate approval from critics. Many of the filming locations are around and within Calgary, Alberta.

References

  1. "John Hyams". imdb. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  2. Daniels, Hunter (December 7, 2012). "Director John Hyams Talks UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING, Plus the Top 11 Things to Know About Hyams and His Film". collider.com. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  3. Antosca, Nick. "Masterpiece Theatre: Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning". Paris Review. Retrieved March 24, 2013.