Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead

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Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead
Justin Benson, Festival de Sitges 2017.jpg
Aaron Scott Moorhead, Festival de Sitges 2017.jpg
Benson (left) and Moorhead (right) at the Sitges Film Festival in 2017.
Born
Justin Benson
(1983-06-09) June 9, 1983 (age 42)
San Diego, California, US
Aaron Scott Moorhead
(1987-03-03) March 3, 1987 (age 38)
Tampa, Florida, US
Occupations
  • Film and television directors
  • producers
  • editors
Years active2012–present

Justin Benson (born June 9, 1983) and Aaron Scott Moorhead (born March 3, 1987) are an American filmmaking duo. Both have served in directing, producing, editing, and acting roles in their projects, while Moorhead is also a cinematographer and Benson is a writer. Their films primarily center around science fiction or horror elements. The duo have also contributed to several television series within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Contents

Personal lives

Justin Benson was born on June 9, 1983, in San Diego, California, United States. [1] Aaron Moorhead grew up in Tarpon Springs, Florida and attended Palm Harbor University High School. [2]

As a child, Benson was a fan of the Marvel Comics character Daredevil which later informed his contributions to several Marvel television series, notably Daredevil: Born Again . [3]

Careers

Both directed shorts and commercials early in their careers, with Moorhead directing his first film at 19 years old. [4]

Their first film, the 2012 horror film Resolution, was screened at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. [5] They described their partnership as purely collaborative and cast the lead actors after working with them in previous commercials they had worked on. [6] [7] Their follow up, the 2014 romantic body horror film Spring , premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. [8] [9] The film was publicly praised by both Richard Linklater and Guillermo del Toro. [10] [11] The pair's work can also be found in the horror anthology film V/H/S: Viral in the segment entitled "Bonestorm". [12] [13] Their film The Endless premiered in competition at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2017, and was theatrically released in 2018 by Well Go USA Entertainment. [14] [15] [16] The Endless, alongside their 2019 film Synchronic which premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, are in the same shared universe as Resolution. [17] [18] [19] Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the duo created and starred in Something in the Dirt which was shot in Benson's apartment due to restrictions on the film industry at the time. [20] [21] They describe their films as naturalistic and grounded, despite the science fiction or horror elements. [22] [23]

In television, Benson and Moorhead have contributed to multiple Marvel Cinematic Universe television series. After directing two episodes of Moon Knight , the duo were recruited as lead directors of the second season of Loki and directed four out of six episodes of the series. In 2023, after a significant creative reshuffle on Daredevil: Born Again , the two were hired as lead directors and executive producers, and, alongside new showrunner Dario Scardapane, reworked the storyline and structure of the planned first and second seasons. [24] Benson and Moorhead are credited with directing three episodes in the show's first season, and contributed to the already-completed other six episodes. [25] They returned as lead directors in the second season, directing the first two episodes of the season. [26] [27] Ethan Hawke and Vincent D'Onofrio, stars of Moon Knight and Daredevil: Born Again respectively, both praised the filmmaking team for their direction on set and creative decisions. [28] [29]

Production company

Moorhead and Benson, alongside Rustic Films partner David Lawson, at the Sitges Film Festival in 2019. Festival de Cinema de Sitges 2019 (49501133437).jpg
Moorhead and Benson, alongside Rustic Films partner David Lawson, at the Sitges Film Festival in 2019.

In 2017, Benson and Moorhead, alongside their producing partner David Lawson Jr., founded the film production company Rustic Films. [30] [ better source needed ]

Benson, Moorhead, and Lawson Jr., via their Rustic Films production banner, either produced or executive produced many of their own films as well as the films After Midnight (2019), [31] She Dies Tomorrow (2020), [32] Separation (2020), Pruning (2023), [33] Things Will Be Different (2024), [34] Descendent (2025), [35] Touch Me (2025), [36] and Man Finds Tape (2025). [37]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleDirectorProducerWriterEditor DoP Notes
2010A Glaring EmissionMoorheadNoMoorheadMoorheadNo
2012 Resolution YesYesBensonYesMoorhead
2014 V/H/S: Viral YesYesBensonYesMoorheadSegment "Bonestorm"
2014 Spring YesYesBensonYesMoorhead
2017 The Endless YesYesBensonYesMoorhead
2019 Synchronic YesYesBensonYesMoorhead
2022 Something in the Dirt YesYesBensonYesMoorhead
2025 Decendant NoYesNoNoNo

Producing credits through Rustic Films

Television

YearTitleDirectorExecutive
producer		Episode(s)
2020 The Twilight Zone YesNo"8"
2022 Archive 81 YesNo"Terror in the Aisles"
"Spirit Receivers"
Moon Knight YesNo"Summon the Suit"
"The Tomb"
2023 Loki YesYes"Ouroboros"
No"Breaking Brad"
"1893"
Yes"Heart of the TVA"
"Science/Fiction"
"Glorious Purpose"
2025 Daredevil: Born Again YesYes"Heaven's Half Hour"
No"Optics"
“The Hollow of His Hand”
"Sic Semper Systema"
"With Interest"
"Excessive Force"
"Art for Art's Sake"
Yes"Isle of Joy"
"Straight to Hell"
2026YesYesS2E1 - Title TBA
S2E2 - Title TBA
NoS2E3 - Title TBA
S2E4 - Title TBA
S2E5 - Title TBA
S2E6 - Title TBA
S2E7 - Title TBA
S2E8 - Title TBA

Acting roles

YearTitleRoleNotes
BensonMoorhead
2012 Resolution JustinAaron
2014 V/H/S: Viral Rollerblading marineRollerblading marine's buddy
2015 Contracted: Phase II Handsome officerLess handsome officer
DementiaNurse Hollings—
2017 The Endless JustinAaron
2019 After Midnight Shane—
2020SeparationMark—
2022 Something in the Dirt LeviJohn
Breathing Happy Lotus
Soothing yoga voice		The golden door
2023 Loki John AnglinClarence AnglinEpisode: "Science/Fiction"
2024 Things Will Be Different Vice Grip Left—
2025 Daredevil: Born Again —BystanderEpisode: "Heaven's Half Hour"

References

  1. ↑ Debruge, Peter (January 2, 2015). "10 Directors to Watch: 'Spring' Duo Benson and Moorhead Break the Mold". Variety . Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  2. ↑ "St. Petersburg Times - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Daredevil: Born Again Directors Discuss Approach to Disney+ Series (Exclusive)". TV Shows. November 13, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  4. ↑ Marrone, John (March 22, 2012). "[Tribeca '12] A Look At 'Resolution', A Film That Defies Genre Classification". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  5. ↑ Pattern, Dominic (August 15, 2012). "Tribeca Film Picks Up 'Resolution'". Archived from the original on August 16, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
  6. ↑ bug, ambush. "AICN HORROR talks with Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, directors of RESOLUTION! + Contes winners!". Aint It Cool News. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Meet the 2012 Tribeca Filmmakers #10: 'Resolution' Directors Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead". Indiewire . April 7, 2012. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  8. ↑ Barton, Steve (August 15, 2012). "Spring Sprung in March" . Retrieved June 26, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Spring – Comment On this New Video". Dread Central. March 24, 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  10. ↑ Kroll, Justin (August 31, 2016). "'Spring' Filmmakers Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead to Direct and Star in Indie 'The Endless'". Variety. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  11. ↑ Gupta, Shipra Harbola (July 29, 2014). "TIFF Adds Ethan Hawke, Robert Kenner Docs, Announces Masters, Midnight Madness and Vanguard Programs". Indiewire.com. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  12. ↑ Disgusting, Bloody (April 28, 2017). "'The Endless' Directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead Talk About Returning to Their Roots - Bloody Disgusting!". Bloody-disgusting.com. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  13. ↑ Pattern, Dominic (August 15, 2012). "TIFF Adds Ethan Hawke, Robert Kenner Docs, Announces Masters, Midnight Madness and Vanguard Programs" . Retrieved June 26, 2014.
  14. ↑ Patten, Dominic (August 15, 2012). "Tribeca Film Picks Up 'Resolution'". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on February 17, 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  15. ↑ Busch, Anita (May 1, 2017). "'The Endless' Acquired For Distribution Out Of Tribeca By Well Go USA". Deadline. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  16. ↑ Picurro, Allison (April 21, 2017). "'The Endless' Exclusive Tribeca Promo | IndieWire". Indiewire. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  17. ↑ Mancuso, Vinnie (April 16, 2021). "Synchronic Explained: Benson & Moorhead's Time-Travel Shared Universe". Collider . Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  18. ↑ Millican, Josh (April 18, 2018). "Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead Discuss The Endless, Resolution, and Red Marijuana". Dread Central . Dread Central Media. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  19. ↑ Mobarak, Jared (May 2, 2018). "Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson on Creating the World of 'The Endless'". The Film Stage. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  20. ↑ Small, Katie (January 23, 2022). "Exploring Paranoia and the Paranormal with "Something in the Dirt"". Sundance Film Festival. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  21. ↑ Frank, Michael (February 1, 2022). "Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead on Digging Up Something in the Dirt". The Film Stage. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  22. ↑ Butcher, Jack (April 2025). "To Hell and Back". Empire . No. 438. United Kingdom: Bauer Media Group. p. 67. "I think this was our first show where we came in and fully had our footing?" Benson asks his co-director. "I'd say so," Moorhead replies. "Because even with Loki, there's no way not to be thrown in the deep end, because you're building an entire world. This one felt immediately accessible to us, because the stakes are extremely primal and graspable. There are two men, in opposition to each other, that couldn't be more different." While the grounded, gritty setting of Daredevil might feel a long way away from Benson and Moorhead's usual mind-bending sci-fi affairs, for the directors it's the most at home they've felt in the MCU so far. "Our indie films are extremely naturalistic, and tend to exist in a world where if a human falls down, it's going to hurt," Benson explains. "In that way, this show's a much better match for us than any other superhero project we've done." Moorhead agrees.
  23. ↑ Nunez, J. P. (August 6, 2023). "Ranking Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead's Films". Horror Obsessive. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  24. ↑ Kit, Borys (October 27, 2023). "'Daredevil' TV Series Lands New Showrunner, Directors (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  25. ↑ Mitovich, Matt Webb (February 23, 2025). "Charlie Cox: Daredevil Got 'Upgrade' With Move to Marvel Studios — Plus, What All Survived Born Again's 'Creative Overhaul'?". TVLine . Archived from the original on February 24, 2025. Retrieved February 23, 2025.
  26. ↑ Perez, Jose (March 11, 2025). "View of the clapper is seen on the set of "Daredevil: Born Again" in Brooklyn on March 11, 2025 in New York City". Getty Images. Archived from the original on March 12, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  27. ↑ Massoto, Erick; Weintraub, Steven (February 27, 2025). "'Daredevil: Born Again' Showrunner Reveals New Season 2 Episode Count and Teases Show's Future [Exclusive]". Collider . Archived from the original on February 27, 2025. Retrieved March 1, 2025.
  28. ↑ Emily Murray (February 24, 2025). "Daredevil: Born Again star Vincent D'Onofrio says Ethan Hawke played a key role in convincing him that the show was in good hands following a failed attempt". GamesRadar+. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
  29. ↑ Davids, Brian (January 17, 2024). "'Echo' Star Vincent D'Onofrio Talks Kingpin's Next Move and 'Daredevil: Born Again' Reboot". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
  30. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (December 1, 2022). "Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead's Rustic Films Teams With V Channels & XYZ On Genre Slate". Deadline. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  31. ↑ Miska, Brad (December 18, 2019). "Heartfelt Creature Feature 'After Midnight' Gets Valentine's Day Release". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  32. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 25, 2020). "Neon Takes Worldwide On Amy Seimetz's SXSW Selected Title 'She Dies Tomorrow'". Deadline. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
  33. ↑ Whittemore, Liz (June 21, 2023). "Review: Growing a conscience is painful in Lola Blanc's 'PRUNING'- Premiering at Palm Springs Shortfest 2023 - Reel News Daily" . Retrieved April 19, 2025.
  34. ↑ Wise, Damon (April 8, 2024). "'Things Will Be Different' Review: A Time-Travel Thriller With A Twist – Overlook Film Festival". Deadline. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
  35. ↑ Murphy, J. Kim (March 6, 2025). "RLJE Acquires Benson and Moorhead-Produced Alien Thriller Descendent Ahead of SXSW Premiere (Exclusive)". Variety . Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  36. ↑ Elfadl, Murtada (February 3, 2025). "'Touch Me' Review: A Wacky Horror Film That Never Fully Realizes Its Satirical Ambition". Variety. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
  37. ↑ "Man Finds Tape | 2025 Tribeca Festival". Tribeca. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
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