Neal H. Moritz | |
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![]() Moritz at the 2010 San Diego Comic Con | |
Born | |
Alma mater | USC School of Cinematic Arts |
Occupation | Film producer |
Spouse | Sarah Trimble Moritz |
Neal H. Moritz (born June 6, 1959) is an American film producer and founder of Original Film. He has produced over 70 major motion pictures which have grossed a total of over $12 billion worldwide as of 2021. He is best known for the Fast & Furious franchise, the Jump Street and Sonic the Hedgehog films, as well as the television series Prison Break and Emmy-nominated The Boys . His early credits include I Know What You Did Last Summer , Urban Legend and Cruel Intentions .
Neal H. Moritz was born in Los Angeles, California, to Milton Moritz and Barbara (née Levin). His paternal grandfather, Joseph Moritz, owned movie theaters in Pittsburgh and was an early investor in American International Pictures (AIP). Milton Moritz was born in Pittsburgh and moved to California after falling ill with rheumatic fever at age eight, when his doctor suggested the family move to a better climate. He was head of marketing at AIP and was later CEO and president of the National Association of Theatre Owners of California/Nevada. Moritz is from a Jewish family. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Moritz grew up in Westwood and graduated from UCLA, where he participated in a Semester at Sea program. When he came back, he gave away several backpacks that were popular with Chinese students. He had so many requests for the backpacks that he and a friend began a company importing purses and bags from Taiwan. He sold the company to an investor, and returned to school. [3] He earned a master's degree from the Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California's School of Cinema-Television in 1985. He is a member of the school's Alumni Development Council. As of 2021, Moritz has been married for 20 years and has two children, aged 19 and 16.
Moritz has more than 70 films to his credit, including Juice starring Tupac Shakur, I Know What You Did Last Summer , the first two films of the Urban Legend franchise, Cruel Intentions , The Skulls, the Fast & Furious franchise, Not Another Teen Movie , the first two films of the XXX film series, being XXX and XXX: State of the Union , S.W.A.T. , Evan Almighty , I Am Legend, Made of Honor , Sweet Home Alabama , Total Recall and the Jump Street films, being 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street .
More recent credits include Sonic the Hedgehog , Sonic the Hedgehog 2 , Spenser Confidential , Bloodshot , Escape Room , Goosebumps and Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween .
He has also produced the television series The Boys , S.W.A.T. , Preacher , Happy , Prison Break , and The Big Break .
In September 2017, Moritz and Original Film signed a first-look deal for Paramount Pictures that began on January 1, 2019, leaving his longtime home, Sony Pictures, after over 20 years. However, he still maintains his overall deal at Sony Pictures Television.
In October 2018, Moritz filed a lawsuit against Universal Pictures in Los Angeles County Superior Court for breach of oral contract and committing promissory fraud after the distributor removed him as lead producer on Hobbs & Shaw . On September 2, 2020, the California Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District filed a published opinion affirming the trial court's denial of Universal's motion to compel arbitration of Moritz's claims. [6] On September 10, 2020, it was reported that the parties had reached an amicable settlement. [7] Moritz went on to receive producer credit for the 2021 film F9 and the 2023 film Fast X .
He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.
Year | Title | Director | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | The Skulls | Rob Cohen | Under Universal Pictures |
2001 | The Fast and the Furious | ||
2003 | 2 Fast 2 Furious | John Singleton | |
2006 | The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift | Justin Lin | |
2007 | Evan Almighty | Tom Shadyac | |
2009 | Fast & Furious | Justin Lin | |
2011 | Fast Five | ||
The Change-Up | David Dobkin | ||
2013 | Fast & Furious 6 | Justin Lin | |
R.I.P.D. | Robert Schwentke | ||
2014 | Search Party | Scot Armstrong | Under Focus World |
2015 | Furious 7 | James Wan | Under Universal Pictures |
2017 | The Fate of the Furious | F. Gary Gray | |
2021 | F9 | Justin Lin | |
2023 | Fast X | Louis Leterrier |
Year | Title | Director | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1992 | Juice | Ernest R. Dickerson | Under Paramount Pictures |
2020 | Sonic the Hedgehog | Jeff Fowler | |
2022 | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | ||
2024 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 |
Year | Title | Director | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1994 | The Stoned Age | James Melkonian | Under Trimark Pictures |
1999 | Held Up | Steve Rash | |
2001 | Soul Survivors | Stephen Carpenter | Under Artisan Entertainment |
2011 | The Music Never Stopped | Jim Kohlberg | Under Lionsgate Films and Roadside Attractions |
2018 | Hunter Killer | Donovan Marsh | Under Lionsgate Films and Summit Premiere |
Year | Title | Director | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Volcano | Mick Jackson | Under 20th Century Fox |
2002 | Sweet Home Alabama | Andy Tennant | Under Touchstone Pictures |
2019 | The Art of Racing in the Rain | Simon Curtis | Under 20th Century Fox |
2022 | The Princess | Le-Van Kiet | Under 20th Century Studios and Hulu |
Year | Title | Director | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2004 | Torque | Joseph Kahn | Under Warner Bros. |
2007 | I Am Legend | Francis Lawrence | |
2013 | Jack the Giant Slayer | Bryan Singer | Under Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema |
Year | Film | Director | Studio |
---|---|---|---|
2003 | Out of Time | Carl Franklin | MGM Distribution Co. |
2013 | Dead Man Down | Niels Arden Oplev | FilmDistrict |
2020 | Spenser Confidential | Peter Berg | Netflix |
TBA | Afterburn | J.J. Perry | Black Bear Pictures |
All works, he was executive producer unless otherwise noted
Pilots
TV movies
Acting roles
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2001 | The Fast and the Furious | Ferrari Driver |
2003 | 2 Fast 2 Furious | Swerving Cop |
S.W.A.T. | Luxury Car Driver |
Special thanks
Sonic the Hedgehog is a character created by the Japanese game developers Yuji Naka and Naoto Ohshima. He is the star of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and the mascot of the Japanese video game company Sega. Sonic is an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who can run at supersonic speed. He races through levels, collecting rings and avoiding obstacles, as he seeks to defeat his archenemy, Doctor Eggman. He is accompanied by supporting characters, such as his best friend and sidekick Miles "Tails" Prower, self-proclaimed girlfriend Amy Rose, and friendly rival Knuckles the Echidna.
The Fast and the Furious is a 2001 action film directed by Rob Cohen from a screenplay by Gary Scott Thompson, Erik Bergquist, and David Ayer, based on the Vibe magazine article "Racer X" by Ken Li. The first installment in the Fast & Furious franchise, it stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Rick Yune, Chad Lindberg, Johnny Strong, and Ted Levine. In the film, undercover cop Brian O'Conner (Walker) infiltrates a street racing crew to investigate a series of hijackings and finds himself developing a complex friendship with the group's leader, Dominic Toretto (Diesel).
2 Fast 2 Furious is a 2003 action film directed by John Singleton from a screenplay by Michael Brandt and Derek Haas, based on a story by Brandt, Haas, and Gary Scott Thompson. It is the sequel to The Fast and the Furious (2001) and the second installment in the Fast & Furious franchise. The film stars Paul Walker as Brian O'Conner alongside Tyrese Gibson, Eva Mendes, Cole Hauser, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, and James Remar. The plot follows ex-LAPD officer Brian O'Conner and his ex-con friend Roman Pearce, who transport a shipment of "dirty money" for shady Miami-based import-export dealer Carter Verone while secretly working with undercover agent Monica Fuentes to bring Verone down.
The Fast and the Furious is a 1954 American crime drama B movie starring John Ireland and Dorothy Malone, co-directed by Ireland and Edward Sampson.
XXX is a 2002 American action film directed by Rob Cohen, produced by Neal H. Moritz and written by Rich Wilkes. The first installment in the xXx film series, the film stars Vin Diesel as Xander Cage, a thrill-seeking extreme sports enthusiast, stuntman, and rebellious athlete-turned-reluctant spy for the National Security Agency. Cage is sent on a dangerous mission to infiltrate a group of potential Russian terrorists in Central Europe. The film also stars Asia Argento, Marton Csokas, and Samuel L. Jackson. Cohen, Moritz, and Diesel had previously worked on The Fast and the Furious (2001) as director, producer and cast member respectively. The film grossed $277.4 million worldwide and was followed by two sequels, xXx: State of the Union (2005) and xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017).
S.W.A.T. is a 2003 American action crime thriller film based on the 1975 television series of the same name. Written by David Ayer and David McKenna, with the story credited to Ron Mita and Jim McClain, directed by Clark Johnson and produced by Neal H. Moritz, the film stars Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, Michelle Rodriguez, LL Cool J, Josh Charles, Jeremy Renner, Brian Van Holt and Olivier Martinez.
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift is a 2006 action film directed by Justin Lin and written by Chris Morgan. It is a standalone sequel to The Fast and the Furious (2001) and 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), and the third installment in the Fast & Furious franchise. It stars Lucas Black and Bow Wow. In the film, car enthusiast Sean Boswell (Black) is sent to live in Tokyo with his estranged father and finds solace exploring the city's drifting community.
One Race Films, also known as One Race Productions, is an American production company founded by actor Vin Diesel in 1995. It has produced a total of 15 films, all of which star Diesel, who also founded its subsidiaries Tigon Studios to create video games and Racetrack Records to release music.
Justin Lin is a Taiwanese-American film and television director, producer, and screenwriter. His films have grossed over $3 billion USD worldwide as of March 2017. He is best known for his directorial work on Better Luck Tomorrow (2002), the Fast & Furious franchise from The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) to Fast & Furious 6 (2013) and F9 (2021), and Star Trek Beyond (2016). He is also known for his work on television programs like Community, and True Detective.
Nathalie Kelley is a Peruvian-Australian actress, known for her role as Neela in the 2006 action film The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, and for her roles in various television series including Body of Proof (2011–2012), Unreal (2015), The Vampire Diaries (2016–2017), Dynasty (2017–2018) and The Baker and the Beauty (2020).
Original Film is an American film and television production company founded by Neal H. Moritz. Notable films the company has produced include the Fast & Furious franchise and the Sonic the Hedgehog movies.
Fast & Furious, also known as The Fast and the Furious, is an American action media franchise centered on a series of films revolving around street racing, heists, and spies. The franchise also includes short films, a television series, toys, video games, live shows, and theme park attractions. The films are distributed by Universal Pictures.
Goosebumps is a 2015 American horror comedy film based on R. L. Stine's children's horror novel series of the same name. Directed by Rob Letterman, with a screenplay by Darren Lemke, the film stars Jack Black as a fictionalized and exaggerated version of R. L. Stine, who teams up with his neighbor and his teenage daughter to save their hometown after all the monsters from the Goosebumps franchise escape from his works, wreaking havoc in the real world. It also features Amy Ryan, Ryan Lee and Jillian Bell in supporting roles.
Fast & Furious 6 is a 2013 action film directed by Justin Lin and written by Chris Morgan. It is the sequel to Fast Five (2011) and the sixth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise. The film stars Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto and Paul Walker as Brian O'Conner, alongside Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Sung Kang, Luke Evans, Gina Carano, and John Ortiz. In the film, Dom, Brian and their team are offered pardons for their crimes in exchange for helping DSS agent Luke Hobbs apprehend Owen Shaw, an ex-British SAS Major, who runs a mercenary organization in which Dom's former lover Letty is also a member.
The Fate of the Furious is a 2017 action film directed by F. Gary Gray and written by Chris Morgan. It is the sequel to Furious 7 (2015) and the eighth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise. The film stars Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto, alongside Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Scott Eastwood, Nathalie Emmanuel, Elsa Pataky, Kurt Russell, and Charlize Theron. In the film, Dom has settled down with his wife Letty Ortiz, until cyberterrorist Cipher (Theron) coerces him into working for her and turns him against his team, forcing them to find Dom and take down Cipher.
Cruel Intentions is an unaired television pilot produced by Original Film and Sony Pictures Television for NBC. Part of the franchise of the same name, the pilot serves as a direct sequel to the 1999 film by Roger Kumble, which is based on the 1782 French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw is a 2019 buddy action comedy film directed by David Leitch from a script by Chris Morgan and Drew Pearce. It is a spin-off film and the ninth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise, taking place after the events of The Fate of the Furious (2017). It stars Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham, alongside Idris Elba, Vanessa Kirby, Eiza González, Cliff Curtis, and Helen Mirren. In the film, Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw join Shaw's sister Hattie to take down Brixton Lore, a cybernetically enhanced terrorist, who is threatening the world with a deadly virus.
Sonic the Hedgehog is a 2020 action-adventure comedy film based on the Sonic video game series. The first installment of the Sonic film series, it was directed by Jeff Fowler, written by Pat Casey and Josh Miller, and stars James Marsden and Jim Carrey. Ben Schwartz voices Sonic, a blue anthropomorphic hedgehog who can run at supersonic speeds and teams up with small town sheriff Tom Wachowski (Marsden) to stop the mad scientist Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Carrey).
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a 2022 action-adventure comedy film based on the Sonic video game series. The second movie in the Sonic film series and the sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog, it was directed by Jeff Fowler and written by Pat Casey, Josh Miller, and John Whittington. Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Colleen O'Shaughnessey and Jim Carrey reprise their roles, with Idris Elba joining the cast. In the film, Sonic the Hedgehog and his friend Tails embark on a journey to find the Master Emerald before their nemesis, Dr. Ivo Robotnik, and his accomplice, Knuckles the Echidna.
Cruel Intentions is an American television series created by Phoebe Fisher and Sara Goodman, and produced by Original Film, Sony Pictures Television, and Amazon MGM Studios for Amazon Prime Video. Part of the franchise of the same name, it is based on the 1999 film by Roger Kumble, which in turn was a modern retelling of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses.