Rob Letterman

Last updated
Rob Letterman
Rob Letterman, SDCC 2014-2 (cropped).jpg
Letterman at the San Diego Comic-Con, July 2014
Born
Robert Thomas Letterman

(1970-10-31) October 31, 1970 (age 53)
Alma mater University of Southern California
Occupations
  • Film director
  • screenwriter
  • producer
Years active1999–present
Children2

Robert Thomas Letterman (born October 31, 1970) is an American filmmaker. He made his directorial debut as co-director of the animated comedy film Shark Tale (2004), for which he received a nomination for the Annie Award for Writing in a Feature Production. He then co-directed the animated science fiction comedy film Monsters vs. Aliens (2009). [1] [2]

Contents

Letterman has since transitioned into live-action filmmaking, directing the fantasy comedy film Gulliver's Travels (2010), the horror comedy film Goosebumps (2015), and the fantasy mystery film Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019).

Early life

Letterman was born in Hawaii and attended Mid-Pacific Institute and USC. [3]

Career

Prior to joining DreamWorks Animation, Letterman directed the short film Los Gringos, which was accepted at 2000's Sundance Film Festival. [4]

In 2002, Vicky Jenson and Eric "Bibo" Bergeron involved him as a screenwriter (then as co-director) in the making of Shark Tale . In 2010, Letterman directed the live-action film Gulliver's Travels , starring Jack Black in the lead role. [5] He also directed the live-action/CGI film Pokémon Detective Pikachu , based on the Pokémon videogame franchise. The film was released on May 10, 2019, and grossed $433 million at the box office as well as attained the highest percentage of positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes for a film adaptation of a video game. [6]

In 2020, Netflix announced Letterman as director for an upcoming live-action animated film adaptation of Ubisoft's Beyond Good & Evil video game. [7]

Personal life

Letterman is in a relationship with Beth Pontrelli and has two children, Jack and Eva. [8] [9]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleDirectorWriterNotes
1999 Los Gringos YesYesShort film
2004 Shark Tale YesYesCo-directed with Vicky Jenson and Bibo Bergeron
2009 Monsters vs. Aliens YesYesCo-directed with Conrad Vernon
2010 Gulliver's Travels YesNo
2015 Goosebumps YesNo
2019 Detective Pikachu YesYes

Television

YearTitleDirectorWriterExecutive
Producer
CreatorNotes
2023–present Goosebumps YesYesYesYesDirected episode "Say Cheese and Die!"

Other credits

YearTitleRole
1999 Lake Placid Color and Lighting Supervisor: Digital Domain
2001 Shrek Propellerhead: Los Angeles pre-production
2009 Monsters vs. Aliens Also voiced Secret Service Man #1
2017 Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie Executive producer

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mewtwo</span> Fictional Pokémon species

Mewtwo is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon media franchise. It was first introduced in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue, and later appeared in subsequent sequels and spin-off titles, such as Pokkén Tournament. In the video games, the player can fight and capture Mewtwo in order to subsequently pit it against other Pokémon. The player first learns of Mewtwo late in Pokémon Red and Blue by reading research documents left in a ruined laboratory on Cinnabar Island. Mewtwo is regarded as one of the series' strongest Pokémon, and was the strongest in the original games in terms of base statistic distribution. It is known as the "Genetic Pokémon" and is a Legendary Pokémon, a special group of Pokémon that are very rare and usually very powerful. Mewtwo has also appeared in various animated adaptations of the franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jigglypuff</span> Species of Pokémon

Jigglypuff, known in Japan as Purin, is a Pokémon species. Jigglypuff first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed adaptations of the franchise. Jigglypuff is voiced by Rachael Lillis in English and by Mika Kanai in Japanese. In the live-action musical Pokémon Live!, Jigglypuff is portrayed by Leah Smith. Jigglypuff is also known for singing a lullaby in the Pokémon anime series.

<i>Pokémon</i> (TV series) Japanese anime television series

Pokémon, abbreviated from the Japanese title of Pocket Monsters, and currently branded in English as Pokémon the Series, is a Japanese anime television series, part of The Pokémon Company's Pokémon media franchise, which premiered on TV Tokyo in April 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Reynolds</span> Canadian and American actor (born 1976)

Ryan Rodney Reynolds is a Canadian and American actor, producer and businessman. He began his career starring in the Canadian teen soap opera Hillside (1991–1993), and had minor roles before landing the lead role on the sitcom Two Guys and a Girl between 1998 and 2001. Reynolds then starred in a range of films, including comedies such as National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002), Waiting... (2005), and The Proposal (2009). He also performed in dramatic roles in Buried (2010), Woman in Gold (2015), and Life (2017). He starred in action films such as Blade: Trinity (2004), Green Lantern (2011), 6 Underground (2019), Free Guy (2021), and The Adam Project (2022), and provided voice acting in the animated features The Croods film series (2013–2020), Turbo (2013), and Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019).

Victoria Jenson is an American film director of both live-action and animated films. She has directed projects for DreamWorks Animation, including Shrek, the first film to win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, giving rise to one of Hollywood's largest film franchises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Mime</span> Pokémon species

Mr. Mime, known in Japan as Barrierd, is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Mr. Mime first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed adaptations of the franchise. Mr. Mime is voiced by Yūji Ueda in Japanese and in English, was originally voiced by Kayzie Rogers and currently by Michele Knotz.

Carlos López Estrada is a Mexican-American Academy Award-nominated filmmaker, music video director, commercial director, theatre director, and actor. Born in Mexico, he moved to the United States when he was 12 and later enrolled at Chapman University.

2019 in film is an overview of events, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies, critics' lists of the best films of 2019, festivals, a list of country-specific lists of films released, and movie programming. Avengers Endgame was the year's highest grossing film and the highest-grossing of all-time until Avatar regained the top spot in 2021.

Los Gringos is a 1999 animated short film created and written by Anders J. L. Beer & Rob Letterman, whom the latter also directed the short. It was an official selection for the 2000 Sundance Film Festival.

Pikachu is one of the species of Pokémon creatures from the Pokémon media franchise, as well as its mascot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justice Smith</span> American actor

Justice Elio Smith is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in the films Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019), All the Bright Places (2020), and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023), as well as the 2022 video game The Quarry.

<i>Detective Pikachu</i> (video game) 2016 video game

Detective Pikachu is an adventure game developed by Creatures Inc. and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. The game is a spin-off of the Pokémon franchise, in which the player works with a talking Pikachu to solve various mysteries. A shorter, downloadable version of the game called Great Detective Pikachu: Birth of a New Duo was released in Japan in February 2016, while the full version was released worldwide in March 2018.

<i>Detective Pikachu</i> (film) 2019 film directed by Rob Letterman

Pokémon Detective Pikachu is a 2019 mystery fantasy comedy film directed by Rob Letterman. Based on the Pokémon franchise, the film is a loose adaptation of the 2016 video game of the same name. It was written by Letterman, Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit, and Derek Connolly, from a story by Hernandez, Samit, and Nicole Perlman, and produced by Legendary Pictures and Toho. It was the first live-action Pokémon film and the first live-action film based on a Nintendo game property since Super Mario Bros. (1993).

Benjamin Adam Samit is an American film and television writer and producer who is most notable for writing Detective Pikachu, which he wrote with his writing partner, Dan Hernandez. On television, Samit and Hernandez have written for One Day at a Time, The Tick, Super Fun Night and 1600 Penn. They were named in Paste Magazine's list of the top 28 comedy writers of 2018. In 2019, Samit and Hernandez signed a long-term deal with 20th Century Fox Television to develop, write and produce live-action and animated series.

Daniel Jacob Hernandez is an American film and television writer and producer. He is most notable for writing Pokémon Detective Pikachu, which he co-wrote with his writing partner, Benji Samit. On television, Hernandez and Samit have written for One Day at a Time, The Tick, Super Fun Night, and 1600 Penn. They were named in Paste Magazine's list of the top 28 comedy writers of 2018. In 2019, Samit and Hernandez signed a long-term deal with 20th Century Fox Television to develop, write and produce animated and live-action series.

Detective Pikachu may refer to:

Cultural influence of <i>Gullivers Travels</i>

The cultural influence of Gulliver's Travels has spanned centuries.

<i>Detective Pikachu</i> (soundtrack) 2019 soundtrack album by Henry Jackman

Pokémon Detective Pikachu is the score album to the 2019 film Pokémon Detective Pikachu, based on the Pokémon franchise, and the loose adaptation of the 2016 video game Detective Pikachu. The score, composed by Henry Jackman, featured 27 tracks and was released digitally by WaterTower Music and Sony Classical Records on May 8, 2019, and in physical formats on May 10, coinciding with the film's United States theatrical release. The film also features an original single "Carry On" by Kygo and Rita Ora, served as the standalone track and not featured in the score album, it was independently released by RCA Records on April 19. The score is included as a part of Jackman's score catalog acquired by Reservoir Media in March 2022.

References

  1. Kit, Borys (October 25, 2013). "Rob Letterman to Direct 'Captain Underpants' for DWA (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 31, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  2. Baisley, Sarah (December 6, 2004). "Annie Noms go to Incredibles, Shrek 2, Shark Tale". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  3. Harada, Wayne (April 25, 2010). "'Stretch Armstrong' up next for Isle-born director". Archived from the original on April 17, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  4. "Los Gringos". Sundance Institute. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  5. Romney, Jonathon (December 26, 2010). "Gulliver's Travels, Rob Letterman, 90 mins, (PG)". The Independent - Reviews. London: The Independent. Archived from the original on 28 December 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  6. Nolan, L.D. (May 3, 2019). "Detective Pikachu's Electrifying Rotten Tomatoes Score Revealed". CBR. Archived from the original on May 5, 2019. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  7. "'Detective Pikachu' Director and Netflix Tackling 'Beyond Good & Evil' Adaptation (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 31 July 2020. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  8. "Michael Angelo Pontrelli Obituary (1929 - 2016) Los Angeles Times". Legacy.com . Archived from the original on 2018-11-14. Retrieved 2018-11-13.
  9. "Robert Letterman and Beth Pontrelli | 2700 Creston Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068". Archived from the original on 2018-11-14. Retrieved 2018-11-13.