Gregory Widen
| Gregory Widen | |
|---|---|
| File:Gregorywiden.jpg | |
| Born | Gregory Mario Widen |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of California Los Angeles |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Known for | Highlander, Backdraft, The Prophecy |
Gregory Widen is an American screenwriter and film director.[1] He is the creator of the Highlander film and television franchise, and the writer-director of the cult horror film The Prophecy.
Contents
Biography
A native of Laguna Beach, California, Gregory Widen holds a master's degree from UCLA and once worked full-time as a city firefighter.
Filmmaking
Highlander
While still an undergrad film student at UCLA, he sold his script for Highlander (1986).[1] The film stars Christopher Lambert, Clancy Brown, and Sean Connery. Its tagline, "There can be only one" has gained pop culture infamy.[2] The original movie became a cult classic, spawning five sequels and Highlander: The Series, tie-in novels and video games.
Backdraft
Widen worked as a firefighter for three years while still an undergraduate at UCLA. He witnessed a person being killed by an explosive backdraft, which became the basis for the screenplay he wrote for the movie Backdraft, directed by Ron Howard and starring Kurt Russell, William Baldwin,Scott Glenn, Donald Sutherland, Robert De Niro. Released in 1991, Backdraft received three Academy Award nominations.
Backdraft was turned into a ride for Universal Studios Hollywood (opened 1992, closed 2010) and Universal Studios Japan where it is still active.
A sequel (Backdraft 2) began production in April 2018.
The Prophecy
In 1995, Widen wrote and directed the supernatural thriller The Prophecy starring Christopher Walken, Virginia Madsen, Eric Stoltz, and Viggo Mortensen. The film spawned four sequels: The Prophecy II (1998), The Ascent (2000), Uprising (2005) and Forsaken (2005).
Yasuke
In 2017, original script was written by Gregory Widen for Lionsgate. Currently in Development.
Lionsgate has commenced Highlander creator Gregory Widen to script Black Samurai, an action drama grounded in the historical tale of Yasuke, reputed to be the first black-skinned samurai to serve a warlord in Japan. Mike De Luca and Stephen L'Heureux are producing, and the film is a co-production between Solipsist Films and De Luca Productions.[3] "Yasuke (believed to have lived during the 1500s) was a samurai of black African origin who served under the Japanese warlord Oda Nobunaga in 1581 and 1582."[4]
Television
Widen was the creator, writer and executive producer of the series Rescue 77 and wrote for Tales from the Crypt.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Highlander | Yes | ||
| 1991 | Backdraft | Yes | Cameo as "Engine Lieutenant" | |
| 1995 | The Prophecy | Yes | Yes | |
| 2017 | OtherLife | Yes |
Direct-to-video
| Year | Title | Writer | Executive Producer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | The Prophecy II | Yes | |
| 2000 | The Prophecy 3: The Ascent | Yes | |
| 2019 | Backdraft 2 | Yes |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Weekend War | Yes | Co-producer | TV movie | |
| 1993 | Space Rangers | Yes | Episode "The Replacements" | ||
| Tales from the Crypt | Yes | Yes | Episode "Half-Way Horrible" | ||
| 1999 | Rescue 77 | Yes | Executive | Also creator; Wrote 3 episodes |
|
| 2000 | Green Sails | Yes | Co-executive | TV movie |
Blood Makes Noise novel
In 2013 he released his debut novel, Blood Makes Noise published by Thomas & Mercer.[5] The book received critical praise, including a starred review from Publishers Weekly[6] and Booklist.[7]
Awards
Backdraft
Source:[8]
Academy Awards, USA 1992
| Nominee Oscar | Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing
Gary Rydstrom Richard Hymns |
| Best Effects, Visual Effects
Mikael Salomon Allen Hall Clay Pinney Scott Farrar |
|
| Best Sound
Gary Summers Randy Thom Gary Rydstrom Glenn Williams |
BAFTA Awards 1992
| Nominee BAFTA Film Award | Best Special Visual Effects
Allen Hall Scott Farrar Clay Pinney Mikael Salomon |
BMI Film & TV Awards 1992
| Winner BMI Film Music Award | Hans Zimmer |
MTV Movie + TV Awards 1992
| Nominee MTV Movie Award | Best Movie |
| Best Action Sequence
For the final scene in the burning building and the escape through the old tunnel |
The Prophecy
Source:[9]
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA 1996
| Nominee Saturn Award | Best Horror Film |
| Best Supporting Actor
Christopher Walken |
References
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- 21st-century American novelists
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