Joe Johnston


Joseph Eggleston Johnston II is an American film director and former visual effects artist best known for such effects-driven films as Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Jumanji and Jurassic Park III. These movies include a number of period films such as The Rocketeer, The Wolfman, and . Johnston also directed the biographical drama October Sky.

Early life

Johnston was born in Austin, Texas, and attended California State University, Long Beach, and Pasadena's Art Center College of Design.

Career

Design and visual effects

Much of the work at the beginning of Johnston's screen career combined design and special effects. He began his career as a concept artist and effects technician on the first Star Wars film, directed by George Lucas, and was art director on one of the effects teams for the sequel. His association with Lucas would later prove fruitful, when he became one of four to win an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for Lucas and Steven Spielberg's film Raiders of the Lost Ark. Johnston continued to work on many films as an effects expert.
He was also associate producer on fantasy Willow, and production designer on two mid-80s TV movies which featured the Ewoks seen in Return of the Jedi.
Johnston is also author of Star Wars novel The Adventures of Teebo: A Tale of Magic and Suspense, which ties into Return of the Jedi.
In 1984, Lucas gave Johnston a sabbatical, with salary, and paid his tuition to attend the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Johnston left after a year, saying he "was asked not to return" because he "broke too many rules".

Directing

Johnston made his directorial debut in 1989 with hit comedy adventure Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, starring Rick Moranis. He followed it with comic-book adaptation The Rocketeer. The film was a commercial failure, as was his next, the animated and live-action The Pagemaster. Johnston rebounded, directing the family hit Jumanji, starring Robin Williams. The film overcame lukewarm reviews to gross over $260 million.
Johnston was set to direct Hulk, but dropped out in July 1997. Johnston then switched gears from effects-driven action films to the more personal October Sky, starring a teenage Jake Gyllenhaal as a 1950s West Virginia high school student who dreams of being a rocket scientist for NASA against his father's wishes.
Johnston's first project of the 2000s was the sequel Jurassic Park III, which made over US$300 million at the box office. Johnston followed it with western Hidalgo, starring Viggo Mortensen. Johnston then took a six-year directorial break before signing on at a month's notice to take over the 2010 remake of 1941 horror classic The Wolfman. Shot in England, the film starred Benicio del Toro and Anthony Hopkins.
In part thanks to his experience with the period superhero film The Rocketeer, Johnston was selected to direct Marvel Studios superhero adaptation . Released on July 22, 2011, the film stars Chris Evans as the comic book hero and Hugo Weaving as his archenemy the Red Skull. In 2012, Johnston directed the thriller Not Safe for Work for Blumhouse Productions.
On December 12, 2017, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Johnston would helm 32 days of reshoots on the film The Nutcracker and the Four Realms due to its director Lasse Hallström being unavailable.

Filmography

Feature films

Technical credits

Television

Technical credits

Books written and illustrated

YearAwardCategoryFilmResult
1981Academy AwardBest Visual Effects
Raiders of the Lost Ark
1990International Fantasy Film AwardBest FilmHoney, I Shrunk the Kids
1992Hugo AwardBest Dramatic Presentation
The Rocketeer
1995International Fantasy Film AwardBest Film
The Pagemaster
1996Saturn AwardBest DirectorJumanji
1996Young Artist AwardBest Family Feature - Action-AdventureJumanji
1999Ajijic International Film Festival AwardBest FilmOctober Sky
2001Saturn AwardBest Science Fiction FilmJurassic Park III
2001Golden Trailer AwardBest Horror/Thriller FilmJurassic Park III
2001Golden Raspberry AwardWorst Remake or SequelJurassic Park III
2004Golden Trailer AwardBest DramaHidalgo
2010Saturn AwardBest Horror/Thriller FilmThe Wolfman
2012Hugo AwardBest Dramatic Presentation
'
2012Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America AwardBest Film'