Joseph Kosinski

Joseph Kosinski (born May 3, 1974)[1] is an American film director best known for his computer graphics and computer-generated imagery (CGI) work, and for his work in action films. He made his big-screen directorial debut with the 2010 science fiction film Tron: Legacy, the sequel to the 1982 film Tron. He also directed the 2013 science fiction film Oblivion and the 2022 action drama film Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to the 1986 film Top Gun. His previous work has primarily been with CGI-related television commercials including the "Starry Night" commercial for Halo 3[2] and the award-winning "Mad World" commercial for Gears of War.[3]

Joseph Kosinski
Kosinski at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con
BornMay 3, 1974 (age 49)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
EducationColumbia University, Stanford University
OccupationFilm director
Years active1999–present
Known forTron: Legacy
Top Gun: Maverick
SpouseKristin Kosinski
Websitejosephkosinski.com

Life and career

Kosinski, a devout Scientologist, grew up in Marshalltown, Iowa, the son of Patricia (née Provost) of French-Canadian descent, and Joel Kosinski, a doctor of Polish descent.[4][5][6][7]

His first major film was the special effects-heavy Tron: Legacy.[8][9] The film was in Disney Digital 3-D and IMAX 3D, with a release of December 2010 and grossed $400 million worldwide.[10]

After moving to Los Angeles in 2005, he began writing a film treatment which would eventually develop into an unpublished graphic novel by the title Oblivion for Radical Comics.[11] In August 2010, Walt Disney Pictures acquired the rights to the work.[12] William Monahan worked on the screenplay for a film adaptation.[8] In March 2011, it was reported that Karl Gajdusek would rewrite the screenplay.[13] Attempts to keep the film with a PG rating were unsuccessful, leading to Disney giving up the rights which were acquired by Universal Pictures, and agreed to a PG-13 rating. The $120-million-budgeted Oblivion began filming in March 2012, with Tom Cruise in the lead role, and was released in April 2013 to mixed reviews and grossed $286 million worldwide.[14]

Christopher McQuarrie, Kenneth R. Whitesell, Tom Cruise, Kosinski, and Jerry Bruckheimer at the Naval Air Station North Island premiere in Top Gun: Maverick

Kosinski was confirmed to direct the third Tron film in early 2015, but in May of the same year it was announced that Disney had canceled the project.[15][16] In 2017, he directed Only the Brave, originally titled Granite Mountain, based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots (wildland firefighters). In June 2017 it was announced he was set to direct the sequel to Top Gun, titled Top Gun: Maverick.[17] In June 2020, he was hired direct the remake of Twister, which was announced by Universal Pictures, the original film's international distributor,[18] but in October 2022, Kosinski stepped down after the project was repurposed into a legacy-sequel, Twisters, was announced and replaced by Lee Isaac Chung as director.[19][20]

Kosinski is also set to direct an untitled Formula One racing film, reteaming with Top Gun: Maverick producer Jerry Bruckheimer and screenwriter Ehren Kruger, with racing driver Lewis Hamilton also serving as producer. The project, acquired by Apple Studios in June 2022, will star Brad Pitt and receive an exclusive theatrical run "of at least 30 days" before streaming on Apple TV+.[21]

Kosinski has been attached to several as-of-now-unmade projects, including remakes of '70s science-fiction films Logan's Run,[22] The Black Hole,[23] the science-fiction film Archangels,[24] an untitled action-thriller from Halt and Catch Fire writers Christopher Cantwell and Christopher C. Rogers,[25] and The Twilight Zone.[26]

Academia

Kosinski is an alumnus of Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP), and was an adjunct assistant professor of architecture[27] helping students in 3D modeling and graphics.[28] In 2008, he spoke in detail about his education in architecture, pushing the technological envelope in commercials and his eventual progression to feature films.[29]

Awards

Filmography

Feature film

Year Title Distribution
2010 Tron: Legacy Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
2013 Oblivion[lower-alpha 1] Universal Pictures
2017 Only the Brave Sony Pictures Releasing / Lionsgate
2022 Top Gun: Maverick Paramount Pictures
Spiderhead Netflix

Short film

Year Title Director Writer Notes
2008 TR2N Yes No Teaser for Tron Legacy
2017 The Dig Yes Yes Made to demonstrate Sony's CineAlta Venice camera

Music video

Commercials

Frequent collaborators
Actor Tron: Legacy (2010) Oblivion (2013) The Dig (2017) Only the Brave (2017) Top Gun: Maverick (2022) Spiderhead (2022)
Jeff Bridges Yes Yes
Tom Cruise Yes Yes
Taylor Kitsch Yes Yes
Jennifer Connelly Yes Yes
Jake Picking Yes Yes
Miles Teller Yes Yes Yes
Charles Parnell Yes Yes

Notes
  1. Also credited as producer

References
  1. "Joseph Kosinski". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  2. Official website Archived February 28, 2009, at the Wayback Machine work portfolio.
  3. 2007 AICP Show Best Visual Effects.
  4. Director Joseph Kosinski on Tron: Legacy and the Limitations of CGI-Created Actors
  5. Barnes, Brooks (December 3, 2010). "Cyberspace Gamble". The New York Times. p. AR1. Retrieved December 6, 2010. Raised in Marshalltown, Iowa — population 26,000 — he [Kosinski] is quiet, polite and interested in other people's opinions in a way that is rare in moviedom's major leagues.
  6. The building of a legacy
  7. "Death Notice: CATHERINE JULIA PROVOST". Chicago Tribune. March 14, 2008.
  8. Mottle, Jeff. "Interview with Joe Kosinski (Director of TRON Legacy)". cgarchitect.com. Retrieved February 22, 2011.
  9. "First Location Shot from 'Tron 2.0'". Robert Falconer. cinemaspy. April 8, 2009. Archived from the original on September 5, 2009. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
  10. Comic-Con: Tron 2 Retitled TRON Legacy; IMAX 3D; Concept Art and New Scene Revealed. Archived September 11, 2012, at archive.today Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009, by Peter Sciretta on SlashFilm
  11. Joseph Kosinski On Oblivion
  12. Frappier, Rob (August 4, 2010). "Disney Acquires The Rights to Joseph Kosinski's 'Oblivion' [Updated]". screenrant.com. Retrieved March 21, 2011.
  13. Kit, Borys (March 16, 2011). "Karl Gajdusek Tapped to Re-Write Disney's Horizons (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 21, 2011.
  14. Fleming, Mike (May 20, 2011). "Tom Cruise Commits To $100 Million Universal Sci-Fi Pic 'Oblivion' For Fall". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  15. "'TRON: Legacy' Director Joseph Kosinski Will Return For 'TRON 3′". Screen Rant. March 11, 2015.
  16. "Disney Not Moving Forward With 'Tron 3' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. May 29, 2015.
  17. "Paramount Sets 'Top Gun 2' For July 2019; Joseph Kosinski Firmed For Tom Cruise Pic". Deadline Hollywood. June 30, 2017.
  18. Kroll, Justin (June 24, 2020). "'Twister' Reboot in the Works at Universal With Joseph Kosinski Eyed to Direct (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety Media. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  19. Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 17, 2022). "The Dish: 'Twisters' Forecast For Spring Start As Universal, Amblin Finalize Director For Sequel". Deadline. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  20. Vlessing, Etan (December 15, 2022). "Lee Isaac Chung in Talks to Direct 'Twisters' Sequel". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  21. Kit, Borys (June 7, 2022). "Behind Apple's Megadeal for Brad Pitt Formula One Racing Film From Joseph Kosinski". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  22. Warner Bros. Bets on Kosinski for 'Logan's Run' Archived September 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, by Chris McKeown, on August 22, 2007, Sci Fi Updates website.
  23. Black Hole remake by Tron Team
  24. "Agents Hunt Down Disguised Aliens in 'Archangels'". July 14, 2010.
  25. "Joseph Kosinski Plans Mysterious Action Thriller". October 14, 2013.
  26. 'Tron' Helmer Joseph Kosinski to Direct 'Twilight Zone' Film (Exclusive)
  27. "Faculty listing at Columbia GSAP website". Archived from the original on September 4, 2009.
  28. Beyond the Blob—Digital Technology in Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation Archived September 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, from Columbia Interactive.
  29. 5D Future of Immersive Design Conference
  30. Tinoco, Armando (August 12, 2022). "Saturn Awards Nominations: 'The Batman', 'Nightmare Alley', 'Spider-Man', 'Better Call Saul' Top List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
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