David Callaham: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit Advanced mobile edit
Career: Fixed grammar
Tags: canned edit summary Mobile edit Mobile app edit Android app edit App section source
(24 intermediate revisions by 15 users not shown)
Line 1:
{{short description|American screenwriter (born 1977)|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{distinguish|David Callahan}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2023}}
{{infobox writer
| image =
Line 14 ⟶ 16:
| alma_mater = [[University of Michigan]]
| occupation = {{hlist|Screenwriter|film producer}}
| yearsactive = 2003–present|
| spouse = {{marriage|Bree Tichy|2009}}
}}
 
'''David Elias Callaham''' (born October 24th24, 1977)<ref name=cbi>{{cite web|url=https://www.californiabirthindex.org/birth/david_e_callaham_born_1977_13188432|work=California Birth Index|publisher=California Office of Health Information and Research|title=David E Callaham was born on October 24, 1977 in Fresno County, California|access-date=December 4, 2018}}</ref> is an American screenwriter and producer. He is best known for co-writing the screenplays for the films ''[[Doom (film)|Doom]]'' (2005), ''[[The Expendables (2010 film)|The Expendables]]'' (2010), ''[[Zombieland: Double Tap]]'' (2019), ''[[Wonder Woman 1984]]'' (2020), ''[[Mortal Kombat (2021 film)|Mortal Kombat]]'', ''[[Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings]]'' (both 2021), and ''[[Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse]]'' (2023).
 
==Life==
Callaham was born in [[Fresno, California]], on October 24, 1977, to Lee Hsu and Michael Callaham. He has a brother, Gregory.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Participant Bios|url=http://gelinawedding.weebly.com/participant-bios.html|access-date=September 4, 2021-09-04|website=Christina and Greg's Wedding}}</ref> He is of Chinese descent through his mother.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Francisco|first=Eric|title=Shang-Chi writer: "America can be a very different country for different people."|url=https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/america-motion-picture-netfilx-interview-david-callaham-shang-chi|access-date=September 4, 2021-09-04|website=Inverse|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=McNary|first=Dave|date=4 December 4, 2018|title=Marvel Studios Developing ‘Shang'Shang-Chi’Chi' Movie With Dave Callaham Writing|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/marvel-studios-shang-chi-movie-dave-callaham-writing-1203078923/|website=Variety}}</ref> He studied English at the [[University of Michigan]] and graduated in 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1709264/bio|title=Dave Callaham|website=IMDb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Voices|first=Fresh|title=SCREENWRITER PROFILE: DAVE CALLAHAM|url=https://www.fresh-voices.com/index.php/blog/9-articles-interviews/24-screenwriter-profile-dave-callaham|access-date=September 4, 2021-09-04|website=www.fresh-voices.com|language=en-gb}}</ref> In 2009, Callaham married Bree Tichy.<ref>{{Cite web|title=A Vintage Wedding in Los Angeles, CA|url=https://www.theknot.com/real-weddings/a-vintage-wedding-in-los-angeles-ca-album|access-date=September 4, 2021-09-04|website=theknot.com|language=en}}</ref> They have at least one child.<ref>{{Cite webmagazine|date=September 3, 2021-09-03|title=The Irresistible Allure of Shang-Chi Villain Tony Leung|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/09/shang-chi-tony-leung-interview-wenwu-fathers-the-mandarin-stereotypes|access-date=September 4, 2021-09-04|websitemagazine=Vanity Fair|language=en-US}}</ref> He is a Brown Belt in [[10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu]] under [[Eddie Bravo]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/eddie-bravo-radio|title=Eddie Bravo Radio|website=www.stitcher.com}}</ref>
 
== Career ==
After reading an article in ''Penthouse'' magazine focusing on the lifestyle of Hollywood TV writers, Callaham and a friend moved to Los Angeles with plans to write comedies together. They sent query letters to multiple agencies but never received responses. Callaham worked at [[Creative Artists Agency]] for a while, sometimes submitting his material secretly for coverage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fresh-voices.com/index.php/blog/9-articles-interviews/24-screenwriter-profile-dave-callaham|title=Screenwriter Profile: David Callaham|work=Fresh Voices|access-date=October 27, 2014|format=Interview}}</ref> In 2003, Callaham wrote the [[Doom (film)|film adaptation]] to the video game ''[[Doom (series)|Doom]]'' and submitted it in the summer of 2005. Around that time, Callaham wrote ''Barrow'' for [[Warner Bros.]], a mercenary-inspired action script which later became ''[[The Expendables (2010 film)|The Expendables]]''. Callaham was credited for story and characters after [[Sylvester Stallone]] used Callaham's ''Barrow'' script as a "starting point" for ''The Expendables''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.loeb.com/~/media/Files/Publications/2013/01/Webb%20v%20Stallone/Files/webb%20v%20stallone/FileAttachment/webb%20v%20stallone.pdf|title=Webb vs. Stallone|work=United States District Court Southern District of New York|access-date=October 21, 2014|date=December 27, 2012}}</ref> In 2010, [[Legendary Pictures]] hired Callaham to write the first draft for ''[[Godzilla (2014 film)|Godzilla]]'', for which he received a story credit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/motion-captured/posts/guillermo-del-toro-on-godzilla-not-so-fast-says-director|title=Updated! Guillermo Del Toro on 'Godzilla'? Not so fast, says director|last=McWeeny|first=Drew|work=Hit Fix|date=October 14, 2010}}</ref> In 2014, Callaham completed a production rewrite for ''[[Ant-Man (film)|Ant-Man]]'', and in 2019, he co-wrote the ''[[Zombieland]]'' sequel, ''[[Zombieland: Double Tap]]'', for [[Sony]]. He also worked on the yet-unproduced ''Jackpot'' for [[Focus Features]] and ''[[America: The Motion Picture]]'' for [[Netflix]].<ref name="Deadline September 2014">{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2014/09/zombieland-2-gets-writer-and-urgency-843881/|title=After Moving Slow As Corpse, ‘Zombieland'Zombieland 2′ Gets Writer And Urgency|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=September 30, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2017/03/netflix-animated-film-america-channing-tatum-voicing-george-washington-1202056188/|title=Netflix Sets First Animated Film ‘America’'America'; Channing Tatum Voicing George Washington|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr. |date=2017-03-March 30, 2017|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=April 3, 2017-04-03|language=en-US}}</ref>
 
In October 2016, [[Universal Pictures]] hired Callaham to rewrite ''The Wolf Man'' for their [[Universal monsters#Dark Universe|Dark Universe]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/universal-taps-expendables-writer-pen-937520|title=Universal Taps 'The Expendables' Writer to Pen 'The Wolf Man' (Exclusive)|first=Rebecca|last=Ford|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=October 13, 2016|access-date=August 26, 2018}}</ref> In September 2017, [[Patty Jenkins]] hired Callaham to write the script for ''[[Wonder Woman 1984]]'' with her and [[Geoff Johns]].<ref name="WW84">{{cite web|last1=Kit|first1=Borys|date=September 13, 2017|title='The Expendables' Writer Joins Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns to Write 'Wonder Woman 2' (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/expendables-writer-dave-callaham-joins-wonder-woman-2-writing-team-1038759/|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|access-date=13 September 13, 2017}}</ref> In November 2018, [[Sony Pictures Animation]] hired Callaham to write a sequel to ''[[Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse]]''.<ref name="SurpriseVoices">{{cite web|last=Vejvoda|first=Jim|date=November 29, 2018|title=Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Official Credits Reveal Surprise Voice Actor Cameos|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/11/30/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-official-credits-reveal-surprise-voice-actor-cameos|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130210649/https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/11/30/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-official-credits-reveal-surprise-voice-actor-cameos|archive-date=November 30, 2018|access-date=December 15, 2018|website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> The following month, [[Marvel Studios]] hired Callaham to write the screenplay for [[Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings|a film based on Shang-Chi]].<ref name="ShangChi">{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/12/shang-chi-marvel-studios-first-asian-film-superhero-dave-callaham-kevin-feige-black-panther-1202512660/ |last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr. |title=‘Shang'Shang-Chi’Chi' Marvel’sMarvel's First Asian Film Superhero Franchise; Dave Callaham Scripting, Search On For Director Of Asian Descent|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=December 3, 2018}}</ref> The film washad releasedits world premiere on August 16, 2021, and was released on September 3, 2021. In April 2020, Callaham was announced as the writer of [[Walt Disney Pictures]]' live-action remake of ''[[Hercules (1997 film)#Live-action remake|Hercules]]''.<ref name="Hercules">{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/hercules-live-action-remake-works-disney-shang-chi-writer-1292684|title='Hercules' Live-Action Remake in the Works From Disney, 'Shang-Chi' Writer (Exclusive)|author=Borys Kit|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 30, 2020|access-date=May 6, 2020|url-status=live|archive-date=May 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200506191536/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/hercules-live-action-remake-works-disney-shang-chi-writer-1292684}}</ref> In June 2022, it was reported that he left the project.<ref>{{cite news |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |url=https://deadline.com/2022/06/hurcules-guy-ritchie-live-action-movie-disney-aladdin-1235047935/ |title='Aladdin' Director Guy Ritchie Teams With Disney & AGBO On Live-Action 'Hercules' |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=June 17, 2022 |access-date=September 26, 2022}}</ref> In January 2022, Callaham was announced to have written the latest draft of screenplay of the ''[[Masters of the Universe (upcoming film)|Masters of the Universe]]'' reboot for [[Netflix]], along with [[Aaron and Adam Nee]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|date=2022-01-January 28, 2022|title=‘Masters'Masters Of The Universe’Universe' Live-Action Mattel Movie Heads To Netflix After Being In Development At Sony; Kyle Allen To Play He-Man|url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/masters-of-the-universe-movie-netflix-kyle-allen-he-man-1234922004/|access-date=2022-01-January 28, 2022|website=Deadline|language=en-US}}</ref> On May 1, 2024 it was confirmed that the ''Masters of the Universe'' film will now be released through [[Amazon MGM Studios]] and [[Mattel Films]] and will be directed by [[Travis Knight]] with a screenplay written by [[Chris Butler (filmmaker)|Chris Butler]] that will be based on the initial draft written by Callaham and Aaron and Adam Nee.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/masters-of-the-universe-movie-amazon-mgm-travis-knight-release-date-1235989182/|title=Mattel’s ‘Masters of the Universe’ Moves From Netflix to Amazon for Summer 2026 Release, Travis Knight to Direct|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=May 1, 2024|access-date=May 1, 2024}}</ref>
 
On May 10, 2024, it was announced that Callaham, who wrote the early drafts to ''Godzilla'' (2014), will write a follow-up to ''[[Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/godzilla-x-kong-follow-dave-callaham-1235895879/|title=‘Godzilla x Kong’ Follow-Up Enlists ‘Shang Chi’ Scribe Dave Callaham to Write (Exclusive)|first=Borys|last=Kit|work=|date=May 10, 2024|access-date=May 10, 2024|url-status=live|archive-date=May 10, 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240510201312/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/godzilla-x-kong-follow-dave-callaham-1235895879/}}</ref>
 
==Lawsuit==
In late 2013, [[Nu Image]] and Millennium Films filed a lawsuit against Callaham and the Writers Guild of America West for fraud, unjust enrichment, and declaratory relief over a "flawed and misinformed" Guild arbitration that gave Callaham undeserved writing credit for ''The Expendables'' and ''[[The Expendables 2]]''.
 
The plaintiffs accused Callaham of intentionally withholding emails and other correspondences from the WGA screenwriting credit arbitration panel in 2009 that reportedly reveal how very little Callaham was involved with ''The Expendables''. They demanded reimbursements from Callaham for any payments made to him for his fradulentfraudulent credit in the two films.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2013/12/wga-west-fraud-the-expendables-sylvester-stallone-david-callaham-nu-image-millennium-656302/ |title=WGA West & Scribe Sued For Fraud By Nu Image/Millennium Over ‘Expendables’'Expendables' Credit |first=Dominic|last=Patten|website=Deadline Hollywood |date=December 24, 2013|access-date=August 26, 2018}}</ref> Callaham then asserted that [[Sylvester Stallone]] used his script, ''Barrow'', as the source for ''The Expendables''. A WGA arbitration was ignited in which Callaham won and additionally earned $102,250 in bonus payments. Stallone offered a sworn declaration that attested he had used ''Barrow'' as inspiration for his ''Expendables'' script.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/sylvester-stallones-expendables-launches-nasty-675350/ |title=Sylvester Stallone's 'Expendables' Launches Nasty Writers Battle |first=Eriq|last=Gardner|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=January 30, 2014|access-date=August 26, 2018}}</ref>
 
==Filmography==
=== Films ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
Line 45 ⟶ 49:
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/858225/doom|title=Doom|work=Writers Guilde of America East|access-date=May 7, 2020}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2009
| ''[[Horsemen (film)|Horsemen]]''
| Written by
Line 65 ⟶ 69:
| ''[[The Expendables 2]]''
| Based on characters
|-
|
|-
Line 100 ⟶ 105:
| Producer/Written by
| Credited as Dave Callaham
|
|-
| ''[[Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings]]''
Line 109 ⟶ 115:
| ''[[Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse]]''
| Written by
| Co-wrote with [[Phil Lord and Christopher Miller]]; credited as Dave Callaham
|<ref name="SurpriseVoices" />
|-
| 2026
| rowspan="2" |TBA
| ''[[Masters of the Universe (upcoming film)|Masters of the Universe]]''
| Written by
| Co-wrote the initial draft with [[Aaron and Adam Nee]] with screenplay written by [[Chris Butler (filmmaker)|Chris Butler]]
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
|TBA
| ''[[Hercules (upcoming film)|Hercules]]''
| Screenplay by
| Wrote the initial draft
| Credited as Dave Callaham
|<ref name="Hercules"/>
|-
| ''[[Masters of the Universe (upcoming film)|Masters of the Universe]]''
| Written by
| Co-wrote with [[Aaron and Adam Nee]]
|<ref name=":0" />
|}
 
Line 148 ⟶ 155:
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Callaham, David}}
[[Category:1977 births]]
[[Category:American male screenwriters]]
[[Category:American peoplewriters of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1977 births]]
[[Category:Writers from Fresno, California]]
[[Category:University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from California]]
[[Category:Sony Pictures Animation people]]
[[Category:University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Writers from Fresno, California]]