John Erick Dowdle (born December 9, 1972) is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for horror films. He usually works with his brother Drew Dowdle as a producer and co-screenwriter.
Early life Dowdle grew up in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. After graduating from the St. Thomas Academy, an all-boys, military, Catholic high school, Dowdle moved to Iowa City, Iowa to attend the University of Iowa where he joined the fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha. He would then make the move from writing to film. Two years later, Dowdle moved to Manhattan, New York City to attend New York University's film program.
Career After graduating from NYU, Dowdle moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in filmmaking. Dowdle wrote and directed his first feature, the 1996 film Full Moon Rising, when he was just out of college. For his sophomore effort, The Dry Spell, Dowdle was joined by his younger brother Drew, who produced the film as John wrote, directed and edited. They now live in Los Angeles, working together as The Brothers Dowdle.
With his brother Drew Dowdle as a producer and/or co-screenwriter, John Erick Dowdle directed the horror films Quarantine, Devil, based on a storybook from M. Night Shyamalan, and As Above, So Below, as well as the 2015 thriller film No Escape, starring Owen Wilson and Pierce Brosnan.
He was announced to direct the movie adaptation of Jack Kilburn's novel Afraid.
In 2017, Dowdle co-created the miniseries Waco with his brother, which aired on Paramount Network in 2018.
In March 2018, the Dowdle brothers announced they were developing a movie or basic cable presentation about newspaper columnist Dorothy Kilgallen, who died in 1965 under circumstances they contend were never satisfactorily resolved.
Personal life Dowdle is married to Stacy Chbosky, sister of director and author Stephen Chbosky.
Filmography Film Year Title Director Writer Notes 1996 Full Moon Rising Also producer 2005 The Dry Spell Also editor 2007 The Poughkeepsie Tapes 2008 Quarantine 2010 Devil 2014 As Above, So Below 2015 No Escape TBA Doctor Caligari's Cabinet of Wonders Post-production
Television Year Title Director Writer ExecutiveProducer Developer Notes 2018 Waco Directed 4 episodes 2021 Joe Pickett Directed 2 episodes 2023 Waco: The Aftermath Directed 3 episodes 2026 Marshals Directed 2 episodes
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