John Hyams is an American screenwriter, director and cinematographer, best known for his involvement in the Universal Soldier series, for which he has directed two installments. Hyams is the son of director Peter Hyams.
Career
Hyams graduated from Syracuse University School of Visual and Performing Arts, becoming a noted painter and sculptor exhibiting and selling work in New York and Los Angeles. He became known in Hollywood in 1997 after writing, producing, and directing the critically acclaimed One Dog Day. The film debuted at the Taos Talking Picture Film Festival. After that, Hyams directed several documentaries, most notably The Smashing Machine, which follows the life of fighter Mark Kerr. Hyams also directed several episodes of ABC Television's NYPD Blue.
In 2009, Hyams took over the Universal Soldier franchise, directing the film Regeneration, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren. It was shot mostly in Bulgaria on a budget of $9 million. Then, in 2012, he wrote and produced a sequel called Day of Reckoning, which also featured Van Damme and Lundgren. It was shot in 3D with a budget of $8 million.
Over the course of 2014 and 2015, Hyams directed several episodes of the horror series Z Nation, including the pilot. Hyams has also directed for numerous other TV series, including Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, and Chucky, and acted as showrunner for the Z Nation spin-off Black Summer. In 2018 he returned to feature work with the independent comedy-drama All Square, starring Michael Kelly. In 2020 he directed the thriller Alone, and in 2022 the Kevin Williamson-scripted, Blumhouse-produced horror film Sick.
Filmography Feature films TitleYearCredited asNotesDirectorProducerWriterEditorOne Dog Day1997The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr2002DocumentaryRank2006DocumentaryBeyond a Reasonable Doubt2009Universal Soldier: Regeneration2009Dragon Eyes2012Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning2012Skin Trade2014All Square2018Alone2020Sick2022The Shepherd2026
Short films TitleYearCredited asNotesDirectorProducerWriterEditorFight Day2003FeaturetteCowtown: Bull Riding Sessions2006FeaturetteThe Razzle Dazzle2009The Ignorant Bliss of Sun and Moon2010Also cinematographer and sound editorDays of Reckoning: The Making of Universal Soldier 42013Featurette
Television The numbers in directing and writing credits refer to the number of episodes.
TitleYearCredited asNetworkNotesCreatorDirectorProducerWriterExecutiveproducerNYPD Blue2003–2005 (4)ABCProducer Blind Justice2005 (1)Z Nation2014–2017 (9) (5)SyfyCo-producer Co-executive producer The Originals2016–2017 (3)The CW12 Deadly Days2016 (1)YouTube RedAnthology seriesChicago P.D.2017–2025 (7 episodes)NBCChicago Fire2017 (1)Legacies2019 (1)The CWBlack Summer2019–2021 (9) (5)NetflixAlso showrunnerRoswell, New Mexico2022 (1)The CWChucky2022–2023 (3)SyfyUSA NetworkTeacup2024 (2)PeacockThe Rookie2025 (1)ABCThe Recruit2025 (1)Netflix
References
External links