Joseph Eggleston Johnston II (born May 13, 1950)Joe Johnston, Rotten Tomatoes.com is an American filmmaker. He is best known for directing visual effects-driven films, including Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989), The Rocketeer (1991), Jumanji (1995), Jurassic Park III (2001), The Wolfman (2010), and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).
Early life Johnston was born Joseph Eggleston Johnston II in Austin, Texas,Diaz, Victor. "Austin-born Oscar winner directs 'Captain America'" , Austin.YNN.com, July 22, 2011. and attended California State University, Long Beach, and Pasadena's Art Center College of Design, both for industrial design.
Career
Design and visual effects Much of the work at the beginning of Johnston's screen career combined design and visual effects. He began his career as a concept artist and effects technician on the first Star Wars film, directed by George Lucas. He was the creative designer of the Millennium Falcon spacecraft and co-created the design of Boba Fett in The Empire Strikes Back,EMPIRE AT 40 | DESIGNING AN ICON: JOE JOHNSTON ON THE JOURNEY TO CREATE BOBA FETT while working for Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) in the 1970s and was art director on one of the visual effects teams for the sequel Return of the Jedi. 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.Buchanan, Jason. Joe Johnston Profile, AllMovie.com Johnston continued to work on many films as an effects expert.
He was also associate producer on fantasy film Willow, and production designer on two mid-1980s 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 (New York: Random House, 1984; , ).
In 1984, at 34, Johnston went to George Lucas and stated his desire to leave Lucasfilm for a year. However, Lucas offered him to go to USC School of Cinematic Arts and study there for a year, complete with paid tuition and half-salary that would let Johnston take any class he wanted. 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 (1991). The film was a commercial failure, as was his next, the live-action/animated The Pagemaster, starring Macaulay Culkin. 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 visual effects-driven action films to the more personal October Sky (1999), 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 Captain America: The First Avenger. Released on July 22, 2011,Nicholson, Amy. "Exclusive: 'Captain America' & 'JP4' News" . Boxoffice, January 13, 2010 the film stars Chris Evans as the comic book hero and Hugo Weaving as his archenemy the Red Skull. In 2014, Johnston directed the thriller Not Safe for Work for Blumhouse Productions.
On December 12, 2017, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Johnston would direct 32 days of reshoots on the film The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, due to its director Lasse Hallström being unavailable.
On December 5, 2019, it was reported that Joe Johnston was in negotiations with Walt Disney Pictures to direct Shrunk, a legacy sequel to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.
Filmography Director Film Year Title Notes 1989 Honey, I Shrunk the Kids 1991 The Rocketeer 1994 The Pagemaster Live-action sequences 1995 Jumanji 1999 October Sky 2001 Jurassic Park III 2004 Hidalgo 2010 The Wolfman 2011 Captain America: The First Avenger Also executive producer 2014 Not Safe for Work 2018 The Nutcracker and the Four Realms Director of reshoots and oversaw post-production;Received co-director credit along with Lasse Hallström
Television Year Title Director ExecutiveProducer Notes 1993 The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Episode "Princeton, February 1916" 2015 Lumen TV movie 2025 Light & Magic Season 2
Other credits Film Year Title Director Role 1977Star WarsGeorge Lucas Visual effects artist / Cameo as "Death Star Trooper" 1980The Empire Strikes BackIrvin Kershner Visual effects artist and art director / Cameo as "Captain Shawn Valdez" 1981Raiders of the Lost ArkSteven SpielbergVisual effects artist and art director 1983Return of the JediRichard Marquand Art director 1984Indiana Jones and the Temple of DoomSteven Spielberg 1986Howard the DuckWillard Huyck Ultralight sequence designer 1987Batteries Not IncludedMatthew Robbins Second unit director and production manager1988WillowRon HowardAssociate producer 1989AlwaysSteven Spielberg Aerial sequence designer 1999The Iron GiantBrad Bird Designer of the Iron Giant2014The Lawful TruthMollie FitzgeraldCameo as "Captain Waters"
Television Year Title Role Notes 1978–1979 Battlestar Galactica Visual effects illustration and design 1984 The Ewok AdventureProduction designerTV movie 1985 Ewoks: The Battle for Endor 1985–1986 Star Wars: Droids – The Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO Screenwriter (Episode "Coby and the Starhunters"),Design consultant (Special "The Great Heep") 2017 The Creeps Executive producer TV short
Bibliography
1977: The Star Wars Sketchbook 1980: The Empire Strikes Back Sketchbook (with Nilo Rodis-Jamero) 1983: Return of the Jedi Sketchbook (with Nilo Rodis-Jamero) 1984: The Adventures of Teebo: A Tale of Magic and Suspense 2005: Star Wars: Aux origines du mythe (with Doug Chiang) 2007: The Hill Culture 2011: The Mack Marsden Murder Mystery
Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Film Result 1981 Academy Award Best Visual Effects(Shared with Richard Edlund, Kit West and Bruce Nicholson) Raiders of the Lost Ark 1990 International Fantasy Film Award Best Film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids 1992 Hugo Award Best Dramatic Presentation(Shared with Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo, William Dearand Dave Stevens) The Rocketeer 1995 International Fantasy Film Award Best Film(Shared with Pixote Hunt) The Pagemaster 1996 Saturn Award Best Director Jumanji Young Artist Award Best Family Feature – Action-Adventure 1999 Ajijic International Film Festival Award Best Film October Sky 2001 Saturn Award Best Science Fiction Film Jurassic Park III Golden Trailer Award Best Horror/Thriller Film 2004 Golden Trailer Award Best Drama Hidalgo 2010 Saturn Award Best Horror/Thriller Film The Wolfman 2012 Hugo Award Best Dramatic Presentation(Shared with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely) Captain America: The First Avenger Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Award Best Film
References
External links