Search a film or person :
FacebookConnectionRegistration
Joe Johnston is a Actor, Director, Producer, Production Design, Character Designer and Visual Effects Art Director American born on 13 may 1950 at Fort Worth (USA)

Joe Johnston

Joe Johnston
If you like this person, let us know!
Birth name Joseph Eggleston Johnston
Nationality USA
Birth 13 may 1950 (74 years) at Fort Worth (USA)

Joseph Eggleston "Joe" Johnston II (born May 13, 1950) is an American film director and former effects artist best known for such effects-driven movies as Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989), Jumanji (1995) and Jurassic Park III (2001), also known for period films such as The Rocketeer (1991), October Sky (1999), The Wolfman (2010), and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).

Biography

D'artiste conceptuel aux blockbusters pour enfants
Joe Johnston est d'abord révélé par son travail d'artiste conceptuel, avec Ralph McQuarrie, sur la trilogie originale Star Wars. Ces années de formation lui permettent de rejoindre ensuite Steven Spielberg, pour qui il assure les mêmes fonctions sur Indiana Jones et le Temple maudit (1984) et Always (1989).

Cette même année sort sa première réalisation, la comédie fantastique et familiale Chérie, j'ai rétréci les gosses. C'est un énorme succès commercial à travers le monde, qui engendre plusieurs suites, confiées à d'autres metteurs en scène. Le jeune réalisateur poursuit sa collaboration avec les studios Disney, pour qui il réalise l'ambitieux Les Aventures de Rocketeer (1991), qui ne parvient cependant pas à réitérer la prouesse commerciale de son premier essai, et met à mal les projets de trilogie. Cependant, le très bon accueil critique du film se poursuit au fil des années, au point de permettre à l'œuvre d'accéder au rang de film culte.

Disney lui confie ensuite un projet plus familial : Richard au pays des livres magiques, porté par la jeune star Macaulay Culkin et le populaire Christopher Lloyd, qui sort en 1994. Cette fois, c'est l'échec critique et commercial, qui marque la fin de sa collaboration avec les studios.

Joe Johnston rebondit rapidement vers un autre projet, produit par un studio plus modeste, mais porté par les effets spéciaux d'ILM : sorti en 1995, Jumanji est une adaptation du roman pour enfants de Chris Van Allsburg, avec Robin Williams dans le rôle principal. Les critiques sont mitigées, mais le public suit massivement, à l'échelle mondiale.


Entre films indépendants et grosses productions
Après quelques années d'absence, les studios Universal lui donnent la possibilité de réaliser son premier film adulte : Ciel d'octobre est un biopic crépusculaire à moyen budget adapté du roman de Homer Hickam, et reçoit un excellent accueil critique en 1999.

Le cinéaste décide néanmoins de retourner vers des productions commerciales : il met en scène Jurassic Park 3, qui conclut la trilogie amorcée par Steven Spielberg. Le film remplit ses objectifs commerciaux, mais reçoit des critiques très mitigées en 2001.

En 2004, il poursuit dans le cinéma d'aventure en réalisant Hidalgo, qui renoue avec les fresques orientales des années 1960. Si les critiques sont là encore moyennes, le long métrage est rentabilisé.

Après quelques années d'absence, il revient en 2010 à la tête du blockbuster fantastique Wolfman, qui lui permet, après la défection de Mark Romanek, de renouer avec un cinéma traditionnel mais cette fois dopé par des effets spéciaux contemporains. Si l'accueil critique et commercial de ce remake du film éponyme de George Waggner est très mitigé, il est déjà en train de tourner son projet suivant.

En 2011 sort Captain America: First Avenger, premier opus de la trilogie centrée autour du héros éponyme de Marvel Comics : le long-métrage permet au cinéaste de livrer un film à l'ancienne, porté par une narration ancrée durant une deuxième guerre mondiale de carte postale, et au ton ouvertement romancé et optimiste. Le réalisateur a déjà signé pour la suite, mais la direction artistique prise par Marvel Studios l'amène finalement à être remplacé.

En 2013, il sort confidentiellement Témoin gênant, production indépendante, qui marque ses débuts dans le film d'action urbain, avec un casting d'inconnus. Le film est néanmoins très bien reçu par la critique.

En juillet 2018, il est annoncé qu'il sera crédité au générique de Casse-Noisette et les Quatre Royaumes, en tant que réalisateur avec Lasse Hallström. Après avoir achevé le tournage, ce dernier était indisponible pour tourner de nouvelles scènes (reshoots) nécessitant de nombreux effets spéciaux et Disney a donc engagé Joe Johnson pour les filmer, durant un mois. Pour le remercier, Lasse Hallström a donc proposé que Joe Johnston soit également crédité, une proposition acceptée par Disney. Le film sort en novembre 2018.

Il devrait ensuite mettre en scène un nouveau film adpaté de l'univers Le Monde de Narnia de C. S. Lewis. Il a annoncé en 2017 qu'il prendra sa retraite après ce projet.

Best films

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
(Visual Effects Art Director)
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
(Director)
Jurassic Park III (2001)
(Director)
Jumanji (1995)
(Director)
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
(Director)
The Wolfman (2010)
(Director)

Usually with

George Lucas
George Lucas
(7 films)
Phil Tippett
Phil Tippett
(5 films)
Peter Diamond
Peter Diamond
(3 films)
James Horner
James Horner
(6 films)
Robert Dalva
Robert Dalva
(5 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Joe Johnston (21 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy, 2h30
Directed by Kevin Burns
Origin USA
Genres Documentary
Themes Films about films, Space adventure films, Dans l'espace, Documentary films about business, Documentary films about the film industry, Films about extraterrestrial life, Documentary films about films, Space opera, Films about extraterrestrial life
Actors Robert Clotworthy, Kenny Baker, Ben Burtt, Walter Cronkite, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg
Roles Self
Rating82% 4.134264.134264.134264.134264.13426
L'Empire des Rêves relate l'épopée que fût la création de la première trilogie Star Wars. Des tous premières ébauches de scénario dans l'esprit de son créateur George Lucas jusqu'au succès qu'on connaît à la saga, ce documentaire nous entraine dans les coulisses d'un tournage tantôt chaotique, tantôt enivrant, racontés par les acteurs, les membres de la production, et George Lucas lui-même.
The Empire Strikes Back, 2h4
Directed by Irvin Kershner
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Action, Adventure
Themes Space adventure films, Monde imaginaire, Dans l'espace, Sur une planète fictive, Films about extraterrestrial life, Films about disabilities, Space opera, Children's films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Robot films
Actors Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse
Roles Hoth Rebel (uncredited)
Rating84% 4.2101754.2101754.2101754.2101754.210175
Three years after the destruction of the Death Star, the Rebel Alliance has been driven from their former base on Yavin IV by the Galactic Empire. Princess Leia leads a contingent including Han Solo and Luke Skywalker in a new base on the icy planet Hoth. The Imperial Fleet, led by Darth Vader, continues to hunt for Rebels’ new base by dispatching probe droids across the galaxy.
Star Wars
Star Wars (1977)
, 2h1
Directed by George Lucas
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Adventure
Themes Space adventure films, Monde imaginaire, Dans l'espace, Sur une planète fictive, Films about extraterrestrial life, Space opera, Children's films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Robot films
Actors Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, Peter Mayhew
Roles Death Star Trooper (uncredited)
Rating82% 4.112344.112344.112344.112344.11234
The galaxy is in a civil war, and spies for the Rebel Alliance have stolen plans to the Galactic Empire's Death Star, a heavily armed and armored space station capable of destroying entire planets. Rebel leader Princess Leia is in possession of the plans, but her ship is captured by Imperial forces under the command of the evil Lord Darth Vader. Before she is captured Leia hides the plans in the memory of an astromech droid called R2-D2, along with a holographic recording. The droid, accompanied by fellow protocol droid C-3PO, escape from the captured ship to the desert planet Tatooine.

Director

Steven Universe: The Movie, 1h29
Directed by Joe Johnston
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Comedy, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Musical, Animation
Actors Zach Callison, Michaela Dietz, Deedee Magno, Sarah Stiles, Tom Scharpling, Uzo Aduba
Rating77% 3.865183.865183.865183.865183.86518
Après avoir aidé le Monde des Gemmes et ses colonies à revoir les fondements de leur Empire tout entier, Steven trouve le temps de revenir couler des jours tranquilles en compagnie de ses amis de Plage-Ville et des Gemmes de Cristal. Cependant, cette quiétude est vite menacée par l'apparition soudaine d'un injecteur géant, piloté par une Gemme inconnue qui semble en vouloir spécifiquement à Steven et ses amis.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
Directed by Joe Johnston, Lasse Hallström
Origin USA
Genres Fantastic, Fantasy, Adventure
Themes Films about magic and magicians, Monde imaginaire, Christmas films, Children's films
Actors Mackenzie Foy, Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman, Matthew Macfadyen, Eugenio Derbez
Rating56% 2.812942.812942.812942.812942.81294
À Londres, vit Clara Stahlbaum et sa famille, dont la mère vient de décéder. La veille de Noël, les enfants Stahlbaum reçoivent de leur père un cadeau de la part de leur mère. Clara hérite d'une petite boite en forme d'œuf avec une serrure mais sans la clé. Mais malgré les compétences de la jeune fille pour les inventions, impossible pour Clara de trouver un moyen de l'ouvrir sans.
Not Safe for Work, 1h14
Directed by Joe Johnston
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Crime
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about drugs
Actors Max Minghella, JJ Feild, Molly Hagan, Michael Gladis, Christian Clemenson, Eme Ikwuakor
Rating57% 2.895692.895692.895692.895692.89569
John Ferguson, a whistleblower at Denning, a major pharmaceutical company, becomes disillusioned with the perceived lack of action taken against the company, murders several executives, and commits suicide as the police enter the building. Tom Miller, a paralegal assigned to the Denning case, subsequently loses confidence in the scheduled trial against Denning, as Ferguson was their star witness. Miller's boss criticizes his idealism as financially unsound, and when Miller writes an unsolicited memo on an unrelated case on the Gambizzi crime family, Alan Emmerich, one the partners at the law firm, fires him. Roger, Miller's friend and a fellow paralegal, initially commiserates with Miller, but returns to the office in order to work late. Emmerich sends everyone else, including Miller's girlfriend, Anna, home early due to a technical problem with the firm's Internet access.
Captain America: The First Avenger, 2h4
Directed by Joe Johnston
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, War, Thriller, Action, Adventure
Themes Superhero films, Political films, Alternate history films, Super-héros inspiré de comics, Children's films
Actors Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Dominic Cooper
Rating69% 3.4511453.4511453.4511453.4511453.451145
In the present day, scientists in the Arctic uncover a frozen circular object with a red, white, and blue motif in the cockpit of a derelict aircraft.
The Wolfman, 1h43
Directed by Joe Johnston
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Fantastic, Fantasy, Horror, Historical
Themes Films about animals, Films about magic and magicians, Wolves in film, Werewolves in film, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving, Geraldine Chaplin, Elizabeth Croft
Rating58% 2.9006052.9006052.9006052.9006052.900605
In 1891, Ben Talbot is confronted by a fierce creature in the Blackmoor woods. He tries to escape, but is killed by the beast.
Hidalgo
Hidalgo (2004)
, 2h16
Directed by Joe Johnston
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography, Action, Adventure, Western
Themes Films about animals, Sports films, Films about horses, Mise en scène d'un mammifère, Horse sports in film, Le désert
Actors Viggo Mortensen, Omar Sharif, Saïd Taghmaoui, Zuleikha Robinson, Silas Carson, Adam Alexi-Malle
Rating67% 3.351193.351193.351193.351193.35119
In 1891, American Frank Hopkins (Viggo Mortensen) and his mustang, Hidalgo, are part of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, where they are advertised as "the world's greatest distance horse and rider". Hopkins had been a famous distance rider, a cowboy, and a dispatch rider for the United States government; in the latter capacity he carried a message to the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment authorizing the Wounded Knee Massacre of Lakota Sioux.
Jurassic Park III, 1h32
Directed by Joe Johnston
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Clonage, Dinosaur films, Films about computing, La préhistoire, Films based on science fiction novels, Animaux préhistoriques, Cyberpunk films
Actors Sam Neill, William H. Macy, Téa Leoni, Alessandro Nivola, Trevor Morgan, Laura Dern
Rating59% 2.952482.952482.952482.952482.95248
Tourists Ben Hildebrand and Eric Kirby decide to parasail around the island of Isla Sorna. A creature of unknown species attacks and kills the boat crew as it passes through a fog bank, but Ben uncouples the line, and with Eric bound with him, he goes sailing into the wilderness.
October Sky, 1h48
Directed by Joe Johnston
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography
Themes L'adolescence, Films about education, Films about children, Space adventure films, Political films
Actors Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Laura Dern, Chris Owen, William Lee Scott, Chad Lindberg
Rating77% 3.898963.898963.898963.898963.89896
The film is set in Coalwood, West Virginia in October 1957. The coal mine is the town's largest employer and almost every man living in the town works in the mines. John Hickam (Chris Cooper), the mine superintendent, loves his job and hopes that his boys, Jim (Scott Miles) and Homer Hickam (Jake Gyllenhaal), will one day join him in his mine. When it appears that Jim will receive a football scholarship to attend college, this leaves Homer to fulfill his father's dream, although his mother, Elsie (Natalie Canerday), hopes for more for her son.
Jumanji
Jumanji (1995)
, 1h44
Directed by Joe Johnston
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Adventure
Themes L'adolescence, Films about animals, Films about education, Films about children, Pregnancy films, Jeu, Films about magic and magicians, Christmas films, Time travel films, Mise en scène d'un éléphant, Films about insects, Films about lions, Films about birds, Films about apes, L'enfance marginalisée, Comedy horror films, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère, Reptile, Films about school violence, Mise en scène d'une plante
Actors Robin Williams, Kirsten Dunst, Bradley Pierce, David Alan Grier, Bonnie Hunt, Jonathan Hyde
Rating71% 3.5518353.5518353.5518353.5518353.551835
In 1869, two brothers bury a mysterious chest from which the sound of drumbeats can be heard. A century later, 12-year-old Alan Parrish escapes from a group of bullies to a shoe factory owned by his father, Samuel Parrish. When Alan accidentally damages a machine, Carl Bentley, an employee at the factory and Alan's friend, is blamed and dismissed. The bullies attack Alan and steal his bicycle. Alan follows the sound of tribal drumbeats to a construction site, where he finds a chest containing a board game called Jumanji, and takes the game home.
The Pagemaster, 1h15
Directed by Joe Johnston, Pixote Hunt
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Animation
Themes L'adolescence, Films about education, Films about children, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, Transport films, Pirate films, Films about dragons, L'enfance marginalisée, Children's films, Films about school violence
Actors Macaulay Culkin, Christopher Lloyd, Ed Begley Jr., Mel Harris, Patrick Stewart, Whoopi Goldberg
Rating61% 3.054043.054043.054043.054043.05404
Pessimistic Richard Tyler (Macaulay Culkin) lives life based on statistics and fears everything. His exasperated parents (Ed Begley, Jr. and Mel Harris) have tried multiple ways to build up the courage of their son, but to little success. Richard is sent to buy a bag of nails for building a treehouse. However, Richard gets caught in a harsh thunderstorm and takes shelter in a library. He meets Mr. Dewey (Christopher Lloyd), an eccentric librarian who gives him a library card, despite Richard's protests he doesn't want a book, since he's only there to escape the storm. Searching for a phone, Richard finds a large rotunda painted with famous literary characters. He slips on some water dripping from his coat and falls down, knocking himself out. Richard awakens to find the rotunda art melting, which washes over him and the library, turning them into illustrations.
The Rocketeer, 1h48
Directed by Joe Johnston, Mark L. Dindal
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Transport films, Aviation films, Superhero films, Super-héros inspiré de comics, Children's films
Actors Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin, Timothy Dalton, Paul Sorvino, Tiny Ron Taylor
Rating65% 3.298993.298993.298993.298993.29899
In 1938 Los Angeles, California, two members of mobster Eddie Valentine's (Paul Sorvino) gang steal a rocket pack from Howard Hughes (Terry O'Quinn). During their exciting escape they enter an airfield. Stunt pilot Cliff Secord (Billy Campbell) and airplane mechanic, then find the mysterious rocket inside a biplane in their employer's hangar, where the getaway driver hid it. Meanwhile, Neville Sinclair (Timothy Dalton)for whom the rocket was stolen, sends his monstrous henchman, Lothar (Tiny Ron), to the hospital, where the injured getaway driver tells him that he hid the rocket at the airfield. Sinclair dispatches the mobsters to search for the missing device.
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, 1h33
Directed by Joe Johnston
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure, Comic science fiction
Themes Films about animals, Comedy science fiction films, Films about insects, Children's films
Actors Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Marcia Strassman, Kristine Sutherland, Thomas Wilson Brown, Amy O'Neill
Rating63% 3.19913.19913.19913.19913.1991
Eccentric scientist and inventor Wayne Szalinski lives in his suburban home attempting to perfect a ray gun capable of shrinking objects, but the apples he uses as test objects instead blow up. After an argument between Wayne and his wife Diane, she spent the night with her mother and is currently at work, worrying her teenaged daughter Amy, and their son Nick, who has inherited his father's inventive ingenuity and intelligence. Next door neighbors; the Thompsons, are getting ready for a fishing trip, but Russ' oldest son Little Russ is less than enthusiastic, as he and his father's interests often clash, resulting in his feeling belittled, and he is more interested in meeting Amy than spending the weekend camping. Younger son Ron, however, is enthusiastic, though his relationship with Russ Sr. is strained when he inadvertently sets off a booby trap in the yard.