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Roland Emmerich is a Director, Scriptwriter and Producer Allemand born on 10 november 1955 at Stuttgart (German)

Roland Emmerich

Roland Emmerich
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Nationality German
Birth 10 november 1955 (68 years) at Stuttgart (German)
Creator of Centropolis Entertainment
Awards Verdienstkreuz 1. Klasse des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Roland Emmerich ([ˈʁoːlant ˈɛməʁɪç]; born November 10, 1955) is a German film director, screenwriter, and producer. His films, most of which are Hollywood productions filmed in English, have grossed more than $3 billion worldwide. His films have grossed just over $1 billion in the United States, making him the country's 14th-highest grossing director of all time. He began his work in the film industry by directing the film The Noah's Ark Principle as part of his university thesis and also co-founded Centropolis Entertainment in 1985 with his sister. He is a collector of art and an active campaigner for the LGBT community, himself being openly gay. He is also a campaigner for an awareness of global warming and equal rights.

Biography

Formation et débuts
En 1977, il part étudier le cinéma à Munich et réalise son premier court métrage, Franzmann, en 1979. En 1984, il met en scène le film d'étudiant le plus cher d'Allemagne : Le Principe de l'arche de Noé, qui est en sélection officielle au Festival International du Film de Berlin 1984.

En 1990, il part vivre aux États-Unis, où il rencontre son futur associé, le comédien Dean Devlin, sur le tournage de Moon 44. Sa sœur Ute Emmerich a coproduit la quasi-totalité de ses films, sous la bannière de son studio de production Centropolis Entertainment. Dans son pays, l'Allemagne, il est surnommé « Das Spielbergle aus Sindelfingen » soit « Le Petit Spielberg de Sindelfingen », surnom qui met en avant son amour pour le cinéma de divertissement de qualité. Depuis ses dix-sept ans, il adore des films tels que La Tour infernale, L'Aventure du Poséidon ou Tremblement de terre.


Révélation commerciale (années 1990)
Il s'impose à Hollywood en livrant successivement deux productions bancales de par leurs concepts de science-fiction respectifs : en 1992 le modeste film d'action musclé Universal Soldier, et en 1994 Stargate, la porte des étoiles. Le premier fonctionne à peine commercialement, mais le second est un succès au box-office. Il permet même de donner naissance à une adaptation télévisée à succès.

En 1996, après le phénoménal succès de Independence Day, le studio de la 20th Century Fox propose à Emmerich de développer une série autour de la vie extraterrestre, dénommée Le Visiteur (The Visitor). Elle est finalement un échec public et est arrêtée au bout de 13 épisodes, provoquant le « divorce » momentané entre Roland Emmerich et la 20th Century Fox.

Par la suite, il travaille avec Sony Pictures afin de réaliser Godzilla, en réponse à la reprise des essais nucléaires dans le Pacifique par Jacques Chirac en 1995. Le succès modeste du film au box-office et des critiques très partagées conduisent à l'annulation d'une suite. Emmerich et Devlin parviennent cependant à transformer le projet en série d'animation : Godzilla : la série voit la bête devenir l'allié des humains pour lutter contre d'horribles créatures. Elle ne dure que quelques épisodes diffusés par la chaine FOX Kids.

Afin de se relancer après ce semi-échec, le cinéaste décide de se séparer de son comparse Dean Devlin.


Blockbusters à succès et échecs critiques (années 2000)

Coproduit avec le réputé Mark Gordon et à partir d'un scénario de Robert Rodat, The Patriot offre à Emmerich le second succès critique de sa carrière. Dans ce film de guerre ambitieux, on y découvre, aux côtés de la star Mel Gibson le jeune acteur australien Heath Ledger. Dans la foulée, Emmerich réalise sa première publicité pour DaimlerChrysler.

En 2004, il dévoile son blockbuster apocalyptique et écologique Le Jour d'après. Un succès commercial qui confirme sa maitrise du film spectaculaire.

Quatre ans après, il revient pourtant au genre historique avec son nouveau projet cinématographique, 10 000, qui se passe 10 000 ans avant Jésus Christ, où un homme de 21 ans lutte pour retrouver sa bien-aimée enlevée par un clan ennemi sur fond de chasse aux mammouths. Ce film, sorti en 2008, regroupe Steven Strait, Camilla Belle (Terreur sur la ligne) et Omar Sharif pour la voix off. Il est éreinté par la critique.

Le 19 février 2009, Roland Emmerich participe à la cérémonie 6th Annual Pre-Oscar.

2012 marque un retour aux sources. Ayant pour titre de travail Farewell Atlantis, il s'agit d'un film apocalyptique axé sur les prophéties mayas qui prédisent la fin de nos civilisations modernes en 2012. Il est coécrit avec son compère et compositeur allemand Harald Kloser, dont le projet a été acheté par Sony Pictures, la Columbia étant le distributeur. Le film a couté près de 200 M€, ce qui en fait donc le film le plus cher de la filmographie de Roland Emmerich. La distribution comprend John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Danny Glover (en président des États-Unis), Thandie Newton, Oliver Platt, Amanda Peet, Woody Harrelson et Thomas McCarthy. Le film sort le 11 novembre 2009 en France et le 13 novembre 2009 en Amérique du Nord. Il connait un succès commercial planétaire.

Roland Emmerich et son coproducteur Michael Wimer, par le biais de Sony Pictures aux dépens de la Warner, ont acquis les droits de Fondation d'Isaac Asimov. Le réalisateur allemand, qui est venu au Comic Con de mi-juillet 2009 à San Diego, y a annoncé que la lourde tâche d'écriture du scénario du premier film d'une trilogie cinématographique revenait au scénariste Robert Rodat (Il faut sauver le soldat Ryan et The Patriot). Le réalisateur allemand a annoncé lors de ce même évènement qu'il allait retourner après 20 ans de travail à Hollywood dans son pays natal afin de réaliser Anonymous, projet de longue date revenant sur le prétendu analphabétisme de William Shakespeare et la thèse selon laquelle il n'aurait pas été l'auteur de ses œuvres.

Autre projet évoqué le 21 septembre 2009 en Allemagne, en marge de la présentation de 50 minutes de son 2012, celui sur La Bataille de Midway que le cinéaste aimerait réaliser prochainement.


Diversification (années 2010)
Après la mise en boîte de son film Anonymous sortant à l'automne, son projet de 2011 devait se nommer The Zone, d'un budget de 5 M$ à la façon negative pick-up avec Sony, une distribution d'acteurs quasi inconnus et un script tenu secret. Le film devait tourner autour d'une invasion extraterrestre à la façon Cloverfield, incluant “de fausses vidéos amateurs, retrouvées sur le lieu d’une catastrophe”. Le scénario avait comme auteur un Français, Guillaume Tunzini. Le projet a été abandonné par son réalisateur du fait de la proximité et multiplication de films similaires au cours de 2011.

Roland I Feel You, titre phare du dernier album du groupe Get Well Soon est un hommage vibrant de Konstantin Gropper, leader du groupe à Roland Emmerich.

Il tourne ensuite à Montréal White House Down, qui sort en 2013, avec Channing Tatum dans le rôle principal, qui sauve le Président joué par Jamie Foxx et déjoue la prise d'otage de la Maison Blanche par un groupe para-militaire. Le film eu un succès mitigé, étant sorti plusieurs mois après La Chute de la Maison Blanche, au pitch similaire.

En 2015, après le flop critique et commercial de son modeste drame historique Stonewall, il s'affaire au script d'une suite inattendue : Independence Day: Resurgence, pour l'été 2016. Le film rapporte deux fois moins au box-office que son prédécesseur et reçoit des critiques globalement négatives.

Son film suivant est Midway, centré sur la bataille éponyme lors de la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Il est prévu pour 2019.

Le 8 Mai 2019, pendant le Festival de Cannes, Roland Emmerich annonce son prochain projet pour un budget de 150 millions de dollars, le film de science-fiction Moonfall.

Best films

Independence Day (1996)
(Director)
2012 (2009)
(Director)
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
(Director)
Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)
(Director)
Godzilla (1998)
(Director)
10,000 BC (2008)
(Director)

Usually with

Harald Kloser
Harald Kloser
(8 films)
Dean Devlin
Dean Devlin
(8 films)
Ute Emmerich
Ute Emmerich
(10 films)
Anna Foerster
Anna Foerster
(6 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Roland Emmerich (23 films)

Display filmography as list

Director

Midway
Midway (2019)
, 2h19
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Origin USA
Genres Drama, War, Action, Adventure, Historical
Themes United States Armed Forces in films
Actors Woody Harrelson, Luke Evans, Mandy Moore, Patrick Wilson, Ed Skrein, Aaron Eckhart
Rating67% 3.3552953.3552953.3552953.3552953.355295
Le film relate les six premiers mois de la guerre du Pacifique entre le Japon et les États-Unis. Il se focalise du côté américain autour des pilotes du porte-avion USS Enterprise (CV-6) et de l'officier de renseignement Edwin T. Layton.
Independence Day: Resurgence, 2h
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Action, Adventure
Themes Space adventure films, La fin du monde, Monde imaginaire, Politique, Transport films, Dans l'espace, Aviation films, Films set in the future, Films about extraterrestrial life, Alternate history films, Children's films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Alien invasions in films, Disaster films, American disaster films, United States Armed Forces in films
Actors Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Jessie Usher, Bill Pullman, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Patrick St. Esprit
Rating52% 2.601472.601472.601472.601472.60147
Ce film fait suite au premier. Depuis 20 ans les nations du monde ont travaillé ensemble sur un important programme de défense colossal fondé sur la technologie extraterrestre récupérée lors de la première invasion sous la supervision de David Levinson qui est désormais le directeur de la défense spatiale. Les forces armées de la Terre comptent maintenant des chasseurs équipés de canons lasers, des satellites de défense et des bases de défenses sur la Lune et sur Rhéa équipées des mêmes super lasers utilisés par les extraterrestres pour détruire les villes dans le premier opus.
Stonewall
Stonewall (2015)
, 2h9
Directed by Roland Emmerich, Joe Wright
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Historical
Themes Films about sexuality, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related film
Actors Joey King, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Ron Perlman, Jeremy Irvine, Caleb Landry Jones, Karl Glusman
Rating53% 2.66182.66182.66182.66182.6618
The drama is a coming-of-age genre film, and centers on fictional Danny Winters (Jeremy Irvine), a young gay white man from Indiana, who flees the conservative countryside in the late 1960s and moves to New York City. Before leaving, he comes out to his parents, who are horrified. He leaves behind his younger sister. After reaching Greenwich Village, he is befriended by a multiracial group of young, gay and genderfluid street kids and drag queens. He meets older men Trevor (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), who soon becomes his lover and roommate, and Ed Murphy (Ron Perlman), the manager of the Mafia-owned Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in the Village. Ed colludes with corrupt policemen and exploits homeless gay youth to his own advantage. Danny gradually learns about gay culture from his new friends.
White House Down, 2h11
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action
Themes Politique, Films about terrorism, Political films, White House in fiction
Actors Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke, Richard Jenkins, James Woods
Rating63% 3.1514653.1514653.1514653.1514653.151465
President of the United States James Sawyer (Jamie Foxx) is generating controversy over a proposed peace treaty between the allied nations to remove military forces from the Middle East. John Cale (Channing Tatum) is a US Capitol Police officer assigned to Speaker of the House Eli Raphelson (Richard Jenkins) after he saved his nephew's life during a tour in Afghanistan. He is divorced and struggling to develop a better relationship with his daughter Emily (Joey King), who has a strong enthusiasm for politics. He hopes to impress her by getting a job with the Secret Service protecting the President, but his hopes are dashed when the interview is conducted by Carol Finnerty (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a former college acquaintance of his who believes him to be unqualified due to a lack of follow-through and respect for authority. To avoid admitting the truth to Emily, Cale takes her on a tour of the White House.
Anonymous
Anonymous (2011)
, 2h10
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Origin German
Genres Drama, Thriller, Historical
Themes Films about writers, Films about families, Films about sexuality, Political films, Alternate history films, Films about royalty
Actors Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave, Joely Richardson, David Thewlis, Xavier Samuel, Sebastian Armesto
Rating67% 3.396593.396593.396593.396593.39659
After a monologue delivered by Derek Jacobi, the film opens in 1603, with Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, ordering a desperate search for a trove of manuscripts. Ben Jonson, who has the manuscripts, flees down the streets of London and into the theatre known as The Rose. Hot on his heels, the soldiers who have been sent to arrest Jonson, break down the doors and intentionally set the theatre alight. Successive flashbacks cast us back five and then forty years, as the film evokes the reputed life of Edward de Vere from childhood through to his entanglement in an insurrection, and later on to his deathbed.
2012
2012 (2009)
, 2h38
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Thriller, Action, Adventure
Themes Space adventure films, La fin du monde, Seafaring films, Météorologie, Politique, Post-apocalyptic films, Films about religion, Transport films, Volcanisme, Aviation films, Films set in the future, Catastrophe climatique, Political films, Dans un avion, Dystopian films, Films about volcanoes, Disaster films, American disaster films, Films about earthquakes, White House in fiction
Actors John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover
Rating58% 2.900492.900492.900492.900492.90049
In 2009, American geologist Adrian Helmsley visits astrophysicist Satnam Tsurutani in India and learns that neutrinos from a massive solar flare are causing the temperature of the Earth's core to rapidly increase. Arriving at a party in Washington, D.C, Helmsley presents his information to White House Chief of Staff Carl Anheuser, who takes him to meet the President.
10,000 BC
10,000 BC (2008)
, 1h49
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, War, Thriller, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Peplum
Themes Films about animals, La préhistoire, Animaux préhistoriques, Films set in Atlantis
Actors Steven Strait, Camilla Belle, Cliff Curtis, Omar Sharif, Marco Khan,arm.Մարկո Խան (Մարկո Խանլյան), Affif Ben Badra
Rating51% 2.5537252.5537252.5537252.5537252.553725
In the timeframe of 10,000 BC, a tribe of hunter-gatherers called the Yagahl live in a remote mountain range in the Urals and survive by killing woolly mammoths, which they call "mannaks". The camp is led by a hunter who has proven his bravery by killing a Mammoth, and taking the White Spear. The people also strongly venerate an elderly woman, called Old Mother. Because of her different appearance to other humans in the village, it is assumed she is a Neanderthal, the "last of her kind", living with the Homo sapiens of the camp.
The Patriot, 2h45
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Origin German
Genres Drama, War, Action, Historical
Themes Political films
Actors Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Jason Isaacs, Joely Richardson, Chris Cooper, Tchéky Karyo
Rating71% 3.5998053.5998053.5998053.5998053.599805
During the American Revolution in 1776, Benjamin Martin, a veteran of the French and Indian War and a widower with seven children, is called to Charleston to vote in the South Carolina General Assembly on a levy supporting the Continental Army. Fearing war against Great Britain, Benjamin abstains. Captain James Wilkins votes against and later joins the Loyalists. A supporting vote is nonetheless passed and, against his father's wishes, Benjamin's eldest son Gabriel joins the Continental Army.
Godzilla
Godzilla (1998)
, 2h20
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Fantastic, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Films about religion, Transport films, Animaux préhistoriques, Giant monster films, Political films, Dystopian films, Godzilla films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Arme nucléaire, Disaster films
Actors Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, Maria Pitillo, Hank Azaria, Kevin Dunn, Michael Lerner
Rating54% 2.701922.701922.701922.701922.70192
Following a nuclear test in French Polynesia, the fallout irradiates a lizard's nest. Decades later, an enormous sea creature suddenly attacks a Japanese fishing vessel in the South Pacific, leaving only one fisherman alive. Dr. Niko "Nick" Tatopoulos, an NRC biologist, is sent to Tahiti and to Jamaica, where a wrecked village, footprints, and ship are found. Nick collects skin samples that lead him to believe the creature is an enormous mutant created by nuclear testing. It travels to New York City during the rainiest week of the season, leaving a path of destruction in its wake.
Independence Day, 2h25
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Fantastic, Action, Adventure
Themes Space adventure films, La fin du monde, Politique, Transport films, Dans l'espace, Aviation films, Films set in the future, Films about extraterrestrial life, Political films, Children's films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Alien invasions in films, Arme nucléaire, Disaster films, American disaster films, United States Armed Forces in films, White House in fiction
Actors Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Margaret Colin, Vivica A. Fox, Mary McDonnell
Rating69% 3.499053.499053.499053.499053.49905
On July 2, a 500 km wide alien mothership enters Earth's orbit and deploys several dozen saucer-shaped "destroyer" spacecraft, each 15 miles (24 km) wide. As they take position over some of Earth's major cities, David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum), an MIT graduate working for a cable company in New York City, discovers hidden transmissions in Earth's satellites which he realizes is a timer counting down to a coordinated attack by the aliens. With the support of his estranged wife Constance Spano (Margaret Colin), the White House Communications Director, he and his father Julius (Judd Hirsch) gain entrance into the Oval Office to notify President Thomas J. Whitmore (Bill Pullman) about the attack. Whitmore orders large-scale evacuations of the targeted cities, but the aliens attack with advanced directed-energy weapons before these can be carried out. Whitmore, portions of his staff, and the Levinsons narrowly escape aboard Air Force One as Washington, D.C. is destroyed.
Stargate
Stargate (1994)
, 2h1
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Action, Adventure, Military science fiction
Themes Films set in Africa, Space adventure films, Films based on mythology, Transport films, Aviation films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Mythologie égyptienne, Space opera, Films about extraterrestrial life, United States Armed Forces in films
Actors Kurt Russell, James Spader, Mili Avital, Jaye Davidson, Alexis Cruz, Viveca Lindfors
Rating69% 3.499943.499943.499943.499943.49994
A massive metal ring with engraved cover stones is discovered in the sands of Giza, Egypt in 1928, by an archaeologist named Langford and his young daughter, Catherine. Many years later, the elderly Catherine Langford offers Egyptologist and linguist Daniel Jackson the chance to translate the Egyptian hieroglyphs on the cover stones. Jackson accepts and travels to a US Air Force installation where he examines the stones. Special Operations Colonel Jack O'Neil arrives to take command of the project and he declares it "classified" before Jackson can begin his research.
Universal Soldier, 1h43
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, War, Thriller, Action, Adventure, Crime
Themes Films about computing, Sports films, Martial arts films, Cyberpunk films
Actors Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Ally Walker, Leon Rippy, Ed O'Ross, Jerry Orbach
Rating61% 3.0516153.0516153.0516153.0516153.051615
In 1969, an American US Army Special Forces team receives orders to secure a village against North Vietnamese forces. Private Luc Deveraux (Jean-Claude Van Damme) discovers members of his squad and various villagers dead, all with their ears removed. Deveraux finds Sergeant Andrew Scott (Dolph Lundgren), who has gone insane, with a string of severed ears and holding a young boy and girl hostage. Devereaux, who is near the end of his tour of duty, tries to reason with Scott, who shoots the boy and orders Devereaux to shoot the girl to prove his loyalty. Deveraux refuses and tries to save the girl, but Scott kills her with a grenade. The two soldiers shoot each other to death. Deveraux and Scott's corpses are recovered and iced by a second U.S. Special Forces squad, their deaths covered up as "missing in action.
Moon 44
Moon 44 (1990)
, 1h38
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Origin German
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Action, Adventure
Themes Space adventure films, Prison films, Films set in the future, Political films, Cyberpunk films, Dystopian films, Space opera, Anticipation
Actors Michael Paré, Lisa Eichhorn, Dean Devlin, Brian Thompson, Leon Rippy, Malcolm McDowell
Rating50% 2.5017952.5017952.5017952.5017952.501795
By the year 2038 all of Earth's natural resources have been depleted. Multinational corporations have taken control of the galaxy and rival companies battle each other for access to mining planets. A major battle is for Moon 44, a fuel mining operation in the Outer Zone. It is the only installation still controlled by the Galactic Mining corporation. Moons 46, 47 and 51 have recently been overtaken by the Pyrite Defense Company's battle robots. Galactic Mining had its own defence system, helicopters capable of operating in the violent atmospheres of the moons, but it was cancelled as too many pilots died while in training. The company sends new navigators to Moon 44 to assist the pilots. However, there is still a shortage of pilots, so the company is forced to use prisoners. Galactic Mining regards its fleet of mining shuttles as even more important, so if the base is attacked, the shuttles are ordered to leave the crews behind.
Ghost Chase, 1h25
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Comedy, Horror comedy, Fantasy, Horror
Themes Jeu, Ghost films, Films about toys, Comedy horror films
Actors Jason Lively, Leonard Lansink, Jill Whitlow, Paul Gleason, Larry Pennell, Ernie Lively
Rating43% 2.171932.171932.171932.171932.17193
In an old Hollywood mansion, the spirit of a butler inhabits a grandfather clock. When two teenagers decide to use the mansion (which once belonged to one of the teen's grandfather) for a film, they encounter the spirit frightening away a burglar. The other teen builds a mechanical body for the spirit to possess when next he appears. The butler provides the penurious teens and their leading lady, who lack the money to complete their film, with information leading them on a hunt in the mansion's dank, dark basement. There, if they dare, they will find a million-dollar fortune and the key to unraveling and righting the wrongs of an old family scandal.