David Richard Ellis is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 film director and former stuntman

Stunt double

A stunt double is a type of body double, specifically a skilled replacement used for dangerous film or video sequences, in movies and television , and for other sophisticated stunts...

.

Life and career

Ellis was born in Hollywood, California. He began his career in the film industry as a supporting actor in juvenile roles; his big screen debut was in the 1975 Kurt Russell film The Strongest Man in the World

The Strongest Man in the World

The Strongest Man in the World is a 1975 film starring Kurt Russell, still a student in the fictional Medfield College. It is the sequel to the 1972 film Now You See Him, Now You Don't, itself a sequel to the 1969 film, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.-Plot:Medfield College's Dean Higgins is being...

. One year later, he switched to stunts in the film Baby Blue Marine and worked from then on as a stuntman. His next career move came in 1981 with the promotion to stunt coordinator

Stunt coordinator

A stunt coordinator, usually an experienced stunt performer, is hired by a TV, film or theatre director or production company to arrange the casting and performance of stunts for a film, television programme or a live audience...

. After a successful five years in this position, he worked from 1986 on as an assistant director or second assistant director, in charge of action sequences from films such as The Matrix Revolutions

The Matrix Revolutions

The Matrix Revolutions is a 2003 American science fiction film and the third installment of The Matrix trilogy. The film was released six months following The Matrix Reloaded. The film was written and directed by the Wachowski brothers and released simultaneously in sixty countries on November 5,...

and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, released in the United States and India as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is a 2001 fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. The film is the first instalment in the Harry Potter film series,...

.

In 1996, Ellis made his debut as a director in the Disney

Walt Disney Pictures

Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...

 live-action film Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco

Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco

Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco is the 1996 sequel to the 1993 film Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. Directed by David R. Ellis, the film features the three animals from the first film, Shadow the Golden Retriever , Sassy the Himalayan cat , and Chance the American Bulldog Homeward...

, and has attained more attention for directing Final Destination 2

Final Destination 2

Final Destination 2 is a 2003 supernatural horror film and the sequel to the 2000 film Final Destination and was directed by David R. Ellis. It was written by Jeffrey Reddick, Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber. The film stars Ali Larter, A. J. Cook, Michael Landes and Tony Todd...

(2003), the continuation of the financially successful horror film franchise. He has also directed the fourth film, which revolves around death stalking audience members of a crash at a motor speedway that sends debris into the stands. Ellis' next work as director, the thriller Cellular

Cellular (film)

Cellular is a 2004 thriller film directed by David R. Ellis and starring Kim Basinger, Chris Evans, Jason Statham and William H. Macy. The screenplay was written by Chris Morgan, Larry Cohen and J...

, was a moderate success at the box office, which he attributed to competition from Resident Evil

Resident Evil (film)

Resident Evil is a British-German 2002 horror film written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. The film stars Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Eric Mabius, and James Purefoy...

and bad marketing. His film Snakes on a Plane

Snakes on a Plane

Snakes on a Plane is a 2006 American horror-action-thriller film directed by David R. Ellis and starring Samuel L. Jackson. It was released by New Line Cinema on August 18, 2006 in North America...

gained unusual hype on the Internet. Ellis directed the 3-D natural horror film Shark Night, which is based on a screenplay from Jesse Studenberg and Will Hayes. Ellis is set to direct the film adaption of science fiction comic War Monkeys.

In June 2010, he cast Milla Jovovich

Milla Jovovich

Milla Jovovich December 17, 1975)is an American model, actress, musician, and fashion designer. Over her career, she has appeared in a number of science fiction and action-themed films, for which music channel VH1 has referred to her as the "reigning queen of kick-butt".Milla Jovovich began...

 for his horror flick Bad Luck. He will direct the Lionsgate thriller Humpty Dumpty.

Filmography as director

Directing
Year	Film	Notes	Budget	Gross (worldwide)
1996	Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco is the 1996 sequel to the 1993 film Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. Directed by David R. Ellis, the film features the three animals from the first film, Shadow the Golden Retriever , Sassy the Himalayan cat , and Chance the American Bulldog Homeward...		N/A	$32,772,492
2003	Final Destination 2 Final Destination 2 Final Destination 2 is a 2003 supernatural horror film and the sequel to the 2000 film Final Destination and was directed by David R. Ellis. It was written by Jeffrey Reddick, Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber. The film stars Ali Larter, A. J. Cook, Michael Landes and Tony Todd...		$26 million	$90,426,405
2004	Cellular Cellular (film) Cellular is a 2004 thriller film directed by David R. Ellis and starring Kim Basinger, Chris Evans, Jason Statham and William H. Macy. The screenplay was written by Chris Morgan, Larry Cohen and J...		$25 million	$56,422,687
2006	Snakes on a Plane Snakes on a Plane Snakes on a Plane is a 2006 American horror-action-thriller film directed by David R. Ellis and starring Samuel L. Jackson. It was released by New Line Cinema on August 18, 2006 in North America...		$33 million	$62,022,014
2007	Asylum		N/A	N/A
2009	The Final Destination		$40 million	$186,167,139
2011	Shark Night 3D Shark Night 3D Shark Night 3D is a 3-D horror-thriller film directed by David R. Ellis. It stars Sara Paxton, Alyssa Diaz, Dustin Milligan, Katharine McPhee, and Joel David Moore...		$28 million
2012	The Briar Lake Murders	pre-production
	Bad Luck Bad Luck (film) Bad Luck is a 1960 Polish comedy film directed by Andrzej Munk. It was entered into the 1960 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Bogumił Kobiela – Jan Piszczyk* Maria Ciesielska – Basia* Helena Dabrowska – Wychówna...
	Milwaukee
	Humpty Dumpty

External links