Akiva J. Goldsman (born July 7, 1962) is an American
screenwriterScreenwriters or scenarists or scriptwriters are people in a film crew who write/create the screenplays from which films and television programs are made....
and
producerA film producer or movie producer is someone who creates the scenes and conditions for making movies. The producer initiates, co-ordinates, supervises and controls matters such as fund-raising, hiring key personnel and arranging for distributors...
in the motion picture industry. He received an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the 2001 film,
A Beautiful MindA Beautiful Mind is a 2001 American film based on the life of John Forbes Nash, a Nobel Laureate in Economics. The film was directed by Ron Howard and written by Akiva Goldsman. It was inspired by a bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-nominated 1998 book of the same name by Sylvia Nasar...
, which also won the Oscar for
Best PictureThe Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to artists working in the motion picture industry. The Best Picture category is the only category in which every member of the Academy is eligible...
.
Goldsman has been involved specifically with high budget Hollywood
adaptationsFilm adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even other films...
and
remakeA remake is a piece of media based primarily on an earlier work of the same medium.-Film:The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source...
s. His filmography includes the films
Lost in SpaceLost in Space is a 1998 feature-length motion picture produced by New Line Cinema, starring William Hurt, Mimi Rogers, Heather Graham, Matt LeBlanc, Gary Oldman, Jack Johnson, and Lacey Chabert, and is an adaptation of the 1965–1968 CBS television series Lost In Space.The film opened at #1; the...
,
Batman ForeverBatman Forever is a 1995 superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton. It is the third installment of the Batman film series and stars Val Kilmer as Batman. The plot focuses on Batman trying to stop Two-Face and the Riddler in their villainous scheme to drain information...
and
Batman & Robin, as well as more serious dramas, and numerous rewrites both credited and uncredited.
Akiva J. Goldsman (born July 7, 1962) is an American
screenwriterScreenwriters or scenarists or scriptwriters are people in a film crew who write/create the screenplays from which films and television programs are made....
and
producerA film producer or movie producer is someone who creates the scenes and conditions for making movies. The producer initiates, co-ordinates, supervises and controls matters such as fund-raising, hiring key personnel and arranging for distributors...
in the motion picture industry. He received an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the 2001 film,
A Beautiful MindA Beautiful Mind is a 2001 American film based on the life of John Forbes Nash, a Nobel Laureate in Economics. The film was directed by Ron Howard and written by Akiva Goldsman. It was inspired by a bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-nominated 1998 book of the same name by Sylvia Nasar...
, which also won the Oscar for
Best PictureThe Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to artists working in the motion picture industry. The Best Picture category is the only category in which every member of the Academy is eligible...
.
Goldsman has been involved specifically with high budget Hollywood
adaptationsFilm adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even other films...
and
remakeA remake is a piece of media based primarily on an earlier work of the same medium.-Film:The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source...
s. His filmography includes the films
Lost in SpaceLost in Space is a 1998 feature-length motion picture produced by New Line Cinema, starring William Hurt, Mimi Rogers, Heather Graham, Matt LeBlanc, Gary Oldman, Jack Johnson, and Lacey Chabert, and is an adaptation of the 1965–1968 CBS television series Lost In Space.The film opened at #1; the...
,
Batman ForeverBatman Forever is a 1995 superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton. It is the third installment of the Batman film series and stars Val Kilmer as Batman. The plot focuses on Batman trying to stop Two-Face and the Riddler in their villainous scheme to drain information...
and
Batman & Robin, as well as more serious dramas, and numerous rewrites both credited and uncredited. In 2006 Goldsman re-teamed with
A Beautiful Mind director
Ron HowardRonald William "Ron" Howard is an American film director and producer, as well as an actor. Howard came to prominence in the 1960s while playing Andy Griffith's TV son, Opie Taylor, on The Andy Griffith Show , and later in the 1970s as Howard Cunningham's son and Arthur Fonzarelli's best friend,...
for a high profile project, adapting
Dan BrownDan Brown is an American author of thriller fiction, best known for the 2003 bestselling novel, The Da Vinci Code. Brown's novels, which are treasure hunts set in a 24-hour time period, feature the recurring themes of cryptography, keys, symbols, codes, and conspiracy theories...
's novel
The Da Vinci CodeThe Da Vinci Code is a 2003 mystery-detective fiction novel written by American author Dan Brown. It follows symbologist Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu as they investigate a murder in Paris's Louvre Museum and discovers a battle between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei over the possibility of...
for Howard's much-anticipated
filmThe Da Vinci Code is a 2006 film directed by Ron Howard, which is based on the bestselling 2003 novel The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. It was one of the most anticipated films of 2006, and was previewed at the opening night of the Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 2006...
version, receiving mixed reviews for his work.
Life and career
Akiva Goldsman was born in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
on July 7, 1962 to Jewish parents Tev Goldsman and Mira Rothenberg. Tev Goldsman was a therapist, and Mira Rothenberg was a child psychologist. Both parents ran a group home for emotionally disturbed children. Goldsman's parents were occupied with their work, and Goldsman said, "By the time I was 10 or 12, I realized they had taken my parents away from me. I wanted nothing more to do with that world. I wanted to be a writer. I had a fantasy that someday I'd see my name on a book." In 1983, Goldsman attended
Wesleyan UniversityWesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. Founded under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church and with the support of prominent residents of Middletown, the now secular university was the first institution of higher...
in
MiddletownMiddletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
,
ConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and New York to the west and south ....
. After graduation, Goldsman studied creative writing at
New York UniversityNew York University is a private, nonsectarian, research university in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. He began writing screenplays, and in 1994, he wrote the screenplay that would become the film
Silent FallSilent Fall is a 1994 mystery film about an autistic boy who is the only witness to a savage double murder. The film was directed by Bruce Beresford, and stars Richard Dreyfuss, Linda Hamilton, John Lithgow, J.T. Walsh, and Liv Tyler.-Plot:...
. Afterward, director
Joel SchumacherJoel Schumacher is an American film director, screenwriter and producer.-Early life and career:Schumacher was born in New York City, the son of Marian and Francis Schumacher. His mother was a Swedish Jew, and his father was a Baptist from Knoxville, Tennessee who died when Joel was four years old...
hired Goldsman to write
The ClientThe Client is a 1994 American legal thriller film directed by Joel Schumacher, and starring Susan Sarandon, Tommy Lee Jones and Brad Renfro in his film debut. It is based on the novel of the same name by John Grisham...
.
In the late 1990s, Akiva Goldsman wrote screenplays for
A Time to KillA Time to Kill is a 1996 film adaptation of John Grisham's 1989 legal thriller novel of the same name. Directed by Joel Schumacher, the film features an ensemble cast that includes Sandra Bullock, Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L...
and
Batman & Robin, which were considered subpar quality and got him nominated for the
Golden Raspberry AwardsThe Golden Raspberry Awards, frequently called the Razzies, were created by John Wilson in 1980 , intended to counterpoint the Academy Awards by dishonoring the worst acting, screenwriting, songwriting, directing, and films that the film industry had to offer...
. Goldsman came to the realization, "I sort of got lost. I was writing away from what I knew. It's a little like a cat chasing its tail. Once you start making movies that are less than satisfying, you start to lose your opportunity to make the satisfying ones. People are not serving them up to you, saying, 'You're the guy we want for this.'" Goldsman appealed to producer
Brian GrazerBrian Grazer is an American film and television producer who founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 with partner Ron Howard...
to write the screenplay for
A Beautiful MindA Beautiful Mind is a 2001 American film based on the life of John Forbes Nash, a Nobel Laureate in Economics. The film was directed by Ron Howard and written by Akiva Goldsman. It was inspired by a bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-nominated 1998 book of the same name by Sylvia Nasar...
and ultimately won an
Academy Award for Writing Adapted ScreenplayThe Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay is one of the Academy Awards, the most prominent film awards in the United States. It is awarded each year to the writer of a screenplay adapted from another source...
. The star of
A Beautiful Mind,
Russell CroweRussell Ira Crowe is an Australian actor and musician. His acting career began in the early 1990s with roles in Australian TV series such as Police Rescue and films such as Romper Stomper. In the late 1990s, he began appearing in US films such as the 1997 movie L.A. Confidential...
, later invited Goldsman and director
Ron HowardRonald William "Ron" Howard is an American film director and producer, as well as an actor. Howard came to prominence in the 1960s while playing Andy Griffith's TV son, Opie Taylor, on The Andy Griffith Show , and later in the 1970s as Howard Cunningham's son and Arthur Fonzarelli's best friend,...
to film
Cinderella ManCinderella Man is a 2005 American drama film by Ron Howard, titled after the nickname of heavyweight boxing champion James J. Braddock and inspired by his life story. The film was produced by Howard, Penny Marshall, and Brian Grazer.-Plot synopsis:...
, and Goldsman wrote the film's screenplay. Goldsman has also wrote and directed two episodes of the
FoxFox is a common name for many species of carnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail ....
TV show
FringeFringe may refer to* Fringe , a U.S. Fox television series* Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world* Adelaide Fringe Festival, Australia's premier arts festival that is the second largest arts festival in the world...
. In 2009, he signed on to co-produce the Warner Bros. film adaptation of the British television series
PrimevalPrimeval is a British science fiction television series.Primeval or primæval may also refer to:* Primeval , a 2007 film* Primeval , a score of music from the BBC TV series Doctor Who...
.
Filmography
| Year |
Film |
Credit |
Notes |
| 1994 |
The Client The Client is a 1994 American legal thriller film directed by Joel Schumacher, and starring Susan Sarandon, Tommy Lee Jones and Brad Renfro in his film debut. It is based on the novel of the same name by John Grisham...
|
Writer |
|
| Silent Fall Silent Fall is a 1994 mystery film about an autistic boy who is the only witness to a savage double murder. The film was directed by Bruce Beresford, and stars Richard Dreyfuss, Linda Hamilton, John Lithgow, J.T. Walsh, and Liv Tyler.-Plot:...
|
Writer |
|
| 1995 |
Batman Forever Batman Forever is a 1995 superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton. It is the third installment of the Batman film series and stars Val Kilmer as Batman. The plot focuses on Batman trying to stop Two-Face and the Riddler in their villainous scheme to drain information...
|
Writer |
Co-wrote with Lee Batchler and Janet Scott Batchler |
| 1996 |
A Time to KillA Time to Kill is a 1996 film adaptation of John Grisham's 1989 legal thriller novel of the same name. Directed by Joel Schumacher, the film features an ensemble cast that includes Sandra Bullock, Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L...
|
Writer |
|
| 1997 |
Batman & Robin |
Writer |
|
| 1998 |
Lost in Space Lost in Space is a 1998 feature-length motion picture produced by New Line Cinema, starring William Hurt, Mimi Rogers, Heather Graham, Matt LeBlanc, Gary Oldman, Jack Johnson, and Lacey Chabert, and is an adaptation of the 1965–1968 CBS television series Lost In Space.The film opened at #1; the...
|
Producer, writer |
|
| Practical Magic Practical Magic is a 1998 family fantasy film directed by Griffin Dunne and starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as witches who carry on a family legacy of witchcraft and tragedy. The film is based on a book of the same name by Alice Hoffman. The original music score was composed by Alan...
|
Writer |
|
| 1999 |
Deep Blue Sea Deep Blue Sea is a 1999 science fiction thriller film that stars Saffron Burrows, Thomas Jane, LL Cool J, and Samuel L. Jackson. The film was directed by Renny Harlin and was released in the United States on July 28, 1999.- Plot :...
|
Producer |
|
| 2001 |
A Beautiful Mind A Beautiful Mind is a 2001 American film based on the life of John Forbes Nash, a Nobel Laureate in Economics. The film was directed by Ron Howard and written by Akiva Goldsman. It was inspired by a bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-nominated 1998 book of the same name by Sylvia Nasar...
|
Writer |
Won Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay The Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay is one of the Academy Awards, the most prominent film awards in the United States. It is awarded each year to the writer of a screenplay adapted from another source...
|
| 2004 |
Starsky & Hutch Starsky & Hutch is a 2004 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips. The film stars Ben Stiller as David Starsky and Owen Wilson as Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson and is a spoof adaptation of the original television series of the same name from the 1970s....
|
Producer |
|
MindhuntersMindhunters is a 2004 thriller film, directed by Renny Harlin, and written by Wayne Kramer and Kevin Brodbin...
|
Producer |
|
I, RobotI, Robot is a 2004 science fiction-action film. The film was directed by Alex Proyas and produced by John Davis, Topher Dow, Wyck Godfrey, Laurence Mark and Will Smith. The screenplay was penned by Jeff Vintar, Akiva Goldsman and Hillary Seitz and is loosely based on Isaac Asimov's short-story...
|
Writer |
Co-wrote with Jeff Vintar |
| 2005 |
Constantine Constantine is a 2005 American film based on Vertigo Comics' Hellblazer comic book, with some plot elements being taken from the "Dangerous Habits" story arc and others - such as the inclusion of Papa Midnite - from the "Original Sins" trade paperback. It was released on February 8, 2005 in Hong...
|
Producer |
|
Cinderella ManCinderella Man is a 2005 American drama film by Ron Howard, titled after the nickname of heavyweight boxing champion James J. Braddock and inspired by his life story. The film was produced by Howard, Penny Marshall, and Brian Grazer.-Plot synopsis:...
|
Writer |
|
| Mr. & Mrs. Smith Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a American romantic action comedy film, directed by Doug Liman and written by Simon Kinberg. The original music score was composed by John Powell. The film stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as a bored married couple who learn that they are both assassins hired by competing...
|
Producer |
|
| 2006 |
I'm Reed FishI'm Reed Fish is an American film, based on a story by Reed Fish, and released theatrically on June 1, 2007. The film was directed by Zackary Adler and stars Alexis Bledel, Jay Baruchel, and Schuyler Fisk. Jay Baruchel won the Best Actor award at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in 2007 for his role...
|
Executive producer |
|
PoseidonPoseidon is a 2006 action-adventure disaster film and the third film adaptation of The Poseidon Adventure by Paul Gallico. It stars Josh Lucas, Kurt Russell, Emmy Rossum, Jacinda Barrett, and Richard Dreyfuss. It was directed by Wolfgang Petersen and produced and distributed by Warner Bros. in...
|
Producer |
|
The Da Vinci CodeThe Da Vinci Code is a 2006 film directed by Ron Howard, which is based on the bestselling 2003 novel The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. It was one of the most anticipated films of 2006, and was previewed at the opening night of the Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 2006...
|
Writer |
|
| 2007 |
The Cure |
Executive producer |
TV pilot |
I Am LegendI Am Legend is a 2007 science fiction-disaster film directed by Francis Lawrence and starring Will Smith. It is the third feature film adaptation of Richard Matheson's 1954 novel of the same name, following 1964's The Last Man on Earth and 1971's The Omega Man. Smith plays virologist Robert...
|
Producer, writer |
|
| 2008 |
HancockHancock is a American action-comedy superhero film directed by Peter Berg and starring Will Smith, Jason Bateman, and Charlize Theron. It tells the story of a vigilante superhero, John Hancock, played by Smith, from Los Angeles whose reckless actions routinely cost the city millions of dollars...
|
Producer |
|
| 2009 |
Angels & Demons |
Writer |
|
| 2010 |
Jonah Hex Jonah Hex is an upcoming Western film based on the DC Comics character of the same name. Under Warner Bros., the film is directed by Jimmy Hayward and stars Josh Brolin as the title character, Jonah Hex...
|
Producer |
Filming |
| 2011 |
Teen Titans (film) |
Writer |
In production |