Michael DeLuca
Encyclopedia
Michael De Luca is an American movie producer
and screenwriter
.
. De Luca was exposed to motion pictures by his father, who would sneak the youngster into movie theaters. Although he has been characterized as "neither athletic nor academic," he skipped the eighth grade and enrolled at New York University
in film studies at age 17. An internship with the independent producer-distributor New Line led to an offer of full-time work when he was just a few credits shy of graduating from NYU. De Luca abandoned academia for a career in showbiz in 1986. Originally tapped to work as a story editor, he rose fairly quickly through the ranks, thanks in part to his mentor, chair and co-founder Robert Shaye
.
In 1988, De Luca made his debut as an associate producer on "Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III". De Luca has been collecting comics since childhood and is a huge fan of comics and sci-fi such as Star Trek. In 1996, De Luca, a self-proclaimed "Trekkie", was approached by the producers Brannon Braga
and Ron Moore for Star Trek: Voyager
and pitched an idea which turned into an opportunity to write an episode for the series.
Controversially Michael De Luca was seen receiving oral sex in front of important celebrities at the William Morris Agency's Oscar party in 1998.
De Luca is a former President of Production for New Line Cinema
. During his tenure at New Line Cinema, he oversaw a variety of films that would come to define the studio which included Seven
, Friday
, Boogie Nights
, Austin Powers
, Rush Hour
, and Magnolia
(1999). DeLuca wrote and produced Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
, part of the Nightmare on Elm Street saga.
After New Line Cinema, De Luca became President of Production at Dreamworks
(2001–2004).
After his contract was up at Dreamworks, De Luca signed a production deal with Sony and started his own production company, Michael De Luca Productions. His first release under his production company was Ghost Rider
(2007) starring Nicolas Cage
, followed by 21
and The Love Guru
(2008) starring Mike Myers
.
De Luca also produced the 2011 remake
of the Vampire cult classic film Fright Night
.
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
.
Life and career
De Luca was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, the son of a worker at ConEdisonConsolidated Edison
Consolidated Edison, Inc. is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the United States, with approximately $14 billion in annual revenues and $36 billion in assets...
. De Luca was exposed to motion pictures by his father, who would sneak the youngster into movie theaters. Although he has been characterized as "neither athletic nor academic," he skipped the eighth grade and enrolled at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in film studies at age 17. An internship with the independent producer-distributor New Line led to an offer of full-time work when he was just a few credits shy of graduating from NYU. De Luca abandoned academia for a career in showbiz in 1986. Originally tapped to work as a story editor, he rose fairly quickly through the ranks, thanks in part to his mentor, chair and co-founder Robert Shaye
Robert Shaye
Robert Kenneth Shaye , often referred to as Bob Shaye, is an American businessman, film producer, director and actor.-Early life:...
.
In 1988, De Luca made his debut as an associate producer on "Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III". De Luca has been collecting comics since childhood and is a huge fan of comics and sci-fi such as Star Trek. In 1996, De Luca, a self-proclaimed "Trekkie", was approached by the producers Brannon Braga
Brannon Braga
Brannon Braga is an American television producer and screenwriter, currently working as showrunner and executive producer on Terra Nova...
and Ron Moore for Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
and pitched an idea which turned into an opportunity to write an episode for the series.
Controversially Michael De Luca was seen receiving oral sex in front of important celebrities at the William Morris Agency's Oscar party in 1998.
De Luca is a former President of Production for New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
. During his tenure at New Line Cinema, he oversaw a variety of films that would come to define the studio which included Seven
Seven (film)
Seven is a 1995 American thriller film, which also contains horror and neo-noir elements, directed by David Fincher and written by Andrew Kevin Walker. It was distributed by New Line Cinema and stars Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, R...
, Friday
Friday (film)
Friday is a 1995 stoner comedy-drama-buddy film directed by F. Gary Gray. Starring Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Bernie Mac, Tommy Lister, Jr...
, Boogie Nights
Boogie Nights
Boogie Nights is a 1997 drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Set in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley, the script focuses on a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star of pornographic films, and chronicles his rise and fall from the Golden Age of Porn of the 1970s...
, Austin Powers
Austin Powers (film series)
The Austin Powers series is a series of action-comedy films written by and starring Mike Myers as the title character, directed by Jay Roach and distributed by New Line Cinema...
, Rush Hour
Rush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
, and Magnolia
Magnolia (film)
Magnolia is a 1999 American drama film written, produced, and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, narrated by Ricky Jay, and starring Tom Cruise, Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, and Jason Robards in his last feature film appearance...
(1999). DeLuca wrote and produced Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare is a 1991 American slasher film. It is the sixthand as the title suggests, intended to be the lastfilm in the series of films featuring Freddy Krueger...
, part of the Nightmare on Elm Street saga.
After New Line Cinema, De Luca became President of Production at Dreamworks
DreamWorks
DreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming...
(2001–2004).
After his contract was up at Dreamworks, De Luca signed a production deal with Sony and started his own production company, Michael De Luca Productions. His first release under his production company was Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider (film)
Ghost Rider is a 2007 superhero film written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Based on the character of the same name which appeared in Marvel Comics, the film stars Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze, a stunt motorcyclist who sells his soul to the Devil and transforms into thevigilante Ghost...
(2007) starring Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and...
, followed by 21
21 (2008 film)
21 is a 2008 drama film directed by Australian director Robert Luketic and stars Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Bosworth, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts, and Aaron Yoo. The film is inspired by the true story of the MIT Blackjack Team as told in Bringing Down the House, the...
and The Love Guru
The Love Guru
The Love Guru is a 2008 comedy film, directed by Marco Schnabel and starring Mike Myers and Jessica Alba along with Romany Malco and Justin Timberlake. In addition to starring in the film, Myers wrote The Love Guru with Graham Gordy and produced it with Gary Barber. The film was released by...
(2008) starring Mike Myers
Mike Myers (actor)
Michael John "Mike" Myers is a Canadian actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film producer of British parentage...
.
De Luca also produced the 2011 remake
Remake
A 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...
of the Vampire cult classic film Fright Night
Fright Night
# "Fright Night" – 3:45# "You Can't Hide from the Beast Inside" – 4:14# "Good Man in a Bad Time" – 3:41# "Rock Myself to Sleep" – 2:57# "Let's Talk" – 2:52# "Armies of the Night" – 4:34...
.