James V. Hart | |
|---|---|
 Hart in 2011 | |
| Born | 1947 (age 77–78) Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Spouse | Judith Nugent |
| Children | 2; includingJulia Hart |
James V. Hart (born 1947) is an American screenwriter and author. He is known for his literary adaptations, such asHook (1991),Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) andMary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994).
Hart wrote the screenplay to theSteven Spielberg feature filmHook which functioned as a sequel toJ. M. Barrie's original story, with Peter Pan having grown into adulthood.[1] Later, he wrote the 2005 children's novelCapt. Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth, a prequel depicting the youth ofCaptain Hook, the nemesis ofPeter Pan. He wrote the Francis Ford Coppola-produced horror filmsBram Stoker's Dracula (1992)[2] andMary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994).
Hart's writing focuses on adventure and fantasy fare, such asMuppet Treasure Island (1996),Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life (2003), andEpic (2013). He co-created the pirate television dramaCrossbones withLuther writerNeil Cross based onColin Woodard's bookThe Republic of Pirates.[3] On July 24, 2014, NBC announced thatCrossbones had been canceled after one season.[4]
Hart wrote the first draft screenplay ofAtlas Shrugged,[5] which was to be fully developed by directorRandall Wallace. Hart also wrote an adaptation ofThe Sirens of Titan, whichKurt Vonnegut approved of before he died,[6] as well as a screenplay adaptation forCrisis in the Hot Zone which was later adapted into a television series in 2019. In 2012, it was announced thatTNT would create atelevision series based on theDean Koontz's Frankenstein novels.[7]
Hart has been a faculty member of the Columbia University Graduate Film program and has mentored for Sundance Film Labs, the Austin Writer’s Ranch, and the Equinoxe-Europe Writing Workshops.[8][9]
Hart is the son of Albert Hart and Alice Hart. He has one brother, David (deceased). He studied film and graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1969. He lives inNew York with his wife Judith. Their two children, Jake andJulia, are also screenwriters.[10]
| Year | Title | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Dirty O'Neil | No | Yes | Associate producer |
| 1977 | The Ransom | No | Yes | |
| 1984 | Gimme an 'F' | Yes | No | |
| 1991 | Hook | Yes | Yes | Executive producer |
| 1992 | Bram Stoker's Dracula | Yes | Yes | Co-producer |
| 1994 | Mary Shelley's Frankenstein | No | Yes | |
| 1996 | Muppet Treasure Island | Yes | No | |
| 1997 | Contact | Yes | No | |
| 2002 | Tuck Everlasting | Yes | No | |
| 2003 | Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life | Yes | No | Story by |
| 2005 | Sahara | Yes | No | |
| 2007 | The Last Mimzy | Yes | No | |
| 2007 | August Rush | Yes | No | |
| 2013 | Epic | Yes | Yes | Executive producer |
| 2023 | The Last Voyage of the Demeter | Yes | No | received off-screen additional literary material credit.[11] |
| Year | Title | Notes | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story | Miniseries | CBS |
| 2014 | Crossbones | Co-creator | NBC |
| 2019-21 | The Hot Zone | Creator, also executive producer | National Geographic |
