Rupert Wyatt (born 26 October 1972) is an English filmmaker.[1] He made his directorial debut with the 2008 filmThe Escapist, which premiered at theSundance Film Festival. His second film was the 2011 blockbusterRise of the Planet of the Apes. His later directorial endeavors have included the 2014 crime dramaThe Gambler, the 2019 sci-fi filmCaptive State, and the first two episodes of the television adaptation ofThe Mosquito Coast in 2021. He also has served as an executive producer on the series.
Wyatt was born and raised near Winchester in Hampshire.[citation needed] He was educated at theDragon School, Oxford andWinchester College, Winchester.[1]
Wyatt is the founder of the film collective Picture Farm, which has produced numerous shorts, documentaries and features, including the Sundance Award-winning documentaryDark Days.[1]
He also co-wrote and directed the British prison escape thrillerThe Escapist (2008), starringBrian Cox,Damian Lewis,Dominic Cooper,Joseph Fiennes,Seu Jorge,Steven Mackintosh andLiam Cunningham.[2] The film premiered at theSundance Film Festival in January 2008, was nominated for eight international film awards, and was the winner of two.[3] In March 2010, he was selected to directRise of the Planet of the Apes, a reboot of thePlanet of the Apes franchise, which was based on a screenplay by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver.[4] The film was released on 5 August 2011 to mostly positive reviews[5] and grossed more than $481 million worldwide.
Wyatt was to be the director of 20th Century Fox's X-Men spin-off filmGambit, to be released on 7 October 2016,[6] but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.[7]
He directed the 2019 sci-fi filmCaptive State.[8]
His next film announced as director is the thrillerBoxman, about a safe-cracker who attempts to rescue the victims of a failed bank heist.[9]
Wyatt currently lives between New York City and Hudson, New York.
Short film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Ticks | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2004 | Get the Picture | Yes | Yes | No |
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Subterrain | Yes | Yes | |
| 2008 | The Escapist | Yes | Yes | |
| 2011 | Rise of the Planet of the Apes | Yes | No | |
| 2014 | The Gambler | Yes | No | Also music supervisor |
| 2019 | Captive State | Yes | Yes | Also producer |
| 2025 | Desert Warrior | Yes | Yes |
Other credits
| Year | Title | Director | Executive Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Turn: Washington's Spies | Yes | No | Episode "Pilot" |
| 2016 | The Exorcist | Yes | Yes | Episode "Pilot" |
| 2021 | The Mosquito Coast | Yes | Yes | 2 episodes |
| Year | Title | Award/Nomination |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | The Escapist | Nominated –British Independent Film – Douglas Hickox Award Nominated –Evening Standard British Award for Most Promising Newcomer Nominated –London Critics Film Award for Breakthrough British Filmmaker |
| 2011 | Rise of the Planet of the Apes | Nominated –Empire Award for Best Director Nominated –Saturn Award for Best Director |
