Alex Proyas | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Proyas in 2011 | |
| Born | Alexander Proyas (1963-09-23)23 September 1963 (age 61) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1980–present |
| Spouse | Catherine Linsley |
Alexander Proyas (/ˈprɔɪəs/PROY-əs; born 23 September 1963) is an Australian film director. He is known for directing the filmsThe Crow (1994),Dark City (1998),I, Robot (2004) andKnowing (2009).
Alexander Proyas was born inAlexandria (then in theUnited Arab Republic and now inEgypt) on 23 September 1963, the son of a Greek Cypriot mother and a father from Egypt whose Greek ancestors had moved to Egypt many generations ago.[1]
When he was three years old, the family moved to Australia, where he grew up in the Sydney suburb ofWaterloo.[2] He grew up on ahousing estate where the main tenants were fellow immigrants andIndigenous Australians, with whom he felt a kinship because they were all often subjected to racism bywhite Australians.[1]
At age 17, he joined theAustralian Film, Television and Radio School and began directing music videos shortly after.[2]
He later moved toLos Angeles to further his career, working on MTV music videos and TV commercials.[2][3]
Proyas' first feature film was theindependentscience fictionthrillerSpirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds, which was nominated for twoAustralian Film Institute awards in 1988, forcostume design andproduction design[4] and which won a Special Prize at the 1990Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival.[5]
Next, Proyas directed the 1994superherofantasy thrillerThe Crow starringBrandon Lee. Lee was killed in an accident during filming, only eight days before the completion of the film on 31 March 1993. After Lee's death, Proyas and his producers decided to complete the film, partially rewriting the script and using a stunt double and special effects to film the remaining scenes.[6]The Crow was released in May 1994 and was a box office and critical success.[7]
Proyas then wrote, directed and produced the 1998 science fiction thrillerDark City, which received positive critical reception and won several awards[8] but was a commercial disappointment. In 2004, he directedI, Robot starringWill Smith, a science fiction film suggested by[9] theIsaac Asimov short story compilationI, Robot and was a box office success despite mixed reviews.
Proyas' next film, the thrillerKnowing starringNicolas Cage, began production inMelbourne in March 2008 and opened in North America in March 2009.[10]
Proyas directedGods of Egypt, starringNikolaj Coster-Waldau, and co-written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. The film was critically panned upon its release in 2016[11] andbombed at the box office.
In 2019, Proyas founded a production company in Sydney called The Heretic Foundation.
In 2021, Proyas announced that he was developing a new video platform named VidiVerse for independent filmmakers as an alternative toYouTube.[3]
In 2024, Proyas began filmingR.U.R. a musical adaptation of theplay of the same name byKarel Čapek.[12][13]
•Casper the Friendly Ghost film - Proyas was initially attached to direct a film adaptation ofCasper the Friendly Ghost, but on November 28, 1993, Proyas left the film to finishThe Crow afterBrandon Lee was fatally shot.[14] On October 26, 2008, Proyas admitted that the screenplay was rewritten not to his liking.[15]The film was ultimately directed byBrad Silberling.[16][17]
•The Masque of the Red Death film - On May 7, 1999, it was announced that Proyas would direct a medieval fantasy film adaptation ofEdgar Allan Poe’s storyThe Masque of the Red Death, with Proyas andStuart Hazeldine writing aDirty Dozen-esqe screenplay[18] and producing withJulie Corman and Andrew Mason forFox 2000.[19]
•Rizen - On May 7, 1999, it was announced that Proyas would directRizen, a horror-thriller written by Proyas and Stuart Hazeldine forUniversal Pictures.[19] It is unknown if Proyas revised the script toSister Darkness.[20]
• Untitled time-travel film - On August 24, 1999, it was announced that Proyas would produce and direct a time-travel film based on a pitch he and Jerrold E. Brown came up with for20th Century Fox, with Brown writing the screenplay after Proyas was impressed byBrown's draft for a comedicLobo movie.[21]
•Enoch's Portal film - On June 2, 2000, it was announced that Proyas would write and direct the film adaptation of Andy Hill's suspense novelEnoch's Portal forSean Daniel’s Alphaville Productions.[22]
•Berserker film - On December 11, 2000, it was announced that Proyas would direct a film based onFred Saberhagen'sBerserker series withJesse Alexander writing the script andNew Line Cinema producing the film.[23]
•Drive - On October 18, 2001, it was announced that Proyas would direct and produce a film based onHarlan Ellison's short storyAlong the Scenic Route entitledDrive with Cyrus Vorris and Ethan Reiff writing the script andParamount Pictures producing the film.[24]
•Jurassic Park 4 -
•Dracula Untold (fkaDracula: Year Zero) - On July 10, 2007, it was announced that Proyas would directDracula Year Zero for Universal Pictures, withMatt Sazama and Burk Sharpless writing the screenplay.[25] On February 10, 2012, it was reported thatGary Shore would be taking over the film, as Proyas and prospective starSam Worthington had been let go from the project due to its high budget.[26] The film was eventually retitledDracula Untold and released in theatres October 10, 2014.[27]
•The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag film - On August 22, 2008, Proyas was set to write and direct the film adaptation ofRobert A. Heinlein’s novellaThe Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag and produce along withPhoenix Pictures.[28] On April 10, 2012,Red Granite Pictures andJames Vanderbilt’s Mythology Entertainment were set to produce Proyas' feature film adaptation with Phoenix Pictures.[29]
•The Tripods film franchise - On January 29, 2009, it was announced that Proyas would direct and co-write with Stuart Hazeldine the film adaptation ofJohn Christopher’sThe Tripods starting withThe White Mountain.[30][31]
•Paradise Lost film - On September 16, 2010, Proyas was set to direct a 3-D film adaptation ofJohn Milton’s poemParadise Lost forLegendary Entertainment,[32] withBradley Cooper cast asLucifer,[33]Benjamin Walker asMichael,[34]Djimon Hounsou asAbdiel,[35]Casey Affleck asGabriel,[36]Dominic Purcell asSatan,[37]Diego Boneta asAdam,[38]Rufus Sewell as Sammael,Camilla Belle asEve,[39]Sam Reid asRaphael,[40] andCallan McAuliffe asUriel.[41] On December 7, 2011, production was halted,[42] and on February 9, 2012, Legendary officially scrapped the film.[43]
•Amped film - On December 1, 2010, Proyas was set to produce and possibly direct the film adaptation ofDaniel H. Wilson’s sci-fi thriller novelAmped forSummit Entertainment,[44] and on March 18, 2011, Proyas was confirmed to direct the film adaptation.[45]
•Joe Golem and the Drowning City film - On July 11, 2012, Proyas was set to write and direct the film adaptation ofMike Mignola andChristopher Golden’s comic bookJoe Golem and the Drowning City forConstantin Film.[46]
•Evolve TV series - On November 1, 2012, Proyas was set to direct and executive produceEvolve, a crime drama series about abiotoxin threat written by Jamie Paglia and produce forABC, butthe series was ultimately never picked up.[47]
•A New Country - On February 17, 2020, Proyas revealed that he was makingA New Country, a sci-fi movie starringGuy Pearce, but it likely fell through during the first wave of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[48]
•Dark City TV series - On August 12, 2021, Proyas revealed that he was making a television series of his movieDark City.[49]
•The Killer's Game - On August 8, 2004, Proyas was one of many directors offered to direct a film adaptation ofJay Bonansinga's novelThe Killer's Game, butJ. J. Perry ended up directing thefeature film adaptation instead.[50]
•Foundation - On January 16, 2009, Proyas was offered to direct a film adaptation ofIsaac Asimov'sFoundation book series in a rights auction forWarner Bros. Pictures, butRoland Emmerich andColumbia Pictures acquired the rights instead,[51] which lapsed and eventually became atelevision series onApple TV+.[52]
•A Nightmare on Elm Street sequel - On February 14, 2021, Proyas revealed on Indie Film Hustle that he was offered to direct a sequel toA Nightmare on Elm Street, but turned it down.[53]
Proyas has long been married to artist Catherine "Cathy" Linsley, who worked in the art department for his first feature filmSpirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds. She has also worked in various capacities on short films and animations produced or written by Proyas. She was thanked in the credits of his filmKnowing.[54]
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Spirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 1994 | The Crow | Yes | No | No |
| 1998 | Dark City | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2002 | Garage Days | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2004 | I, Robot | Yes | No | No |
| 2009 | Knowing | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2016 | Gods of Egypt | Yes | Yes | No |
| TBA | R.U.R. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Neon | Yes | No | Co-directed with Salik Silverstein |
| Groping | Yes | No | Co-directed with Salik Silverstein; also cinematographer | |
| 1981 | Strange Residues | Yes | No | Also editor |
| 1987 | Spineless | Yes | No | Also actor |
| 1994 | Book of Dreams: Welcome to Crateland | Yes | Yes | Also cinematographer |
| 1995 | Book of Dreams: Dream 7 – Ruben's Dream | Yes | Yes | |
| 2019 | Phobos | Yes | Yes | |
| 2021 | Mask of the Evil Apparition | Yes | Yes | Set in theDark City cinematic universe |
| Year | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | "Ricky's Hand" | Fad Gadget |
| 1983 | "Flicker" | Fetus Productions |
| 1985 | "In Your Eyes" | Dropbears |
| 1986 | "Kiss the Dirt" | INXS |
| "Don't Dream It's Over" | Crowded House | |
| 1987 | "Holiday" | The Other Ones |
| "Rhythm of Love" | Yes | |
| 1988 | "Better Be Home Soon" | Crowded House |
| "Magic Touch" | Mike Oldfield | |
| 1989 | "Bring Down the Moon" | Boy Meets Girl |
| "Nineteen Forever" | Joe Jackson | |
| "Mysteries of Love" | Alphaville | |
| 1994 | "When We Dance" | Sting |
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | ARIA Music Awards | Best Video | "Don't Dream It's Over" | Won | [55] |
| "Kiss the Dirt" | Nominated | ||||
| 1994 | Cannes Film Festival | Short Film Palme d'Or | Book of Dreams: Welcome to Crateland | Nominated | |
| Saturn Awards | Best Director | The Crow | Nominated | ||
| 1998 | Imagine Film Festival | Silver Scream Award | Dark City | Won | |
| Bram Stoker Award | Best Screenplay | Won | |||
| Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival | Pegasus Audience Award | Won | [56] | ||
| Saturn Awards | Best Science Fiction Film | Won | |||
| Best Director | Nominated | ||||
| Best Writing | Nominated | ||||
| 2016 | Golden Raspberry Awards | Worst Picture | Gods of Egypt | Nominated | |
| Worst Director | Nominated |
There was a script, but it was one of those situations where things were rewritten at much too late a stage in the whole process.
