Joe Carnahan | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Carnahan at theA-Team film premiere | |
| Born | Joseph Aaron Carnahan (1969-05-09)May 9, 1969 (age 56) Michigan, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Sacramento State University (BA) |
| Occupations | Film director,screenwriter,producer |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Matthew Michael Carnahan (brother) |
Joseph Aaron Carnahan (born May 9, 1969) is an Americanfilm director,screenwriter, producer and occasionalactor whose films includeBlood, Guts, Bullets and Octane;[1]Narc;Smokin' Aces;The A-Team;The Grey; andBoss Level. He also wrote and directed several episodes for theNBC television seriesThe Blacklist.
Carnahan was raised inMichigan andNorthern California. Carnahan graduated fromFairfield High School in 1987, where he also played football.[citation needed] He attended college atSan Francisco State University[citation needed] but later transferred toCalifornia State University, Sacramento, and earned hisB.A. in Filmography there.[2] Carnahan eventually became employed in the Promotional Department ofSacramento'sKMAX-TV, producing short films and television spots.[3]
In 1998, he won some cult and critical acclaim for his filmBlood, Guts, Bullets and Octane which premiered in September 1997 at the New York Independent Feature Film Market and later at the 1998Sundance Film Festival.
He directed the 2002 Detroit-set thrillerNarc, starringRay Liotta andJason Patric. FollowingNarc, he directed an entry in theBMW Films titledTicker starringClive Owen andDon Cheadle. At one point he was solicited to directMission: Impossible III, produced byTom Cruise andPaula Wagner (who also executive producedNarc), but he left the production due to conflicting views on the tone of the film. It was also announced in October 2005 that Carnahan would be directing a film based on the life of convicted drug dealer Will Wright, but the project seems to be abandoned.
His next film,Smokin' Aces, was produced in 2006 and released in January 2007. He also co-wrote the screenplay ofPride and Glory, released in 2008, nearly a year behind schedule.
He was attached to direct an adaptation ofJames Ellroy's novelWhite Jazz withGeorge Clooney producing and starring, but Clooney later pulled out from the production and in 2009, Ellroy stated that all adaptations of the film were dead.[4]
In 2007, Carnahan pennedRemarkable Fellows for Universal withJason Bateman set to star,[5] but the film never went into production.
In 2010,Brian Bloom and Carnahan were then hired by Fox for the revamping of their long-gestatingA-Team project, based on the hit'80's television series. He also showed interest in directing film adaptations forGarth Ennis' graphic novelPreacher andDavid Michelinie'sTaskmaster.[6]
In 2011, he directed the thrillerThe Grey, starringLiam Neeson.[7]
Carnahan was one of the executive producers forNBC'sThe Blacklist, starringJames Spader andMegan Boone, during its first season. He directed the pilot, and went on to co-write and direct the ninth episode, "Anslo Garrick". Carnahan also wrote the story for episode 16, "Mako Tanida".
Carnahan and his brother Matthew wrote a script adapting of theMark Millar comic book seriesNemesis for film in 2013.[8] He had also been attached to direct an adaptation ofMark Bowden's bookKilling Pablo.[9]
Carnahan executive produced the NBC political thrillerState of Affairs, starringKatherine Heigl andAlfre Woodard, which premiered November 17, 2014. He directed and co-wrote the pilot.
In April 2022,Lionsgate Films revealed that Carnahan will directShadow Force, starringKerry Washington andOmar Sy.[10]
In June 2023, Carnahan began filmingNot Without Hope, a survival thriller adapted from the non-fiction book by Nick Schuyler and Jeré Longman and starringZachary Levi andJosh Duhamel.
On June 18, 2024, it was announced that Carnahan would write and direct the crime thrillerThe Rip, starringBen Affleck (who had previously worked with Carnahan onSmokin' Aces) andMatt Damon, with the project to be produced by Affleck and Damon'sArtists Equity.[11] On July 2, it was announced that the project had been acquired byNetflix.[12] Production onRIP began in October 2024.[13]
In February 2025, Caranahan announced he would partner with White Label Productions CEO Chris Wagner to form Gang of Three, a film production company.[14]
Carnahan has drawn media attention over the course of his film career for public disputes within the Hollywood film industry. In 2013,The Hollywood Reporter reported on a profanity-laden email Carnahan sent toMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer andMiramax executiveJonathan Glickman after exiting the studio’s planned remake ofDeath Wish, which Carnahan had been attached to write and direct.[15] In the early 2000s, Carnahan was set to directTom Cruise inMission Impossible III, but ended up being replaced byJ. J. Abrams, after which Carnahan centered his criticism on Cruise's marquee presence, citing his cope that "you’re dealing with… a big movie star whose involvement tends to shape creative outcomes".[16] Carnahan has also been criticized for disparaging remarks directed at film critics and female journalists, includingDeadline Hollywood founderNikki Finke, as well as comments made on social media following mixed reviews ofEl Chicano in 2019, after which he deleted hisTwitter account.[17][18][19] In January 2026, during the press tour of theNetflix filmThe Rip that Carnahan directed, Carnahan was named in a civil lawsuit filed by his former partner who he dated until 2024, Michelle Crosby, who cited a "pattern of violence", alleging assault, sexual battery and stalking by Carnahan. Carnahan subsequently countersued Crosby.[20][21]
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Karate Raider | No | Yes | No | |
| 1998 | Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane | Yes | Yes | Yes | Also editor |
| 2002 | Narc | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 2006 | Smokin' Aces | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 2008 | Pride and Glory | No | Yes | No | |
| 2010 | The A-Team | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 2011 | The Grey | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2014 | Stretch | Yes | Yes | Yes | Direct-to-video |
| 2018 | Death Wish | No | Yes | No | |
| El Chicano | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2020 | Bad Boys for Life | No | Yes | No | |
| Boss Level | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2021 | Copshop | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2025 | Shadow Force | Yes | Yes | No | |
| Not Without Hope | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2026 | The Rip | Yes | Yes | No |
Producer only
Associate producer
Executive producer
Acting roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane | Sid French | |
| 2010 | The A-Team | Mike 'The Operator' | Credited as "Bo Anzo" |
| 2018 | El Chicano | Role: Federal #1 | |
| 2020 | Boss Level | Guy in diner | Uncredited |
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Taco Heaven | No | Yes | No | |
| 2000 | Nail in My Coffin | No | No | No | Editor |
| 2002 | Ticker | Yes | Yes | No | Segment from theBMW short film seriesThe Hire |
| 2003 | Boyz Up Unauthorized | No | No | Executive | |
| 2009 | Susannah | No | No | Yes | |
| 2011 | The Devil's Dosh | No | No | Executive |
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Faceless | Yes | Yes | No | Unsold TV pilot |
| 2013 | Dino and Dash | No | Executive | No | Television film |
| The Blacklist | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| 2014 | Those Who Kill | Yes | No | No | |
| State of Affairs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The actor will squeeze inRIP beforeLanterns, as the Netflix feature begins production later this month in Miami and Los Angeles.
