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David Twohy

David Neil Twohy (born October 18, 1955) is an film director, , and producer best known for his contributions to and cinema, particularly as the creator of the franchise starring . Twohy's career spans over three decades, beginning with screenwriting credits on such as Critters 2: The Main Course (1988) and the Warlock (1989), followed by high-profile mainstream projects including co-writing (1993), which earned an Award nomination, Waterworld (1995), and (1997). He transitioned to directing with the time-travel drama The Grand Tour: Disaster in Time (1992), which won him a Golden Raven Award, and continued with entries like The Arrival (1996), a tale of starring . His breakthrough came with Pitch Black (2000), a low-budget survival thriller that introduced the anti-hero Richard B. Riddick and grossed $53 million worldwide on a $23 million budget, establishing Twohy's signature style of gritty, atmospheric genre storytelling. This success led to the expanded Riddick universe with the big-budget sequel (2004) and (2013), which returned to the franchise's independent roots. Twohy also directed the submarine horror Below (2002) and the thriller (2009) during this period. Twohy also contributed an early draft to Alien³ (1992), introducing its prison-planet concept. As of November 2025, , the fourth installment in the franchise with an anticipated release in 2027, is in following that began in August 2024; the project reunites him with to explore Riddick's origins on his . A graduate of , Twohy remains active in , often blending practical effects with speculative narratives in his work.

Early life and education

Early years

David Neil Twohy was born on October 18, 1955, in Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California. The son of Richardson Twohy and Virginia Twohy, he grew up in a family of four children that included siblings , Steven, and . His parents relocated to Palos Verdes Estates in the early 1950s, where they built their first home in 1950 and became active in the local community. Raised in the affluent coastal community of Palos Verdes near . During adolescence, he developed a passion for , influenced by classic films and literature, including works by authors such as Robert Heinlein, , and . This formative period in Palos Verdes laid the groundwork for his later pursuits in , leading him to in related fields.

Higher education

Twohy attended (CSULB), where he pursued a degree in radio, television, and , graduating in 1978. Initially entering college with an interest in , Twohy switched to a major after contributing dialogue to a student , marking his early pivot toward . This hands-on involvement in campus projects, including writing lines for a about a robbing a and encountering a sex worker, allowed him to explore techniques such as camera operation and lens work. Through coursework in , , and —core elements of CSULB's radio, television, and film program—Twohy developed foundational storytelling skills that honed his narrative abilities. These university experiences shifted his ambitions from general pursuits to a specialized focus on , laying the groundwork for his professional trajectory in .

Career

Screenwriting beginnings

After graduating from , with a degree in radio/television/ in 1979, David Twohy entered to pursue , navigating the competitive industry through persistence and genre-focused pitches. His professional breakthrough occurred in the late amid the era's proliferation of low-budget and sci-fi productions, where he honed his craft on independent and studio assignments. Twohy's first credited work came in 1988 with revisions to the screenplay for Critters 2: The Main Course, a comedic sequel directed by , marking his entry into the creature-feature subgenre. This led to his debut solo screenplay credit on (1989), directed by , a thriller that transported a 17th-century warlock to modern-day , blending , fantasy, and chase elements to demonstrate his versatility in genre storytelling. The film's cult status helped establish Twohy as a reliable writer for atmospheric, high-concept narratives in constrained budgets. Throughout the early 1990s, Twohy tackled additional low-budget projects, including story contributions and screenplay polishes for independent action-thrillers, often requiring adaptations to meet studio notes on pacing and commercial appeal. These assignments involved navigating frequent rejections and iterative rewrites, common hurdles for emerging screenwriters in Hollywood's risk-averse environment, where genre scripts faced scrutiny for market fit. His early scripts consistently featured tight, economical plotting infused with sci-fi or twists and built through character motivations under pressure, laying the foundation for his later high-profile work.

Directorial transition

In the early , David Twohy transitioned from to directing with his feature debut, (1992), also released as Grand Tour: Disaster in Time, an independently produced adapted from the 1946 novella "Vintage Season" by and (writing under the pseudonym ). Twohy wrote the screenplay and directed the film on a modest budget, centering on themes of and impending disaster as a group of enigmatic tourists arrives at a rural inn on the eve of a catastrophic event, forcing the widowed owner (played by ) to confront personal loss amid the unfolding mystery. This allowed Twohy to maintain creative control, drawing on his prior experience to helm a low-stakes production that emphasized atmospheric tension over high-concept effects. Twohy's follow-up, The Arrival (1996), further solidified his directorial voice in the genre, as he again wrote and directed this sci-fi thriller distributed by , featuring as an uncovering an signal that reveals a covert tied to environmental manipulation. The film incorporated elements of and global , with Sheen's character allying with a scientist () to expose the threat, blending investigative procedural with on a larger scale than his debut. During this period, Twohy experienced significant professional growth, navigating the intricacies of —from in remote settings for Timescape to coordinating international crews and visual effects for The Arrival's $25 million budget—which honed his skills in managing schedules, budgets, and studio expectations. This hands-on experience attracted greater studio interest, transitioning him from independent filmmaking to mid-tier projects and establishing his reputation for intelligent, effects-driven sci-fi. Critically, Twohy's early directorial efforts garnered niche praise for their conceptual depth and restrained storytelling, with Timescape lauded as a "solid adventure" for its twisty narrative and character focus despite visible low-budget constraints, though it achieved only limited theatrical release. Similarly, The Arrival received mixed reviews, earning a 65% approval rating on for its engaging premise and Sheen's committed performance, but it underperformed commercially, grossing $14 million domestically against its budget, appealing primarily to sci-fi enthusiasts rather than mainstream audiences.

Riddick franchise development

David Twohy co-wrote and directed Pitch Black (2000), which introduced the character , a convicted murderer and anti-hero with the ability to see in the dark, portrayed by . Originally based on a script by Jim and Ken Wheat titled , Twohy rewrote it to center on Riddick as an unexpected savior amid a crash on a light-sensitive alien planet overrun by predatory creatures. Produced on a modest budget of $23 million, the film grossed $53 million worldwide and achieved cult status for its blend of sci-fi horror and survival tension, despite initial mixed reviews. Twohy advocated for Diesel's casting after viewing his short film , rejecting alternatives like to capture Riddick's raw, naturalistic edge. The franchise expanded with (2004), a bigger-budget directed and written by Twohy that delved into Riddick's backstory, including his Furyan origins and battles against the Necromonger empire, broadening the lore into epic elements. With a $105 million budget, it earned $116 million globally, though it underperformed relative to expectations and received divided critical response for its ambitious scale compared to the intimate Pitch Black. To bridge the films, Twohy contributed the story for the animated short : Dark Fury (2004), directed by , which depicts Riddick's immediate post-Pitch Black capture and escape, voiced by and maintaining the franchise's horror-infused action. Twohy returned to the series' low-budget roots with Riddick (2013), which he wrote and directed, emphasizing themes as Riddick fights deadly creatures and bounty hunters on a desolate , echoing Pitch Black's while critiquing the sequel's excess. Made for $38 million, it grossed $98 million worldwide and prompted reevaluation of the franchise's strengths in character-driven over spectacle. Throughout, Twohy has served as , , and , shaping the saga around as a lone anti-hero navigating and self-reliance in unforgiving cosmic voids, blending sci-fi with themes of and moral ambiguity. The franchise continues with Riddick: Furya, announced in 2023 and written/directed by Twohy, focusing on 's return to his ravaged homeworld of Furya in search of his roots and kin, potentially confronting Necromonger remnants. began in August 2024 in , with Diesel starring and producing; as of November 2025, the film is in with an anticipated release in 2027.

Later projects and collaborations

Following the success of his early directorial efforts, David Twohy expanded his portfolio with Below (2002), a horror-thriller set aboard a World War II-era U.S. where the crew encounters eerie, otherworldly phenomena after rescuing survivors from a sunken vessel. Co-written with , the film emphasized claustrophobic tension and psychological dread in its underwater confines, marking a departure from Twohy's roots while showcasing his skill in building through confined spaces. Though it received mixed reviews for its pacing, Below highlighted Twohy's versatility in blending historical settings with elements. Twohy's screenwriting career continued to flourish with high-profile action-thrillers, including The Fugitive (1993), where he contributed to the script for the Harrison Ford-led adaptation of the classic TV series, focusing on a wrongful conviction chase narrative that grossed over $368 million worldwide. He also penned Waterworld (1995), a post-apocalyptic adventure starring Kevin Costner that explored survival in a flooded world, despite its notoriously troubled production. Additional credits include Terminal Velocity (1994), a skydiving espionage tale with Charlie Sheen, and G.I. Jane (1997), directed by Ridley Scott and starring Demi Moore as a female Navy SEAL trainee, underscoring Twohy's expertise in high-stakes, adrenaline-fueled stories. These assignments solidified his reputation in the action genre, often prioritizing taut plotting and character-driven conflicts over spectacle. In 2009, Twohy returned to directing with , a filmed in that follows a honeymooning couple encountering potential killers on a remote trail, starring and . This project represented a brief pivot to non-science fiction territory, incorporating twisty suspense and interpersonal dynamics in an idyllic yet perilous setting, earning praise for its clever misdirection. Key collaborations during this period included his script work with Aronofsky on Below and production partnerships with figures like , who supported Twohy's genre explorations across multiple ventures. As of November 2025, Twohy remains active, with in post-production as a return to familiar territory, serving as the franchise's fourth installment. Outside that series, he has announced Running with Lions, an upcoming drama centered on the high-pressure world of . These endeavors reflect Twohy's ongoing interest in evolving genre conventions, from supernatural thrillers to contemporary sports narratives.

Filmography

As director

Twohy made his directorial debut with the independent Grand Tour: Disaster in Time (also known as ), released in 1992. This low-budget production, with an estimated cost under $5 million, featured a runtime of 99 minutes and starred and in lead roles. His second feature, (1996), was a with a runtime of 115 minutes, produced on a $25 million budget by . The film starred as the protagonist Zane Zaminsky, alongside and . Twohy also wrote the screenplay for this project. In 2000, Twohy directed Pitch Black, a with a modest $23 million budget from USA Films, running 109 minutes. It starred as Richard B. Riddick, with supporting cast including , , and . The production was filmed primarily in the Australian to depict the alien planet setting. Twohy co-wrote the script. Below (2002), a thriller set during , had a runtime of 105 minutes and a $40 million budget from Miramax's . The primary cast included , , and as the submarine crew. Twohy co-wrote the screenplay with and Lucas Sussman. The The Chronicles of Riddick (2004), a sequel to Pitch Black, was a large-scale studio production by with a $105 million budget and a 119-minute runtime. reprised his role as , joined by , , and . Twohy wrote and directed this entry in the franchise. A Perfect Getaway (2009), a thriller filmed in with a $14 million budget from , ran 97 minutes and starred , , , and as vacationing couples. Twohy wrote the original . Returning to the Riddick franchise, Twohy directed Riddick (2013), a science fiction action film with a $38 million budget from Relativity Media, featuring a 119-minute runtime. Vin Diesel led the cast, supported by Matt Nable, Katee Sackhoff, and Jordi Mollà. The production emphasized practical effects for its survival-themed narrative. Twohy also wrote the script. As of November 2025, Twohy is directing the upcoming Riddick: Furya (expected release 2027), a science fiction action film produced by One Race Films. Vin Diesel will reprise his role as Riddick, with production having begun in August 2024 and no runtime announced yet. Twohy is also writing the screenplay.

As writer

David Twohy began his career in the late 1980s, initially contributing to low-budget films before transitioning to high-profile and projects that showcased his ability to craft taut, character-driven narratives in genre cinema. His early work often blended elements with suspense, evolving over time into expansive blockbusters emphasizing survival, pursuit, and moral ambiguity in high-stakes environments. Twohy's first credited screenplay was for Critters 2: The Main Course (1988), a horror-comedy sequel directed by Mick Garris, written by David Twohy and Mick Garris, focusing on the chaotic antics of alien furballs terrorizing a small town. This marked his entry into professional screenwriting. In 1989, Twohy penned the original screenplay for Warlock, a supernatural thriller directed by Steve Miner, featuring Julian Sands as a 17th-century warlock unleashed in modern-day Los Angeles, pursued by a witch hunter; the script highlighted Twohy's knack for fusing historical fantasy with contemporary action sequences. Twohy's breakthrough came with (1993), directed by Andrew Davis, where he adapted the story from the 1960s television series created by , emphasizing Dr. Richard Kimball's desperate flight from wrongful conviction and the relentless pursuit by U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard, earning a nomination for the Award for Best Motion Picture. He followed with the original screenplay for (1994), an action thriller directed by and starring as a skydiving instructor entangled in a conspiracy involving a mysterious woman and stolen Soviet gold, noted for its high-octane aerial stunts and twisty plot. For (1995), directed by Kevin Reynolds, Twohy co-wrote the screenplay with Peter Rader, developing the initial concepts of a post-apocalyptic world flooded by melted polar ice caps, where a lone mariner () navigates survival amid marauders seeking dry land; his early drafts established the core world-building and environmental themes, though the script underwent extensive rewrites during production. Twohy contributed an early draft to Alien³ (1992), directed by , introducing the prison-planet concept for the . Twohy's final major writing-only credit in this phase was (1997), directed by , an original depicting Lieutenant Jordan O'Neil () enduring brutal Navy SEAL training as the first woman in the program, exploring themes of gender barriers and physical endurance in a militaristic setting. In 2004, Twohy wrote the for the animated short , a 48-minute science fiction bridge between Pitch Black and . Directed by , the project also had Twohy as executive producer, with voice cast including , , and . The project was produced by Aeronauts Ltd. for DVD release. Throughout these projects, Twohy's style shifted from the creature-feature of his debut to the adrenaline-fueled, plot-twist-heavy of mainstream blockbusters, demonstrating versatility in adapting both original ideas and existing properties while prioritizing visceral tension and anti-hero dynamics.

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