James Allen Mangold (born December 16, 1963) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Noted for his versatility in tackling a range of genres, Mangold made his debut as a film director with Heavy (1995), and is best known for the films Cop Land (1997), Girl, Interrupted (1999), Identity (2003), Walk the Line (2005), 3:10 to Yuma (2007), and two films in the X-Men franchise with The Wolverine (2013) and Logan (2017), the latter of which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.[2] He then directed the sports drama film Ford v Ferrari (2019), which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Picture, and directed and co-wrote Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), the fifth and final installment in the Indiana Jones series.[3][4][5][6]

James Mangold
Mangold in 2017
Born
James Allen Mangold

(1963-12-16) December 16, 1963 (age 61)[1]
New York City, U.S.
Education
Occupations
  • Film director
  • screenwriter
  • producer
Years active1985–present
Spouse
(m. 1999; div. 2014)
Children2
Parents

Early life

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Mangold was born in New York City in 1963, and is the son of artists Robert Mangold and Sylvia Plimack Mangold.[7] He was raised in Hudson Valley and graduated from Washingtonville High School.[7][8] His mother is Jewish, and he describes himself as "half-Jewish."[9]

He attended the California Institute of the Arts film/video program[8] where he studied under Alexander Mackendrick. During Mangold's third year, Mackendrick suggested that he should study at CalArts School of Theater as an actor, alongside his regular film studies.[10] While at CalArts, he directed the promotional documentary Future View for Disney and General Motors.[11]

Career

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1985–2007

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In 1985, Mangold secured a writer/director deal at Disney.[8] He wrote a television movie and co-wrote the animated feature Oliver & Company.[8] A few years later, Mangold moved to New York and applied to Columbia University's film school,[8] where he graduated with an MFA in film.[12] While there, he studied under film director Miloš Forman who helped him develop the scripts for Heavy and Cop Land. He has worked as a feature writer and director since 1995, when his first feature, the independent film Heavy, won the best directing prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

Mangold subsequently wrote and directed Cop Land (1997), starring Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, and Ray Liotta;[13] Girl, Interrupted,[8] which won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1999 for Angelina Jolie; Kate & Leopold,[14] starring Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman, for which Jackman was nominated for a Golden Globe as best actor in a musical or comedy in 2001, and the 2003 thriller Identity which starred John Cusack.[15]

In 2005, Mangold co-wrote (with Gill Dennis), produced (under his production banner, Tree Line Film[16]), and directed Walk the Line, a film about the young life of singer-songwriter Johnny Cash and his relationship with June Carter Cash. Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, it was released on November 18, 2005, to positive reviews and grossed $187 million worldwide. It was nominated for five Oscars and Witherspoon won Best Actress for her performance as June Carter Cash. Mangold also appeared as an actor in The Sweetest Thing as a doctor and love interest to Christina Applegate as well as in his own Kate & Leopold playing a movie director.

In 2007, Mangold directed the Western 3:10 to Yuma, starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale; it received positive reviews and grossed around $71 million worldwide.

2013–present

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Mangold at San Diego Comic-Con to promote The Wolverine, 2013

In June 2011, Mangold was hired, initially just to direct the X-Men movie The Wolverine. Along with screenwriters Christopher McQuarrie, Scott Frank and Mark Bomback, Mangold also adapted the screenplay based upon Frank Miller and Chris Claremont's Japanese Wolverine saga and entered production in Japan and Australia in July 2012. He completed photography in November of the same year. On release, it was a box office success, ending up with a worldwide gross of $414,828,246 with a budget of $120 million, according to Box Office Mojo.[17]

Following the box office success and moderate critical response to The Wolverine, Mangold signed on to write the story and direct the sequel, Logan (2017). The film marked Mangold and Jackman's third collaboration. Scott Frank was hired to return as co-screenwriter, working as a team with Mangold and Michael Green.[18] The development of the film was lengthy, with Jackman citing his and Mangold's desire to do the character justice for his last time in the role.[19][20] The film incorporated elements from Mark Millar's Old Man Logan run on the comics.[21] Mangold has stated that the plot primarily focuses on character development, rather than superhero spectacle.[22] Logan was a commercial success, and received high praise for its gritty approach on the titular character and emotional depth. Often called one of the greatest superhero films of all time, the movie also earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, becoming the first live-action superhero movie to be nominated for Adapted Screenplay, as well as Mangold's first Oscar nomination.[23][24]

In February 2018, it was announced that Mangold was set to direct a film about the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, with Christian Bale and Matt Damon starring as Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby respectively, and Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth and Jason Keller writing the script.[25] The film, titled Ford v Ferrari, was released in November 2019 to critical acclaim and became a box office success, grossing $225 million worldwide. The film received 4 nominations including Best Picture, with two wins for Best Film Editing and Best Sound Editing at the 92nd Academy Awards.[26][27]

In February 2020, it was announced that Mangold was in talks to direct the then untitled fifth film in the Indiana Jones franchise, later revealed to be titled Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, taking over for Steven Spielberg, who directed the first four films in the franchise and instead served as one of the executive producers.[28] In May 2020, it was officially confirmed that Mangold would serve as director.[29] Filming began in the United Kingdom in June 2021, and wrapped in February 2022.[30][31] The film was released on June 30, 2023.[32]

In early 2020 Mangold was announced to direct the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown with Searchlight Pictures distributing, starring Timothée Chalamet. Despite production delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Mangold committing to Indiana Jones, Chalamet told Variety in November 2022 that he was still preparing for the role and that "the winds that are blowing are blowing in a very positive direction".[33] In April 2023, Mangold confirmed that the film would likely begin production in August of that year,[34] before plans were suspended in July due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[35] Filming eventually began in March 2024 and wrapped in time for a December release.[36][37]

Upcoming projects

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In February 2023, Mangold was reported by The Hollywood Reporter to be in early talks to write and direct a film based on the Swamp Thing, as part of James Gunn's and Peter Safran's newly-announced "Chapter One: Gods and Monsters" film slate for the DC Universe, after the releases of his Indiana Jones film and Bob Dylan biopic.[38] Two months later in April, Mangold confirmed that he had been hired to write and direct a Swamp Thing film, with Gunn soon confirming that he approached Mangold to do the film upon charting the DCU's storylines, describing the film as a passion project of Mangold's.[39]

In April 2023, during Star Wars Celebration Europe IV, Lucasfilm announced Mangold's involvement as director of a future Star Wars film whose story "will go back to the dawn of the Jedi" and explore the origins of The Force, set around 25,000 years before the events of the Star Wars prequel trilogy.[40][41]

Style

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Mangold has mentioned that, in all his work, he always tries to find an emotional center within his stories he can operate from, especially when he does franchise films due to contemporary culture having made franchises a commodity to the point of being repetitive, commenting "it makes an audience wish that they just had the first one over again. So you have to push something to someplace new, while also remembering the core reasons why everyone was gathered" to make the best story with those issues at its heart, being the approach he employed for Logan and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.[42]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1995 Heavy Yes Yes No
1997 Cop Land Yes Yes No
1999 Girl, Interrupted Yes Yes No
2001 Kate & Leopold Yes Yes No
2003 Identity Yes Uncredited No Script revisions
2005 Walk the Line Yes Yes No
2007 3:10 to Yuma Yes No No
2010 Knight and Day Yes Uncredited No Script revisions
2013 The Wolverine Yes No No
2017 Logan Yes Yes Executive
2019 Ford v Ferrari Yes No Yes
2023 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Yes Yes No
2024 A Complete Unknown Yes Yes Yes
TBA Swamp Thing Yes Yes No

Miscellaneous

Year Title Credit
1988 Oliver & Company Co-writer
1995 Future View Promotional documentary for Disney and General Motors
2001 Lift Producer
2017 The Greatest Showman Executive producer
2020 The Call of the Wild Producer
2024 Deadpool & Wolverine Story consultant[43]

Television

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Year(s) Title Director Writer Executive
producer
Episode
1986 The Disney Sunday Movie No Yes No "The Deacon Street Deer" (S30 E14)
1992 Claymation Easter No Story No
2006 Men in Trees Yes No Yes "Pilot" (S1 E1)
2012 NYC 22 Yes No No "Pilot" (S1 E1)
Vegas Yes No Yes "Pilot" (S1 E1)
2015–2017 Zoo No No Yes
2017–2018 Damnation No No Yes
2019–2022 City on a Hill No No Consulting

Awards and nominations

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Year Title Academy Awards BAFTA Awards Golden Globe Awards
Nominations Wins Nominations Wins Nominations Wins
1999 Girl, Interrupted 1 1 1 1
2001 Kate & Leopold 1 2 1
2005 Walk the Line 5 1 4 2 3 3
2007 3:10 to Yuma 2
2017 Logan 1
2019 Ford v Ferrari 4 2 3 1 1
2023 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny 1
Total 15 4 7 3 7 5

Directed Academy Award performances

Mangold has directed multiple Academy Award-winning and nominated performances.

Year Performer Film Result
Academy Award for Best Actor
2006 Joaquin Phoenix Walk the Line Nominated
Academy Award for Best Actress
2006 Reese Witherspoon Walk the Line Won
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
2000 Angelina Jolie Girl, Interrupted Won

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Jeng, Jonah (March 6, 2017). "Walking within the Lines: The Films of James Mangold". Paste Magazine. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
  2. ^ 2018|Oscars.org
  3. ^ 2020|Oscars.org
  4. ^ "Indiana Jones 5 Director James Mangold Has Answered a Very 'Important' Question About Harrison Ford's Indy". October 15, 2021.
  5. ^ "Indiana Jones 5 Director Offers Update on How Much Filming Remains".
  6. ^ Rahman, Abid (May 19, 2023). "'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny': What the Critics are Saying". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Esther, John (Winter 2007). "Avoiding Labels and Lullabies: An Interview with James Mangold". Cineaste. Vol. 33, no. 1. Archived from the original on February 6, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Ivry, Bob (January 11, 2000). "Director brought edge to 'chick flick'". Reading Eagle. p. D5. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  9. ^ "Interview: 'Logan' director James Mangold." Applebaum, Steven. The Jewish Chronicle. Published March 3, 2017. Accessed April 8, 2017.
  10. ^ James Mangold Interview on Sammy Going South DVD
  11. ^ "'Logan' Director James Mangold Discusses His Early Career, Mentor Alexander Mackendrick". November 24, 2017.
  12. ^ James Mangold | Columbia University School of the Arts Archived December 12, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Arts.columbia.edu (June 24, 2010). Retrieved on March 11, 2017.
  13. ^ Blair, Ian (August 21, 1997). "Mangold gets big names to come on board". New Straits Times. p. 5. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  14. ^ Turner, Miki (December 26, 2001). "Hugh Jackman's Charm". Lakeland Ledger. p. D5. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  15. ^ Tinsley, Brad (September 12, 2003). "'Identity' is a hair-raiser; 'Anger Management' frustrates (Review)". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. p. D7. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  16. ^ "James Mangold". Variety. November 8, 2013.
  17. ^ "The Wolverine". Box Office Mojo.
  18. ^ Vejvoda, Jim (March 28, 2015). "Hugh Jackman: 'Wolverine … One Last Time'". IGN. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  19. ^ Couch, Aaron (October 4, 2016). "Hugh Jackman Offers 'Wolverine 3' Update: It's "Very Different in Tone"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  20. ^ Montes, Charmaine (February 3, 2016). "'Wolverine 3' Update: Hugh Jackman Reveals Script Is Almost Finished, Release Date Expected 2017". The Christian Post. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  21. ^ Katzman, Gregg (July 12, 2015). "'Wolverine': Hugh Jackman Teases 'Old Man Logan' During Comic-Con". Screen Rant. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  22. ^ Davis, Brandon (March 2, 2017). "James Mangold Reveals How Logan Is Different From Other Super Hero Movies". Comicbook.com. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  23. ^ Saad, Nardine (January 23, 2018). "'Logan' Director James Mangold Surprised that Wolverine Film Got Him His First Oscar Nod for Adapted Screenplay". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  24. ^ "Call Me by Your Name" wins Best Adapted Screenplay – Oscars on YouTube
  25. ^ Lang, Brent (February 5, 2018). "James Mangold to Direct Ford vs. Ferrari Film as 'Logan' Follow-Up (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  26. ^ "Oscar Nominations 2020: The Complete List". Variety. January 13, 2020. Archived from the original on January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  27. ^ "Parasite" wins Best Picture – Oscars on YouTube
  28. ^ Gaulppo, Mia (February 26, 2020). "James Mangold in Talks to Replace Steven Spielberg as 'Indiana Jones 5' Director". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  29. ^ Lawrence, Gregory (May 25, 2020). "'Indiana Jones 5': Frank Marshall Updates Us on Script, Praises New Director James Mangold". Collider. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  30. ^ Lund, Anthony (June 7, 2021). "'Indiana Jones 5' Set Photos Reveal Motorcycle Stunt, Nazi Train and a Creepy Harrison Ford Mask". MovieWeb. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  31. ^ Lovett, Jamie (February 27, 2022). "Indiana Jones 5 Wraps Filming". Comicbook.com. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  32. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (October 18, 2021). "Disney Delays 'Doctor Strange 2,' 'Thor 4,' 'Black Panther' Sequel and 'Indiana Jones 5'". Variety. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  33. ^ Sharf, Zack (November 16, 2022). "Timothée Chalamet Has Prepped to Play Bob Dylan for Two Years, Says Biopic Isn't Dead: It's Going in a 'Very Positive Direction'". Variety. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  34. ^ McPherson, Christopher (April 7, 2023). "Here's When James Mangold's Bob Dylan Biopic Starring Timothée Chalamet Begins Filming". Collider. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  35. ^ "22 Biggest Upcoming Movies That The Actors Strike Affects (& Which Could Be Delayed)". ScreenRant. July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  36. ^ McPherson, Chris (March 17, 2024). "Timothée Chalamet Is 'A Complete Unknown in Bob Dylan Biopic Set Images". Collider. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  37. ^ Shanfeld, Ethan (July 15, 2024). "Timothée Chalamet to Star in Josh Safdie, A24 Movie About Ping Pong Pro Marty Reisman (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on July 15, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  38. ^ Kit, Borys (February 1, 2023). "James Mangold in Talks to Tackle 'Swamp Thing' Movie for James Gunn, Peter Safran's DC Studios". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  39. ^ McPherson, Christopher (April 7, 2023). "James Mangold Is Writing the 'Swamp Thing' Movie for DC [Exclusive]". Collider. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  40. ^ "SWCE 2023: Three New Star Wars Movies Announced". StarWars.com. April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  41. ^ Kit, Borys; Ritman, Alex (April 7, 2023). "'Star Wars': New Movies from James Mangold, Dave Filoni in the Works". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  42. ^ Davis, Brandon (May 27, 2020). "Lucas: Indy V Research In Works". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  43. ^ Perez, Rodrigo (December 24, 2022). "Hugh Jackman Says Wolverine "Hates" Deadpool & "Wants To Punch Him" In The Face In 'Deadpool 3'". The Playlist. Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
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