Edgar Wright facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Edgar Wright
Wright in 2017
Born	Edgar Howard Wright (1974-04-18) 18 April 1974 (age 51) Poole, Dorset, England
Alma mater	Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design
Occupation	Film director film producer screenwriter
Years active	1994–present

Edgar Howard Wright (born 18 April 1974) is an English filmmaker. He is famous for his fast-paced and exciting movies. His films often mix different genres like comedy and action. He uses a special editing style with quick cuts and cool camera moves. He also uses popular music in his films.

Edgar Wright started by making short independent films. His first full-length movie was A Fistful of Fingers in 1995. He also created and directed the comedy TV series Asylum in 1996. Later, he directed the popular sitcom Spaced (1999–2001). This show starred Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, who often work with Wright.

In 2004, Wright directed Shaun of the Dead, a funny zombie movie. This was the first film in his "Three Flavours Cornetto" trilogy. He wrote this film with Simon Pegg. The next two films in the trilogy were Hot Fuzz (2007), a buddy cop action comedy, and The World's End (2013), a science fiction comedy.

In 2010, Wright directed Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. This action comedy was based on a popular graphic novel series. He also helped write The Adventures of Tintin (2011) for Steven Spielberg. In 2015, he co-wrote the script for the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie Ant-Man. He had planned to direct it but left due to creative differences. His other films include the action movie Baby Driver (2017), the documentary The Sparks Brothers, and the horror film Last Night in Soho (both 2021).

Early life and education

Edgar Howard Wright was born on April 18, 1974, in Poole, Dorset, England. He grew up mostly in Wells in Somerset. He has an older brother named Oscar, who is an artist.

When he was younger, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, he made many short films. He started with a Super-8 camera given by his family. Later, he won a Video-8 camcorder in a TV show competition. These early films were often funny copies of popular movie styles. For example, he made Carbolic Soap, which was like a superhero movie. He also made Dead Right, which was a tribute to the movie Dirty Harry.

From 1992 to 1994, Wright studied at the Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design. This school is now called Arts University Bournemouth. In 2018, the university gave him an honorary award. He said he still remembered his time there fondly.

Career

Early works and Spaced (1995–2002)

Edgar Wright's first full movie was A Fistful of Fingers in 1995. It was a low-budget western comedy. Even though Wright wasn't completely happy with it, the movie got attention. Comedians Matt Lucas and David Walliams noticed his work. They chose him to direct their TV show Mash and Peas.

During this time, he also worked on other TV shows for the BBC. Wright has said that the movie An American Werewolf in London greatly influenced his funny and edgy style. He explained that he loves horror and genre films, and also comedy. He was amazed by how that movie mixed both so well.

In 1998, writers and actors Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes were creating their sitcom Spaced. They remembered working with Wright on the comedy show Asylum in 1996. So, they asked him to direct Spaced. Wright gave Spaced a unique look for a sitcom. He used dramatic camera angles and movements often seen in sci-fi and horror films. He even added a "Homage-O-Meter" to his releases. This showed all the nods he made to other films.

The Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy and Scott Pilgrim (2003–2013)

The success of Spaced helped Wright and Pegg make the movie Shaun of the Dead. This was a zombie comedy that mixed British romantic comedy with tributes to horror movies. The film was a big hit with critics and audiences. Its connection to American genre films helped it become popular worldwide.

Wright and Pegg then planned a trilogy of British comedies. These films were linked by similar themes and jokes, not by a continuing story. They called it "The Three-Flavours-Cornetto-Trilogy." This name came from a running joke about the British ice cream Cornetto. Wright said it was a joke that stuck, comparing it to a famous film trilogy. The films also share a funny recurring joke about garden fences.

Wright in 2013

The second film was the action comedy Hot Fuzz. It was released in 2007. The movie is about Simon Pegg's character, Nicholas Angel, a police officer. He moves from London to a quiet village where strange and violent things start to happen. In 2007, Wright also directed a fake movie trailer called "Don't" for the film Grindhouse. It made fun of common horror movie clichés.

Wright at The World's End premiere, Leicester Square, 2013

In 2010, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was released. This film was much bigger, with a budget of over $85 million. It was based on the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series. Wright co-wrote, co-produced, and directed it. Even though it didn't make a lot of money at the box office, critics and other directors loved it.

In November 2011, The Adventures of Tintin came out. Steven Spielberg directed it, and Peter Jackson produced it. Wright co-wrote the film with Joe Cornish and Steven Moffat. The third film in the Cornetto trilogy, The World's End, premiered in 2013. This movie is about a group of friends who try to repeat a pub crawl they did 20 years earlier. But unusual things happen, and their journey might decide the future of humanity.

Ant-Man and Baby Driver (2014–2017)

Edgar Wright had been working on a live-action movie about the Marvel Comics superhero Ant-Man since 2006 with Joe Cornish. However, in May 2014, Wright announced he would no longer direct the movie. He said it was due to creative differences. He explained that he wanted to make an Edgar Wright movie, but Marvel wanted a Marvel movie. He felt less connected to the project when they wanted to change his script. Peyton Reed took over as director. Wright and Cornish still received credit for the story and screenplay.

In July 2014, Wright announced his next film would be Baby Driver. He described it as "kind of like a musical" mixed with crime, action, music, and sound. The film stars Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Lily James, and Jamie Foxx. Production began in February 2016, and the movie was released on June 28, 2017.

Recent works (2018–present)

In June 2018, Edgar Wright announced he would make a documentary about the band Sparks. The film, The Sparks Brothers, premiered in January 2021 and was released in theaters in June 2021.

In January 2019, it was announced that his next film would be a horror thriller film set in London. It was inspired by films like Don't Look Now. In February 2019, the title was revealed as Last Night in Soho. It stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, and Thomasin McKenzie. The film was released on October 29, 2021.

In 2020, Wright formed a production company called Complete Fiction with his long-time friends Nira Park, Joe Cornish, and Rachel Prior. This company has signed a deal with Netflix to adapt several books into series.

In April 2022, Wright joined the British Film Institute's Board of Governors. He said he was excited to help promote their work in film. In 2023, Wright announced that Scott Pilgrim would return as an anime series. The original actors from the movie would voice the characters. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off was released on Netflix on November 17, 2023, with Wright as an executive producer.

In February 2021, Wright signed on to direct a new movie based on Stephen King's book The Running Man. This film, also a remake of the 1987 movie, is planned for 2025. Wright and Michael Bacall are working to update the story for new audiences.

Personal life

Edgar Wright has mentioned that the film An American Werewolf in London by John Landis influenced him the most. He also said that Sam Raimi's Evil Dead II and the Coen brothers' Raising Arizona made him want to become a director.

From 2008 to 2013, Wright dated American actress Anna Kendrick. They met while working on Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

Wright has made small appearances in every film by his friend Garth Jennings. Jennings has also made cameos in Wright's films like Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

Edgar Wright has received many awards and nominations for his work.

• In 2004, he won the British Independent Film Award for Best Screenplay for Shaun of the Dead.
• He also won a Bram Stoker Award for Screenplay for Shaun of the Dead in 2004.
• In 2011, he won the Empire Award for Best Director for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. He also received an Inspiration Award that year.
• In 2018, he won the Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgia Cinema for Baby Driver.

See also

• Edgar Wright's unrealized projects