Guy Ritchie facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Guy Ritchie
Ritchie in 2017
Born	(1968-09-10) 10 September 1968 (age 56) Hatfield, England
Occupation	Film director producer screenwriter businessman
Years active	1995–present
Spouse(s)	Madonna ​ ​ (m. 2000; div. 2008)​ Jacqui Ainsley ​ (m. 2015)​
Children	5

Guy Ritchie (born 10 September 1968) is a famous English film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is well-known for his exciting British crime comedies and big action-adventure movies.

Ritchie left school at 15 and started working in the film industry. He began by directing TV commercials before making his own films. His movies often feature fast-paced action, interesting characters, and clever stories.

Guy Ritchie's Early Life and Career

Growing Up and Starting Out

Guy Ritchie was born in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, on September 10, 1968. He was the second child of Amber and John Vivian Ritchie. Guy has an older sister and a half-brother.

He attended different schools, including Windlesham House School and Stanbridge Earls School. He left school when he was 15 years old. After leaving school, he got entry-level jobs in the film world. This helped him learn how movies are made.

First Films and Big Success

In 1995, Guy Ritchie directed a short film called The Hard Case. This led to his first full-length movie, the crime comedy Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998). It took 15 months to get the money needed to make the film.

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels became a big hit in the United Kingdom. It introduced actors like Jason Statham and former footballer Vinnie Jones to a wider audience. Critics praised Ritchie's energetic directing. The film earned over $28 million worldwide. It even won a BAFTA award for Film of the Year. Because of its success, Ritchie created a TV show spin-off called Lock, Stock... in 2000.

Ritchie's next film was Snatch (2000). This was another crime comedy about criminals looking for a stolen diamond. It starred many well-known actors, including Brad Pitt and Benicio del Toro. Like his first film, Snatch told its story from different characters' viewpoints. It was also a commercial success, making over $83 million worldwide.

Movies and Music Videos

In 2001, Ritchie directed a music video for the song "What It Feels Like for a Girl" by Madonna. He also directed a short film called Star for a series promoting BMW cars.

His next movie was Swept Away (2002), a romantic comedy starring Madonna. This film was not well-received by critics and did not do well at the box office. It even won several "Golden Raspberry Awards" for being one of the worst films of the year.

Later Career and Blockbusters

Challenges and Sherlock Holmes

Ritchie's film Revolver (2005) was another crime film. It starred Jason Statham again. This movie also received negative reviews and did not make much money. Ritchie said it was an "esoteric movie" not made for everyone.

In 2008, he directed RocknRolla, which was a step back in the right direction for his crime film style. It did well in the UK. That same year, Ritchie directed a TV commercial for Nike featuring famous football players like Cristiano Ronaldo.

A big turning point came with Sherlock Holmes (2009). This film starred Robert Downey Jr. as the famous detective and Jude Law as Dr. Watson. It was a huge hit, earning over $520 million worldwide. Downey Jr. even won a Golden Globe Award for his role. Ritchie directed the sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011), which was even more successful, making over $545 million.

More Recent Projects

After the Sherlock Holmes films, Ritchie continued to direct commercials for brands like H&M and Haig, often featuring David Beckham.

In 2015, he directed The Man From U.N.C.L.E., a spy movie based on a 1960s TV show. It starred Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer. The film received mixed reviews.

His fantasy adventure film King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) did not do well at the box office, leading to planned sequels being cancelled.

However, Ritchie found massive success with Disney's live-action movie Aladdin (2019). This film, based on the 1992 animated classic, earned over $1 billion worldwide. It became one of the highest-grossing films of 2019 and the most successful film of Ritchie's career.

In 2020, Ritchie returned to his crime comedy roots with The Gentlemen. This film was well-received by critics and earned $115 million worldwide. A spin-off TV series for The Gentlemen was released on Netflix in March 2024.

Ritchie has continued to direct action films, including Wrath of Man (2021) and Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (2023), both starring Jason Statham. His war drama The Covenant (2023), starring Jake Gyllenhaal, received positive reviews.

In 2024, Ritchie's film The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare was released. He also directed In the Grey, which finished production in October 2023. His film Fountain of Youth was released on Apple TV+ in May 2025. He is also directing a new series called MobLand and a film called Wife & Dog, which began filming in February 2025. In April 2025, it was announced he would direct a sequel to the film Road House. He is also an executive producer and director for the Amazon Prime Video TV series Young Sherlock, based on the popular young adult novels.

Guy Ritchie's Filmmaking Style

Influences and Unique Style

Guy Ritchie has mentioned that filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Sergio Leone have influenced his work. He also says that many good films have inspired him.

Ritchie's films often have memorable and "colorful" characters, like the Irish boxer Mickey O'Neil in Snatch. His crime movies often feature quick, witty conversations and characters who use cockney slang. He also explores how different social classes in Britain are shown.

He uses fast-paced and energetic action scenes. He is known for using quick cuts and slow motion to make the story exciting and create a big impact for viewers. Ritchie also likes to tell stories that weave together different characters' perspectives and don't always follow a straight timeline. You can see this in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Sherlock Holmes, and Snatch.

Ritchie has said that his creative process is "very random" and can lead to "dead ends." He believes a director needs to learn from real life and history. He also knows that creative ideas often need to be changed and improved.

Ritchie often works with the same actors, including Vinnie Jones, Jason Statham, Jason Flemyng, Mark Strong, Jude Law, Hugh Grant, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Henry Cavill.

Guy Ritchie's Personal Life

Ritchie with Madonna in 2005

Guy Ritchie began training in Shotokan karate at age seven and has earned black belts in both Shotokan and Judo. He also has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

He was married to American singer-songwriter Madonna from 2000 to 2008. They have a son named Rocco and adopted a son named David Banda. They reached an agreement for their divorce in 2008.

In 2010, Ritchie met English model Jacqui Ainsley. They got married on July 30, 2015, and have three children together.

Other Ventures

Ritchie designed this Paddington Bear statue for the NSPCC in 2014.

Guy Ritchie owns a pub in London called The Lore of the Land. He also owns a small company called Gritchie Brewing Company, which makes beer on his estate in Wiltshire. He also owns The Wild Kitchen, a company that makes outdoor cooking equipment.

In 2022, Ritchie bought Compton Abbas Airfield, which is next to his estate. He started running the airfield in February 2023.

From 2007 to 2008, Ritchie also wrote a comic book series called Guy Ritchie's Gamekeeper.

Filmography

Feature Films

Short Films

Television Work

Images for kids

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  Ritchie at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival

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  Ritchie at the Paris premiere of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, 2012

See also

In Spanish: Guy Ritchie para niños