Rian Johnson
- Known For
- Directing
- Born
- December 17, 1973 in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Active Years
- 1990–2027 (38 Years)
- Total Credits
- 101 credits in database
Biography
Rian Johnson is an American filmmaker born on December 17, 1973, in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. He made his directorial debut with the film Brick in 2005. Johnson achieved mainstream recognition for writing and directing the science-fiction thriller Looper in 2012. He went on to write and direct the space opera Star Wars: The Last Jedi in 2017, which grossed over $1 billion. Johnson returned to the mystery genre with Knives Out in 2019 and its sequel Glass Onion in 2022. Johnson has directed at least 73 films and television shows.
Career overview
Rian Johnson is an American filmmaker who made his directorial debut with the neo-noir mystery film Brick in 2005. The film received positive reviews and was made on a budget of $450,000, grossing nearly $4 million. This marked the beginning of Johnson's career as a director.
Johnson transitioned to higher-profile films, achieving mainstream recognition for writing and directing the science-fiction thriller Looper in 2012. The film was a critical and commercial success. He then landed his largest project, writing and directing the space opera Star Wars: The Last Jedi in 2017, which grossed over $1 billion.
Johnson returned to the mystery genre with Knives Out in 2019 and its sequel Glass Onion in 2022. Both films earned him Academy Award nominations. Throughout his career, Johnson has demonstrated his versatility as a director, successfully navigating different genres and achieving significant commercial success.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
101 titles- A Place in Hell (2027) Producer
- The Hawk (2026) Executive Producer
- The Only Living Pickpocket in New York (2026) Executive Producer
- Frankenstein (2025) Thanks
- Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025) Director
- Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025) Writer
- Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025) Producer
- Netflix Tudum 2025 (2025) as Self
- 3 Body Problem (2024) Executive Producer
- Blake Edwards: A Love Story in 24 Frames (2024) as Self
- Poker Face (2023) Executive Producer
- Poker Face (2023) Writer
- Poker Face (2023) Director
- Poker Face (2023) Creator
- Fair Play (2023) Executive Producer
- American Fiction (2023) Executive Producer
- Temple of Film: 100 Years of the Egyptian Theatre (2023) as Self
- The Space Western of the Southwest (2023)
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) Director
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) Writer
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) Producer
- Scream (2022) as Party Guest (voice) (uncredited)
- Scream (2022) Thanks
- Metal Lords (2022) Thanks
- Blood Relatives (2022) Thanks
- Last Night in Soho (2021) Thanks
- Directors on Directors (2021) as Self
- tick, tick... BOOM! (2021) Thanks
- Capone (2020) Thanks
- Knives Out (2019) Director
- Knives Out (2019) Producer
- Knives Out (2019) Writer
- Scare Package (2019) Thanks
- Destroyer (2018) Thanks
- The Director and the Jedi (2018) as Self
- Balance of the Force (2018) as Self
- Lighting the Spark: Creating the Space Battle (2018) as Self
- The Force of Sound (2018) as Self
- The Last Jedi: Meet the Porgs (2018)
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) Writer
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) Director
- Baby Driver (2017) Thanks
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) as Imperial Technician (uncredited)
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) Thanks
- The Invitation (2016) Thanks
- The Hollars (2016) Thanks
- The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015) as Self - Guest
- Tales of Halloween (2015) Thanks
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self
- BoJack Horseman (2014) as Brian (voice)
- The Real History of Science Fiction (2014) as Self
- Out of Print (2014) as Self
- Nosferatu vs. Father Pipecock & Sister Funk (2014) Thanks
- The World's End (2013) Thanks
- Welcome to the Jungle (2013) Thanks
- The English Teacher (2013) Thanks
- No Half Measures: Creating the Final Season of Breaking Bad (2013) as Self
- Looper (2012) Director
- Looper (2012) Writer
- The Outsider: A Looper's Story (2012) Thanks
- The Woman (2011) Songs
- Brawler (2011) Thanks
- Terriers (2010) Director
- The Life of the World to Come (2010) Director
- Breaking Bad (2008) Director
- The Brothers Bloom (2008) Director
- The Brothers Bloom (2008) Writer
- Spike (2008) Thanks
- Brick (2006) Director
- Brick (2006) Editor
- Brick (2006) Writer
- Escargots (2006) Camera Operator
- Building Brick (2006) as Self
- Building Brick (2006) Camera Operator
- Building Brick (2006) Thanks
- May (2003) Editor
- People Are Dead (2002) Thanks
- The Psychology of Dream Analysis (2002) Director
- The Psychology of Dream Analysis (2002) Writer
- Ben Boyer and the Phenomenology of Automobile Marketing (2001) Director
- Phyfutima (1998) Camera Operator
- Evil Demon Golfball from Hell!!! (1997) Writer
- Evil Demon Golfball from Hell!!! (1997) Director
- Evil Demon Golfball from Hell!!! (1997) Editor
- Greater Than a Tiger (1997) Editor
- Omaha (The Movie) (1995) Production Assistant
- Cleaning the Pool (1995) Director
- Cleaning the Pool (1995) Writer
- Hey Lady, You Dropped Your Wallet!!! (1993) as The Whacky Protagonist
- Hey Lady, You Dropped Your Wallet!!! (1993) Writer
- Hey Lady, You Dropped Your Wallet!!! (1993) Director
- Hey Lady, You Dropped Your Wallet!!! (1993) Editor
- Ninja Ko: Origami Master (1990) Director
- Ninja Ko: Origami Master (1990) Writer
- 2034 Producer
- Untitled Gene Kelly Project Producer
- Disinherited Executive Producer
- Turpentine Producer
- Untitled Sci-Fi Rian Johnson Film Director
- Untitled Sci-Fi Rian Johnson Film Writer
- Untitled Sci-Fi Rian Johnson Film Producer
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Rian Johnson best known for?
Rian Johnson is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including The Hawk (2026), The Only Living Pickpocket in New York (2026), Frankenstein (2025), Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025).
When and where was Rian Johnson born?
Rian Johnson was born on December 17, 1973 in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.
How many credits does Rian Johnson have?
Rian Johnson has accumulated over 101 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1990 to 2027.
What is Rian Johnson's background in cinema and television?
Rian Johnson is an American filmmaker born on December 17, 1973, in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. He made his directorial debut with the film Brick in 2005. Johnson achieved mainstream recognition for writing and directing the science-fiction thriller Looper in 2012. He went on to write and direct the space opera Star ...
Rian Johnson by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- BoJack Horseman (2014) as Brian (voice) — aged about 40
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) as Imperial Technician (uncredited) — aged about 42
- Scream (2022) as Party Guest (voice) (uncredited) — aged about 48
- Temple of Film: 100 Years of the Egyptian Theatre (2023) as Self — aged about 49
- The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015) as Self - Guest — aged about 41
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self — aged about 40
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