Robert Zemeckis
Directing Born May 14, 1951 Chicago, Illinois, USA 143 credits
Biography
Robert Lee Zemeckis, also known as Bob Zemeckis, is an American filmmaker known for directing and producing successful and influential movies that often blend cutting-edge visual effects with storytelling. Born on May 14, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois, United States, he has accumulated 104 known credits in directing. His career includes directing the comedy films I Wanna Hold Your Hand in 1978, Used Cars in 1980, and Romancing the Stone in 1984. He later gained prominence directing the Back to the Future science-fiction comedy trilogy from 1985 to 1990, the fantasy comedy Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1988, and Forrest Gump. Throughout his career, he has received accolades including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, along with nominations for five British Academy Film Awards and a Daytime Emmy Award.
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Career overview
Robert Lee Zemeckis, also known as Bob Zemeckis, is an American filmmaker born on May 14, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Active in the film industry with numerous known credits, his career in directing includes a wide range of motion picture projects spanning several decades.
Zemeckis started his career directing the comedy films I Wanna Hold Your Hand in 1978, Used Cars in 1980, and Romancing the Stone in 1984. He later gained prominence directing the science-fiction comedy Back to the Future trilogy from 1985 to 1990, the fantasy comedy Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1988, and the comedy-drama Forrest Gump.
Throughout his career, he has built a substantial body of work in directing, television, and film, maintaining a presence in the entertainment industry recognized across multiple databases and streaming platforms.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside StoryA Future on StageYou Know: Uncovering What Lies Beneath
Here · ProducerHere · DirectorHere · Screenplay
Tom Hanks: The Nomad
LIGHT & MAGICPinocchio · ScreenplayPinocchio · ProducerPinocchio · Director
Finch · Executive Producer
Roald Dahl's The Witches · DirectorRoald Dahl's The Witches · ScreenplayRoald Dahl's The Witches · ProducerReunited ApartI'm Thinking of Ending Things · Thanks
Project Blue Book · Executive ProducerWHAT / IF · Executive Producer
Manifest · Executive ProducerManifest · ProducerBack to the Future: The Hill Valley Chronicles · DirectorBack to the Future: The Hill Valley Chronicles · WriterWelcome to Marwen · Director
SpielbergElemental: Hydrogen vs. Hindenburg · Executive Producer
Allied · DirectorAllied · Producer
The Late Show with Stephen ColbertThe Walk · DirectorThe Walk · ScreenplayThe Walk · ProducerBack in Time
The Director's Chair
Milius
Flight · DirectorFlight · ProducerBound by Flesh · Executive ProducerPersistence of VisionPlaga zombie: zona mutante: revolución tóxica · Thanks
Real Steel · Executive ProducerMars Needs Moms · ProducerBrian May's Brief History of 3D
Tales from the FutureBehind the Burly Q · Executive Producer
A Christmas Carol · DirectorA Christmas Carol · ScreenplayA Christmas Carol · ProducerWaking Sleeping BeautyLooking Back to the Future
Beowulf · DirectorBeowulf · ProducerThe Reaping · Producer
Monster House · Executive ProducerLast Holiday · Executive Producer
House of Wax · ProducerThe Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio · ProducerLe court des grands · Director
The Polar Express · DirectorThe Polar Express · ScreenplayThe Polar Express · ProducerThe Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing
Gothika · ProducerMatchstick Men · Executive ProducerBehind the Ears: The True Story of Roger Rabbit
Ghost Ship · ProducerRitual · ProducerBack to the Future: Making the Trilogy
Thir13en Ghosts · Producer
Cast Away · DirectorCast Away · ProducerWhat Lies Beneath · DirectorWhat Lies Beneath · Producer
House on Haunted Hill · ProducerFrom Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light & MagicThe Pursuit of Happiness · DirectorTales from the Crypt: The Robert Zemeckis Collection · Director
The Making of 'The Frighteners'
Contact · DirectorContact · ProducerPerversions of Science · Executive Producer
Bordello of Blood · StoryBordello of Blood · Executive ProducerThe Frighteners · Executive ProducerThe Making of '1941'
Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight · Executive ProducerMADtvW.E.I.R.D. World · Executive Producer
Full filmography
- Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story (2025) as Self
- A Future on Stage (2025) as Self
- You Know: Uncovering What Lies Beneath (2025) as Self
- Here (2024) Producer
- Here (2024) Director
- Here (2024) Screenplay
- Tom Hanks: The Nomad (2023) as Self (archive footage)
- LIGHT & MAGIC (2022) as Self - Director, Back to the Future
- Pinocchio (2022) Screenplay
- Pinocchio (2022) Producer
- Pinocchio (2022) Director
- Finch (2021) Executive Producer
- Roald Dahl's The Witches (2020) Director
- Roald Dahl's The Witches (2020) Screenplay
- Roald Dahl's The Witches (2020) Producer
- Reunited Apart (2020) as Self
- I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020) Thanks
- Project 88: Back to the Future Too (2020) Creator
- Project Blue Book (2019) Executive Producer
- WHAT / IF (2019) Executive Producer
- Manifest (2018) Executive Producer
- Manifest (2018) Producer
- Back to the Future: The Hill Valley Chronicles (2018) Director
- Back to the Future: The Hill Valley Chronicles (2018) Writer
- Welcome to Marwen (2018) Director
- Welcome to Marwen (2018) Screenplay
- Welcome to Marwen (2018) Producer
- Spielberg (2017) as Self
- Elemental: Hydrogen vs. Hindenburg (2017) Executive Producer
- Allied (2016) Director
- Allied (2016) Producer
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) as Self
- The Walk (2015) Director
- The Walk (2015) Screenplay
- The Walk (2015) Producer
- Back in Time (2015) as Self
- Doc Brown Saves the World (2015) Director
- Doc Brown Saves the World (2015) Writer
- Back To the Present: The Special (2015)
- The Director's Chair (2014) as Self
- Milius (2013) as Self
- Flight (2012) Director
- Flight (2012) Producer
- Bound by Flesh (2012) Executive Producer
- Persistence of Vision (2012) as Himself
- Plaga zombie: zona mutante: revolución tóxica (2012) Thanks
- Real Steel (2011) Executive Producer
- Mars Needs Moms (2011) Producer
- Brian May's Brief History of 3D (2011) as Self
- Tales from the Future (2010) as Self
- Behind the Burly Q (2010) Executive Producer
- A Christmas Carol (2009) Director
- A Christmas Carol (2009) Screenplay
- A Christmas Carol (2009) Producer
- Waking Sleeping Beauty (2009) as Self (archive footage)
- Looking Back to the Future (2009) as Self
- Looking Back to the Future (2009) Thanks
- Beowulf (2007) Director
- Beowulf (2007) Producer
- The Reaping (2007) Producer
- Monster House (2006) Executive Producer
- Last Holiday (2006) Executive Producer
- House of Wax (2005) Producer
- The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (2005) Producer
- Le court des grands (2005) Director
- The Polar Express (2004) Director
- The Polar Express (2004) Screenplay
- The Polar Express (2004) Producer
- The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing (2004) as Self
- Gothika (2003) Producer
- Matchstick Men (2003) Executive Producer
- Behind the Ears: The True Story of Roger Rabbit (2003) as Self
- Ghost Ship (2002) Producer
- Ritual (2002) Producer
- Back to the Future: Making the Trilogy (2002) as Self
- Thir13en Ghosts (2001) Producer
- Cast Away (2000) Director
- Cast Away (2000) Producer
- What Lies Beneath (2000) Director
- What Lies Beneath (2000) Producer
- House on Haunted Hill (1999) Producer
- From Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light & Magic (1999) as Self
- The Pursuit of Happiness (1999) Director
- Tales from the Crypt: The Robert Zemeckis Collection (1999) Director
- The Making of 'The Frighteners' (1998) as Self
- Contact (1997) Director
- Contact (1997) Producer
- Perversions of Science (1997) Executive Producer
- Bordello of Blood (1996) Story
- Bordello of Blood (1996) Executive Producer
- The Frighteners (1996) Executive Producer
- The Making of '1941' (1996) as Self
- Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995) Executive Producer
- MADtv (1995) as Self
- W.E.I.R.D. World (1995) Executive Producer
- Forrest Gump (1994) Director
- DeGenerazione (1994) Thanks
- Through the Eyes of Forrest Gump (1994) as Self
- Tales from the Cryptkeeper (1993) Producer
- Johnny Bago (1993) Director
- Death Becomes Her (1992) Director
- Death Becomes Her (1992) Producer
- Trespass (1992) Writer
- Trespass (1992) Executive Producer
- The Public Eye (1992) Executive Producer
- Two-Fisted Tales (1992) Director
- Two-Fisted Tales (1992) Executive Producer
- Back to the Future (1991) Characters
- Parker Lewis Can't Lose (1990) as Robert Zemeckis
- Back to the Future Part III (1990) Director
- Back to the Future Part III (1990) Story
- Back to the Future Part III (1990) Characters
- The Secrets of the 'Back to the Future' Trilogy (1990) as Self
- Tales from the Crypt (1989) Director
- Tales from the Crypt (1989) Producer
- Back to the Future Part II (1989) Director
- Back to the Future Part II (1989) Characters
- Back to the Future Part II (1989) Story
- First Works (1989) as Self
- Back to the Future (Part II): Behind-the-Scenes Special Presentation (1989) as Self
- Back to the Future (Part II): Behind-the-Scenes Special Presentation (1989) Thanks
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) Director
- Citizen Steve (1987) as Screenwriter
- Amazing Stories (1986) Director
- The Making of Back to the Future (1986) as Self
- Back to the Future (1985) Director
- Back to the Future (1985) Writer
- Amazing Stories (1985) Director
- Romancing the Stone (1984) Director
- Used Cars (1980) Director
- Used Cars (1980) Writer
- 1941 (1979) Story
- 1941 (1979) Screenplay
- I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978) Writer
- I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978) Director
- A Field of Honor (1973) Director
- A Field of Honor (1973) Writer
- The Lift (1972) Director
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- Barracuda Executive Producer
- The Last Mrs. Parrish Director
- A Hero's Journey: The Making of Beowulf as Self
- School for Scumbags Executive Producer