Roland Emmerich
Biography
Roland Emmerich is a German film director, screenwriter and producer born on 10 November 1955 in Stuttgart, West Germany. He studied at a film school in Munich and first attracted attention with his student film The Noah’s Ark Principle, screened in 1984 and released in 1981. In 1985 he co‑founded Centropolis Entertainment with his sister. Emmerich is known for disaster and action movies, directing titles such as Godzilla (1998), Patriot (2000), Independence Day, Stargate, Trade, 10 000 BC (2008) and 2012 (2009). TMDB lists 69 directing credits for him. He is also an art collector and campaigns for LGBT rights, climate awareness and equal rights.
Career overview
Roland Emmerich, born on 10 November 1955 in Stuttgart, West Germany, began his filmmaking career while studying at a film school in Munich. In 1984 his student project Das Arche Noah Prinzip was screened, and the film later became known in English as The Noah’s Ark Principle (1981), which brought him early recognition as a director of disaster‑themed cinema. The following year he and his sister founded the production company Centropolis Entertainment, establishing a base for his subsequent large‑scale projects.
Emmerich’s directing portfolio includes a series of high‑profile science‑fiction and disaster pictures. He directed the 1998 remake of Godzilla, the 2000 action film Patriot, and the internationally noted Independence Day (Den nezávislosti) and Stargate (Hvězdná brána). He continued the trend with the prehistoric adventure 10 000 BC (2008) and the apocalyptic thriller 2012 (2009). A 2011 work titled Anonym is also listed among his credits. Across film and television, his known credits number 69, reflecting a prolific output in both directing and screenwriting.
Beyond directing, Emmerich is identified as a German‑origin filmmaker who works primarily in the United States. He is also described as a collector of art and an active campaigner for LGBT rights, global‑warming awareness, and equal rights. His career remains closely associated with large‑scale disaster and action spectacles.
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Career timeline
Full filmography
- Carolco, un rêve hollywoodien (2026)
- Meister der Apokalypse - Roland Emmerich (2025) as Self
- Roland Emmerich - Weltenzerstörer, Weltenerbauer (2025) as Self - subject, filmmaker
- Those About to Die (2024) Executive Producer
- Those About to Die (2024) Director
- La Californie ! (2023) as Self - Director
- Moonfall (2022) Writer
- Moonfall (2022) Director
- Moonfall (2022) Producer
- The Magic Flute (2022) Producer
- The Colony (2021) Executive Producer
- The Colony (2021) Thanks
- Roland Emmerich: Man on a Mission (2020) as Self
- The Men of Midway (2020) as Self
- Midway (2019) Director
- Midway (2019) Producer
- Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) Director
- Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) Screenplay
- Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) Characters
- Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) Producer
- Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) Story
- Another Day: The Making of 'Independence Day: Resurgence' (2016) as Self
- Stonewall (2015) Director
- Stonewall (2015) Producer
- The Real History of Science Fiction (2014) as Himself
- White House Down (2013) Director
- Circus Halligalli (2013)
- Der Bernd (2012) as Self
- Last Will. & Testament (2012) Executive Producer
- Anonymous (2011) Director
- Anonymous (2011) Producer
- The Shakespeare Enigma (2011)
- Hell (2011) Executive Producer
- Hollywood between Paranoia and Sci-Fi: The Power of Myth (2011) as Self
- 2012: Roland Emmerich - Master of the Modern Epic (2010) as Self
- 2012: Roland Emmerich - Master of the Modern Epic (2010) Producer
- 2012: Roland Emmerich - Master of the Modern Epic (2010) Executive Producer
- 2012: Roland Emmerich - Master of the Modern Epic (2010) Presenter
- The End of the World: The Actor's Perspective (2010) as Self
- The End of the World: The Actor's Perspective (2010) Director
- The End of the World: The Actor's Perspective (2010) Producer
- The End of the World: The Actor's Perspective (2010) Executive Producer
- 2012 (2009) Director
- 2012 (2009) Writer
- 2012 (2009) Executive Producer
- 2012 Startling New Secrets (2009)
- Stargate: History Made (2009) as Self
- Shirley Adams (2009) Executive Producer
- 10,000 BC (2008) Director
- 10,000 BC (2008) Producer
- 10,000 BC (2008) Screenplay
- Jack N Jill (2008) Thanks
- Trade (2007) Producer
- The Day After Tomorrow (2004) Director
- The Day After Tomorrow (2004) Producer
- The Day After Tomorrow (2004) Screenplay
- The Day After Tomorrow (2004) Story
- The Force Is with Them: The Legacy of 'Star Wars' (2004) as Self
- Guns, Genes & Fighting Machines: The Making of 'Universal Soldier' (2004) as Himself
- Eight Legged Freaks (2002) Executive Producer
- The Patriot (2000) Director
- The Patriot (2000) Executive Producer
- Independence Day: Creating Reality (2000) as Himself - Director (as Roland Emmrich)
- Boom! Hollywood's Greatest Disaster Movies (2000) as Self
- The Patriot: The Art of War (2000) as Self
- The Thirteenth Floor (1999) Producer
- Godzilla: The Series - Monster War (1999) Executive Producer
- Godzilla (1998) Director
- Godzilla (1998) Screenplay
- Godzilla (1998) Executive Producer
- Godzilla (1998) Story
- Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1998)
- Leute heute (1997) as Self
- The 120 Days of Bottrop (1997) as Self
- Independence Day (1996) Director
- Independence Day (1996) Screenplay
- Independence Day (1996) Executive Producer
- Independence Day: The ID4 Invasion (1996) as Self
- The Making of 'Independence Day' (1996) as Self
- Hollywood, Germany - Die amerikanische Herausforderung (1996) as Self
- Die Harald Schmidt Show (1995) as Self
- Stargate (1994) Director
- Stargate (1994) Screenplay
- The High Crusade (1994) Producer
- Morgenmagazin (1992) as Self
- Universal Soldier (1992) Director
- Moon 44 (1990) Director
- Moon 44 (1990) Producer
- Moon 44 (1990) Story
- Ghost Chase (1987) Director
- Ghost Chase (1987) Story
- Ghost Chase (1987) Screenplay
- Making Contact (1985) Director
- Making Contact (1985) Screenplay
- Goldene Kamera (1984) as Self
- The Noah's Ark Principle (1984) Director
- The Noah's Ark Principle (1984) Writer
- Wetten, dass..? (1981) as Self
- Verlieben vielleicht (1980) as Robert
- Bavarian Film Awards (1979) as Self
- Franzmann (1979) Director
- Franzmann (1979) Writer
- Smash - Gefahr aus der Unendlichkeit (1979) Production Design
- Max und Sandy (1978) Production Design
- Bambi (1948) as Self
- Guns, Genes & Fighting Machines: The Making of "Universal Soldier" as Self
- Maya Lord Director
- Maya Lord Producer