Derek Kolstad Explained

Derek Kolstad
Birth Date:4 April 1974
Birth Place:Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Years Active:1987–present
Known For:Creator of the John Wick franchise
Style:Action thriller films

Derek Kolstad (born April 4, 1974) is an American screenwriter and film producer. He is the creator of the John Wick franchise, which began in 2014. He continued to write for the first two sequels of the franchise and is mainly known as a screenwriter of action films and shows.

Biography

Originally from Madison, Wisconsin, Kolstad attended Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart and later studied business administration at Taylor University in Indiana. He moved to California at age 24 to pursue screenwriting. He says he started writing films when he was a teenager, but he struggled to find success in Hollywood at first.[1]

Career

The first script he sold was called Acolyte, which was purchased by Voltage Pictures in June 2012. After that, he got some writing and re-writing work, including work on One in the Chamber, starring Dolph Lundgren and Cuba Gooding Jr. He then wrote The Package, which also starred Lundgren.

Kolstad sold a script titled Scorn to Thunder Road Pictures, which signed Keanu Reeves for the lead role in April 2013. At Reeves' suggestion, the film was renamed John Wick after the title character,[2] whom Kolstad had named after his maternal grandfather. The film was released in 2014 and was followed by in 2017 and in 2019.[3] Kolstad wrote the video game John Wick: Chronicles and was involved with the creation of a comic book series.[4] However, he was not asked by the studio to continue writing for the fourth or subsequent films.[5]

In 2017, it was reported that Kolstad would write a live-action television adaptation of the Hitman franchise as well as an action-thriller titled The Steward.[6] [7] [8] In 2019, it was reported that Kolstad would write and produce a live-action film adaptation of the Just Cause franchise.[9] In 2020, Netflix announced that Kolstad would be an executive producer and writer on a Splinter Cell anime series.[10] In 2021, Kolstad was hired to write the screenplay for a live-action adaptation of Hellsing for Amazon Prime Video.[11]

Kolstad wrote the screenplay for the 2021 film Nobody starring Bob Odenkirk, and two episodes of the 2021 Marvel Studios television series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Personal life

Kolstad lives in Pasadena, California with his wife Sonja and twin children.[12]

Filmography

Also credited as "characters created" in the John Wick franchise.

Film writer

YearTitleDirectorNotes
2012One in the ChamberWilliam Kaufman
2013The PackageJesse V. Johnson
2014John WickChad Stahelski
David Leitch
2017Chad Stahelski
2019
2021NobodyIlya NaishullerAlso executive producer
2025Nobody 2Timo TjahjantoFilming

Television

Year(s)TitleExecutive
producer
WriterNotes
2020Die HartAlso creator
2021The Falcon and the Winter SoldierEpisodes: "Power Broker" and "The Whole World Is Watching"[13]
2023

Notes and References

  1. Doug Moe, Doug Moe: John Wick, hit man, Madison.com, January 6, 2014.
  2. Web site: Giroux . Jack . Interview: 'John Wick: Chapter 2' Screenwriter Derek Kolstad on Expanding the World and Paying Homage to 'Open Range' . . https://web.archive.org/web/20180615111139/http://www.slashfilm.com/john-wick-chapter-2-screenwriter-derek-kolstad-interview/ . June 15, 2018 . February 10, 2017 . live.
  3. Gary Collinson, An interview with Derek Kolstad, screenwriter of John Wick, Flickering Myth, October 24, 2014.
  4. Web site: Kit . Borys . 2017-06-01 . 'John Wick 3' Brings Back Writer Derek Kolstad (Exclusive) . 2023-03-27 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
  5. Web site: 'John Wick' Creator says Studio Making Next Sequels Without Him: 'It Wasn't My Decision'. Sharf. Zack. IndieWire. March 23, 2021. January 12, 2021.
  6. Dave McNary, ‘John Wick’ Writer Derek Kolstad Sets up ‘The Steward’ With Cristal Pictures, Variety, June 19, 2017.
  7. James White, Hitman Targets A TV Relaunch With John Wick's Derek Kolstad, Empire, November 13, 2017.
  8. Borys Kit, 'John Wick 3' Brings Back Writer Derek Kolstad, Hollywood Reporter, June 1, 2017.
  9. Web site: 'John Wick' Writer Derek Kolstad Tackling 'Just Cause' Video Game Adaptation . The Hollywood Reporter . en . May 21, 2019.
  10. Web site: 'Splinter Cell' Anime Series From 'John Wick' Writer Derek Kolstad Set at Netflix (EXCLUSIVE). July 31, 2020. Variety.
  11. Web site: Amazon Develops Live-Action Hellsing Film With John Wick Writer. 2021-04-26. Anime News Network. en.
  12. How Pasadena Resident and John Wick Creator Derek Kolstad Achieved "Overnight" Success After 20 Years . Carlson . Julie . Pasadena Magazine . March/April 2020 . April 21, 2020 . 2021-07-02.
  13. Web site: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Production Brief . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210315172004/https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/the_falcon_and_the_winter_soldier_production_brief_fina_875edcc9.pdf . March 15, 2021 . March 15, 2021 . Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution.