Gerard Johnstone Explained

Gerard Johnstone
Birth Place:Invercargill, New Zealand
Years Active:2008–present
Children:2

Gerard Johnstone is a New Zealand screenwriter and director. He is known for the comedy sitcom series The Jaquie Brown Diaries and the horror films Housebound and M3GAN.

Early life

Johnstone was born in Invercargill, New Zealand,[1] where he attended Verdon College.[2]

Career

In the early 2000s, Johnstone and Jaquie Brown worked together at C4. A few years later, they created a production company, Young, Gifted & Brown, to make the New Zealand sitcom The Jaquie Brown Diaries, based on a satirical fictionalised version of Brown. It began airing in 2008 with Johnstone serving as writer and director.[3] [4]

In March 2014, Johnstone made his directorial debut with Housebound at the South by Southwest festival.[5] The comedy horror film was released on 17 October 2014 in select theatres and VOD.[6] The following year, Johnstone approached New Zealand weightlifter Sonia Manaena, who set the world record in 2013 for deadlifting, about directing a film detailing her life being a competitive weightlifter.[7] Filming was scheduled to begin in 2016,[7] but as of 2023 Johnstone said, "It's been cooking in the background for a long time".[8]

In 2016, he released Terry Teo, a reboot of the 1985 television series, Terry and the Gunrunners.[9] By August 2017, Johnstone was reported to be in the running to direct Warner Bros.' Dark Universe, but instead was hired to polish the script.[10]

Johnstone directed episodes of the first season of The New Legends of Monkey, airing in 2018.[11] That same year, he signed on to direct the comedy horror film, M3GAN.[12] Producer James Wan chose Johnstone for the job after admiring his ability to balance horror and comedy elements in Housebound.[13] M3GAN was released on 6 January 2023 to commercial and critical success. It grossed over $30 million on its opening weekend and garnered positive reviews.[14] [15] He returned to direct the sequel, M3GAN 2.0, scheduled for release June 27, 2025.[16]

Personal life

Johnstone is married.[17] He has two sons, born in 2012 and 2014.[18]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleDirectorWriter
2014Housebound
2022M3GAN
2025M3GAN 2.0

Television

YearTitleDirectorWriterExecutive ProducerNotes
2008–2009The Jaquie Brown Diaries14 episodes
2016Terry Teo6 episodes (director); 4 episodes (writer)
2018The New Legends of Monkey6 episodes

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: 1 September 2017 . Kiwi director Gerard Johnstone poised to polish Justice League Dark script . . live . 13 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230113222446/https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/96425952/kiwi-director-gerard-johnstone-poised-to-polish-justice-league-dark-script . 13 January 2023.
  2. Web site: Maka . Valu . 13 January 2023 . From meat works to making waves in Hollywood . 4 April 2023 . Otago Daily Times.
  3. News: Young, gifted and Brown . . live . 13 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230113222446/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/young-gifted-and-brown/LF2AM6REXYTPTPLHRTHRUWDO7M/ . 13 January 2023.
  4. Web site: The Jaquie Brown diaries. Series one [videorecording] / director, Gerard Johnstone ; producer, Hayley Cunningham ; writers, Gerard Johnstone, Jodie Molloy. ]. live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230113222446/https://natlib.govt.nz/records/21530411 . 13 January 2023 . 13 January 2023 . National Library of New Zealand.
  5. News: Whittaker . Richard . 11 March 2014 . SXSW Gets Housebound . . live . 13 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230112060742/https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/sxsw/2014-03-11/sxsw-gets-housebound/ . 12 January 2023.
  6. Web site: Dickson . Evan . 6 October 2014 . Housebound Movie Clip: Beware the Teddy Bear . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230113222446/https://collider.com/housebound-movie-clip/ . 13 January 2023 . 13 January 2023 . Collider.
  7. News: Salter . Caitlin . 14 May 2015 . Film to be made about Southland power lifter Sonia Manaena . 13 January 2023 . . 13 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230113222446/https://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/culture/68552117/film-to-be-made-about-southland-power-lifter-sonia-manaena . live .
  8. Web site: Connelly . Brendon . 10 January 2023 . M3gan interview: Gerard Johnstone on his brilliant career and creating a horror icon . 13 January 2023 . Film Stories . 13 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230113222455/https://www.filmstories.co.uk/features/m3gan-interview-gerard-johnstone-on-his-brilliant-career-and-creating-a-horror-icon/ . live .
  9. News: Johnstone . Gerard . 24 November 2016 . Throwback Thursday: The maker of Terry Teo (2016) on Terry Teo (1985) . 13 January 2023 . The Spinoffn . 13 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230113222446/https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/24-11-2016/throwback-thursday-the-maker-of-terry-teo-2016-on-terry-teo-1985 . live .
  10. Web site: Kroll . Justin . 29 August 2017 . 'Justice League Dark' Gets Script Polish From Gerard Johnstone . 13 January 2023 . . 13 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230113222446/https://variety.com/2017/film/news/justice-league-dark-new-script-gerard-johnstone-1202542351/ . live .
  11. Web site: Gerard Johnstone . 13 January 2023 . . 13 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230113225147/https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/gerard-johnstone/screenography . live .
  12. Web site: Kit . Borys . 18 July 2018 . Jason Blum, James Wan Team for Horror-Thriller 'M3GAN' (Exclusive) . 13 January 2023 . . 2 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230102154058/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/jason-blum-james-wan-team-horror-film-m3gan-1128040/ . live .
  13. Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . 8 January 2023 . How 'M3GAN' Boogied Her Way To The Box Office Via TikTok; Sequel Already In Works . 8 January 2023 . . 8 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230108230331/https://deadline.com/2023/01/m3gan-box-office-sequel-tiktok-marketing-1235214229/ . live .
  14. Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . 8 January 2023 . 'M3GAN' Slays With $30M+ Opening; 'Avatar: The Way Of Water' Hits Half Billion Faster Than 'Top Gun 2', 'Rogue One – Sunday AM Box Office Update . 8 January 2023 . . en-US . 8 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230108015724/https://deadline.com/2023/01/box-office-m3gan-avatar-the-way-of-water-1235212918/ . live .
  15. Web site: M3GAN (2022) . . 9 January 2023 . 4 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230204045119/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/m3gan . live .
  16. Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . 2024-07-16 . M3GAN 2.0 Rolls Cameras With Timm Sharp, Aristotle Athari, Jemaine Clement & More . 2024-07-16 . Deadline Hollywood.
  17. News: Lyon . Joshua . 12 January 2023 . For a Deadly Doll, a Killer Wardrobe . en-US . . 14 January 2023 . 0362-4331 . 13 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230113231631/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/12/style/m3gan-movie-costume-design.html . live .
  18. Web site: Colangelo . B. J. . 6 January 2023 . M3GAN Director Gerard Johnstone On How To Balance Comedy With Creepiness [Exclusive Interview] ]. 14 January 2023 . . en-US . 13 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230113223027/https://www.slashfilm.com/1159043/m3gan-director-gerard-johnstone-on-how-to-balance-comedy-with-creepiness-exclusive-interview/ . live .

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