Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead explained

Birth Name:Justin Benson
9 June 1983
San Diego, California, US
Aaron Scott Moorhead
3 March 1987
Tampa, Florida, US
Years Active:2012–present

Justin Benson (born June 9, 1983) and Aaron Scott Moorhead (born March 3, 1987) are an American filmmaking duo. Both have served in directing, producing, editing, and acting roles in their projects, while Moorhead is also a cinematographer and Benson is a writer.

Personal lives

Justin Benson was born on June 9, 1983, in San Diego, California, United States.[1] Aaron Moorhead grew up in Tarpon Springs, Florida and attended Palm Harbor University High School.[2]

As a child, Benson was a fan of the Marvel Comics character Daredevil which later informed his contributions to several Marvel television series, notably .[3]

Careers

Both directed shorts and commercials early in their careers, with Moorhead directing his first film at 19 years old.[4] In 2017, Benson and Moorhead, alongside their producing partner David Lawson Jr., founded the film production company Rustic Films.[5]

Their first film, the 2012 horror film Resolution, was screened at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival.[6] They described their partnership as purely collaborative, and cast the lead actors after working with them in previous commercials they had worked on.[7] [8] Their follow up, the 2014 romantic body horror film Spring, premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.[9] [10] The film was publicly praised by both Richard Linklater and Guillermo del Toro.[11] [12] The pair's work can also be found in the horror anthology film in the segment entitled "Bonestorm".[13] [14] Their film The Endless premiered in competition at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2017, and was theatrically released in 2018 by Well Go USA Entertainment.[15] [16] [17] The Endless, alongside their 2019 film Synchronic which premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, are in the same shared universe as Resolution.[18] [19] [20] Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the duo created and starred in Something in the Dirt which was shot in Benson's apartment due to restrictions on the film industry at the time.[21] [22]

In television, Benson and Moorhead have contributed to multiple Marvel Cinematic Universe television series. After directing two episodes of Moon Knight, the duo were recruited as lead directors of the second season of Loki.[23] After a significant creative reshuffle on , the two were hired to direct most of the episodes.[24]

Filmography

Film

YearTitlewidth=65Directorwidth=65Producerwidth=65Writerwidth=65Editorwidth=65DoPNotes
2010A Glaring Emission
2012Resolution
2014Segment "Bonestorm"
2014Spring
2017The Endless
2019Synchronic
After Midnight
2020She Dies Tomorrow
2022Something in the Dirt

Executive producers

Television

YearTitlewidth=65Directorwidth=65Executive
producer
Episode(s)
2020The Twilight Zone"8"
2022Archive 81"Terror in the Aisles"
"Spirit Receivers"
Moon Knight"Summon the Suit"
"The Tomb"
2023Loki"Ouroboros"
"Breaking Brad"
"1893"
"Heart of the TVA"
"Science/Fiction"
"Glorious Purpose"
2025

Acting roles

YearTitleRoleNotes
BensonMoorhead
2012ResolutionJustinAaron
2014Rollerblading marineRollerblading marine's buddy
2015Handsome officerLess handsome officer
DementiaNurse Hollings
2017The EndlessJustinAaron
2019After MidnightShane
2022Something in the Dirt LeviJohn
Breathing HappyLotus
Soothing yoga voice
The golden door
2023LokiJohn AnglinClarence AnglinEpisode: "Science/Fiction"

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Debruge . Peter . 2015-01-02 . 10 Directors to Watch: 'Spring' Duo Benson and Moorhead Break the Mold . 2015-03-21 . Variety.
  2. Web site: St. Petersburg Times - Google News Archive Search . 2023-11-05 . news.google.com.
  3. Web site: Daredevil: Born Again Directors Discuss Approach to Disney+ Series (Exclusive) . 2023-12-24 . TV Shows . en.
  4. Web site: Marrone . John . 2012-03-22 . [Tribeca '12] A Look At 'Resolution', A Film That Defies Genre Classification ]. 2023-11-05 . Bloody Disgusting! . en-US.
  5. Web site: Wiseman . Andreas . 2022-12-01 . Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead's Rustic Films Teams With V Channels & XYZ On Genre Slate . 2023-11-06 . Deadline . en-US.
  6. Web site: Pattern . Dominic . 15 August 2012 . Tribeca Film Picks Up 'Resolution' . 26 June 2014.
  7. Web site: bug . ambush . AICN HORROR talks with Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, directors of RESOLUTION! + Contes winners! . 2023-11-05 . Aint It Cool News . en.
  8. Web site: . 2012-04-07 . Meet the 2012 Tribeca Filmmakers #10: 'Resolution' Directors Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead . 2015-03-21 . Indiewire.
  9. Web site: Barton . Steve . 15 August 2012 . Spring Sprung in March . 26 June 2014.
  10. Web site: 24 March 2015 . Spring – Comment On this New Video . 15 December 2018 . Dread Central.
  11. News: Kroll . Justin . 2016-08-31 . 'Spring' Filmmakers Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead to Direct and Star in Indie 'The Endless' . en-US . Variety . 2017-06-17.
  12. Web site: Gupta . Shipra Harbola . 29 July 2014 . TIFF Adds Ethan Hawke, Robert Kenner Docs, Announces Masters, Midnight Madness and Vanguard Programs . 15 December 2018 . Indiewire.com.
  13. Web site: Disgusting . Bloody . April 28, 2017 . 'The Endless' Directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead Talk About Returning to Their Roots - Bloody Disgusting! . 2017-06-17 . Bloody-disgusting.com . en-US.
  14. Web site: Pattern . Dominic . 15 August 2012 . TIFF Adds Ethan Hawke, Robert Kenner Docs, Announces Masters, Midnight Madness and Vanguard Programs . 26 June 2014.
  15. Web site: Patten . Dominic . 15 August 2012 . Tribeca Film Picks Up 'Resolution' . 15 December 2018 . Deadline.com.
  16. News: Busch . Anita . 2017-05-01 . 'The Endless' Acquired For Distribution Out Of Tribeca By Well Go USA . en-US . Deadline . 2017-07-30.
  17. Web site: Picurro . Allison . April 21, 2017 . 'The Endless' Exclusive Tribeca Promo IndieWire . 2017-06-17 . Indiewire . en.
  18. Web site: Mancuso . Vinnie . April 16, 2021 . Synchronic Explained: Benson & Moorhead's Time-Travel Shared Universe . May 31, 2022 . Collider.
  19. Web site: Millican . Josh . April 18, 2018 . Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead Discuss The Endless, Resolution, and Red Marijuana . June 22, 2018 . . Dread Central Media.
  20. News: Mobarak . Jared . May 2, 2018 . Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson on Creating the World of 'The Endless' . The Film Stage . June 22, 2018.
  21. News: Small . Katie . January 23, 2022 . Exploring Paranoia and the Paranormal with "Something in the Dirt" . Sundance Film Festival . August 29, 2022.
  22. News: Frank . Michael . February 1, 2022 . Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead on Digging Up Something in the Dirt . The Film Stage . August 29, 2022.
  23. Web site: Petski . Denise . 2023-07-31 . 'Loki' Season 2 Trailer: Watch Tom Hiddleston's Chaotic Time Travels & Ke Huy Kwan's Series Debut . 2023-07-31 . Deadline . en-US.
  24. Web site: Kit . Borys . 2023-10-27 . 'Daredevil' TV Series Lands New Showrunner, Directors (Exclusive) . 2023-10-27 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.