Kevin Misher
Encyclopedia
Kevin Misher is an American
producer and former film executive.
Misher’s most recent release is Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp
, Christian Bale
, Marion Cotillard
, Channing Tatum
and Billy Crudup
, and directed by Michael Mann
. The film was released on July 1, 2009 by Universal Pictures. Also released in 2009 is Fighting, starring Channing Tatum
and Terrence Howard
, released by Rogue Pictures
, and Case 39
, a suspenseful horror film starring Renee Zellweger
, to be distributed by Paramount Pictures
. Misher previously produced for Universal the political thriller, The Interpreter
, directed by Sydney Pollack
, starring Nicole Kidman
and Sean Penn
; and The Rundown
, directed by Peter Berg
, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Seann William Scott
and Christopher Walken
.
(ICM), initially as a mail clerk then as an agent’s assistant. He was soon hired by renowned executive Mike Medavoy
as a creative executive at Tri-Star Pictures.
Misher ascended the ranks quickly, and during his six years at the studio, oversaw numerous productions, including Donnie Brasco, directed by Mike Newell and starring Al Pacino
and Johnny Depp
.
In 1996, Misher moved to Universal Pictures
where he soon became president of production at the age of 33. During his tenure, Misher supervised production on some of the studio’s most successful features, such as Out of Sight
and Erin Brockovich, as well as four that remain among that studio’s most profitable and continuing franchises: the series of films spawned by The Mummy, Meet the Parents, The Fast and the Furious, and The Bourne Identity.
Misher left Universal in 2001 to form his own production company, Misher Films. His first project was the hit follow up to The Mummy franchise, The Scorpion King
. He produced It's Kind of a Funny Story
starring Zach Galifianakis
for Focus Features.
attached to star; Submariner, based on the original Marvel Comics
superhero; the legendary Sony Games PS2 title, Shadow of the Colossus
; The Last Duel, to be directed by Martin Scorsese
; and the recently announced Dune, to be directed by Pierre Morel
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
producer and former film executive.
Misher’s most recent release is Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
, Christian Bale
Christian Bale
Christian Charles Philip Bale is an English actor. Best known for his roles in American films, Bale has starred in both big budget Hollywood films and the smaller projects from independent producers and art houses....
, Marion Cotillard
Marion Cotillard
Marion Cotillard is a French actress and singer. She garnered critical acclaim for her roles in films such as La Vie en Rose, My Sex Life... or How I Got Into an Argument, Taxi, Furia and Jeux d'enfants...
, Channing Tatum
Channing Tatum
Channing Matthew Tatum is an American actor and film producer. He began his career as a fashion model and appearing in television commercials for Pepsi and Mountain Dew before turning to film roles...
and Billy Crudup
Billy Crudup
William Gaither "Billy" Crudup is an American actor of film and stage. He is well known for his roles as guitarist Russell Hammond in Almost Famous, Will Bloom in Big Fish, and Ashitaka in Princess Mononoke. He also starred in the 2007 romantic comedy film Dedication, alongside Mandy Moore...
, and directed by Michael Mann
Michael Mann (film director)
Michael Kenneth Mann is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. For his work, he has received nominations from international organizations and juries, including those at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Cannes and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
. The film was released on July 1, 2009 by Universal Pictures. Also released in 2009 is Fighting, starring Channing Tatum
Channing Tatum
Channing Matthew Tatum is an American actor and film producer. He began his career as a fashion model and appearing in television commercials for Pepsi and Mountain Dew before turning to film roles...
and Terrence Howard
Terrence Howard
Terrence Dashon Howard is an American actor. Having his first major role in the 1995 film Mr. Holland's Opus, which subsequently led to a number of roles in films and high visibility among African American audiences. Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of well-reviewed television...
, released by Rogue Pictures
Rogue Pictures
Rogue is a subsidiary of Relativity Media. The company has about 25 titles in its library.- Background :In 1997, Rogue Pictures was formed as a division of PolyGram Pictures but the name was dropped in 2000 after Universal Pictures bought PolyGram...
, and Case 39
Case 39
Case 39 is a 2009 American horror film directed by Christian Alvart and starring Renée Zellweger, Bradley Cooper, and Ian McShane. The film was shot in Vancouver in late 2006 and was released theatrically in the UK, European and Latin American countries on August 13, 2009...
, a suspenseful horror film starring Renee Zellweger
Renée Zellweger
Renée Kathleen Zellweger is an American actress and producer. Zellweger first gained widespread attention for her role in the film Jerry Maguire , and subsequently received two nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her roles as Bridget Jones in the comedy Bridget Jones's Diary ...
, to be distributed by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
. Misher previously produced for Universal the political thriller, The Interpreter
The Interpreter
The Interpreter is a 2005 political thriller film starring Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, and Catherine Keener. It was the final film to be directed by Sydney Pollack.-Plot:...
, directed by Sydney Pollack
Sydney Pollack
Sydney Irwin Pollack was an American film director, producer and actor. Pollack studied with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, where he later taught acting...
, starring Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, singer, film producer, spokesmodel, and humanitarian. After starring in a number of small Australian films and TV shows, Kidman's breakthrough was in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm...
and Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
; and The Rundown
The Rundown
The Rundown is a 2003 American action comedy film starring The Rock and Seann William Scott about a bounty hunter who must head for Brazil to retrieve his employer's renegade son. It was directed by Peter Berg...
, directed by Peter Berg
Peter Berg
Peter Berg is an American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is known for directing films such as Friday Night Lights, The Kingdom, The Rundown, Hancock and Battleship. He also developed the television series Friday Night Lights, which was adapted from the film he directed. As an actor...
, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Seann William Scott
Seann William Scott
Seann William Scott is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for playing Steve Stifler in the American Pie film series...
and Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken is an American stage and screen actor. He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows, including Joe Dirt, Annie Hall, The Deer Hunter, The Prophecy trilogy, The Dogs of War, Sleepy Hollow, Brainstorm, The Dead Zone, A View to a Kill, At Close Range, King of New...
.
Life and career
Misher, born and raised in Queens, New York, earned a degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business. His first job in the entertainment industry was at HBO in New York, where he served as a financial analyst for then-CEO Michael Fuchs. He soon relocated to Los Angeles and landed at International Creative ManagementInternational Creative Management
International Creative Management is a talent and literary agency with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London. ICM is a full-service agency representing creative and technical talent in the fields of motion pictures, television, fiction and nonfiction publishing, music, live performance,...
(ICM), initially as a mail clerk then as an agent’s assistant. He was soon hired by renowned executive Mike Medavoy
Mike Medavoy
Morris Mike Medavoy is an American film producer and executive, co-founder of Orion Pictures , former chairman of TriStar Pictures, former head of production for United Artists and current chairman and CEO of Phoenix Pictures.-Early life and career:Medavoy was born in Shanghai, China in 1941 to...
as a creative executive at Tri-Star Pictures.
Misher ascended the ranks quickly, and during his six years at the studio, oversaw numerous productions, including Donnie Brasco, directed by Mike Newell and starring Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
and Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
.
In 1996, Misher moved to Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
where he soon became president of production at the age of 33. During his tenure, Misher supervised production on some of the studio’s most successful features, such as Out of Sight
Out of Sight
Out of Sight is a 1998 American crime film. The film was directed by Steven Soderbergh and based on the novel of the same name by Elmore Leonard. It was the first of several collaborations between Soderbergh and star George Clooney. The film was released on June 26, 1998. It was nominated for two...
and Erin Brockovich, as well as four that remain among that studio’s most profitable and continuing franchises: the series of films spawned by The Mummy, Meet the Parents, The Fast and the Furious, and The Bourne Identity.
Misher left Universal in 2001 to form his own production company, Misher Films. His first project was the hit follow up to The Mummy franchise, The Scorpion King
The Scorpion King
The Scorpion King is a 2002 American action film directed by Chuck Russell, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Kelly Hu, Grant Heslov, and Michael Clarke Duncan...
. He produced It's Kind of a Funny Story
It's Kind of a Funny Story
It's Kind of a Funny Story is a 2006 novel by American author Ned Vizzini. It follows a depressed teenager who becomes suicidal and checks himself into a psychiatric hospital. The book was inspired by Vizzini's own brief hospitalization for depression in November 2004...
starring Zach Galifianakis
Zach Galifianakis
Zachary Knight "Zach" Galifianakis is an American stand-up comedian and actor known for his numerous film and television appearances including his own Comedy Central Presents special...
for Focus Features.
Upcoming projects
Misher also has a myriad of projects set up at the major studios. These include the comedy Swingles, with Cameron DiazCameron Diaz
Cameron Michelle Diaz is an American actress and former model. She became famous during the 1990s with roles in the movies The Mask, My Best Friend's Wedding, and There's Something About Mary. Other high-profile credits include the two Charlie's Angels films, voicing the character Princess Fiona...
attached to star; Submariner, based on the original Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
superhero; the legendary Sony Games PS2 title, Shadow of the Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus, released in Japan as , is an action-adventure game published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. The game was released in North America and Japan in October 2005 and PAL territories in February 2006...
; The Last Duel, to be directed by Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
; and the recently announced Dune, to be directed by Pierre Morel
Pierre Morel
-Movie career:After spending his formative years in cinema school, Pierre Morel debuted in 2000 as camera operator with the first Richard Berry's film L'Art de la séduction....
.