Robert Thomas Letterman (born October 31, 1970) is an American film director and screenwriter. He made his directorial debut as co-director of the animated comedy film Shark Tale (2004), for which he received a nomination for the Annie Award for Writing in a Feature Production. He then co-directed the animated science fiction comedy film Monsters vs. Aliens (2009).[1][2]
Rob Letterman | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Letterman at San Diego Comic-Con 2014 | |
| Born | Robert Thomas Letterman October 31, 1970 Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Children | 2 |
Letterman has since transitioned into live-action filmmaking, directing the fantasy comedy film Gulliver's Travels (2010), the horror comedy film Goosebumps (2015), and the fantasy mystery film Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019).
Early life
editLetterman was born in Hawaii and attended Mid-Pacific Institute and USC.[3]
Career
editPrior to joining DreamWorks Animation, Letterman directed the short film Los Gringos, which was accepted at 2000's Sundance Film Festival.[4]
In 2002, Vicky Jenson and Eric "Bibo" Bergeron invited him as a screenwriter (then as co-director) in the making of Shark Tale. In 2010, Letterman directed the live-action film Gulliver's Travels, starring Jack Black in the lead role.[5] He also directed the live-action/CGI film Pokémon Detective Pikachu, based on the Pokémon videogame franchise. The film was released on May 10, 2019, and grossed $433 million at the box office as well as attained the highest percentage of positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes for a film adaptation of a video game.[6]
In 2020, Netflix announced Letterman as director for an upcoming live-action animated film adaptation of Ubisoft's Beyond Good & Evil video game.[7]
Personal life
editLetterman is in a relationship with Beth Pontrelli and has two children, Jack and Eva.[8][9]
Filmography
editShort film
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Shrek - I Feel Good | No | Yes | No | Animation test |
| 1999 | Los Gringos | Yes | No | Yes | |
| 2005 | Club Oscar | Yes | No | No |
Feature film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Shark Tale | Yes | Yes | Co-directed with Vicky Jenson and Bibo Bergeron |
| 2009 | Monsters vs. Aliens | Yes | Yes | Co-directed with Conrad Vernon |
| 2010 | Gulliver's Travels | Yes | No | |
| 2015 | Goosebumps | Yes | No | |
| 2019 | Detective Pikachu | Yes | Yes | |
| TBA | Dropz | Yes | Yes |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Executive Producer |
Creator | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Goosebumps | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Directed episode "Say Cheese and Die!" |
Other credits
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Lake Placid | Color and Lighting Supervisor: Digital Domain |
| 2001 | Shrek | Propellerhead: Los Angeles pre-production |
| 2009 | Monsters vs. Aliens | Also voiced Secret Service Man #1 |
| 2017 | Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie | Executive producer |
References
edit- ^ Kit, Borys (October 25, 2013). "Rob Letterman to Direct 'Captain Underpants' for DWA (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 31, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
- ^ Baisley, Sarah (December 6, 2004). "Annie Noms go to Incredibles, Shrek 2, Shark Tale". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
- ^ Harada, Wayne (April 25, 2010). "'Stretch Armstrong' up next for Isle-born director". Archived from the original on April 17, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
- ^ "Los Gringos". Sundance Institute. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
- ^ Romney, Jonathon (December 26, 2010). "Gulliver's Travels, Rob Letterman, 90 mins, (PG)". The Independent - Reviews. London: The Independent. Archived from the original on December 28, 2010. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
- ^ Nolan, L.D. (May 3, 2019). "Detective Pikachu's Electrifying Rotten Tomatoes Score Revealed". CBR. Archived from the original on May 5, 2019. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
- ^ "'Detective Pikachu' Director and Netflix Tackling 'Beyond Good & Evil' Adaptation (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. July 31, 2020. Archived from the original on March 30, 2021. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ "Michael Angelo Pontrelli Obituary (1929 - 2016) Los Angeles Times". Legacy.com. Archived from the original on November 14, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
- ^ "Robert Letterman and Beth Pontrelli | 2700 Creston Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068". Archived from the original on November 14, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
External links
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