Dan Harris
Dan Harris is a writer/director and photographer with a diverse range of projects. As of June 2015, he's in development as the creator of an outer space television series, 'Manifest Destiny', with Legendary Pictures, and 'The Family' with Sony Pictures, SYFY Network, and producer Neal Moritz. Dan is also attached to direct his screenplays of the films 'Eternica' and 'Speech and Debate', the latter based on Pulitzer Prize nominee Stephen Karam's hit off-Broadway play, and is in pre-production with Sycamore Pictures. Recently, he also co-wrote the upcoming film X-Men: Apocalypse, which is the third X-Men feature film he's worked on.
At the age of 22, Dan co-wrote the blockbuster X2: X-Men United, and recently did revisions on X-Men: Days of Future Past, which grossed $415 and over $700 million, respectively. Also, with writing partner Michael Doughtery, Dan co-wrote the blockbuster "Superman Returns", directed by Bryan Singer. The film starred Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, James Marsden, Eva Marie Saint, Frank Langella and Parker Posey and was released by Warner Bros. on June 30, 2006 and grossed $450 million worldwide.
Harris made his feature film writing/directing debut with "Imaginary Heroes," a funny and poignant coming of age story that starred Sigourney Weaver, Jeff Daniels, Emile Hirsch and Michelle Williams. The film had its world premiere as a Gala Presentation at the 29th Toronto Film Festival and was given a special recognition for excellence in filmmaking from the National Board of Review.
After being honored as one of Variety's top 10 screenwriters to watch, Dan also wrote 'Skullduggery Pleasant' for director David Dobkin and produced Michael Dougherty's 'Trick R Treat'. Additionally, Harris and Dougherty wrote the screenplays for "Ender's Game", and the upcoming films "Logan's Run," "Charlie Chan", and "Carpe Demon" for director Chris Columbus. Together, they have written the final drafts of 'Wanted' and 'Fantastic Four'. Also with Dougherty and Singer, Harris wrote the Superman Returns prequel comic books for DC Comics.
Dan's photography has been published by New York fashion and arts landmark Visionaire three times (the Magic, World, and Fairytale editions) and he was honored to finally be in front of the camera as a part of Vanity Fair's prestigious Hollywood Portfolio in 2005. While he was still in college, Harris' short film "Urban Chaos Theory" won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Short Film at the NoDance Film Festival, and the following winter, his short film, "The Killing of Candice Klein," played to rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival. Upon graduation from Columbia University, Harris won the Louis B. Sudler prize in the arts for his screenplay, "America's Least Wanted". It was the only time a student in the film department has been given the award.
Dan was raised in Pennsylvania. When he was a seventeen year old production assistant, he was accidentally hit with a tennis ball thrown by Woody Allen. He's wanted to be a filmmaker ever since.