Joe Johnston


Joseph Eggleston Johnston II is an American film director, producer, writer, and visual effects artist. He is best known for directing visual effects-driven films, including Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, The Rocketeer, Jumanji, Jurassic Park III, The Wolfman, and Captain America: The First Avenger.

Early life

Johnston was born Joseph Eggleston Johnston II in Austin, Texas, and attended California State University, Long Beach, and Pasadena's Art Center College of Design, both for industrial design.

Career

Design and visual effects

Much of the work at the beginning of Johnston's screen career combined design and visual effects. He began his career as a concept artist and effects technician on the first Star Wars film, directed by George Lucas. He was the creative designer of the Millennium Falcon spacecraft and co-created the design of Boba Fett in The Empire Strikes Back, while working for Industrial Light & Magic in the 1970s and was art director on one of the visual effects teams for the sequel Return of the Jedi. His association with Lucas would later prove fruitful, when he became one of four to win an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for Lucas and Steven Spielberg's film Raiders of the Lost Ark. Johnston continued to work on many films as an effects expert.
He was also associate producer on fantasy film Willow, and production designer on two mid-1980s TV movies which featured the Ewoks seen in Return of the Jedi.
Johnston is also author of Star Wars novel The Adventures of Teebo: A Tale of Magic and Suspense, which ties into Return of the Jedi.
In 1984, at 34, Johnston went to George Lucas and stated his desire to leave Lucasfilm for a year. However, Lucas offered him to go to USC School of Cinematic Arts and study there for a year, complete with paid tuition and half-salary that would let Johnston take any class he wanted. Johnston left after a year, saying he "was asked not to return" because he "broke too many rules".

Directing

Johnston made his directorial debut in 1989 with hit comedy adventure Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, starring Rick Moranis. He followed it with comic-book adaptation The Rocketeer. The film was a commercial failure, as was his next, the live-action/animated The Pagemaster, starring Macaulay Culkin. Johnston rebounded, directing the family hit Jumanji, starring Robin Williams. The film overcame lukewarm reviews to gross over $260 million.
Johnston was set to direct Hulk, but dropped out in July 1997. Johnston then switched gears from visual effects-driven action films to the more personal October Sky, starring a teenage Jake Gyllenhaal as a 1950s West Virginia high school student who dreams of being a rocket scientist for NASA against his father's wishes.
Johnston's first project of the 2000s was the sequel Jurassic Park III, which made over US$300 million at the box office. Johnston followed it with western Hidalgo, starring Viggo Mortensen. Johnston then took a six-year directorial break before signing on at a month's notice to take over the 2010 remake of 1941 horror classic The Wolfman. Shot in England, the film starred Benicio del Toro and Anthony Hopkins.
In part thanks to his experience with the period superhero film The Rocketeer, Johnston was selected to direct Marvel Studios superhero adaptation Captain America: The First Avenger. Released on July 22, 2011, the film stars Chris Evans as the comic book hero and Hugo Weaving as his archenemy the Red Skull. In 2014, Johnston directed the thriller Not Safe for Work for Blumhouse Productions.
On December 12, 2017, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Johnston would direct 32 days of reshoots on the film The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, due to its director Lasse Hallström being unavailable.
On December 5, 2019, it was reported that Joe Johnston was in negotiations with Walt Disney Pictures to direct Shrunk, a legacy sequel to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.

Filmography

Director

Film
YearTitleNotes
1989Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
1991The Rocketeer
1994The PagemasterLive-action sequences
1995Jumanji
1999October Sky
2001Jurassic Park III
2004Hidalgo
2010The Wolfman
2011Captain America: The First AvengerAlso executive producer
2014Not Safe for Work
2018The Nutcracker and the Four RealmsDirector of reshoots and oversaw post-production;
Received co-director credit along with Lasse Hallström

Television
YearTitleDirectorExecutive
Producer		Notes
1993The Young Indiana Jones ChroniclesEpisode "Princeton, February 1916"
2015LumenTV movie
2025Light & MagicSeason 2

Other credits

Film
YearTitleDirectorRole
1977Star WarsGeorge LucasVisual effects artist / Cameo as "Death Star Trooper"
1980The Empire Strikes BackIrvin KershnerVisual effects artist and art director / Cameo as "Captain Shawn Valdez"
1981Raiders of the Lost ArkSteven SpielbergVisual effects artist and art director
1983Return of the JediRichard MarquandArt director
1984Indiana Jones and the Temple of DoomSteven SpielbergArt director
1986Howard the DuckWillard HuyckUltralight sequence designer
1987Batteries Not IncludedMatthew RobbinsSecond unit director and production manager
1988WillowRon HowardAssociate producer
1989AlwaysSteven SpielbergAerial sequence designer
1999The Iron GiantBrad BirdDesigner of the Iron Giant
2014The Lawful TruthMollie FitzgeraldCameo as "Captain Waters"

Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
1978–1979Battlestar GalacticaVisual effects illustration and design
1984The Ewok AdventureProduction designerTV movie
1985Ewoks: The Battle for EndorProduction designerTV movie
1985–1986Star Wars: Droids – The Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3POScreenwriter,
Design consultant 		-
2017The CreepsExecutive producerTV short

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryFilmResult
1981Academy AwardBest Visual Effects
Raiders of the Lost ArkWon
1990International Fantasy Film AwardBest FilmHoney, I Shrunk the KidsNomitated
1992Hugo AwardBest Dramatic Presentation
The RocketeerNomitated
1995International Fantasy Film AwardBest Film
The PagemasterNomitated
1996Saturn AwardBest DirectorJumanjiNomitated
1996Young Artist AwardBest Family Feature – Action-AdventureJumanjiWon
1999Ajijic International Film Festival AwardBest FilmOctober SkyWon
2001Saturn AwardBest Science Fiction FilmJurassic Park IIINomitated
2001Golden Trailer AwardBest Horror/Thriller FilmJurassic Park IIINomitated
2004Golden Trailer AwardBest DramaHidalgoNomitated
2010Saturn AwardBest Horror/Thriller FilmThe WolfmanNomitated
2012Hugo AwardBest Dramatic Presentation
Captain America: The First AvengerNomitated
2012Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America AwardBest FilmCaptain America: The First AvengerNomitated