Adam Wingard

Adam Wingard (born December 3, 1982) is an American filmmaker whose career has spanned nearly two decades, encompassing roles as director, producer, screenwriter, editor, cinematographer, composer, and even actor. Raised in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, he earned a Bachelor of Science from Full Sail University in 2002, where he honed his technical skills and cultivated an early interest in low‑budget, experimental cinema. His first feature, the horror‑comedy Home Sick, introduced his penchant for blending genre conventions with off‑beat humor, and was followed by the ultra‑low‑budget cult hit Pop Skull, shot for just $2,000 and screened at the Rome Film Festival and AFI Fest in 2007. Wingard’s breakthrough arrived with A Horrible Way to Die (2010) and the anthology What Fun We Were Having (2011), both of which cemented his reputation within the mumblecore and horror communities and earned accolades at Toronto and Fantastic Fest. Since 2011, Wingard has become known for elevating modest genre projects into mainstream successes. You're Next, a home‑invasion slasher debuting in Toronto’s Midnight Madness, was acquired by Lionsgate and praised for its tight pacing and clever subversions, while The Guest (2014) showcased his skill at fusing thriller suspense with retro‑stylized aesthetics, earning strong critical response at Sundance and Toronto. He later helmed higher‑budget franchise entries such as Blair Witch (2016), Death Note (2017) for Netflix, and the monster‑verse blockbuster Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), followed by its sequel Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024). Throughout his varied filmography, Wingard consistently demonstrates a distinct visual flair, a willingness to experiment with tone, and an ability to collaborate repeatedly with writer Simon Barrett, solidifying his status as one of contemporary American cinema’s most versatile genre auteurs.