Joe Johnston

Joseph Eggleston Johnston II, better known as Joe Johnston, is an American film director, producer, writer, and visual effects artist. Born on May 13, 1950, in Austin, Texas, Johnston attended California State University, Long Beach, and Pasadena's Art Center College of Design, studying industrial design. His illustrious career began as a concept artist and effects technician on the first 'Star Wars' film, where he designed the famed Millennium Falcon spacecraft and co-created the design of Boba Fett. Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, Johnston had a productive career as a visual artist, including serving as the art director on 'Return of the Jedi', winning an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for 'Raiders of the Lost Ark', and authoring a Star Wars novel.

In 1989, Johnston made his directorial debut with the comedic adventure 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids', which was a significant hit. This success was followed by an assortment of projects, including directing 'Jumanji', 'Jurassic Park III', and 'Captain America: The First Avenger'. Despite some commercial failures, such as 'The Rocketeer' and 'The Pagemaster', Johnston's career exhibits a notable trajectory, with several of his movies generating massive box office income. Beyond his work in action and adventure genres, Johnston has also demonstrated his capability in more personal narrative with 'October Sky'. He continues to be active in the film industry, most recently in negotiations with Walt Disney Pictures for the legacy sequel to 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'.