Martin Campbell

Martin Campbell, a New Zealand film and television director, born on 24 October 1943, made a name for himself in the United Kingdom. Frequently working within the action and thriller genres, Campbell is best recognized for directing the James Bond films GoldenEye (1995) and Casino Royale (2006), The Mask of Zorro (1998) and its sequel The Legend of Zorro (2005), Vertical Limit (2000), and The Foreigner (2017). In his earlier career, he guided the praised BBC drama serial Edge of Darkness (1985) to critical acclaim, earning a British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series. He directed a movie adaptation of Edge of Darkness in 2010.

Campbell, a native of Hastings, New Zealand, relocated to London where he kickstarted his directorial career with softcore sex comedies and action TV series in the 1970s. His career hit a high note when he directed two James Bond films: 1995's GoldenEye, starring Pierce Brosnan, and 2006's Casino Royale, starring Daniel Craig. The latter made him the oldest director in the James Bond series. His successful directorial outputs also include The Mask of Zorro (1998) and The Legend of Zorro (2005), both featuring Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, as well as The Foreigner (2017), featuring Jackie Chan. Aside from films, Campbell also executed notable TV projects such as Cast a Deadly Spell and some action-loaded episodes from the series The Professionals (1977–1983).