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Brian Helgeland, director
Director

Brian Helgeland: Movies, Awards & Box Office

films
10
on screen
1999–2023
box office
$431M
nominations
2
average score
47
Born
January 17, 1961 (age 65)
Birthplace
Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Full name
Brian Thomas Helgeland
Citizenship
United States
Occupations
Screenwriter, Director, Producer
Years active
1988-present
Spouses
Nancy Helgeland
Children
2
Biggest hits

The Best Brian Helgeland Movies

The films of Brian Helgeland that made the most at the worldwide box office, biggest first: Payback (1999) leads with $162M. The full ranking adds the most awarded films and the newest releases.

Full ranking
Career at a glance

Brian Helgeland's Career in Numbers

Brian Helgeland's films in numbers — as a director, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres Brian Helgeland works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Payback (1999) to Finestkind (2023), and the 2000s were the busiest decade.

Brian Helgeland Movies by Decade

  1. 1990s 1
  2. 2000s 2
  3. 2010s 2
  4. 2020s 1

The 2000s were Brian Helgeland's busiest decade, with 2 films.

Brian Helgeland Movies by Genre

  • Action 3
  • Biography 2
  • Crime 1

Action is the genre Brian Helgeland has worked in most, with 3 films, ahead of biography (2).

Brian Helgeland Career Milestones

First film
Payback 1999
Biggest box office hit
Payback $162M worldwide
Best-rated film
Finestkind Movie Echo Score 47
Newest film
Finestkind 2023
10 credits

Brian Helgeland Filmography: Every Movie

Every film Brian Helgeland is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. Rated films average a score of 47. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.

2 nominations

Brian Helgeland: Awards & Nominations

2 nominations across 2 award bodies, from 2004 to 2004. Every ceremony is listed newest first, with the category and the film.

All movie awards
  • BAFTA logo BAFTA 1 nomination
  • Critics' Choice logo Critics' Choice 1 nomination
Biography

Who Is Brian Helgeland?

Brian Helgeland was born in Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. in 1961 and is 65 years old. Credited on films since 1999, as a director. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.

Brian Thomas Helgeland (born January 17, 1961) is an acclaimed American screenwriter, film producer, and director, best known for his screenplays for the films L.A. Confidential and Mystic River. His work on LA Confidential awarded him the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He wrote and directed films such as 42, a biopic of Jackie Robinson, and Legend, chronicling the rise and fall of the notorious Kray twins. Born in Providence, Rhode Island to Norwegian parents, he pursued a degree in English at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He discovered his passion towards cinema and joined the film school at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

His early career started with a collaboration with Rhet Topham, leading to 976-EVIL, his first horror comedy film that sold for $12,000. This was followed by numerous successful screenplays, including A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master and Highway to Hell. He is credited for both an Oscar-winning and a Razzie-winning screenplay in the same year, 1998, maintaining both statues as reminders of Hollywood's expectations. In his recent works, he lent his skills to Green Zone and The Taking of Pelham 123. In 2017, HBO announced his collaboration on a potential pilot for a Game of Thrones spin-off.

FAQ

Brian Helgeland: Questions & Answers

How many movies Brian Helgeland has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.

How many movies has Brian Helgeland been in?

Brian Helgeland is credited on 10 films, from 1999 to 2023. All of them as a director. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.

What is Brian Helgeland's highest-grossing movie?

Payback (1999) is Brian Helgeland's biggest box office hit, with $162M worldwide, ahead of A Knight's Tale (2001) ($117M). Across every film with box office figures, Brian Helgeland's movies have made $431M.

Brian Helgeland's biggest hits

What is the best Brian Helgeland movie?

By the Movie Echo Score, which blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact, Brian Helgeland's best-rated film is Finestkind (2023) with a score of 47.

Best Brian Helgeland movies, ranked

Has Brian Helgeland won an Oscar?

Brian Helgeland has not been nominated for an Oscar. Across every ceremony in the awards database, Brian Helgeland has 0 wins from 2 nominations.

How old is Brian Helgeland?

Brian Helgeland is 65 years old, born on January 17, 1961 in Providence, Rhode Island, U.S..

What is Brian Helgeland's newest movie?

The most recent film on Brian Helgeland's filmography is Finestkind (2023), which Brian Helgeland directed.

Who does Brian Helgeland work with most often?

Brian Helgeland shares the most films with Chadwick Boseman (2 films), Mark Addy (2 films) and Heath Ledger (2 films).

The Best Brian Helgeland Movies, Ranked

Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 10 directing credits.

See the ranking

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