Todd Phillips: Movies, Awards & Box Office

Todd Phillips, born as Todd Philip Bunzl on December 19, 1970, is an acclaimed American filmmaker known for his unique storytelling and detailed films. Phillips began his career in 1993 with a clear goal in mind, which eventually led him to direct popular films in the 2000s like Road Trip, Old School, School for Scoundrels, and Starsky & Hutch. However, his real breakthrough in the industry was when he directed the Hangover series in the early 2010s. In 2019, Phillips managed to raise his reputation by co-writing and directing the psychological thriller, Joker based on the DC Comics character. The film premiered at the 76th Venice International Film Festival where it bagged the prestigious top prize, the Golden Lion. Joker also earned Phillips three Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. After his adaptive screenplay for Borat, this marked his second, third, and fourth Academy Award nominations.

Phillips was raised in Dix Hills, New York, and later dropped out from New York University Film School due to financial constraints. At this juncture, Phillips worked at Kim's Video and Music to support himself. Despite multiple hardships in his personal life, Phillips managed to build a successful career. His first documentary film 'Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies' centered on the controversial punk rocker GG Allin and became one of the highest grossing student films at that time. Following his debut documentary, his co-production 'Frat House' won the Grand Jury Prize for documentary features at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. Beyond his documentary work, Phillip's comedy films like Starsky & Hutch, School for Scoundrels, and Due Date have been box office hits. Phillips also owns a production company, Green Hat Films, and his movie The Hangover has made him around $50 million.