David Callaham

{{short description|American screenwriter (born 1977)|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{infobox writer

| image =

| imagesize =

| alt =

| caption =

| pseudonym =

| birth_name = David Elias Callaham

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1977|10|24|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Fresno, California, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| alma_mater = University of Michigan

| occupation = {{hlist|Screenwriter|film producer}}

| yearsactive = 2003–present

| spouse = {{marriage|Bree Tichy|2009}}

}}

David Elias Callaham (born October 24, 1977){{cite web|url=https://www.californiabirthindex.org/birth/david_e_callaham_born_1977_13188432|work=California Birth Index|publisher=California Office of Health Information and Research|title=David E Callaham was born on October 24, 1977 in Fresno County, California|access-date=December 4, 2018}} is an American screenwriter and producer. He is best known for co-writing the screenplays for the films Doom (2005), The Expendables (2010), Zombieland: Double Tap (2019), Wonder Woman 1984 (2020), Mortal Kombat, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (both 2021), and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023).

Life

Callaham was born in Fresno, California, on October 24, 1977, to Lee Hsu and Michael Callaham. He has a brother, Gregory.{{Cite web|title=Participant Bios|url=http://gelinawedding.weebly.com/participant-bios.html|access-date=September 4, 2021|website=Christina and Greg's Wedding}} He is of Chinese descent through his mother.{{Cite web|last=Francisco|first=Eric|title=Shang-Chi writer: "America can be a very different country for different people."|url=https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/america-motion-picture-netfilx-interview-david-callaham-shang-chi|access-date=September 4, 2021|website=Inverse|language=en}}{{cite web|last=McNary|first=Dave|date=December 4, 2018|title=Marvel Studios Developing 'Shang-Chi' Movie With Dave Callaham Writing|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/marvel-studios-shang-chi-movie-dave-callaham-writing-1203078923/|website=Variety}} He studied English at the University of Michigan and graduated in 1999.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1709264/bio|title=Dave Callaham|website=IMDb}}{{Cite web|last=Voices|first=Fresh|title=SCREENWRITER PROFILE: DAVE CALLAHAM|url=https://www.fresh-voices.com/index.php/blog/9-articles-interviews/24-screenwriter-profile-dave-callaham|access-date=September 4, 2021|website=www.fresh-voices.com|language=en-gb}} In 2009, Callaham married Bree Tichy.{{Cite web|title=A Vintage Wedding in Los Angeles, CA|url=https://www.theknot.com/real-weddings/a-vintage-wedding-in-los-angeles-ca-album|access-date=September 4, 2021|website=theknot.com|language=en}} They have at least one child.{{Cite magazine|date=September 3, 2021|title=The Irresistible Allure of Shang-Chi Villain Tony Leung|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/09/shang-chi-tony-leung-interview-wenwu-fathers-the-mandarin-stereotypes|access-date=September 4, 2021|magazine=Vanity Fair|language=en-US}} He is a Brown Belt in 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu under Eddie Bravo.{{cite web|url=http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/eddie-bravo-radio|title=Eddie Bravo Radio|website=www.stitcher.com}}

Career

After reading an article in Penthouse magazine focusing on the lifestyle of Hollywood TV writers, Callaham and a friend moved to Los Angeles with plans to write comedies together. They sent query letters to multiple agencies but never received responses. Callaham worked at Creative Artists Agency for a while, sometimes submitting his material secretly for coverage. In 2002, Callaham wrote Horsemen which was later produced by Michael Bay.{{cite web|url=https://www.fresh-voices.com/index.php/blog/9-articles-interviews/24-screenwriter-profile-dave-callaham|title=Screenwriter Profile: David Callaham|work=Fresh Voices|access-date=October 27, 2014|format=Interview}} In 2003, Callaham wrote the film adaptation to the video game Doom which was released in 2005. Around that time, Callaham wrote Barrow for Warner Bros., a mercenary-inspired action script which later became The Expendables. Callaham was credited for story and characters after Sylvester Stallone used Callaham's Barrow script as a "starting point" for The Expendables.{{cite web|url=http://www.loeb.com/~/media/Files/Publications/2013/01/Webb%20v%20Stallone/Files/webb%20v%20stallone/FileAttachment/webb%20v%20stallone.pdf|title=Webb vs. Stallone|work=United States District Court Southern District of New York|access-date=October 21, 2014|date=December 27, 2012}} In 2010, Legendary Pictures hired Callaham to write the first draft for Godzilla, for which he received a story credit.{{cite web|url=http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/motion-captured/posts/guillermo-del-toro-on-godzilla-not-so-fast-says-director|title=Updated! Guillermo Del Toro on 'Godzilla'? Not so fast, says director|last=McWeeny|first=Drew|work=Hit Fix|date=October 14, 2010}} In 2014, Callaham completed a production rewrite for Ant-Man, and in 2019, he co-wrote the Zombieland sequel, Zombieland: Double Tap, for Sony. He also worked on the yet-unproduced Jackpot for Focus Features and America: The Motion Picture for Netflix.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2014/09/zombieland-2-gets-writer-and-urgency-843881/|title=After Moving Slow As Corpse, 'Zombieland 2′ Gets Writer And Urgency|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=September 30, 2014}}{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2017/03/netflix-animated-film-america-channing-tatum-voicing-george-washington-1202056188/|title=Netflix Sets First Animated Film 'America'; Channing Tatum Voicing George Washington|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr. |date=March 30, 2017|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=April 3, 2017|language=en-US}}

In October 2016, Universal Pictures hired Callaham to rewrite The Wolf Man for their Dark Universe.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/universal-taps-expendables-writer-pen-937520|title=Universal Taps 'The Expendables' Writer to Pen 'The Wolf Man' (Exclusive)|first=Rebecca|last=Ford|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=October 13, 2016|access-date=August 26, 2018}} In September 2017, Patty Jenkins hired Callaham to write the script for Wonder Woman 1984 with her and Geoff Johns.{{cite web|last1=Kit|first1=Borys|date=September 13, 2017|title='The Expendables' Writer Joins Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns to Write 'Wonder Woman 2' (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/expendables-writer-dave-callaham-joins-wonder-woman-2-writing-team-1038759/|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=September 13, 2017}} In November 2018, Sony Pictures Animation hired Callaham to write a sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.{{cite web|last=Vejvoda|first=Jim|date=November 29, 2018|title=Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Official Credits Reveal Surprise Voice Actor Cameos|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/11/30/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-official-credits-reveal-surprise-voice-actor-cameos|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130210649/https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/11/30/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-official-credits-reveal-surprise-voice-actor-cameos|archive-date=November 30, 2018|access-date=December 15, 2018|website=IGN}} The following month, Marvel Studios hired Callaham to write the screenplay for a film based on Shang-Chi.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/12/shang-chi-marvel-studios-first-asian-film-superhero-dave-callaham-kevin-feige-black-panther-1202512660/ |last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr. |title='Shang-Chi' Marvel's First Asian Film Superhero Franchise; Dave Callaham Scripting, Search On For Director Of Asian Descent|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=December 3, 2018}} The film had its world premiere on August 16, 2021, and was released on September 3, 2021. In April 2020, Callaham was announced as the writer of Walt Disney Pictures' live-action remake of Hercules.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/hercules-live-action-remake-works-disney-shang-chi-writer-1292684|title='Hercules' Live-Action Remake in the Works From Disney, 'Shang-Chi' Writer (Exclusive)|author=Borys Kit|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 30, 2020|access-date=May 6, 2020|url-status=live|archive-date=May 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200506191536/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/hercules-live-action-remake-works-disney-shang-chi-writer-1292684}} In June 2022, it was reported that he left the project.{{cite news |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |url=https://deadline.com/2022/06/hurcules-guy-ritchie-live-action-movie-disney-aladdin-1235047935/ |title='Aladdin' Director Guy Ritchie Teams With Disney & AGBO On Live-Action 'Hercules' |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=June 17, 2022 |access-date=September 26, 2022}} In January 2022, Callaham was announced to have written the latest draft of screenplay of the Masters of the Universe reboot for Netflix, along with Aaron and Adam Nee.{{Cite web|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|date=January 28, 2022|title='Masters Of The Universe' Live-Action Mattel Movie Heads To Netflix After Being In Development At Sony; Kyle Allen To Play He-Man|url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/masters-of-the-universe-movie-netflix-kyle-allen-he-man-1234922004/|access-date=January 28, 2022|website=Deadline|language=en-US}} On May 1, 2024 it was confirmed that the Masters of the Universe film would now be released through Amazon MGM Studios and Mattel Films and would be directed by Travis Knight with a screenplay written by Chris Butler that would be based on the initial draft written by Callaham and Aaron and Adam Nee.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/masters-of-the-universe-movie-amazon-mgm-travis-knight-release-date-1235989182/|title=Mattel's 'Masters of the Universe' Moves From Netflix to Amazon for Summer 2026 Release, Travis Knight to Direct|website=Variety|date=May 1, 2024|access-date=May 1, 2024}}

On May 10, 2024, it was announced that Callaham, who wrote the early drafts to Godzilla (2014), would write a follow-up to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/godzilla-x-kong-follow-dave-callaham-1235895879/|title=‘Godzilla x Kong’ Follow-Up Enlists ‘Shang Chi’ Scribe Dave Callaham to Write (Exclusive)|first=Borys|last=Kit|work=|date=May 10, 2024|access-date=May 10, 2024|url-status=live|archive-date=May 10, 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240510201312/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/godzilla-x-kong-follow-dave-callaham-1235895879/}}

Lawsuit

In late 2013, Nu Image and Millennium Films filed a lawsuit against Callaham and the Writers Guild of America West for fraud, unjust enrichment, and declaratory relief over a "flawed and misinformed" Guild arbitration that gave Callaham undeserved writing credit for The Expendables and The Expendables 2.

The plaintiffs accused Callaham of intentionally withholding emails and other correspondences from the WGA screenwriting credit arbitration panel in 2009 that reportedly reveal how very little Callaham was involved with The Expendables. They demanded reimbursements from Callaham for any payments made to him for his fraudulent credit in the two films.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2013/12/wga-west-fraud-the-expendables-sylvester-stallone-david-callaham-nu-image-millennium-656302/ |title=WGA West & Scribe Sued For Fraud By Nu Image/Millennium Over 'Expendables' Credit |first=Dominic|last=Patten|website=Deadline Hollywood |date=December 24, 2013|access-date=August 26, 2018}} Callaham then asserted that Sylvester Stallone used his script, Barrow, as the source for The Expendables. A WGA arbitration was ignited in which Callaham won and additionally earned $102,250 in bonus payments. Stallone offered a sworn declaration that attested he had used Barrow as inspiration for his Expendables script.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/sylvester-stallones-expendables-launches-nasty-675350/ |title=Sylvester Stallone's 'Expendables' Launches Nasty Writers Battle |first=Eriq|last=Gardner|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=January 30, 2014|access-date=August 26, 2018}}

Filmography

=Films=

class="wikitable"
Year	Title	Credit	Notes	Ref(s)
2005 \| Doom \| Screenplay by/Story by \| Co-wrote with Wesley Strick \|{{cite web\|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/858225/doom\|title=Doom\|work=Writers Guilde of America East\|access-date=May 7, 2020}}
rowspan="2"\| 2009 \| Horsemen \| Written by \| \|{{cite web\|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/936080/the-horsemen\|title=Horsemen\|work=Writers Guilde of America East\|access-date=May 7, 2020}}
Tell-Tale \| Screenplay by \| \|{{cite web\|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/961560/tell-tale\|title=Tell-Tale\|work=Writers Guilde of America East\|access-date=May 7, 2020}}
2010 \| The Expendables \| Screenplay by/Story by \| Co-wrote with Sylvester Stallone \|{{cite web\|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/963236/the-expendables\|title=The Expendables\|work=Writers Guilde of America East\|access-date=May 7, 2020}}
2012 \| The Expendables 2 \| Based on characters \| \|
rowspan="2" \| 2014 \| Godzilla \| Story by \| \|{{cite web\|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/1050661/godzilla\|title=Godzilla\|work=Writers Guilde of America East\|access-date=May 7, 2020}}
The Expendables 3 \| Based on characters \| \|
2015 \| Ant-Man \| Production rewrite \| Uncredited \|
2019 \| Zombieland: Double Tap \| Written by \| Co-wrote with Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick \|{{cite web\|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/1167560/zombieland-double-tap\|title=Zombieland: Double Tap\|work=Writers Guilde of America East\|access-date=May 7, 2020}}
2020 \| Wonder Woman 1984 \| Screenplay by \| Co-wrote with Patty Jenkins & Geoff Johns; credited as Dave Callaham \|{{cite web\|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/1152284/wonder-woman-1984\|title=Wonder Woman 1984\|work=Writers Guilde of America East\|access-date=May 7, 2020}}
rowspan=3 \| 2021 \|Mortal Kombat \| Screenplay by \| Co-wrote with Greg Russo; credited as Dave Callaham \|{{cite web\|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/1184084/mortal-kombat\|title=Mortal Kombat\|work=Writers Guild of America East\|access-date=May 6, 2020}}
America: The Motion Picture \| Produced by/Written by \| Credited as Dave Callaham \|
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings \| Screenplay by/Story by \| Co-wrote with Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Lanham; credited as Dave Callaham \|{{cite web\|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/1195625/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings\|title=Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings\|work=Writers Guild of America East\|access-date=October 14, 2021}}
rowspan="2" \| 2023 \| Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse \| Written by \| Co-wrote with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller; credited as Dave Callaham \|
Expend4bles \| Based on characters \| \|
rowspan="2" \| 2027 \| Godzilla x Kong: Supernova \| Written by \| \| {{Cite web \|last=Kit \|first=Borys \|date=2024-05-10 \|title=‘Godzilla x Kong’ Follow-Up Enlists ‘Shang Chi’ Scribe Dave Callaham to Write (Exclusive) \|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/godzilla-x-kong-follow-dave-callaham-1235895879/ \|access-date=2024-10-27 \|website=The Hollywood Reporter \|language=en-US}}
Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse \| Written by \| Co-wrote with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller \| {{Cite web\|url=https://deadline.com/2024/12/final-spider-verse-film-bob-persichetti-justin-k-thompson-directors-1236204936/\|title=‘Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse’ Taps Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson To Direct\|website=Deadline\|language=en-US\|access-date=2024-12-17}}{{Cite web \|last1=Couch \|first1=Aaron \|last2=Gajewski \|first2=Ryan \|date=March 31, 2025 \|title='Beyond the Spider-Verse' Reveals 2027 Release Date and First Footage \|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/beyond-the-spider-verse-release-cinemacon-1236088540/ \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401023507/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/beyond-the-spider-verse-release-cinemacon-1236088540/ \|archive-date=April 1, 2025 \|access-date=March 31, 2025 \|website=The Hollywood Reporter}}
TBA \| Hercules \| Screenplay by \| Wrote the initial draft \|

class="wikitable"

Year

Title

Credit

Notes

Ref(s)

2005

| Doom

| Screenplay by/Story by

| Co-wrote with Wesley Strick

|{{cite web|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/858225/doom|title=Doom|work=Writers Guilde of America East|access-date=May 7, 2020}}

rowspan="2"| 2009

| Horsemen

| Written by

|{{cite web|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/936080/the-horsemen|title=Horsemen|work=Writers Guilde of America East|access-date=May 7, 2020}}

Tell-Tale

| Screenplay by

|{{cite web|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/961560/tell-tale|title=Tell-Tale|work=Writers Guilde of America East|access-date=May 7, 2020}}

2010

| The Expendables

| Screenplay by/Story by

| Co-wrote with Sylvester Stallone

|{{cite web|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/963236/the-expendables|title=The Expendables|work=Writers Guilde of America East|access-date=May 7, 2020}}

2012

| The Expendables 2

| Based on characters

rowspan="2" | 2014

| Godzilla

| Story by

|{{cite web|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/1050661/godzilla|title=Godzilla|work=Writers Guilde of America East|access-date=May 7, 2020}}

The Expendables 3

| Based on characters

2015

| Ant-Man

| Production rewrite

| Uncredited

2019

| Zombieland: Double Tap

| Written by

| Co-wrote with Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick

|{{cite web|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/1167560/zombieland-double-tap|title=Zombieland: Double Tap|work=Writers Guilde of America East|access-date=May 7, 2020}}

2020

| Wonder Woman 1984

| Screenplay by

| Co-wrote with Patty Jenkins & Geoff Johns; credited as Dave Callaham

|{{cite web|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/1152284/wonder-woman-1984|title=Wonder Woman 1984|work=Writers Guilde of America East|access-date=May 7, 2020}}

rowspan=3 | 2021

|Mortal Kombat

| Screenplay by

| Co-wrote with Greg Russo; credited as Dave Callaham

|{{cite web|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/1184084/mortal-kombat|title=Mortal Kombat|work=Writers Guild of America East|access-date=May 6, 2020}}

America: The Motion Picture

| Produced by/Written by

| Credited as Dave Callaham

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

| Screenplay by/Story by

| Co-wrote with Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Lanham; credited as Dave Callaham

|{{cite web|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/project/1195625/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings|title=Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings|work=Writers Guild of America East|access-date=October 14, 2021}}

rowspan="2" | 2023

| Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

| Written by

| Co-wrote with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller; credited as Dave Callaham

Expend4bles

| Based on characters

rowspan="2" | 2027

| Godzilla x Kong: Supernova

| Written by

| {{Cite web |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=2024-05-10 |title=‘Godzilla x Kong’ Follow-Up Enlists ‘Shang Chi’ Scribe Dave Callaham to Write (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/godzilla-x-kong-follow-dave-callaham-1235895879/ |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse

| Written by

| Co-wrote with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller

| {{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/12/final-spider-verse-film-bob-persichetti-justin-k-thompson-directors-1236204936/|title=‘Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse’ Taps Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson To Direct|website=Deadline|language=en-US|access-date=2024-12-17}}{{Cite web |last1=Couch |first1=Aaron |last2=Gajewski |first2=Ryan |date=March 31, 2025 |title='Beyond the Spider-Verse' Reveals 2027 Release Date and First Footage |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/beyond-the-spider-verse-release-cinemacon-1236088540/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401023507/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/beyond-the-spider-verse-release-cinemacon-1236088540/ |archive-date=April 1, 2025 |access-date=March 31, 2025 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}

TBA

| Hercules

| Screenplay by

| Wrote the initial draft

=Television=

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! Credit ! Ref(s)
2016–2017 \| Jean-Claude Van Johnson \| Created by Written by Executive producer \|{{cite web\|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/v2/project/1117792/jean-claude-van-johnson/\|title=Jean Claude Van Johnson\|work=Writers Guilde of America East\|access-date=May 7, 2020}}

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! Credit

! Ref(s)

2016–2017

| Jean-Claude Van Johnson

| Created by
Written by
Executive producer

|{{cite web|url=https://findawriter.wgaeast.org/v2/project/1117792/jean-claude-van-johnson/|title=Jean Claude Van Johnson|work=Writers Guilde of America East|access-date=May 7, 2020}}

References

External links

{{IMDb name|1709264}}

Category:1977 births

Category:American male screenwriters

Category:American writers of Chinese descent

Category:Living people

Category:Screenwriters from California

Category:Sony Pictures Animation people

Category:University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts alumni

Category:Writers from Fresno, California