Dean Devlin

{{Infobox person

| image = Dean Devlin by Gage Skidmore.jpg

| caption = Devlin at the 2023 WonderCon

| name = Dean Devlin

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1962|8|27}}

| birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S.

| years_active = 1980–present

| alma_mater = University of Southern California

| occupation = {{hlist|Screenwriter|producer|director|actor}}

| children = 2

| spouse = {{marriage|Lisa Brenner|2003}}

| parents = Pilar Seurat

}}

Dean Devlin (born August 27, 1962) is an American screenwriter, producer, director, and actor of film and television. He is best known for his collaborations with director Roland Emmerich, and for his work on the Librarian and Leverage television franchises. He is a co-founder of the production companies Centropolis Entertainment and Electric Entertainment. He was a series regular of the short lived TV series Hard Copy.

Early life

Devlin was born in New York City, the son of actress Pilar Seurat and Don Devlin, a writer, actor, and producer.{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/74/Dean-Devlin.html |title=Dean Devlin Biography (1962–) |publisher=Filmreference.com |access-date=2017-01-11}} His father was Jewish and his mother was Filipino.{{cite web |url=http://showbizandstyle.inq7.net/entertainment/entertainment/view_article.php?article_id=22700 |title=Fil-Am producer Dean Devlin soars with 'Flyboys' |date=September 24, 2006 |publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer |access-date=March 10, 2007}} He attended the University of Southern California.

Career

=Film=

File:10.5.17DeanDevlinByLuigiNovi2.jpg]]

Devlin appeared as an actor on numerous television shows throughout the 1980s. He also appeared in films including My Bodyguard, The Wild Life, Real Genius and Martians Go Home. Due to his youthful appearance, Devlin often played teenage characters despite being in his 20s.

Devlin gradually began writing scripts. His first produced screenplay was for Universal Soldier. He reached prominence as a writer/producer working alongside director Roland Emmerich, with whom he teamed after appearing in Emmerich's film Moon 44. Together they cowrote and produced Stargate, the first movie to have a web site.{{cite web |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-28695864_ITM|title=Godzilla guy has a love for the game|date=December 11, 2000 |publisher=Reed Business Information|access-date=April 26, 2009}} The team then produced Independence Day and Godzilla. They split following the 2000 Mel Gibson film The Patriot, but re-teamed to film Independence Day: Resurgence in 2016.{{cite news|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3334813/single-scientific-reason-see-independence-day-2/|title=ID Forever: Emmerich is producing with Dean Devlin and Harald Kloser.|date=June 24, 2011|publisher=Collider.com|access-date=June 26, 2011}} Devlin has also produced Cellular, Who Killed the Electric Car?, and Flyboys.{{cite web|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20061129005626/en/FLYBOYS-Squadron-Massive-Update|title=FLYBOYS Squadron Gets Massive New Update-Free Update, Great Reviews, and a Real Fighter Pilot Flight!|website=Business Wire|publisher=Berkshire Hathaway|date=November 29, 2006|access-date=February 21, 2017}}

Devlin's directorial debut was the action sci-fi film Geostorm for Warner Bros.{{cite news|last=McNary|first=Dave|title=Gerard Butler to Star in Sci-Fi Thriller 'Geostorm'|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/gerard-butler-to-star-in-sci-fi-thriller-geostorm-1201156176/|access-date=8 May 2014|newspaper=variety.com|date=11 April 2014}} The film was set for a March 2016 release,{{cite news|title=Warner Bros Slots 'Geostorm' For 2016|url=https://www.deadline.com/2014/05/warner-bros-slots-geostorm-for-2016/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140507052355/http://www.deadline.com/2014/05/warner-bros-slots-geostorm-for-2016/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 7, 2014|access-date=8 May 2014|newspaper=Deadline Hollywood|date=2 May 2014}} later rescheduled for October 2017. It starred Gerard Butler as the lead with Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish, Ed Harris and Andy García.{{cite news|title=Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish in Talks to Join Gerard Butler in 'Geostorm'|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/jim-sturgess-abbie-cornish-talks-725810|publisher=hollywoodreporter.com}} The film made $221 million on a $120 million budget.[https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=geostorm.htm Box Office Mojo: Geostorm] In March 2018, Deadline Hollywood calculated the film lost Warner Bros. $71.6 million when factoring in all other expenses and revenues.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/03/king-arthur-geostorm-monster-trucks-the-promise-the-great-wall-box-office-losses-1202354934/|title=What Were The Biggest Bombs At The 2017 B.O.? Deadline's Most Valuable Blockbuster Tournament|first=Anthony |last=D'Alessandro|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=March 29, 2018|access-date=March 29, 2018}}

Devlin's second film as director was the 2018 thriller Bad Samaritan, starring Robert Sheehan and David Tennant.{{cite news|last1=Patten|first1=Dominic|title=Dean Devlin Sets Next Directorial Effort As Electric Entertainment Picks Up 2 Projects|url=https://deadline.com/2013/09/dean-devlin-sets-next-directorial-effort-as-electric-entertainment-picks-up-two-projects-588397/|access-date=November 17, 2016|work=Deadline|date=September 16, 2013}}

=Television=

Devlin produced The Triangle miniseries, Leverage (of which he has directed twelve episodes), The Librarian franchise, and The Outpost. He also co-created The Visitor series.{{cite web|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/FOX+SETTLES+LAWSUIT+OVER+%60THE+VISITOR'.-a083879189|title=FOX SETTLES LAWSUIT OVER 'THE VISITOR'|newspaper=Los Angeles Daily News|publisher=Digital First Media|date=September 19, 1997|access-date=February 20, 2017|via=TheFreeDictionary.com|archive-date=May 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501093124/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/FOX+SETTLES+LAWSUIT+OVER+%60THE+VISITOR%27.-a083879189|url-status=dead}}

In 2019 Devlin began working with the Philippine media conglomerate ABS-CBN to produce a new series called Almost Paradise (originally titled Off Tropic.){{Cite web|url=https://business.inquirer.net/279772/abs-cbn-begins-hollywood-gamble-with-crime-series|title=ABS-CBN begins Hollywood gamble with crime series|last=Camus|first=Miguel R.|website=business.inquirer.net|date=September 26, 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-09-26}} The series premiered in the United States on May 30, 2020, on WGN America, and premiered on Kapamilya Channel in 2021.{{cite web |title='Together as One in 2021': Here are ABS-CBN's upcoming shows, offerings |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/12/21/20/together-as-one-in-2021-here-are-abs-cbns-upcoming-shows-offerings |website=ABS-CBN News |date=December 21, 2020 |access-date=December 21, 2020}} It was filmed entirely in the Philippines and the majority of the cast members are Filipino, aside from the lead—played by Christian Kane, whom Devlin also worked with on the television shows Leverage and The Librarians.{{cite news |last1=Jacobs |first1=Meredity |title=Christian Kane Is Trying to Avoid Stress in 'Almost Paradise' |url=https://www.tvinsider.com/849890/christian-kane-almost-paradise-wgn-america-preview/ |access-date=8 June 2020 |work=TVInsider.com |date=19 January 2020}}

Delvin produced The Ark TV series for Syfy, which aired starting in February 2023.{{Cite web |title=Dean Devlin explains why 'The Ark' isn't 'woke' sci-fi: 'There's an attempt to politicize everything now' |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/dean-devlin-the-ark-woke-sci-fi-independence-day-194347120.html |access-date=2023-02-04 |website=www.yahoo.com |date=February 2, 2023 |language=en-US}}

=Video games=

Devlin was an advisor to the video game company ZeniMax Media from 1999 to 2004.{{cite web|url=http://www.zenimax.com/profile9.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010211201113/http://www.zenimax.com/profile9.html |archive-date=February 11, 2001 |title=ZeniMax Media | profile – business advisory board |date=September 23, 2001 |access-date=January 23, 2013}} Additionally Devlin was involved in video game projects The 10th Planet{{cite web|first=Conor|last=McNicholas|url=https://archive.org/details/PCZone031Oct1995/page/n17/mode/2up|title=The Bizarre Tenth Planet|magazine=PC Zone|page=18|date=October 1995|accessdate=May 27, 2022}} and Godzilla Online.{{cite web|url=http://www.godzillaonline.com/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19990117010407/http://www.godzillaonline.com:80/|title=Godzilla Online|website=godzillaonline.com|archivedate=January 17, 1999|accessdate=May 27, 2022}}

Personal life

Devlin is married to actress Lisa Brenner.{{Citation needed |date=January 2025}}

Filmography

class="wikitable"

! Year

! Title

! Director

! Producer

! Writer

! Notes

1992

| Universal Soldier

| {{No}}

| {{yes}}

| Co-writer with Richard Rothstein & Christopher Leitch

1994

| Stargate

| {{No}}

| {{yes}}

| Co-writer with Roland Emmerich

1996

| Independence Day

| {{No}}

| {{yes}}

| Co-writer with Roland Emmerich

1998

| Godzilla

| {{No}}

| {{yes}}

| Co-writer with Roland Emmerich; co-wrote story with Emmerich, Terry Rossio & Ted Elliott

2000

| The Patriot

| {{No}}

| {{yes}}

| {{No}}

2002

| Eight Legged Freaks

| {{No}}

| {{yes}}

| {{No}}

2004

| Cellular

| {{No}}

| {{yes}}

| {{No}}

rowspan="2" | 2006

| Who Killed the Electric Car?

| {{no}}

| {{yes|Executive}}

| {{no}}

| Documentary

Flyboys

| {{No}}

| {{yes}}

| {{No}}

2011

| Shakespeare High

| {{no}}

| {{yes|Executive}}

| {{no}}

| Documentary

2013

| Transit

| {{no}}

| {{yes|Executive}}

| {{no}}

2015

| The Wannabe

| {{no}}

| {{yes|Executive}}

| {{no}}

2016

| Independence Day: Resurgence

| {{No}}

| {{yes}}

| Co-writer with Roland Emmerich, Nicolas Wright, James A. Woods & James Vanderbilt

2017

| Geostorm

| {{yes}}

| Directorial debut
Co-writer with Paul Guyot

2018

| Bad Samaritan

| {{yes}}

| {{No}}

= Television =

The numbers in directing and writing credits refer to the number of episodes.

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" ! rowspan="2" scope="col" \| Year ! rowspan="2" scope="col"\| Title ! colspan="4" scope="col" \| Functioned as ! rowspan="2" scope="col"\| Network ! rowspan="2" scope="col" class="unsortable"\| Notes
Creator ! Director ! Writer ! Executive producer
1997–98 !scope=row\|The Visitor \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} (3) \|{{yes}} \|Fox \|
1998–2000 !scope=row\|Godzilla: The Series \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|Fox Kids \|
2004 !scope=row\|The Librarian: Quest for the Spear \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|TNT \|Television film
2005 !scope=row\|The Triangle \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{yes\|Story}} \|{{yes}} \|Sci-Fi Channel \|Miniseries
2006 !scope=row\|Talk to Me \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|rowspan="5"\|TNT \|Unaired pilot
2006 !scope=row\|The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|Television film
2008 !scope=row\|Blank Slate \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|Television film
2008 !scope=row\|The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|Television film
2008–12 !scope=row\|Leverage \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} (16) \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|
2011 !scope=row\|Brain Trust \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|TBS \|Unaired pilot
2014–18 !scope=row\|The Librarians \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} (6) \|{{yes}} (1) \|{{yes}} \|TNT \|
2018–21 !scope=row\|The Outpost \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|The CW \|
2020–present !scope=row\|Almost Paradise \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} (1) \|{{yes}} (2) \|{{yes}} \|WGN America season 1, Amazon Freevee season 2 \|
2021–present !scope=row\|Leverage: Redemption \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} (4) \|{{yes}} (1) \|{{yes}} \|Amazon Freevee \|
2023 !scope=row\|The Ark \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} (1) \|{{yes}} (1) \|{{yes}} \|Syfy \|
2025 !scope=row\|The Librarians: The Next Chapter \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|TNT \|Showrunner{{Cite web\|url=https://deadline.com/2024/03/the-librarians-the-next-chapter-callum-mcgowan-cast-cw-spinoff-1235863789/\|title=The Librarians: The Next Chapter: Callum McGowan, Three More Round Out Cast\|website=Deadline Hollywood\|first=Denise\|last=Petski\|date=March 20, 2024\|access-date=April 14, 2025\|archive-date=April 14, 2025\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250414204240/https://deadline.com/2023/05/cw-sophie-turner-new-drama-the-librarians-spinoff-1235371608/\|url-status=live}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Year

! rowspan="2" scope="col"| Title

! colspan="4" scope="col" | Functioned as

! rowspan="2" scope="col"| Network

! rowspan="2" scope="col" class="unsortable"| Notes

Creator

! Director

! Writer

! Executive
producer

1997–98

!scope=row|The Visitor

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{yes}} (3)

|{{yes}}

|Fox

1998–2000

!scope=row|Godzilla: The Series

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|Fox Kids

2004

!scope=row|The Librarian: Quest for the Spear

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|TNT

|Television film

2005

!scope=row|The Triangle

|{{no}}

|{{yes|Story}}

|{{yes}}

|Sci-Fi Channel

|Miniseries

2006

!scope=row|Talk to Me

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|rowspan="5"|TNT

|Unaired pilot

2006

!scope=row|The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|Television film

2008

!scope=row|Blank Slate

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|Television film

2008

!scope=row|The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|Television film

2008–12

!scope=row|Leverage

|{{no}}

|{{yes}} (16)

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

2011

!scope=row|Brain Trust

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|TBS

|Unaired pilot

2014–18

!scope=row|The Librarians

|{{no}}

|{{yes}} (6)

|{{yes}} (1)

|{{yes}}

|TNT

2018–21

!scope=row|The Outpost

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|The CW

2020–present

!scope=row|Almost Paradise

|{{no}}

|{{yes}} (1)

|{{yes}} (2)

|{{yes}}

|WGN America season 1, Amazon Freevee season 2

2021–present

!scope=row|Leverage: Redemption

|{{no}}

|{{yes}} (4)

|{{yes}} (1)

|{{yes}}

|Amazon Freevee

2023

!scope=row|The Ark

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}} (1)

|{{yes}}

|Syfy

2025

!scope=row|The Librarians: The Next Chapter

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|TNT

|Showrunner{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/03/the-librarians-the-next-chapter-callum-mcgowan-cast-cw-spinoff-1235863789/|title=The Librarians: The Next Chapter: Callum McGowan, Three More Round Out Cast|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=March 20, 2024|access-date=April 14, 2025|archive-date=April 14, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250414204240/https://deadline.com/2023/05/cw-sophie-turner-new-drama-the-librarians-spinoff-1235371608/|url-status=live}}

=Acting roles=

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! Role
rowspan="2"\| 1984 \| The Wild Life \| Liquor Store Clerk
City Limits \| Ernie
1985 \| Real Genius \| Milton
1987 \| Hard Copy \| David Del Valle
1989 \| Martians Go Home \| Joe Fledermaus
1990 \| Moon 44 \| Tyler
1991 \| Total Exposure \| Adult Bookstore Manager

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! Role

rowspan="2"| 1984

| The Wild Life

| Liquor Store Clerk

City Limits

| Ernie

1985

| Real Genius

| Milton

1987

| Hard Copy

| David Del Valle

1989

| Martians Go Home

| Joe Fledermaus

1990

| Moon 44

| Tyler

1991

| Total Exposure

| Adult Bookstore Manager

Awards and nominations

class=wikitable
scope="col" colspan="6"\| Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films
scope="col" style="width:1em;"\| Year ! scope="col" style="width:18em;"\| Nominated work ! scope="col" style="width:22em;"\| Category ! scope="col" style="width:7em;"\| Result
1996 \| Independence Day \| Best Writer \| {{Nom}}
1998 \| {{n/a}} \| George Pal Memorial Award \| {{Won}}
scope="col" colspan="6"\| Golden Raspberry Awards
1996 \| Independence Day \| Worst Written Film Grossing Over $100 Million \| {{Nom}}
rowspan="2"\| 1998 \| rowspan="2"\| Godzilla \| Worst Picture \| {{Nom}}
rowspan="2"\| Worst Screenplay \| {{Nom}}
2016 \| Independence Day: Resurgence \| {{Nom}}
scope="col" colspan="6"\| Hugo Awards
1994 \| Stargate \| rowspan="2"\| Best Dramatic Presentation \| {{Nom}}
1996 \| Independence Day \| {{Nom}}
scope="col" colspan="6"\| Online Film & Television Association
1996 \| Independence Day \| Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror Picture \| {{Nom}}
scope="col" colspan="6"\| Sci-Fi Universe Magazine
1996 \| Independence Day \| Best Writing for a Genre Motion Picture \| {{Won}}
scope="col" colspan="6"\| Stinkers Bad Movie Awards
1998 \| Godzilla \| Worst Screenplay for a Film Grossing More than $100 Million Using Hollywood Math \| {{Won}}

class=wikitable

scope="col" colspan="6"| Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films

scope="col" style="width:1em;"| Year

! scope="col" style="width:18em;"| Nominated work

! scope="col" style="width:22em;"| Category

! scope="col" style="width:7em;"| Result

1996

| Independence Day

| Best Writer

| {{Nom}}

1998

| {{n/a}}

| George Pal Memorial Award

| {{Won}}

scope="col" colspan="6"| Golden Raspberry Awards

1996

| Independence Day

| Worst Written Film Grossing Over $100 Million

| {{Nom}}

rowspan="2"| 1998

| rowspan="2"| Godzilla

| Worst Picture

| {{Nom}}

rowspan="2"| Worst Screenplay

| {{Nom}}

2016

| Independence Day: Resurgence

| {{Nom}}

scope="col" colspan="6"| Hugo Awards

1994

| Stargate

| rowspan="2"| Best Dramatic Presentation

| {{Nom}}

1996

| Independence Day

| {{Nom}}

scope="col" colspan="6"| Online Film & Television Association

1996

| Independence Day

| Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror Picture

| {{Nom}}

scope="col" colspan="6"| Sci-Fi Universe Magazine

1996

| Independence Day

| Best Writing for a Genre Motion Picture

| {{Won}}

scope="col" colspan="6"| Stinkers Bad Movie Awards

1998

| Godzilla

| Worst Screenplay for a Film Grossing More than
$100 Million Using Hollywood Math

| {{Won}}

References

External links

{{IMDb name|2041}}
Snider, John C. (December 2, 2008). [https://web.archive.org/web/20110612123424/http://www.scifidimensions.com/main/2008/12/02/podcast-20-dean-devlin/ "Podcast #20 – Dean Devlin"]. SciFiDimensions.

Category:1962 births

Category:20th-century American screenwriters

Category:21st-century American screenwriters

Category:Film producers from New York (state)

Category:American male actors of Filipino descent

Category:American male film actors

Category:American male screenwriters

Category:American people of Jewish descent

Category:Living people

Category:Male actors from New York City

Category:University of Southern California alumni

Category:Screenwriters from New York (state)

Category:American film directors of Filipino descent

Category:American television directors

Category:American film production company founders

Category:American television producers

Category:American television writers

Category:Skydance Media people