J. D. Dillard
{{short description|American director and screenwriter}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = JD Dillard
| image = J.D. Dillard 2022 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Dillard in 2022
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|12|26}}
| birth_place =
| occupation = {{hlist|Film director|Producer|Screenwriter}}
| mother = Geri Dillard
| father = Bruce Dillard
| spouse =
| years_active = 2013–present
| nationality = American
| notable_works = {{Plainlist|
- Sleight (2016)
- Sweetheart (2019)
- Devotion (2022)
}}
| website =
}}
JD Dillard (born December 26, 1987) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter best known for his work on Sleight (2016), Sweetheart (2019), and Devotion (2022).
Early life
Dillard was raised as a Navy brat, the son of Bruce and Geri Dillard. His father was a Naval flight officer and the second African-American selected to fly for the Blue Angels.{{cite web |title=Lt Bruce Dillard, No. 8 |url=https://www.intruderassociation.org/images/blue_angels/dillard_bio.jpg |website=Intruder Association |access-date=July 21, 2023 |archive-date=October 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001205446/https://www.intruderassociation.org/images/blue_angels/dillard_bio.jpg |url-status=live }}
Career
In March 2013, Dillard directed a trailer for Empire of the Sun{{'}}s second album Ice on the Dune.{{cite news|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/49872-empire-of-the-sun-announce-new-lp-share-epic-album-trailer/|title=Empire of the Sun Announce New LP, Share Epic Album Trailer|website=Pitchfork|date=March 11, 2013|access-date=July 20, 2021|first=Evan|last=Minsker|archive-date=July 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720074804/https://pitchfork.com/news/49872-empire-of-the-sun-announce-new-lp-share-epic-album-trailer/|url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=11 Best Music Videos of 2013 (So Far) |url=https://entertainment.time.com/2013/07/12/11-best-music-videos-of-2013-so-far/slide/alive-empire-of-the-sun/ |newspaper=Time |access-date=July 20, 2021 |issn=0040-781X |first=Melissa |last=Locker |archive-date=July 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722093215/https://entertainment.time.com/2013/07/12/11-best-music-videos-of-2013-so-far/slide/alive-empire-of-the-sun/ |url-status=live }} In 2016, he directed the science fiction crime drama film Sleight, for Blumhouse Tilt.{{cite web |first=Brent |last=Lang |url=https://variety.com/2016/film/markets-festivals/wwe-blumhouse-magician-thriller-sleight-1201690877/ |title=WWE, Blumhouse Buy Magician Thriller 'Sleight' |work=Variety |date=January 28, 2016 |access-date=July 20, 2021 |archive-date=December 13, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161213002846/http://variety.com/2016/film/markets-festivals/wwe-blumhouse-magician-thriller-sleight-1201690877/ |url-status=live }}
In a 2017 interview with /Film Dillard disclosed that he was in early negotiations to direct a remake of David Cronenberg's The Fly. Dillard stated that he might work with Alex Theurer, the co-writer of Sleight, on it and that the two of them "want to start with character" when making the film.{{Cite web|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/j-d-dillards-the-fly-remake-pitch/|title='The Fly' Remake: J.D. Dillard Wants To Bring Some Real Emotion To The Blockbuster Re-Do|last=Sciretta|first=Peter|date=May 5, 2017|website=/Film|access-date=July 20, 2021|archive-date=July 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720063904/https://www.slashfilm.com/j-d-dillards-the-fly-remake-pitch/|url-status=live}}
In January 2019, he wrote and directed the horror film Sweetheart, starring Kiersey Clemons.{{cite news |url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/kiersey-clemons-cast-in-sweetheart-blumhouse-sleight-team-1201980387/ |title=Kiersey Clemons to Star in Horror Film From Blumhouse and 'Sleight' Team |work=Variety |first=Justin |last=Kroll |date=February 2, 2017 |access-date=July 20, 2021 |archive-date=July 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720062147/https://variety.com/2017/film/news/kiersey-clemons-cast-in-sweetheart-blumhouse-sleight-team-1201980387/ |url-status=live }} In February 2019, Legendary Entertainment won a bidding war for Mastering Your Past, which was written by Dillard.{{cite web|first=Mia|last=Galuppo|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/legendary-wins-bidding-war-jd-dillard-thriller-mastering-your-past-1185887/|title=Legendary Wins Bidding War for J.D. Dillard Thriller 'Mastering Your Past' (Exclusive)|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=February 12, 2019|access-date=November 23, 2021|archive-date=October 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028143500/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/legendary-wins-bidding-war-jd-dillard-thriller-mastering-your-past-1185887/|url-status=live}} In April 2019, he wrote the supernatural noir film Stray. In September 2019, he directed an episode of The CW series Two Sentence Horror Stories.{{Cite web |url=https://www.joblo.com/horror-movies/news/two-sentence-horror-stories-anthology-series-coming-this-halloween-107 |title=Two Sentence Horror Stories Anthology Series Coming This Halloween |date=September 20, 2017 |access-date=July 20, 2021 |archive-date=July 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720075435/https://www.joblo.com/horror-movies/news/two-sentence-horror-stories-anthology-series-coming-this-halloween-107 |url-status=live }} In December 2019, he cameoed as Stormtrooper FN-1226 in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.{{Cite news|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/12/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-cameos-who-were-the-jedi-voices-jodie-comer-reys-mom|title=25 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Cameos You Might Have Missed|last1=Breznican|first1=Anthony|last2=Robinson|first2=Joanna|date=December 20, 2019|work=Vanity Fair|access-date=July 20, 2021|archive-date=December 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201234554/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/12/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-cameos-who-were-the-jedi-voices-jodie-comer-reys-mom|url-status=live|url-access=limited}}{{Cite web|last1=Alex|first1=Susannah|last2=Tanswell|first2=Adam|date=July 28, 2020|title=The Boys and Star Trek star Karl Urban had secret Rise of Skywalker cameo|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a33444596/karl-urban-star-wars-rise-of-skywalker-cameo/|access-date=July 20, 2021|website=Digital Spy|archive-date=July 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729224715/https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a33444596/karl-urban-star-wars-rise-of-skywalker-cameo/|url-status=live}}
In February 2020, it was reported that Dillard was developing an untitled Star Wars film,{{cite web |last=Vary |first=Adam B. |date=February 21, 2020 |title=New 'Star Wars' Movie in Development With 'Sleight' Director, 'Luke Cage' Writer |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/star-wars-movie-jd-dillard-1203511055/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006234802/https://variety.com/2020/film/news/star-wars-movie-jd-dillard-1203511055/ |archive-date=October 6, 2020 |access-date=July 20, 2021 |website=Variety}}{{cite web |last=Vary |first=Adam B. |date=February 21, 2020 |title=New 'Star Wars' Movie in Development With 'Sleight' Director, 'Luke Cage' Writer |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/star-wars-movie-jd-dillard-1203511055/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006234802/https://variety.com/2020/film/news/star-wars-movie-jd-dillard-1203511055/ |archive-date=October 6, 2020 |access-date=May 23, 2023 |publisher=Variety}} and was in talks to direct The Return of the Rocketeer, a sequel to the 1991 film The Rocketeer.{{cite web |last=Taylor |first=Drew |date=November 8, 2022 |title='Devotion' Filmmaker J.D. Dillard No Longer Developing 'Star Wars' Movie for Lucasfilm (Exclusive) |url=https://www.thewrap.com/jd-dillard-star-wars-movie-update-rocketeer-sequel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108195342/https://www.thewrap.com/jd-dillard-star-wars-movie-update-rocketeer-sequel/ |archive-date=November 8, 2022 |access-date=November 8, 2022 |website=TheWrap}} In November 2022, Dillard announced he was not attached to either Star Wars or Rocketeer projects.
In 2020, he directed an episode of the HBO miniseries The Outsider.{{Cite web |url=https://mobile.twitter.com/jgdillard/status/1229294110663512064 |title=For my friends watching The Outsider: next week is the episode I directed and it's called 'Foxhead'! |access-date=July 20, 2021 |archive-date=July 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720064614/https://mobile.twitter.com/jgdillard/status/1229294110663512064 |url-status=live }} In June 2020, Dillard directed an episode of the CBS All Access series The Twilight Zone.{{cite web |last=Al-Ghamdi |first=Abdullah |date=June 27, 2020 |title=The Twilight Zone: Downtime Ending Explained |url=https://screenrant.com/twilight-zone-season-2-downtime-ending-explained/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720164728/https://screenrant.com/twilight-zone-season-2-downtime-ending-explained/ |archive-date=July 20, 2021 |access-date=July 20, 2021 |website=Screen Rant}} In September 2020, he directed an episode of the Amazon Prime Video series Utopia.{{Cite web |title=I directed the penultimate episode of Gillian Flynn's wonderfully insane Utopia with the incredible Shawn Kim shooting and it's out now on Amazon Prime! |url=https://mobile.twitter.com/jgdillard/status/1309723772832813056?lang=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720063304/https://mobile.twitter.com/jgdillard/status/1309723772832813056?lang=en |archive-date=July 20, 2021 |access-date=July 20, 2021}}
In February 2021, he directed the action war film Devotion, starring Jonathan Majors as Jesse L. Brown.{{cite web |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=February 4, 2021 |title=Serinda Swan To Play Elizabeth Taylor In Black Label Media's Korean War Pic 'Devotion' |url=https://deadline.com/2021/02/serinda-swan-elizabeth-taylor-black-label-medias-korean-war-pic-devotion-1234686848/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124115937/https://deadline.com/2021/02/serinda-swan-elizabeth-taylor-black-label-medias-korean-war-pic-devotion-1234686848/ |archive-date=November 24, 2022 |access-date=July 20, 2021 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} Dillard stated that his father's real life service as a Naval flight officer partly inspired his handling of the film.{{Cite web |last=Treese |first=Tyler |date=2023-03-01 |title=Interview: J.D. Dillard on Devotion & the Rise of Jonathan Majors |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/features/1270926-interview-j-d-dillard-on-devotion-the-rise-of-jonathan-majors |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=ComingSoon.net |language=}} During filming, Dillard's parents visited the set, and his father acted as a Navy pilot tech consultant for the film.{{Cite web |last=Dillard |first=J. D. |date=2022-12-11 |title=Guest Column: 'Devotion' Director J.D. Dillard on Why The Story of the Navy's First Black Aviator Is So Personal |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/devotion-director-j-d-dillard-guest-column-1235276444/ |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=}}
In February 2024, he served as showrunner, creator, and executive producer on the Apple TV+ series Neuromancer, based on the book of the same name.{{cite web|last=Cordero|first=Rosy|title=Apple Greenlights New Sci-Fi Drama Series 'Neuromancer' Based On William Gibson Novel|url=https://deadline.com/2024/02/apple-greenlights-neuromancer-series-1235840840/|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=February 28, 2024|access-date=June 8, 2024}}
Filmography
Film
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! width="65"| Director ! width="65"| Producer ! width="65"| Writer ! Ref. |
| 2016
| Sleight | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |
| rowspan="2"|2019
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/emory-cohen-kiersey-clemons-blumhouses-sweetheart-exclusive-1202021448/ |title=Emory Cohen to Co-Star With Kiersey Clemons in Blumhouse's Sweetheart (Exclusive) |website=Variety |first=Justin |last=Kroll |date=April 3, 2017 |access-date=July 20, 2021 |archive-date=July 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702143922/https://variety.com/2017/film/news/emory-cohen-kiersey-clemons-blumhouses-sweetheart-exclusive-1202021448/ |url-status=live }} |
| Stray
| {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
| 2022
| Devotion | {{yes}} | {{yes|Executive}} | {{no}} |
Television
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Episode ! Ref. |
| 2019
| "Trilogy: Guilt Trip" |
| rowspan=3| 2020
| "Foxhead" |
| The Twilight Zone
| "Downtime" |
| Utopia
| "Talking Hurts" |
| TBA
| | |
Accolades
In January 2016, Dillard was nominated at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival Awards, in the category "Best of Next!", for his work on Sleight.{{Cite web |url=https://www.sundance.org/blogs/2016-sundance-film-festival-live-awards-updates |title=2016 Sundance Film Festival Awards Ceremony |access-date=July 24, 2021 |archive-date=July 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724184341/https://www.sundance.org/blogs/2016-sundance-film-festival-live-awards-updates |url-status=live }} In February 2018, Dillard received two nominations at the Black Reel Awards of 2018, in the categories "Best Emerging Filmmaker" and "Best First Screenplay", also for his work on Sleight.{{Cite web |url=http://blackreelawards.com/get-out-dominate-the-black-reel-awards/ |title=Get Out Dominates The Black Reel Awards |access-date=July 20, 2021 |archive-date=December 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171219052740/http://blackreelawards.com/get-out-dominate-the-black-reel-awards/ |url-status=dead }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|2300570}}
{{J. D. Dillard}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dillard, J. D.}}
Category:21st-century American male writers
Category:21st-century American screenwriters
Category:African-American film directors
Category:American male screenwriters
Category:American male television writers
Category:African-American television writers
Category:American television writers