Rob Letterman

{{Infobox person

| image = Rob Letterman, SDCC 2014-2 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Letterman at San Diego Comic-Con 2014

| birth_name = Robert Thomas Letterman

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|10|31}}

| birth_place = Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.

| education =

| alma_mater = University of Southern California

| occupation = {{hlist|Film director|screenwriter}}

| yearsactive = 1999–present

| children = 2

}}

Robert Thomas Letterman (born October 31, 1970) is an American film director and screenwriter. He made his directorial debut as co-director of the animated comedy film Shark Tale (2004), for which he received a nomination for the Annie Award for Writing in a Feature Production. He then co-directed the animated science fiction comedy film Monsters vs. Aliens (2009).{{cite news|last=Kit|first=Borys|title=Rob Letterman to Direct 'Captain Underpants' for DWA (Exclusive)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/captain-underpants-nicholas-stoller-rob-650700|access-date=October 26, 2013|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|date=October 25, 2013|archive-date=October 31, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031114637/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/captain-underpants-nicholas-stoller-rob-650700|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last=Baisley|first=Sarah|title=Annie Noms go to Incredibles, Shrek 2, Shark Tale|url=http://www.awn.com/news/awards/annie-noms-go-incredibles-shrek-2-shark-tale/page/3%2C1|access-date=October 26, 2013|newspaper=Animation World Network|date=December 6, 2004|archive-date=January 15, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115163415/https://www.awn.com/news/annie-noms-go-incredibles-shrek-2-shark-tale|url-status=live}}

Letterman has since transitioned into live-action filmmaking, directing the fantasy comedy film Gulliver's Travels (2010), the horror comedy film Goosebumps (2015), and the fantasy mystery film Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019).

Early life

Letterman was born in Hawaii and attended Mid-Pacific Institute and USC.{{cite news|last=Harada|first=Wayne|title='Stretch Armstrong' up next for Isle-born director|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2010/Apr/25/il/hawaii4250339.html|access-date=October 26, 2013|date=April 25, 2010|archive-date=April 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417225749/http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2010/Apr/25/il/hawaii4250339.html|url-status=live}}

Career

Prior to joining DreamWorks Animation, Letterman directed the short film Los Gringos, which was accepted at 2000's Sundance Film Festival.{{cite web|title=Los Gringos|url=http://history.sundance.org/films/2402/los_gringos|publisher=Sundance Institute|access-date=October 26, 2013|archive-date=October 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201243/http://history.sundance.org/films/2402/los_gringos|url-status=live}}

In 2002, Vicky Jenson and Eric "Bibo" Bergeron invited him as a screenwriter (then as co-director) in the making of Shark Tale.

In 2010, Letterman directed the live-action film Gulliver's Travels, starring Jack Black in the lead role.{{cite news|last=Romney|first=Jonathon|title=Gulliver's Travels, Rob Letterman, 90 mins, (PG)|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/gullivers-travels-rob-letterman-90-mins-pg-2169158.html|work=The Independent - Reviews|publisher=The Independent|access-date=April 16, 2011|location=London|date=December 26, 2010|archive-date=December 28, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101228140845/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/gullivers-travels-rob-letterman-90-mins-pg-2169158.html|url-status=live}} He also directed the live-action/CGI film Pokémon Detective Pikachu, based on the Pokémon videogame franchise. The film was released on May 10, 2019, and grossed $433 million at the box office as well as attained the highest percentage of positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes for a film adaptation of a video game at the time.{{cite web |last=Nolan |first=L.D. |title=Detective Pikachu's Electrifying Rotten Tomatoes Score Revealed |url=https://www.cbr.com/detective-pikachu-highest-rated-rotten-tomatoes/ |website=CBR |access-date=May 5, 2019 |date=May 3, 2019 |archive-date=May 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505042648/https://www.cbr.com/detective-pikachu-highest-rated-rotten-tomatoes/ |url-status=live }}

In 2020, Netflix announced Letterman as director for an upcoming live-action animated film adaptation of Ubisoft's Beyond Good & Evil video game.{{Cite web|title='Detective Pikachu' Director and Netflix Tackling 'Beyond Good & Evil' Adaptation (Exclusive)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/detective-pikachu-director-netflix-tackling-ubisofts-beyond-good-evil-film-adaptation-1305407|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=July 31, 2020|language=en|access-date=July 31, 2020|archive-date=March 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210330014445/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/detective-pikachu-director-netflix-tackling-ubisofts-beyond-good-evil-film-adaptation-1305407|url-status=live}} Since then, no further updates have been given for the film since the announcement.

Personal life

Letterman is in a relationship with Beth Pontrelli and has two children, Jack and Eva.{{Cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?n=michael-angelo-pontrelli&pid=179817223|title=Michael Angelo Pontrelli Obituary (1929 - 2016) Los Angeles Times|website=Legacy.com|access-date=November 13, 2018|archive-date=November 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114010753/https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?n=michael-angelo-pontrelli&pid=179817223|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://blockshopper.com/ca/los-angeles-county/los-angeles/property/5585007004/2700-creston-drive|title=Robert Letterman and Beth Pontrelli | 2700 Creston Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068|access-date=November 13, 2018|archive-date=November 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114010950/https://blockshopper.com/ca/los-angeles-county/los-angeles/property/5585007004/2700-creston-drive|url-status=live}}

Filmography

Short film

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! width=65 \| Director ! Producer ! width=65 \| Writer ! Notes
1996 \| Shrek – I Feel Good \| {{no}} \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \| Animation test
1999 \| Los Gringos \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \| {{yes}} \|
2005 \| Club Oscar \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \| {{no}} \|

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! width=65 | Director

! Producer

! width=65 | Writer

! Notes

1996

| Shrek – I Feel Good

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| Animation test

1999

| Los Gringos

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

2005

| Club Oscar

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

Feature film

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! width=65 \| Director ! width=65 \| Writer ! Notes
2004 \| Shark Tale \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| Co-directed with Vicky Jenson and Bibo Bergeron
2009 \| Monsters vs. Aliens \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| Co-directed with Conrad Vernon
2010 \| Gulliver's Travels \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \|
2015 \| Goosebumps \| {{yes}} \| {{no}} \|
2019 \| Detective Pikachu \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \|

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! width=65 | Director

! width=65 | Writer

! Notes

2004

| Shark Tale

| {{yes}}

| Co-directed with Vicky Jenson and Bibo Bergeron

2009

| Monsters vs. Aliens

| {{yes}}

| Co-directed with Conrad Vernon

2010

| Gulliver's Travels

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

2015

| Goosebumps

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

2019

| Detective Pikachu

| {{yes}}

Television

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! width=65 \| Director ! width=65 \| Writer ! width=65 \| Executive Producer ! width=65 \| Creator ! Notes
2023–present \| Goosebumps \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| {{yes}} \| Directed 4 episodes Written 4 episodes

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! width=65 | Director

! width=65 | Writer

! width=65 | Executive
Producer

! width=65 | Creator

! Notes

2023–present

| Goosebumps

| {{yes}}

| Directed 4 episodes
Written 4 episodes

Other credits

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! Role
1999 \| Lake Placid \| Color and Lighting Supervisor: Digital Domain
2001 \| Shrek \| Propellerhead: Los Angeles pre-production
2009 \| Monsters vs. Aliens \| Also voiced Secret Service Man #1
2017 \| Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie \| Executive producer

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! Role

1999

| Lake Placid

| Color and Lighting Supervisor: Digital Domain

2001

| Shrek

| Propellerhead: Los Angeles pre-production

2009

| Monsters vs. Aliens