Ruben Fleischer
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{short description|American film director}}
{{infobox person
| name = Ruben Fleischer
| image = Ruben Fleischer by Gage Skidmore.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Fleischer at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con
| birth_name = Ruben Samuel Fleischer{{cite web|url=http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/j/e/n/Jaci-Jennings-Vale-of-Glamorgan/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0539.html |title=Jennings, Hughes, Wilkes, Webber, Aldridge U.K.:Information about Ruben Samuel Fleischer |publisher=Familytreemaker.genealogy.com |date=August 15, 1996 |access-date=January 7, 2013}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|10|31|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Washington, D.C., U.S.
| occupation = {{flatlist|
}}
| years_active = 2000–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Holly Shakoor|2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/emma-stone-officiates-a-wedding-just-like-these-other-celebrities-20121411 |title=Emma Stone officiates a wedding – just like these other celebrities |publisher=UsMagazine.com |date=November 14, 2012 |access-date=January 11, 2013}}
}}
Ruben Samuel Fleischer ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|f|l|aɪ|ʃ|ər}}; born October 31, 1974) is an American film director, film producer, television producer, music video director, and commercial director. He is best known as the director of Zombieland (2009), his first feature film, and its sequel Zombieland: Double Tap (2019). He has also directed the films 30 Minutes or Less, Gangster Squad, Uncharted, and 2018's Venom featuring the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Prior to features, he directed television commercials for such brands as Cisco, Eurostar, ESPN, and Burger King, and music videos for artists such as M.I.A., Electric Six, DJ Format and Gold Chains.
Early life
Fleischer was born and raised in Washington, D.C, the son of Karen Lee (née Samuel) and David Elliot Fleischer, who is a physician at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona and a professor of medicine.{{Unreliable source?|date=April 2025|certain=y|reason=genealogy/familytree user geneated contents}}{{cite news |last=Bloomer |first=Jeffrey |date=October 2, 2009 |title=Getting to Know... Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/10/getting-to-know-zombieland-director-ruben-fleische.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091105015416/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/10/getting-to-know-zombieland-director-ruben-fleische.html |archive-date=November 5, 2009 |work=Paste Magazine}} His brother, Lucas, works in new media.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/16/AR2009101603398.html |title=With 'Zombieland,' D.C. Native Ruben Fleischer Turns His Directorial Debut Into a Hit |work=Washingtonpost.com |date= October 17, 2009|access-date=January 7, 2013 |first=Ann |last=Hornaday}} His father was born to a Jewish family, while his mother converted to Judaism. Fleischer was raised in Reform Judaism.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.forward.com/the-arty-semite/168997/gangster-squads-comedy-nerd/ |title=Gangster Squad's Comedy Nerd – The Arty Semite – Forward.com |work=The Jewish Daily Forward |publisher=Blogs.forward.com |access-date=January 11, 2013}}
After graduating with a major in history from Wesleyan University, Fleischer moved to San Francisco, where he worked as a freelance HTML programmer, unsure what he wanted to do with his life.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/16/AR2009101603398.html|title=Don of the Dead|author=Ann Hornaday|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=October 17, 2009}}[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/movies/sean-penn-in-ruben-fleischers-gangster-squad.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Ruben Fleischer’s ‘Gangster Squad’], New York Times. By Michael Cieply. Published: January 4, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2013.{{cite news|url=https://collider.com/director-ruben-fleischer-interview-zombieland-a/3463/|title=Director Ruben Fleischer Interview ZOMBIELAND|author= Steve Weintraub | work= Collider Magazine|date=July 9, 2009}}
Career
Taking the advice of close friend Mike White (also a Wesleyan graduate), Fleischer worked as a PA in the writers' office of Dawson's Creek. He eventually turned to directing and worked his way through the industry, tackling music videos, and television commercials before landing his first feature film, Zombieland, in 2009. His second feature, 30 Minutes or Less, opened in theaters on August 12, 2011.{{cite news|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/30-minutes-less-teaser-posters/|title='30 Minutes Or Less' Teaser Posters|author=Germain Lussier| work=Slashfilm|date=April 22, 2011}}
Fleischer directed Gangster Squad, a 2013 action thriller film, based on the special tactical group created by the LAPD to combat the Los Angeles crime family.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2011/film/news/emma-stone-rounds-up-gangster-squad-1118040460/|title=Emma Stone rounds up 'Gangster Squad'|last1=Sneider|first1=Jeff|last2=Kroll|first2=Justin|work=Variety|publisher=Reed Business Information|date=July 26, 2011|access-date=July 27, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108144431/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118040460|archive-date=January 8, 2012}} He next directed Venom, a film about Marvel Comics character Eddie Brock, starring Tom Hardy; it was released on October 5, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/tom-hardy-venom-spinoff-spider-man-director-ruben-fleischer-1202418721/|title=Tom Hardy to Star in 'Spider-Man' Movie 'Venom,' Ruben Fleischer to Direct |publisher=Variety|last=Kroll|first=Justin|date=October 10, 2016}}
In 2019, he directed Zombieland: Double Tap, reuniting the four original leads.{{cite news|author=Michael Kennedy|publisher=Screen Rant|url=https://screenrant.com/zombieland-2-script-completed/|title=Zombieland 2 Writers Reveal Script is Completed|date=March 23, 2017|access-date=March 23, 2017}} In February 2020, he was hired to direct Uncharted, based on the video game series of the same name.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/antonio-banderas-uncharted-movie-tom-holland-1203520345/|title=Antonio Banderas Joins Tom Holland in 'Uncharted' Movie (EXCLUSIVE)|website=Variety|last=Kroll|first=Justin|date=March 2, 2020|access-date=March 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200302182551/https://variety.com/2020/film/news/antonio-banderas-uncharted-movie-tom-holland-1203520345/|archive-date=March 2, 2020|url-status=live}} In September 2022, he was hired to direct Now You See Me: Now You Don't.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/09/now-you-see-me-ruben-fleischer-lionsgate-1235130999/|title= Ruben Fleischer To Direct Next 'Now You See Me' Pic For Lionsgate|last1=Grobar|first1=Matt|last2=D'Alessandro|first2=Anthony|date=September 29, 2022}}
Filmography
Short film
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Director ! Producer |
|---|
| 2001
| The Girls Guitar Club | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
| 2005
| Gumball 3000: 6 Days in May | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
= Feature film =
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year | Title | Director | Executive producer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Zombieland | {{yes}} | {{no}} |
| 2011 | 30 Minutes or Less | {{yes}} | {{no}} |
| 2013 | Gangster Squad | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
| rowspan="2"|2018 | Venom | {{yes}} | {{no}} |
| The Mule | {{no}} | {{yes}} | |
| 2019 | Zombieland: Double Tap | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
| 2021 | Venom: Let There Be Carnage | {{no}} | {{yes}} |
| 2022 | Uncharted | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
| 2025 | Now You See Me: Now You Don't | {{yes}} | {{no}} |
;Producer
- Two Night Stand (2014)
- Unicorn Store (2017)
- Bad Trip (2021)
= Television =
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Director ! Executive ! Notes |
|---|
| 2003–2006
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | 3 episodes |
| 2006–2007
| {{no}} | {{yes}} | |
| 2008
| Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis | {{yes}} | {{no}} | 2 episodes |
| 2009–2015
| {{no}} | {{yes}} | |
| 2010
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | 4 episodes |
| 2015
| Marry Me | {{yes}} | {{no}} | Episode "F Me" |
| 2015–2021
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Directed 7 episodes |
| 2016
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Directed episode "Pilot" |
| 2017
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Directed 2 episodes |
| 2017–2021
| {{no}} | {{yes}} | |
| 2019–2020
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Directed 1 episode |
| rowspan="2"| 2023
| {{no}} | {{yes}} | |
| Jury Duty
| {{no}} | {{yes}} | |
| 2024
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Directed 2 episodes |
| TBA
| {{no}} | {{yes}} |{{cite web|first=Borys|last=Kit|url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/neil-burger-tapped-to-direct-motorheads-1235862515/|title= Neil Burger Tapped to Direct Episodes of Prime Video Drama 'Motorheads' (Exclusive)|website=The Hollywood Reporter |date=March 28, 2024|access-date=February 11, 2025}} |
= Music videos =
| class="wikitable"
! Title ! Artist |
| "Galang" |
| "Fix Up, Look Sharp"
|rowspan=2|Dizzee Rascal |
| "Stand Up Tall" |
| "Pro Nails" |
| "I Came From SF"
|rowspan=4|Gold Chains |
| "Cali Nights" |
| "The Game" |
| "Nada" |
| "Dance Commander" |
| "Vicious Battle Raps"
|rowspan=3|DJ Format |
| "We Know Something You Don't" |
| "The Hit Song" |
| "Mocito"
|Pigeon Funk |
| "Pies" |
| "Dirty Girl" |
| "Wash in the Rain" |
| "Here She Comes Again" |
| "I Believe in You" |
| "Stadtkind" |
| "Time Bomb" |
| "Just a Simple Plan" |
| "French Jacuzzi Dub"
|Explosion Robinson |
| "Come On to Me"
|Major Lazer featuring Sean Paul |
= Commercials =
| class="wikitable"
! Title ! Brand |
| "Ladies Man"
|rowspan=3|Boost Mobile |
| "Geek" |
| "Shopaholic" |
| "Good Inside"
|rowspan=2|McDonald's |
| "After Party" |
| "Revision 43A"
|rowspan=4|Cisco |
| "Jack 245" |
| "Call Jimmy" |
| "Manager" |
| "Up Late with The King"
|rowspan=3|Burger King |
| "Handoff" |
| "Bounce" |
| "Circles" |
| "Quiet"
|rowspan=2|ESPN |
| "Mascots" |
| "The Drop" |
| "Nose" |
| "Infomercial" |
| "Believe It or Not"
|G4 |
| "Asai Kenichi"
|rowspan=3|Levi's |
| "Hiroshi Fujiwara" |
| "Chara" |
| "Cops" |
| "Down Home"
|KFC |
| "Har Mar Superstar" |
| "A Way In" |
Collaborations
Like many directors, Fleischer has worked with certain actors on two or more of his films:
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
!Actor!!Zombieland | ||||||||
| {{rh}}|Abigail Breslin | {{U2713}} | {{U2713}} | 2 | |||||
| {{rh}}|Jesse Eisenberg | {{U2713}} | {{U2713}} | {{U2713}} | {{U2713}} | 4 | |||
| {{rh}}|Woody Harrelson | {{U2713}} | {{U2713}} | {{U2713}} | {{U2713}} | 4 | |||
| {{rh}}|Bill Murray | {{U2713}} | {{U2713}} | 2 | |||||
| {{rh}}|Michael Peña | {{U2713}} | {{U2713}} | 2 | |||||
| {{rh}}|Emma Stone | {{U2713}} | {{U2713}} | {{U2713}} | 3 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0281508|Ruben Fleischer}}
{{Ruben Fleischer}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fleischer, Ruben}}
Category:American music video directors
Category:American comedy film directors
Category:Film directors from San Francisco
Category:Film directors from Washington, D.C.
Category:American horror film directors
Category:Wesleyan University alumni
Category:Writers from San Francisco