Will Gluck

{{short description|American filmmaker}}

{{BLP sources|date=October 2024}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Will Gluck

| image = WGpix.jpg

| image_size = 220px

| caption = Gluck at the premiere of Annie in December 2014

| education = United Nations International School
Cornell University

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|11|7}}

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

| occupation = {{hlist|Director|producer|screenwriter|songwriter|composer}}

| notable_works = Anyone But You, Easy A, Friends with Benefits, The Michael J. Fox Show, Peter Rabbit

| spouse = Trista Gladden

| children = 2

}}

Will Gluck (born November 7, 1978) is an American filmmaker, songwriter, and composer. He is known for writing and directing films such as Easy A (2010), Friends with Benefits (2011), the Peter Rabbit films (2018–2021), and Anyone but You (2023).

Life and career

Gluck is the son of American academic and Japanologist Carol Gluck and architect Peter L. Gluck.{{cite web|url=https://www.pentagram.com/work/gluck-1/story|title=Gluck+|publisher=Pentagram|access-date=February 22, 2018}} He began his career as a television writer, working on such shows as Grosse Pointe, Luis and Andy Richter Controls the Universe.{{cite web|author=Michael Fleming|url=https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/cast-penciled-in-for-easy-a-1118004501/|title=Cast penciled in for 'Easy A'|work=Variety|date=June 3, 2009|access-date=February 22, 2018}} He co-created and produced the Fox series The Loop with Pam Brady. He then became a feature director and his first effort was the film Fired Up which was released on February 20, 2009. His next film was 2010's Easy A, starring Emma Stone, Thomas Haden Church, Patricia Clarkson, Stanley Tucci, Lisa Kudrow, and Penn Badgley among others, which he also rewrote and produced. It grossed $75 million worldwide and was nominated for a People's Choice Award, Golden Globe Award (for Stone), Critics Choice Award for Best Comedy (which it won), GLAAD award, A.C.E. award, among others.

His project Friends with Benefits was released on July 22, 2011, and stars Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis. The ensemble cast includes Woody Harrelson, Jenna Elfman, Richard Jenkins, Patricia Clarkson, and Emma Stone.{{cite web|url=http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=64847|title=Friends with Benefits|work=comingsoon.net|publisher=CraveOnline|date=August 18, 2010|access-date=August 18, 2010}} The film went on to gross over $150 million worldwide {{cite web|url=https://pro.boxoffice.com/movie/15228/friends-with-benefits|title=Friends with Benefits|work=Box Office Pro|date=July 22, 2011|access-date=February 22, 2018}} and was nominated for a People's Choice Award (for Mila Kunis) as well as a nomination for Best Comedy Film.

He directed the remake of Annie (2014), filmed in New York City. It starred Quvenzhané Wallis, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, Rose Byrne, and Bobby Cannavale. It was produced by Gluck, Will Smith, James Lassiter, and Jay-Z. It grossed over $139 million worldwide.{{cite web|url=https://pro.boxoffice.com/movie/22821/annie-2014|title=Annie|work=Box Office Pro|date=December 19, 2014|access-date=February 22, 2018}}

He co-created, directed, and produced Michael J. Fox's 2013-2014 return to TV. The Michael J. Fox Show launched to critical acclaim and a first week audience of 16 million people.{{cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/sepinwall/review-stars-return-for-the-michael-j-fox-show-robin-williams-in-the-crazy-ones/|author=Alan Sepinwall|author-link=Alan Sepinwall|title=Review: Stars return for 'The Michael J. Fox Show' & Robin Williams in 'The Crazy Ones'|department=Uproxx|publisher=Uproxx Media Group|date=September 25, 2013|access-date=February 22, 2018}} NBC officially canceled the show on May 10, 2014, after one season.

Gluck and his Olive Bridge Entertainment production company are based at Sony Pictures Entertainment encompassing Columbia Pictures and at wiip for television. Their past productions include Woke for Hulu, Encore! for Disney+, Chicago Party Aunt and Sneakerheads for Netflix, along with a slate of other development.

Gluck's following film, Peter Rabbit, was released on February 9, 2018.{{cite news|url=http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/642987-sony-animation-dates-the-emoji-movie-delays-animated-spider-man|title=Sony Animation Dates The Emoji Movie, Delays Animated Spider-Man|author=Spencer Perry|work=comingsoon.net|publisher=CraveOnline|date=December 22, 2015|access-date=February 22, 2018}} It stars Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson, and the voices of James Corden, Margot Robbie, Daisy Ridley, Elizabeth Debicki, and Sia. It became his most successful film financially to date grossing over $351 million worldwide.{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=peterrabbit.htm|title=Peter Rabbit|work=Box Office Mojo|date=June 16, 2018|access-date=June 16, 2018}}

After the success of Peter Rabbit, he co-wrote, directed, and produced its sequel Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. It was scheduled to be released around the world in February 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was subsequently released around the world on June 11, 2021, and earned over $150 million at the box office.{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=peterrabbit2.htm|title=Peter Rabbit|work=Box Office Mojo|date=June 11, 2021|access-date=June 11, 2021}}

His latest film, Anyone but You, which he co-wrote, directed, and produced, was released on December 22, 2023. It stars Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, Alexandra Shipp, GaTa, Dermot Mulroney, Hadley Robinson, Rachel Griffiths, Darren Barnet, Michelle Hurd, Bryan Brown, Charlee Fraser, and Joe Davidson.{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt26047818|title=Anyone But You|work=Box Office Mojo|date=December 22, 2023|access-date=January 9, 2024}} It grossed over $240 million worldwide.{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=January 7, 2024 |title= First Weekend Of 2024 Down 16%, As 'Wonka' Leads, 'Night Swim' Paddles To $12M+, 'Aquaman 2' Nears $100M – Saturday AM Box Office |url= https://deadline.com/2024/01/box-office-night-swim-wonka-1235695828/ |access-date=January 7, 2024|website=Deadline Hollywood}}

Filmography

All of the movies Gluck directed and wrote end with a weird groaning sound (except About Last Night). Television shows does not have the weird groaning sound.

= Feature films =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
rowspan="2" style="width:33px;" |Year

! rowspan="2" |Film

width="65" |Director

! width="65" |Writer

!Producer

! scope="col" | Notes

2009

| Fired Up!

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}} {{efn|Credited as "Freedom Jones"}}

| {{no}}

|

2010

| Easy A

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| Uncredited rewrite

|

2011

| Friends with Benefits

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

|

rowspan="2" | 2014

| About Last Night

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

|

Annie

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| Also lyricist and composer

2018

| Peter Rabbit

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

|

2021

| Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

|

2023

| Anyone but You

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

|

= Television =

Awards

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
WorkAwardCategoryResult
rowspan=5| Easy A

|16th Critics' Choice Awards

Best Comedy{{won}}
37th People's Choice AwardsFavorite Comedy{{nom}}
2011 Teen Choice AwardsTeen Choice Award for Choice Movie: Romantic Comedy{{won}}
rowspan=2|2011 The Comedy Awards

|Best Comedy Director

{{nom}}
Best Comedy Film{{nom}}
Friends with Benefits38th People's Choice AwardsFavorite Comedy{{nom}}
The Michael J. Fox Show2013 Critics' Choice Television AwardMost Exciting New Series{{won}}
Annie72nd Golden Globe AwardsBest Original Song - "Opportunity"{{nom}} (With Sia and Greg Kurstin),
Peter Rabbit2018 Teen Choice AwardsChoice Fantasy Movie{{nom}}
rowspan="2" |Anyone but You49th People's Choice AwardsBest Comedy{{nom}}
35th GLAAD Media AwardsOutstanding Film - Wide Theatrical Release{{nom}}

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}