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Derek Connolly

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Derek Connolly
Bornc. 1976 (age 47–48)
Miami, Florida, U.S.
Occupation
  • Screenwriter
  • film producer
Alma materTisch School of the Arts
Years active2005–present

Derek Connolly (born c. 1976)[1] is an American screenwriter and film producer. He is best known for his collaborations with filmmaker Colin Trevorrow, and has written the films Safety Not Guaranteed (2012), Jurassic World (2015) and its sequels Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022), Kong: Skull Island (2017) and Detective Pikachu (2019). He also co-wrote the unproduced original draft of Star Wars: Duel of the Fates, which became Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

Education

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Connolly attended Miami Palmetto Senior High School in Miami and New York University Tisch School of the Arts.[2]

Career

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Connolly was listed on Variety's Ten Screenwriters to Watch in 2012.[3] Connolly rewrote Kong: Skull Island (2017), for Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures.[4] Connolly co-wrote early (and ultimately uncredited) drafts of Pacific Rim: Uprising with Guillermo del Toro, Jon Spaihts and Zak Penn; the final screenplay was by Steven S. DeKnight, Emily Carmichael, Kira Snyder and T.S. Nowlin; based on characters by Travis Beacham and del Toro[5] Connolly and his writing partner Colin Trevorrow co-wrote the screenplays for Jurassic World (2015) and its sequel Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), and by February 2018, had written a story treatment for Jurassic World Dominion, was released on June 10, 2022.[6] Connolly and Trevorrow also co-wrote the first draft of Star Wars: Duel of the Fates, the final film of Star Wars sequel trilogy, but both left after Trevorrow stepped down as director, they were later replaced by Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J. J. Abrams (who eventually replaced Trevorrow as director) and Chris Terrio; however Connolly and Trevorrow received a story credit with Abrams and Terrio on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

Connolly was reported to be working on a remake of the film Flight of the Navigator,[7] as well as writing an upcoming original Pixar film directed by Teddy Newton[8] and a live action Legend of Zelda film directed by Wes Ball and produced by Shigeru Miyamoto and Avi Arad.[9] Connolly has been tapped to pen the script for a Metal Gear film.[10]

Writing credits

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Awards and nominations

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Year Title Award/Nomination
2012 Safety Not Guaranteed Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay
Nominated – Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature
2015 Jurassic World Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Writing

References

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  1. ^ Sneider, Jeff (November 29, 2012), "Connolly: College partnership leads to 'Guaranteed' success", Variety, retrieved 2012-12-21
  2. ^ Kareem Tabsch (June 19, 2012), "Safety Not Guaranteed: Miami Screenwriter Derek Connolly Turned an Internet Meme Into an Indie Film Success Story", Miami New Times, archived from the original on 2013-01-30, retrieved 2012-12-21
  3. ^ "VARIETY'S 10 SCREENWRITERS TO WATCH". Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  4. ^ Kit, Borys (August 18, 2015). "'Jurassic World' Writer Heads to 'Kong: Skull Island' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  5. ^ Kit, Borys (May 12, 2016). "Pacific Rim 2 Enlists Jurassic World Writer Derek Connolly (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  6. ^ Kroll, Justin (February 21, 2018). "Jurassic World 3 to Hit Theaters in June 2021". Variety. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  7. ^ Trumbore, Dave (2012-11-27). "Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly to Rewrite FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR Remake; Trevorrow May Direct". Collider. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  8. ^ "New Pixar Movie Coming From 'Safety Not Guaranteed' Writer Derek Connolly and 'Day & Night' Director Teddy Newton". slashfilm.com. 29 November 2012. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  9. ^ "'Legend Of Zelda' Live-Action Pic In Works At Sony With Wes Ball Directing, Nintendo Co-Financing". Deadline Hollywood. 7 November 2023. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  10. ^ Kroll, Justin; Lang, Brent (November 8, 2017). "Jurassic World Scribe To Write Metal Gear Solid Film (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
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