James Wan

James Wan

Birth : 1977-02-26, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

History

James Wan (born 26 February 1977) is a Malaysia-born Australian film director, screenwriter, producer, and comic book writer. He has primarily worked in the horror genre as the co-creator of the "Saw" and "Insidious" franchises and the creator of "The Conjuring" universe. Wan is also the founder of Atomic Monster Productions, which has produced film and television projects. After directing the micro-budget film "Stygian" (2000), Wan made his professional feature directorial debut with "Saw" (2004). The film was a hit and launched a franchise that has grossed more than $1 billion globally. Following a period of setbacks with the underperforming titles "Dead Silence" and "Death Sentence" (both 2007), Wan returned to commercial success with the PG-13 supernatural horror-fantasy "Insidious" (2010), and went on to direct "Insidious: Part 2" (2013) and to produce further sequels in the series. In between his two "Insidious" projects, Wan directed the more traditional supernatural horror film "The Conjuring" (2013), which achieved enormous critical and commercial success and spawned a sprawling set of sequels and spin-offs collectively known as The Conjuring Universe. Wan served as the director of "The Conjuring 2" (2016) while producing subsequent films in the franchise such as "Annabelle" (2014) and "The Nun" (2018). The Conjuring Universe is the second highest-grossing horror franchise at over $2 billion. Outside of horror, Wan directed "Furious 7" (2015), the seventh installment in the "Fast & Furious" franchise, and the DC Extended Universe superhero film "Aquaman" (2018). Both grossed over $1 billion, making Wan the eighth director with two films to reach the milestone. He is the 20th highest-grossing director of all time as of 2021, with his films having grossed over $3.6 billion worldwide.

Profile

James Wan
James Wan

Movies

M3GAN 2.0
Characters
M3GAN 2.0
Producer
Night Swim
Producer
Forced into early retirement by a degenerative illness, former baseball player Ray Waller moves into a new house with his wife and two children. He hopes that the backyard swimming pool will be fun for the kids and provide physical therapy for himself. However, a dark secret from the home's past soon unleashes a malevolent force that drags the family into the depths of inescapable terror.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Story
Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father's death and wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. To defeat him, Aquaman must turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance in order to save the world from irreversible destruction.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Producer
Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father's death and wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. To defeat him, Aquaman must turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance in order to save the world from irreversible destruction.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Director
Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father's death and wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. To defeat him, Aquaman must turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance in order to save the world from irreversible destruction.
Saw X
Executive Producer
Between the events of 'Saw' and 'Saw II', a sick and desperate John Kramer travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure in hopes of a miracle cure for his cancer, only to discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable. Armed with a newfound purpose, the infamous serial killer returns to his work, turning the tables on the con artists in his signature visceral way through devious, deranged, and ingenious traps.
The Nun II
Producer
1956, France. A priest is murdered, an evil is spreading, and Sister Irene once again comes face to face with the malevolent force of Valak, the demon nun.
Insidious: The Red Door
Producer
To put their demons to rest once and for all, Josh Lambert and a college-aged Dalton Lambert must go deeper into The Further than ever before, facing their family's dark past and a host of new and more horrifying terrors that lurk behind the red door.
M3GAN
Story
A brilliant toy company roboticist uses artificial intelligence to develop M3GAN, a life-like doll programmed to emotionally bond with her newly orphaned niece. But when the doll's programming works too well, she becomes overprotective of her new friend with terrifying results.
M3GAN
Producer
A brilliant toy company roboticist uses artificial intelligence to develop M3GAN, a life-like doll programmed to emotionally bond with her newly orphaned niece. But when the doll's programming works too well, she becomes overprotective of her new friend with terrifying results.
Aquaman: King of Atlantis
Executive Producer
The series begins with Aquaman's first day on the job as king of Atlantis, and he's got a lot of catching up to do. Luckily, he has his two royal advisors to back him up: Vulko, the scholar, and Mera, the water controlling warrior-princess.
There's Someone Inside Your House
Producer
As the countdown to graduation begins, students at Osborne High are being stalked by a maniac intent on exposing their darkest secrets to the entire town, terrorizing victims while wearing a life-like mask of their own face. With a mysterious past of her own, Makani and her friends must discover the killer's identity before they become victims themselves.
Malignant
Story
Madison is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities with a mysterious tie to her past.
Malignant
Producer
Madison is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities with a mysterious tie to her past.
Malignant
Director
Madison is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities with a mysterious tie to her past.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
Story
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren encounter what would become one of the most sensational cases from their files. The fight for the soul of a young boy takes them beyond anything they'd ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
Producer
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren encounter what would become one of the most sensational cases from their files. The fight for the soul of a young boy takes them beyond anything they'd ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.
Spiral: From the Book of Saw
Original Film Writer
Working in the shadow of an esteemed police veteran, brash Detective Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks and his rookie partner take charge of a grisly investigation into murders that are eerily reminiscent of the city’s gruesome past. Unwittingly entrapped in a deepening mystery, Zeke finds himself at the center of the killer’s morbid game.
Spiral: From the Book of Saw
Executive Producer
Working in the shadow of an esteemed police veteran, brash Detective Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks and his rookie partner take charge of a grisly investigation into murders that are eerily reminiscent of the city’s gruesome past. Unwittingly entrapped in a deepening mystery, Zeke finds himself at the center of the killer’s morbid game.
Mortal Kombat
Producer
Washed-up MMA fighter Cole Young, unaware of his heritage, and hunted by Emperor Shang Tsung's best warrior, Sub-Zero, seeks out and trains with Earth's greatest champions as he prepares to stand against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe.
Annabelle Comes Home
Story
Determined to keep Annabelle from wreaking more havoc, demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren bring the possessed doll to the locked artifacts room in their home, placing her “safely” behind sacred glass and enlisting a priest’s holy blessing. But an unholy night of horror awaits as Annabelle awakens the evil spirits in the room, who all set their sights on a new target—the Warrens' ten-year-old daughter, Judy, and her friends.
Annabelle Comes Home
Producer
Determined to keep Annabelle from wreaking more havoc, demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren bring the possessed doll to the locked artifacts room in their home, placing her “safely” behind sacred glass and enlisting a priest’s holy blessing. But an unholy night of horror awaits as Annabelle awakens the evil spirits in the room, who all set their sights on a new target—the Warrens' ten-year-old daughter, Judy, and her friends.
The Curse of La Llorona
Producer
In 1970s Los Angeles, ignoring the eerie warning of a troubled mother suspected of child endangerment, a social worker and her own young kids are soon drawn into a frightening supernatural realm.
Going Deep Into the World of 'Aquaman'
Self
Documentary about creating a watery setting, sets and locations, costumes and production design, and general aspects of the film. A run-through of the production process from start to finish including the initial development, building the sets, costume design, CGI, and more.
Aquaman: Heroines of Atlantis
Self
Amber Heard and Nicole Kidman discuss their characters Mera and Atlanna.
Aquaman
Story
Half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry is taken on the journey of his lifetime to discover if he is worth of being a king.
Aquaman
Director
Half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry is taken on the journey of his lifetime to discover if he is worth of being a king.
The Nun
Story
When a young nun at a cloistered abbey in Romania takes her own life, a priest with a haunted past and a novitiate on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate. Together they uncover the order’s unholy secret. Risking not only their lives but their faith and their very souls, they confront a malevolent force in the form of the same demonic nun that first terrorized audiences in “The Conjuring 2” as the abbey becomes a horrific battleground between the living and the damned.
The Nun
Producer
When a young nun at a cloistered abbey in Romania takes her own life, a priest with a haunted past and a novitiate on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate. Together they uncover the order’s unholy secret. Risking not only their lives but their faith and their very souls, they confront a malevolent force in the form of the same demonic nun that first terrorized audiences in “The Conjuring 2” as the abbey becomes a horrific battleground between the living and the damned.
Insidious: The Last Key
Producer
Parapsychologist Elise Rainier and her team travel to Five Keys, NM, to investigate a man’s claim of a haunting. Terror soon strikes when Rainier realizes that the house he lives in was her family’s old home.
Jigsaw
Executive Producer
Dead bodies begin to turn up all over the city, each meeting their demise in a variety of grisly ways. All investigations begin to point the finger at deceased killer John Kramer.
Jigsaw
Creator
Dead bodies begin to turn up all over the city, each meeting their demise in a variety of grisly ways. All investigations begin to point the finger at deceased killer John Kramer.
Annabelle: Creation
Producer
Several years after the tragic death of their little girl, a doll maker and his wife welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home, soon becoming the target of the doll maker's possessed creation—Annabelle.
Lights Out
Producer
Rebecca must unlock the terror behind her little brother's experiences that once tested her sanity, bringing her face to face with a supernatural spirit attached to their mother.
The Conjuring 2
Screenplay
Lorraine and Ed Warren travel to north London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by malicious spirits.
The Conjuring 2
Story
Lorraine and Ed Warren travel to north London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by malicious spirits.
The Conjuring 2
Producer
Lorraine and Ed Warren travel to north London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by malicious spirits.
The Conjuring 2
Director
Lorraine and Ed Warren travel to north London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by malicious spirits.
Game Changer: The Legacy of Saw
Himself
Generations of movie fans have thrilled to Saw's blood-curdling story of a serial killer who traps his victims in a sadistic game of survival. Game Changer takes you behind the scenes, as cast and crew reveal the stories behind the film that launched the most successful horror franchise in movie history.
Game Changer: The Legacy of Saw
Thanks
Generations of movie fans have thrilled to Saw's blood-curdling story of a serial killer who traps his victims in a sadistic game of survival. Game Changer takes you behind the scenes, as cast and crew reveal the stories behind the film that launched the most successful horror franchise in movie history.
Lavalantula
Tour Bus Passenger
Giant lava breathing tarantulas – Lavalantulas – erupt out of ancient volcanos in the Santa Monica Mountains, raining death and destruction upon Los Angeles. With the City of Angels on the verge of incineration, only a washed up ‘90s action hero actor stands in the way of this monstrous swarm of bloodthirsty creatures who burn their victims alive.
Insidious: Chapter 3
Producer
A twisted new tale of terror begins for a teenage girl and her family, and revealing more mysteries of the otherworldly realm, 'The Further'.
Insidious: Chapter 3
Theater Director
A twisted new tale of terror begins for a teenage girl and her family, and revealing more mysteries of the otherworldly realm, 'The Further'.
Furious 7
Director
Deckard Shaw seeks revenge against Dominic Toretto and his family for his comatose brother.
Demonic
Producer
A police officer and a psychologist investigate the deaths of five people who were killed while trying to summon ghosts.
Annabelle
Producer
A couple begins to experience terrifying supernatural occurrences involving a vintage doll shortly after their home is invaded by satanic cultists.
Insidious: Chapter 2
Story
The haunted Lambert family seeks to uncover the mysterious childhood secret that has left them dangerously connected to the spirit world.
Insidious: Chapter 2
Director
The haunted Lambert family seeks to uncover the mysterious childhood secret that has left them dangerously connected to the spirit world.
The Conjuring
Director
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.
Saw 3D
Original Film Writer
As a deadly battle rages over Jigsaw's brutal legacy, a group of Jigsaw survivors gathers to seek the support of self-help guru and fellow survivor Bobby Dagen, a man whose own dark secrets unleash a new wave of terror.
Saw 3D
Executive Producer
As a deadly battle rages over Jigsaw's brutal legacy, a group of Jigsaw survivors gathers to seek the support of self-help guru and fellow survivor Bobby Dagen, a man whose own dark secrets unleash a new wave of terror.
Insidious
Editor
A family discovers that dark spirits have invaded their home after their son inexplicably falls into an endless sleep. When they reach out to a professional for help, they learn things are a lot more personal than they thought.
Insidious
Director
A family discovers that dark spirits have invaded their home after their son inexplicably falls into an endless sleep. When they reach out to a professional for help, they learn things are a lot more personal than they thought.
Saw VI
Original Film Writer
Special Agent Strahm is dead, and Detective Hoffman has emerged as the unchallenged successor to Jigsaw's legacy. However, when the FBI draws closer to Hoffman, he is forced to set a game into motion, and Jigsaw's grand scheme is finally understood.
Saw VI
Executive Producer
Special Agent Strahm is dead, and Detective Hoffman has emerged as the unchallenged successor to Jigsaw's legacy. However, when the FBI draws closer to Hoffman, he is forced to set a game into motion, and Jigsaw's grand scheme is finally understood.
Doggie Heaven (Woof!)
Story
The creative team behind the smash hit "Saw" films, James Wan and Leigh Whannell, tell the story of a young man who is having a dog of a day. Hes just been shot dead, but his real problems are only just beginning due to a clerical error that has sent him to the wrong heaven.
Doggie Heaven (Woof!)
Director
The creative team behind the smash hit "Saw" films, James Wan and Leigh Whannell, tell the story of a young man who is having a dog of a day. Hes just been shot dead, but his real problems are only just beginning due to a clerical error that has sent him to the wrong heaven.
Saw V
Executive Producer
Detective Hoffman is seemingly the last person alive to carry on the Jigsaw legacy. But when his secret is threatened, he must go on the hunt to eliminate all the loose ends.
Not Quite Hollywood
Self
As Australian cinema broke through to international audiences in the 1970s through respected art house films like Peter Weir's "Picnic At Hanging Rock," a new underground of low-budget exploitation filmmakers were turning out considerably less highbrow fare. Documentary filmmaker Mark Hartley explores this unbridled era of sex and violence, complete with clips from some of the scene's most outrageous flicks and interviews with the renegade filmmakers themselves.
Saw IV
Executive Producer
Jigsaw and his apprentice Amanda are dead. Now, upon the news of Detective Kerry's murder, two seasoned FBI profilers, Agent Strahm and Agent Perez, arrive in the terrified community to assist the veteran Detective Hoffman in sifting through Jigsaw's latest grisly remains and piecing together the puzzle. However, when SWAT Commander Rigg is abducted and thrust into a game, the last officer untouched by Jigsaw has but ninety minutes to overcome a series of demented traps and save an old friend...or face the deadly consequences.
Death Sentence
Director
Nick Hume is a mild-mannered executive with a perfect life, until one gruesome night he witnesses something that changes him forever. Transformed by grief, Hume eventually comes to the disturbing conclusion that no length is too great when protecting his family.
The Making of Dead Silence
Self
Short documentary on the making of Dead Silence.
Dead Silence
Writer
Jamie returns to his hometown in search of answers to his wife's murder, which occurred after receiving a weird package containing a ventriloquist dummy named Billy, which may be linked to the legend of ventriloquist Mary Shaw. Destined to find out the truth, Jamie goes to the town of Raven's Fair, where Shaw used to perform and is buried. But Jamie is in for more than he expected.
Dead Silence
Director
Jamie returns to his hometown in search of answers to his wife's murder, which occurred after receiving a weird package containing a ventriloquist dummy named Billy, which may be linked to the legend of ventriloquist Mary Shaw. Destined to find out the truth, Jamie goes to the town of Raven's Fair, where Shaw used to perform and is buried. But Jamie is in for more than he expected.
Saw III
Original Film Writer
Jigsaw has disappeared. Along with his new apprentice Amanda, the puppet-master behind the cruel, intricate games that have terrified a community and baffled police has once again eluded capture and vanished. While city detective scrambles to locate him, Doctor Lynn Denlon and Jeff Reinhart are unaware that they are about to become the latest pawns on his vicious chessboard.
Saw III
Executive Producer
Jigsaw has disappeared. Along with his new apprentice Amanda, the puppet-master behind the cruel, intricate games that have terrified a community and baffled police has once again eluded capture and vanished. While city detective scrambles to locate him, Doctor Lynn Denlon and Jeff Reinhart are unaware that they are about to become the latest pawns on his vicious chessboard.
Saw III
Story
Jigsaw has disappeared. Along with his new apprentice Amanda, the puppet-master behind the cruel, intricate games that have terrified a community and baffled police has once again eluded capture and vanished. While city detective scrambles to locate him, Doctor Lynn Denlon and Jeff Reinhart are unaware that they are about to become the latest pawns on his vicious chessboard.
The Scott Tibbs Documentary
Writer
Scott Tibbs, one of the Saw world's unseen background characters, takes his own unique perspective on the Jigsaw murders in his down-and-dirty documentary.
Hitchcocked!
Himself
A tribute to the work of Alfred Hitchcock, featuring contemporary filmmakers, writers, performers, and cultural critics.
Saw II
Original Film Writer
The chilling and relentless Jigsaw killer returns to terrorize the city once again. When a gruesome murder victim emerges with unmistakable traces of Jigsaw's sinister methods, Detective Eric Matthews is thrust into a high-stakes investigation. To his surprise, apprehending Jigsaw seems almost too easy, but what he doesn't realize is that being caught is merely another piece of Jigsaw's intricate puzzle
Saw II
Executive Producer
The chilling and relentless Jigsaw killer returns to terrorize the city once again. When a gruesome murder victim emerges with unmistakable traces of Jigsaw's sinister methods, Detective Eric Matthews is thrust into a high-stakes investigation. To his surprise, apprehending Jigsaw seems almost too easy, but what he doesn't realize is that being caught is merely another piece of Jigsaw's intricate puzzle
Saw: Rebirth
Characters
This animated comic goes back in time to explore the events that spurred the transformation of mild-mannered John Kramer into the monstrous Jigsaw.
Saw
Story
Two men wake up to find themselves shackled in a grimy, abandoned bathroom. As they struggle to comprehend their predicament, they discover a disturbing tape left behind by the sadistic mastermind known as Jigsaw. With a chilling voice and cryptic instructions, Jigsaw informs them that they must partake in a gruesome game in order to secure their freedom.
Saw
Director
Two men wake up to find themselves shackled in a grimy, abandoned bathroom. As they struggle to comprehend their predicament, they discover a disturbing tape left behind by the sadistic mastermind known as Jigsaw. With a chilling voice and cryptic instructions, Jigsaw informs them that they must partake in a gruesome game in order to secure their freedom.
Saw
Editor
David, an orderly at a hospital, tells his horrific story of being kidnapped and forced to play a vile game of survival.
Saw
Director
David, an orderly at a hospital, tells his horrific story of being kidnapped and forced to play a vile game of survival.
Stygian
Screenplay
A young couple, Jamie and Melinda, find themselves trapped in another world known as Exile. Jamie must seek out Melinda in this new world.
Stygian
Director
A young couple, Jamie and Melinda, find themselves trapped in another world known as Exile. Jamie must seek out Melinda in this new world.
La Noche Del Demonio
Screenplay
Untitled Dead by Daylight Film
Producer
Planned feature film adaptation based on the hit horror multiplayer video game of the same name.
The Backrooms
Producer
Planned film adaption based on viral found-footage shorts by 17-year-old Kane Parsons.
The Conjuring: Last Rites
Producer
The next chapter in the story of Ed and Lorraine Warren.
Knight Rider
Producer
Based on the 1982 series of the same name, a lone crime fighter battles the forces of evil with the help of his indestructible and artificially intelligent car.
Cosmetic
Producer
Cosmetic is set in the beauty industry, colliding the worlds of glamour and body horror in a supernatural tale of one girl’s deadly pursuit of perfection.
Cosmetic
Original Concept
Cosmetic is set in the beauty industry, colliding the worlds of glamour and body horror in a supernatural tale of one girl’s deadly pursuit of perfection.
Arachnophobia
Producer
Remake of "Arachnophobia" (1990), in which a deadly South American spider hitches a ride inside a coffin to a small California town and starts to breed and kill.
Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit
Producer
Based on a horror short story by Julianna Baggott.
Below
Producer
Fresh out of a spell in prison, a man attempts to set his life right by working a mysterious job that requires him to seek out lifeforms hidden amongst us.
Untitled James Wan Universal Monster Project
Producer
With shades of Disturbia, the tale will focus on a group of teens who discover that a neighbor is building a monster in his basement. Spoiler: The monster gets loose.
Untitled Mortal Kombat Sequel
Director
Untitled sequel to (2021) reboot 'Mortal Kombat'. Plot unknown. Late 2022.
The Last Train to New York
Producer
English-language remake of the South Korean zombie film "Train to Busan" (2016).
Van Helsing
Producer
Plot kept under wraps. Set in the world of the famous monster hunter.
Salem's Lot
Producer
Author Ben Mears returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book, only to discover his hometown is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire.
Hunting Season
Producer
A law officer from the future is declared an enemy of the state and is sent back to the past as punishment. The man is stalked by a posse and has to find a way to adapt to his surroundings to survive.
Sweet Tooth
Producer
Based on the short film with the same name.
Milk
Producer
A feature film based on the 2018 short film of the same name. Plot follows a sheltered young teen who goes into the kitchen for a glass of milk late at night. Upon encountering his sleepless overbearing mother, he quickly realizes his reality isn’t what it seems.
Lights Out 2
Producer
Smart House
Producer
A family in the witness protection program is placed in the custody of a state of the art, autonomous ‘smart house.’ When a group of assassins locates the family, the house goes into a lethal defense mode.