Jon M. Chu

Jon M. Chu

Birth : 1979-11-02, Palo Alto, California, USA

History

Jonathan Murray "Jon" Chu (born November 2, 1979) is an American film director and screenwriter best known for directing the movies Step Up 2: The Streets, Step Up 3D and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. Chu is an alumnus of the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television. There, he won the Princess Grace Award, the Dore Schary Award presented by the Anti-Defamation League, the Jack Nicholson directing award, and was recognized as an honoree for the IFP/West program Project: Involve. After making his student short, "When the Kids Are Away", Chu was signed to William Morris Agency and attached to several high profile projects. Chu was hired by Sony Pictures to direct their feature Bye Bye Birdie but Sony never green lit the film due to budget concerns. Sony recently got back into business with Chu to direct their updated version of The Great Gatsby. He also is in a dance crew called AC/DC or Adam/Chu Dance crew. His father, Lawrence Chu, is a well-known chef and his parents own Chef Chu's, a popular restaurant in Los Altos, California. He also attended Pinewood School from kindergarten through 12th grade. Chu is currently directing the online series The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers. In an interview, Chu addressed a question he is often asked, "Why do all of your films have dance?" He responded, "I don’t know why. It seems so obvious. But there’s something about the dancers that motivate me the most. I don’t know if it’s just dance, but I do think that the dancers are amazing artists, and every time I meet a new dancer, that triggers something in my brain, and I’m more creative than I could ever be. When I feel that creativity burst, I go with it."

Profile

Jon M. Chu
Jon M. Chu

Movies

Wicked: Part Two
Director
Wicked tells the story of Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West and her relationship with Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. The second of a two-part feature film adaptation of the Broadway musical.
Wicked
Director
Wicked tells the story of Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West and her relationship with Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. The first of a two-part feature film adaptation of the Broadway musical.
Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration
Executive Producer
This two-hour animated and live-action blended special pays tribute to the original Disney Animation’s “Beauty and the Beast” and its legacy by showcasing the fan-favorite movie, along with new memorable musical performances, taking viewers on a magical adventure through the eyes of Belle.
Soul of a Nation Presents: Together As One: Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage
Self
Primetime program celebrating the diversity and recognizing the accomplishments and contributions of the vibrant Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community
A Night at the Academy Museum
Himself
Exclusive look at the movies' 120-year history as well as an insight into the largest institution in the U.S. dedicated to the arts, sciences and artists of moviemaking.
In the Heights
Director
The story of Usnavi, a bodega owner who has mixed feelings about closing his store and retiring to the Dominican Republic or staying in Washington Heights.
Ken Jeong: You Complete Me, Ho
Director
In his first-ever stand-up special, Ken Jeong shares hilarious stories from his Hollywood career -- and reveals how "The Hangover" saved his life.
Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché
Self
The epic life story of Alice Guy-Blaché (1873–1968), a French screenwriter, director and producer, true pioneer of cinema, the first person who made a narrative fiction film; author of hundreds of movies, but banished from history books. Ignored and forgotten. At last remembered.
Crazy Rich Asians
Director
An American-born Chinese economics professor accompanies her boyfriend to Singapore for his best friend's wedding, only to get thrust into the lives of Asia's rich and famous.
Now You See Me 2
Director
One year after outwitting the FBI and winning the public’s adulation with their mind-bending spectacles, the Four Horsemen resurface only to find themselves face to face with a new enemy who enlists them to pull off their most dangerous heist yet.
Dance Camp
Producer
When Hunter gets sent to a dorky summer dance camp, he thinks he's about to have the worst summer of his life. But the quirky charm of the camp grows on him when he meets the passionate Cheyenne and joins her dance troupe to challenge the arrogant champion Lance in the camp’s Legends of Dance competition.
Jem and the Holograms
Producer
As a small-town girl catapults from underground video sensation to global superstar, she and her three sisters begin a one-in-a-million journey of discovering that some talents are too special to keep hidden. Four aspiring musicians will take the world by storm when they see that the key to creating your own destiny lies in finding your own voice.
Jem and the Holograms
Director
As a small-town girl catapults from underground video sensation to global superstar, she and her three sisters begin a one-in-a-million journey of discovering that some talents are too special to keep hidden. Four aspiring musicians will take the world by storm when they see that the key to creating your own destiny lies in finding your own voice.
We the Economy: 20 Short Films You Can't Afford to Miss
Director
Everyone’s talking about it, but who can explain it? Paul G. Allen’s Vulcan Productions and Morgan Spurlock’s Cinelan have partnered to produce WE THE ECONOMY 20 Short Films You Can’t Afford to Miss. Each film is helmed by an acclaimed filmmaker, each with their own creative vision. The series aims to drive awareness and establish a better understanding of the U.S. economy. Told through animation, comedy, musical, non-fiction, and scripted films, WE THE ECONOMY seeks to demystify a complicated topic while empowering the public to take control of their own economic futures.
Justin Bieber's Believe
Self
A backstage and on-stage look at Justin Bieber during his rise to super stardom.
Justin Bieber's Believe
Director
A backstage and on-stage look at Justin Bieber during his rise to super stardom.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Director
Framed for crimes against the country, the G.I. Joe team is terminated by Presidential order. This forces the G.I. Joes into not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence.
Step Up Revolution
Executive Producer
Emily arrives in Miami with aspirations to become a professional dancer. She sparks with Sean, the leader of a dance crew whose neighborhood is threatened by Emily's father's development plans.
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
Director
Tells the story of Justin Bieber, the kid from Canada with the hair, the smile and the voice: It chronicles his unprecedented rise to fame, all the way from busking in the streets of Stratford, Canada to putting videos on YouTube to selling out Madison Square Garden in New York as the headline act during the My World Tour from 2010. It features Usher, Scooter Braun, Ludacris, Sean Kingston, Antonio "L.A." Reid, Boyz II Men, Miley Cyrus, Jaden Smith, Justin's family members and parts of his crew and huge fanbase in a mix of interviews and guest performances. It was released in 3D in theaters all around the world and is the highest grossing concert movie of all time, beating the previous record held by Michael Jackson's This Is It from 2009.
Step Up 3D
Director
A tight-knit group of New York City street dancers, including Luke and Natalie, team up with NYU freshman Moose, and find themselves pitted against the world's best hip hop dancers in a high-stakes showdown that will change their lives forever.
YouTube Live
Himself
YouTube Live was a 2008 event streamed live on the Internet from San Francisco and Tokyo. It was launched November 22–23, 2008.
Step Up 2: The Streets
Director
When rebellious street dancer Andie lands at the elite Maryland School of the Arts, she finds herself fighting to fit in while also trying to hold onto her old life. When she joins forces with the schools hottest dancer, Chase, to form a crew of classmate outcasts to compete in Baltimore s underground dance battle The Streets.
The Secret of the Magic Gourd
Screenplay
When schoolboy Wang Bao discovers a magical gourd that can instantly grant his every wish, the awkward child suddenly becomes a hero amongst his curious classmates. When the gourd proves more of a burden than a blessing and the boy decides to get rid of it, he quickly discovers that's easier said than done.
The Secret of the Magic Gourd
Producer
When schoolboy Wang Bao discovers a magical gourd that can instantly grant his every wish, the awkward child suddenly becomes a hero amongst his curious classmates. When the gourd proves more of a burden than a blessing and the boy decides to get rid of it, he quickly discovers that's easier said than done.
The Secret of the Magic Gourd
Director
When schoolboy Wang Bao discovers a magical gourd that can instantly grant his every wish, the awkward child suddenly becomes a hero amongst his curious classmates. When the gourd proves more of a burden than a blessing and the boy decides to get rid of it, he quickly discovers that's easier said than done.
Silent Beats
Director
An African-American boy is confronted by the harsh reality of assumptions and stereotypes in an ordinary trip to the convenience store.
Freaked
Giant Stuey Monster
A vain actor, his best friend, and an activist end up at a mutant freak farm run by a weirdo scientist.
Play-Doh
Director
An animated adaptation of Hasbro's colorful clay.
Play-Doh
Producer
An animated adaptation of Hasbro's colorful clay.
Oh The Places You'll Go!
Director
A kid who seeks a lifetime of adventure
The Great Chinese Art Heist
Director
The story follows a slew of museum art robberies that occurred in Europe, in which Chinese antiquities were stolen, chiefly those that came from the country’s old Summer Palace which was raided in 1860 by French soldiers. No one knows who the thieves are, but the works of art continually wind up back in China. Essentially, there’s a new generation of wealthy Chinese people who are collecting artifacts from the old Summer Palace. Is China’s government behind the art theft wave? The feature questions who gets to own art, and who gets to own history and culture.
Permanent Record
Producer
Pablo Rind and Leanna Smart are opposites who attract in an unexpected romance. Pablo is a college dropout, working the graveyard shift at a 24-hour deli in Brooklyn, up to his eyeballs in credit card and student loan debt. Leanna has enough social media followers to populate whole continents. Her brand is unstoppable. She graduated from child stardom to become an international icon and her adult life is a queasy blur of private planes, step-and-repeats, aspirational hotel rooms, and strangers screaming for her just to notice them. Pablo and Leanna meet at 5 AM at the bodega in the dead of winter and soon become ‘a thing’ and the story follows the complications of that and their self-discovery.
Permanent Record
Director
Pablo Rind and Leanna Smart are opposites who attract in an unexpected romance. Pablo is a college dropout, working the graveyard shift at a 24-hour deli in Brooklyn, up to his eyeballs in credit card and student loan debt. Leanna has enough social media followers to populate whole continents. Her brand is unstoppable. She graduated from child stardom to become an international icon and her adult life is a queasy blur of private planes, step-and-repeats, aspirational hotel rooms, and strangers screaming for her just to notice them. Pablo and Leanna meet at 5 AM at the bodega in the dead of winter and soon become ‘a thing’ and the story follows the complications of that and their self-discovery.
Rich People Problems
Director
Third installment in the "Crazy Rich Asians" trilogy.
China Rich Girlfriend
Director
The sequel to the 2018 film Crazy Rich Asians