# David Leitch

David Leitch (/liːtʃ/; born November 16, 1975) is an American filmmaker, stunt performer, stunt coordinator, and actor. He made his directorial debut on the action film John Wick (2014) with Chad Stahelski, though only Stahelski was credited. He later also directed the films Atomic Blonde (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), Hobbs & Shaw (2019), Bullet Train (2022), and The Fall Guy (2024).

## Career

Leitch graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations in 1993.
Leitch was a stunt double for Brad Pitt five times and twice for Jean-Claude Van Damme. Leitch and his crew won two awards for The Bourne Ultimatum at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. He also shared a 2008 Taurus World Stunt Award with fellow stunt-person Kai Martin for high work.
He wrote and starred in Confessions of an Action Star, a parody of action films and the action film industry released in 2009.
Leitch and Chad Stahelski opened an action design production company called 87Eleven in 1997. In 2009, Stahelski and Leitch were second-unit directors and stunt co-ordinators on Ninja Assassin. The two co-directed the 2014 film John Wick, although Leitch himself was not credited as co-director. Leitch executive produced the three John Wick sequels, which Stahelski solo directed.
He moved on to direct films such as Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2 and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw with his wife and creative partner Kelly McCormick serving as a producer. In 2022, he also directed Pitt in the action-thriller Bullet Train.
In September 2020, Leitch signed on to direct and produce stuntman drama The Fall Guy for Universal Pictures, with Drew Pearce writing the screenplay and Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt starring. The film, based on the 1980s television series of the same name, was released in the United States on May 3, 2024.

### Upcoming/unrealized projects

In July 2018, Leitch was in early talks to direct a remake of Enter the Dragon. In January 2019, Leitch signed on to direct Undying Love, based on the limited comic book series by Tomm Coker and Daniel Freedman, for Studio 8. In July 2022, it was announced Leitch would direct the television miniseries Hot Air, starring Andrew Garfield as Richard Branson, based on the book Dirty Secrets by Martyn Gregory. In August 2022, Leitch was attached to direct a Netflix adaptation of the Dark Horse comic series Bang!, with Idris Elba set to star. In November 2022, Leitch became attached to direct spy thriller Red Shirt, based on a pitch by Simon Kinberg and with Channing Tatum set to star; by the end of the month, the project was picked up by Amazon Studios. In January 2024, Leitch was onboard to direct a feature-length adaptation of Kung Fu for Universal Pictures, with Donnie Yen set to star. In May 2024, Leitch was attached to produce and possibly direct a television series adaptation of Button Man for Fifth Season. In January 2025, he entered early talks to direct Ocean's 14, a sequel to the Ocean's franchise.
Leitch was once attached to direct The Division, based on the video game of the same name, but he stepped down due to scheduling conflicts with Bullet Train. He was also set to direct the action thriller Fast & Loose for Netflix and STXfilms, with Will Smith set to star, but by March 2022, he left the project to focus instead on The Fall Guy. He would continue to be involved as producer with Michael Bay in talks to replace him as director. Leitch was in discussions to direct a new Jurassic Park film scheduled for July 2, 2025, but left the project over creative differences; the film was ultimately directed by Gareth Edwards.

## Personal life

Leitch dated actress Maggie Q from 2009 to 2011.
He has been married to executive producer Kelly McCormick since 2014.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Notes |
| 2014 | John Wick | Uncredited | Yes | Co-directed with Chad Stahelski |
| 2017 | Atomic Blonde | Yes | No | |
| 2018 | Deadpool 2 | Yes | No | |
| 2019 | Hobbs & Shaw | Yes | No | |
| 2022 | Bullet Train | Yes | Yes | |
| 2024 | The Fall Guy | Yes | Yes | |
Producer only
* Nobody (2021)
* Violent Night (2022)
* Love Hurts (2025)
* Nobody 2 (2025)
* Ballerina Overdrive (TBA)
Writer
* Confessions of an Action Star (2005)
Executive producer
* John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
* John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019)
* Kate (2021)
* John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
Short film
| Year | Title | Notes |
| 2017 | No Good Deed | |
| 2019 | Snowbrawl | Shot on iPhone 11, sponsored by Apple Inc. |
2nd unit director
| Year | Title | Director |
| 2003 | In Hell | Ringo Lam |
| 2008 | The Midnight Meat Train | Ryuhei Kitamura |
| 2009 | Ninja Assassin | James McTeigue |
| 2010 | The King of Fighters | Gordon Chan |
| 2011 | The Mechanic | Simon West |
| 2011 | Conan the Barbarian | Marcus Nispel |
| 2011 | In Time | Andrew Niccol |
| 2013 | Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters | Tommy Wirkola |
| 2013 | Parker | Taylor Hackford |
| 2013 | Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues | Adam McKay |
| 2013 | The Wolverine | James Mangold |
| 2013 | Escape Plan | Mikael Håfström |
| 2014 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Jonathan Liebesman |
| 2015 | Hitman: Agent 47 | Aleksander Bach |
| 2015 | Jurassic World | Colin Trevorrow |
| 2016 | Captain America: Civil War | Russo brothers |
| 2016 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows | Dave Green |
Stuntwork
* Perfect Target (1997)
* Orgazmo (1997)
* Almost Heroes (1998)
* BASEketball (1998)
* Blade (1998)
* Out in Fifty (1999)
* Fight Club (1999)
* The Right Hook (2000)
* Big Momma's House (2000)
* Yup Yup Man (2000)
* Bad Seed (2000)
* Men of Honor (2000)
* The Substitute: Failure Is Not an Option (2001)
* The Score (2001)
* The Mexican (2001)
* Replicant (2001)
* Ocean's Eleven (2001)
* Spy Game (2001)
* One Night at McCool's (2001)
* Ghost of Mars (2001)
* Corky Romano (2001)
* The Order (2001)
* Serving Sara (2002)
* Daredevil (2003)
* In Hell (2003)
* Seabiscuit (2003)
* S.W.A.T. (2003)
* The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
* The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
* Stuck on You (2003)
* Troy (2004)
* In Enemy Hands (2004)
* Van Helsing (2004)
* Constantine (2005)
* XXX: State of the Union (2005)
* Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005)
* The Dukes of Hazzard (2005)
* Serenity (2005)
* V for Vendetta (2005)
* Underworld: Evolution (2006)
* When a Stranger Calls (2006)
* Beerfest (2006)
* 300 (2006)
* Next (2007)
* The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
* The Invasion (2007)
* I Am Legend (2007)
* The Gene Generation (2007)
* Mama's Boy (2007)
* Jumper (2008)
* Speed Racer (2008)
* The Midnight Meat Train (2008)
* Bangkok Dangerous (2008)
* Angels & Demons (2009)
* X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
* The Hangover (2009)
* Tron: Legacy (2010)
* The Mechanic (2011)
* Conan the Barbarian (2011)
* In Time (2011)
* Movie 43: "Happy Birthday" segment (2013)
* Jupiter Ascending (2015)

#### Acting credits

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2001 | The Order | Det. Mike Moran | |
| 2002 | Nine Lives | Paul | |
| 2003 | In Hell | Paul | |
| 2005 | V for Vendetta | Convenience Store V | |
| 2005 | Confessions of an Action Star | Frank Sledge | |
| 2005 | The Dukes of Hazzard | Puncher | |
| 2007 | Fetch | John "Fetch" Fetcher | Short film |
| 2009 | Ninja Assassin | Europol Door Guard | |
| 2010 | The King of Fighters | Terry Bogard | |
| 2011 | The Mechanic | Sebastian | |
| 2012 | The Bourne Legacy | The Driver | |
| 2013 | Escape Plan | Ship Captain | |
| 2018 | Deadpool 2 | Cain Marko / Juggernaut Ground Church Mutant | Leitch provided motion-capture performance on-set, while Ryan Reynolds provided facial motion-capture and voice performances |
| 2019 | Hobbs & Shaw | Helicopter Pilot | |
| 2022 | Bullet Train | Jeff Zufelt | |

### Television
#### Stunts

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 1995 | Sherman Oaks | Season 1 |
| 1996 | 7th Heaven | |
| 1997-2001 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | 18 episodes |
| 1998 | CHiPs '99 | TV movie |
| 1999 | The Practice | Episode: "Day in Court" |
| 1999 | The Strip | |
| 2000 | The President's Man | TV movie |
| 2001 | The Pretender 2001 | TV movie |
| 2001 | Scrubs | |
| 2006 | 2006 MTV Movie Awards | TV special; Stunt double |
| 2006 | General Hospital | Episode 10967 |

#### Acting credits

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1998 | Martial Law | David Hasbro | Episodes "Diamond Fever", "Dead Ringers", "Funny Money" and "Trackdown" |
| 2000 | Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue | Brian | Episode "Up to the Challenge" |
| 2001 | Walker Texas Ranger | Floyd Jessop | Episode "Medieval Crimes" |
| 2003 | L.A. County 187 | Earnest Cop | TV movie |
| 2004 | Charmed | Innocent | Episode "There's Something About Leo" |
| 2019 | Songland | Himself | Episode "Aloe Blacc" |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Association | Nominated work | Category | Result |
| 2007 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | 300 | Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture | Nominated |
| 2007 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | The Bourne Ultimatum | Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture | Won |
| 2019 | Grammy Awards | Deadpool 2 | Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media | Nominated |