Leigh Whannell

Leigh Whannell (/ˈli ˈhwɑːnɛl/; born 17 January 1977 in Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian screenwriter, actor, film producer, and film director. He is best known for writing films directed by his friend James Wan, including Saw (2004), Dead Silence (2007), Insidious (2010), and Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013). Whannell made his directorial debut with Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015), and has since directed Upgrade (2018), The Invisible Man (2020), Pumpkin Reports (2021), The Birds (2023), Children of the Corn (2024), Dracula (2025) and The Promised Neverland trilogy.
Whannell and Wan are the creators of the entire Saw franchise. Whannell wrote the first installment, co-wrote the second and third installments, was producer or executive producer for all the films, and appeared as the Adam Stanheight character in four of the installments. He was also the writer of the Saw video game (2009), and co-writer of the 2014 film Cooties.
== Early life ==
Whannell was born in Melbourne, Australia. He believes that he inherited his love of storytelling from his mother, and his fondness of filmmaking from his father, who was a cameraman in the television industry.
== Television ==
A writer since childhood, Whannell worked as a reporter and film critic for several Australian television shows, including ABC's Recovery, a Saturday morning youth-oriented program that was hosted by Dylan Lewis. Whannell has described the show in a 2011 blog post:
The result was that instead of following the usual MTV ideal of what teenagers want in a TV show—“Hey kids, coming up next we’ve got some seriously WICKED windsurfing moves!!”—Recovery managed to tap into the so-called “alternative” movement that was in full swing at the time by giving teenagers what they actually want: genuine, unpolished anarchy.
Whannell had originally auditioned for the host role, but was later employed as a reporter; Whannell's first interview was with Jackie Chan and he has stated that "Recovery is the best job I've ever had ...".
Whannell appeared in Episode 4, Season 1 of the RMITV production Under Melbourne Tonight presents What's Goin' On There? on 10 June 1998.
== Film ==
In 2003, Whannell appeared in a minor role in The Matrix Reloaded, as well as in the video game Enter The Matrix as the character "Axel".
While in film school, Whannell met James Wan. Together, the two wrote a script for what would become Saw. After making a short film in 2003 to showcase the intensity of the Saw script, the feature film version, directed by Wan, was made in 2004 and became a low-budget sleeper hit. Whannell played Adam Stanheight in the film, one of the main characters. The popularity of Saw led to a sequel, Saw II, which was directed and co-written by Darren Lynn Bousman, and on which Whannell co-wrote and revised Bousman's original script, titled The Desperate. Whannell also served as an executive producer.
Around the same time, Whannell returned to collaborate with Wan; they wrote a film called Dead Silence, which Wan directed. It was originally slated for a 2006 release, but small problems with the title pushed the release date back to March 2007. In 2006, the duo composed the story for Saw III; Whannell wrote the screenplay for the third time. It was again directed by Bousman and was released on 27 October 2006. Whannell has a featured cameo, reprising his role as Adam. Saw III grossed $33,610,391 on its opening weekend, making around $129,927,001 worldwide (after 38 days in cinemas) and is currently the most successful Saw film to date.
Whannell's writing partner, Wan, was chosen to direct the film Death Sentence, the first feature film with their participation that they did not write themselves. Whannell has a small role as Spink in Death Sentence.
In 2008, Whannell took off his "writing hat" to perform alongside Nathan Phillips in Dying Breed, a low-budget Australian horror film about a team of zoologists exploring the Tasmanian wilderness to locate a creature thought extinct, the thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger. Instead, they wander into the domain of cannibals who retain their ancestor Alexander Pearce's taste for human flesh, and become prey.
Before and during the production of Saw, Whannell sought medical treatment. "I was going through a bit of a tough time healthwise and suffering anxiety," says Whannell. "The anxiety manifested itself in physical ways. I was suffering headaches everyday for nearly a year. It was serious stuff and really started affecting my life." Spending time in a hospital inspired him to endow the lead antagonist of the Saw series, Jigsaw/John Kramer, with cancer. "It was weird to be 25 and sitting in a neurological ward and I'm surrounded by people who actually had brain tumors. It was very scary and it was my first proper look at mortality. I really wanted to get my health back and it really hammered home how important good health is. If you've got that, you've got everything".
Whannell wrote the script for and acted in the 2011 paranormal thriller film, Insidious, which was directed by Wan and produced by Oren Peli.
In relation to the Saw franchise, Whannell stated, also in 2011:
It`s hard to say definitely, because we don't own the copyright for it. The producers could make 10 more if they wanted to. But, if we're to take them at face value, they told us that they were definitely done with it. They're pretty exhausted. They've been making one a year every year for the past seven years, so I think they need some time off.
Media reports were published in mid-2013 in regard to Cooties, a film project that Whannell is an executive producer, actor and screenwriter for. The film's plot concerns an extreme virus that infects an isolated elementary school. Whannell made his directing debut on the sequel Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015), which he also wrote.
In 2014, Whannell expressed possible interest in returning to the Saw franchise; however, in a November 2013 post on his personal blog, Whannell described a new chapter beyond his partnership with Wan, as the director had finally reached his goal of making epic-style blockbuster productions. Whannel explained: "Now, he’s off making the films he’s always wanted to make - the big ones. I have no doubt that his name will be added to that special club of film directors that he’s always admired very soon. I’m so happy for him, like a proud father. And that is why it is the end of an era." Whannell also added that he doesn't rule out collaborating with Wan again, but he felt like he needs to direct a film for the first time.
Whannell was writer-director of the science fiction body horror film Upgrade, which was released by Blumhouse Tilt and OTL Releasing in 2018 to positive reception. Whannell next wrote, directed, and co-executive produced a retooling of H.G. Wells' book The Invisible Man. The film starred Elisabeth Moss and Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and was released in 2020 to universal critical acclaim. Whannell then wrote, directed and co-executive produced the live-action film adaptation of the animated series Pumpkin Reports in 2021 to universal critical acclaim. In July 2020, it was announced that he's working on a sequel to The Invisible Man. Whannell is currently working on a reboot of Escape from New York. He's also producing and directing a sequel series to Upgrade. He is in talks to direct a remake of The Wolf Man with Blumhouse Productions producing and starring Ryan Gosling.
== Filmography ==
=== Film ===
Year	Title 	Director	Writer
2003	Saw 	No 	Yes
2004	Saw 	No 	Yes
2005	Saw II 	No 	Yes
2006	Saw III 	No 	Yes
2007	Dead Silence 	No 	Yes
2008	Doggie Heaven 	No 	Yes
2010	Insidious 	No 	Yes
2013	Insidious Chapter 2 	No 	Yes
2014	Cooties 	No 	Yes
2014	The Mule 	No 	Yes
2015	Insidious Chapter 3 	Yes 	Yes
2018	Insidious: The Last Key 	No 	Yes
2018	Upgrade 	Yes 	Yes
2020	The Invisible Man 	Yes 	Yes
2021	Pumpkin Reports 	Yes 	Yes
2022	Insidious: The Red Door 	No 	Yes
2023	The Birds 	Yes 	Yes
2024	Children of the Corn 	Yes 	Yes
2024	The Wolfman 	Yes 	Yes
2025	Dracula 	Yes 	Yes
2025	The Promised Neverland 	Yes 	Yes
2026	The Promised Neverland Chapter 2	Yes 	Yes
2027	The Promised Neverland Chapter 3	Yes 	Yes
==== Executive producer only ====
* Saw IV
* Saw V
* Saw VI
* Saw 3D
* Jigsaw
* Spiral
=== Acting roles ===
Year 	Title 	Roles 	Notes
1996 	Neighbors 	Stuart Maughan 	2 episodes
1996-2000	Recovery 	Himself 	ABC Music TV series
1999-2000	Blue Heelers 	Jared Ryan 	2 episodes
2003 	Saw 	David 	Short film
2003 	The Matrix Reloaded 	Axel 	
2003 	Razor Eaters 	Nick D. 	
2004 	Saw 	Adam Steinhart 	
2004 	One Perfect Day 	Chris 	
2006 	Saw III 	Adam Steinhart 	
2007 	Death Sentence 	Spink 	
2008 	Dying Breed 	Matt 	
2010 	Insidious 	Specs 	
2010 	Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga' Hoole	Jatt 	Voice role
2013 	The Pardon 	Clement Moss 	
2013 	Crush 	David 	
2013 	Raze 	Elevator Guard 	
2013 	Insidious: Chapter 2 	Specs 	
2014 	Cooties 	Doug 	
2014 	The Mule 	Gavin 	
2015 	Insidious: Chapter 3 	Specs 	
2017 	The Bye Bye Man 	Larry 	
2017 	Keep Watching 	Matt 	
2018 	Insidious: The Last Key 	Specs 	
2018 	Aquaman 	Cargo pilot 	
2019 	Hanazuki: The Movie 	Vorn 	Voice role
2021 	Pumpkin Reports 	Doctor 	
2023 	Insidious: The Red Door 	Specs 	
2025 	Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver 	Dr. Reginald Stethoscope	Voice role
2028 	Jim Button and the Wild 13 	Dr. Reginald Stethoscope	Voice role
=== Television ===
Year	Title 	Roles 	Notes
TBA 	Untitled Upgrade series	Director, Executive producer	
=== Music videos ===
Year	Artist 	Song 	Role
2021	Deftones	Ceremony	Director
== Awards and nominations ==
=== Academy Awards ===
Year	Work 	Category 	Result
2022	Pumpkin Reports 	Best Picture 	Nominated
2022	Pumpkin Reports 	Best Director 	Nominated
2022	Pumpkin Reports 	Best Adapted Screenplay	Nominated
2024	The Birds 	Best Adapted Screenplay	Nominated
2025	Children of the Corn 	Best Adapted Screenplay	Nominated
2026	The Promised Neverland 	Best Picture 	Won
2026	The Promised Neverland 	Best Director 	Won
2026	The Promised Neverland 	Best Adapted Screenplay	Won
2027	The Promised Neverland Chapter 2	Best Picture 	Won
2027	The Promised Neverland Chapter 2	Best Director 	Won
2027	The Promised Neverland Chapter 2	Best Adapted Screenplay	Won
2028	The Promised Neverland Chapter 3	Best Picture 	Won
2028	The Promised Neverland Chapter 3	Best Director 	Won
2028	The Promised Neverland Chapter 3	Best Adapted Screenplay	Won
Category:1977 births
Category:Australian male film actors
Category:Australian film producers
Category:Australian screenwriters
Category:Australian expatriates in the United States
Category:Horror film directors
Category:Living people
Category:RMIT University alumni
Category:Writers from Melbourne
Category:Film directors from Melbourne
Category:English-language film directors
Category:SkythekidMC's ideas