Joseph Kosinski

Life and career

Kosinski grew up in Marshalltown, Iowa, the son of Patricia (née Provost) of Skokie, Illinois, and Joel Kosinski, a doctor of Polish descent. After graduating from Marshalltown High School in 1992, he studied mechanical engineering at Stanford University and architecture at Columbia University.

While teaching at Columbia after graduating in 1999, Kosinski co-founded a design firm, KDLAB, with a classmate, Dean Di Simone, where he made digital short films, and went into directing commercials. Kosinski signed with Anonymous Content after moving to Los Angeles and meeting David Fincher.

His first major film was the special effects-heavy Tron: Legacy. The film was in Disney Digital 3-D and IMAX 3D, with a release of December 2010 and grossed $400 million worldwide.

After moving to Los Angeles in 2005, he began writing a film treatment which would eventually develop into an unpublished graphic novel by the title Oblivion for Radical Comics. In August 2010, Walt Disney Pictures acquired the rights to the work. William Monahan worked on the screenplay for a film adaptation. In March 2011, it was reported that Karl Gajdusek would rewrite the screenplay. Attempts to keep the film with a PG rating were unsuccessful, leading to Disney giving up the rights which were acquired by Universal Pictures, and agreed to a PG-13 rating. The $120-million-budgeted Oblivion began filming in March 2012, with Tom Cruise in the lead role, and was released in April 2013 to mixed reviews and grossed $286 million worldwide.

In 2017, he directed Only the Brave, originally titled Granite Mountain, based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots (wildland firefighters). In June 2017, it was announced he was set to direct the sequel to Top Gun, titled Top Gun: Maverick, reuniting with Oblivion star Tom Cruise. The film was released in theatres on May 27, 2022, by Paramount Pictures and grossed $1.496 billion worldwide, becoming Cruise's highest-grossing film at the box office.

Kosinski also directed a Formula One racing film named F1, reteaming with Top Gun: Maverick producer Jerry Bruckheimer and screenwriter Ehren Kruger, with racing driver Lewis Hamilton also serving as producer. The project, acquired by Apple Studios in June 2022, stars Brad Pitt and will receive an exclusive theatrical run "of at least 30 days" starting internationally on June 25, 2025, and in North America on June 27, 2025, before streaming on Apple TV+.

On February 18, 2025, it was announced that Kosinski and Bruckheimer would reunite on an untitled conspiracy thriller film centred around UFOs, with Zach Baylin writing the screenplay. On March 24, it was announced that the project had been acquired by Apple Studios.

In April 2025, it was announced that Kosinski would direct a Miami Vice film with a script by Dan Gilroy and Eric Warren Singer. This film would be developed after his upcoming UFO conspiracy thriller. It will be a reboot of the Miami Vice franchise following the original television series and 2006 film. The film is set to begin filming in 2026, with an August 6, 2027 release date.

Unrealized projects

Kosinski has been attached to several as-of-now-unmade projects, including remakes of '70s science-fiction films Logan's Run and The Black Hole, the science-fiction film Archangels, an untitled action-thriller from Halt and Catch Fire writers Christopher Cantwell and Christopher C. Rogers, and The Twilight Zone.

Kosinski was confirmed to direct the third Tron film in March 2015, but in May of the same year it was announced that Disney had canceled the project.

Kosinski also signed on to direct a film adaptation of the Gran Turismo video game series for Sony Pictures in March 2015, but in February 2018, it was reported the project was no longer moving forward. The project would eventually be directed by Neill Blomkamp and released in theatres on August 25, 2023.

In June 2020, he was hired to direct the reboot of Twister for Universal Pictures, the original film's international distributor, but in October 2022, Kosinski stepped down after the project was repurposed into a legacy-sequel, Twisters, and replaced by Lee Isaac Chung as director; Kosinski was ultimately credited for the film's story.

Academia

Kosinski is an alumnus of Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP), and was an adjunct assistant professor of architecture helping students in 3D modeling and graphics. In 2008, he spoke in detail about his education in architecture, pushing the technological envelope in commercials and his eventual progression to feature films.

Awards

• 2007 AICP Show – Best Visual Effects for the Gears of War commercial "Mad World" – Nominated
• AICP Best Visual Effects Award for his Assassin's Creed "Unity" and Destiny "Become Legend" commercials – Nominated
• Saturn Award for Best Film Director for Top Gun: Maverick – Nominated
• Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing for Top Gun: Maverick – Nominated
• Academy Award for Best Picture for F1 - Pending

Filmography

Feature film

Executive producer

• Tron: Ares (2025)

Short film

Music video

• "Hold My Hand" – Lady Gaga (2022)

Commercials

• Nintendo DS – Touch (2004)
• Nike – Les Jumelles (2006)
• Gears of War – Mad World (2006)
• Halo 3 – Starry Night (2007)
• Saab Aero-X – Blackbird (2007)
• Hummer – Selector (2007)
• Chevrolet – Baby (2008)
• Halo 4 – Awakening (2011)
• Assassin's Creed Unity – Unity (2014)
• Destiny – Become Legend (2014)
• Destiny – Evil's Most Wanted (2015)
• Doom – Fight Like Hell (2016)
• Taco Bell – Web of Fries (2018)
• BMW i7 M70 – The Calm (2023)
• Chanel – Who Are You Coco Mademoiselle? (2023)

References

References

1. "Joseph Kosinski".
2. [http://josephkosinski.com/main.html Official website] {{webarchive. link. (February 28, 2009 work portfolio.)
3. [http://www.aicpshow.com/ 2007 AICP Show] {{Webarchive. link. (June 10, 2007 Best Visual Effects.)
4. (December 17, 2010). "Director Joseph Kosinski on Tron: Legacy and the Limitations of CGI-Created Actors".
5. Barnes, Brooks. (December 3, 2010). "Cyberspace Gamble". [[The New York Times]].
6. "The building of a legacy".
7. (March 14, 2008). "Death Notice: CATHERINE JULIA PROVOST". [[Chicago Tribune]].
8. "Marshalltown native prepares to publish fourth book on geopolitics, demography".
9. "KDLAB and the Art of Speed".
10. "5D Future of Immersive Design Conference".
11. (April 8, 2009). "First Location Shot from 'Tron 2.0'". cinemaspy.
12. [https://www.slashfilm.com/2009/07/23/comic-con-tron-2-retitled-tron-legacy-imax-3d-concept-art-and-new-scene-revealed/ Comic-Con: Tron 2 Retitled TRON Legacy; IMAX 3D; Concept Art and New Scene Revealed.] {{Webarchive. link. (September 11, 2012 Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009, by Peter Sciretta on [[SlashFilm]])
13. "Joseph Kosinski On Oblivion".
14. Frappier, Rob. (August 4, 2010). "Disney Acquires The Rights to Joseph Kosinski's 'Oblivion' [Updated]". screenrant.com.
15. Mottle, Jeff. "Interview with Joe Kosinski (Director of TRON Legacy)". cgarchitect.com.
16. Kit, Borys. (March 16, 2011). "Karl Gajdusek Tapped to Re-Write Disney's Horizons (Exclusive)". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
17. Fleming, Mike. (May 20, 2011). "Tom Cruise Commits To $100 Million Universal Sci-Fi Pic 'Oblivion' For Fall". [[Deadline Hollywood]].
18. Fleming, Mike Jr.. (June 30, 2017). "Paramount Sets 'Top Gun 2' For July 2019; Joseph Kosinski Firmed For Tom Cruise Pic". [[Deadline Hollywood]].
19. (September 1, 2021). "'Top Gun: Maverick' Flies From Thanksgiving To Memorial Day Weekend; 'Mission: Impossible 7' Ignites In Fall 2022".
20. Tartaglione, Nancy. (June 17, 2022). "'Top Gun: Maverick' Flies By $800M Worldwide; Becomes Tom Cruise's Biggest Movie Ever".
21. "2022 Worldwide Box Office".
22. Kit, Borys. (June 7, 2022). "Behind Apple's Megadeal for Brad Pitt Formula One Racing Film From Joseph Kosinski".
23. Vivarelli, Nick. (January 8, 2025). "'F1' Movie Starring Brad Pitt Is Latest Hollywood Production Partly Shot in Abu Dhabi".
24. (February 18, 2025). "UFO Conspiracy Thriller From Joseph Kosinski, Jerry Bruckheimer Ignites Bidding War (Exclusive)".
25. Kroll, Justin. (March 24, 2025). "Apple Officially Lands UFO-Disclosure Project From Joseph Kosinski And Jerry Bruckheimer".
26. Couch, Aaron. (April 28, 2025). "'Miami Vice' Movie in the Works With Joseph Kosinski Directing". The Hollywood Reporter.
27. McClintock, Pamela. (2025-09-17). "Joseph Kosinski’s ‘Miami Vice’ Movie Lands August 2027 Release Date, Casting Underway".
28. [http://www.scifiupdates.com/home/content/view/402/2/ Warner Bros. Bets on Kosinski for 'Logan's Run'] {{webarchive. link. (September 4, 2009 , by Chris McKeown, on August 22, 2007, Sci Fi Updates website.)
29. "Black Hole remake by Tron Team".
30. (July 14, 2010). "Agents Hunt Down Disguised Aliens in 'Archangels'".
31. (October 14, 2013). "Joseph Kosinski Plans Mysterious Action Thriller".
32. (August 16, 2013). "'Tron' Helmer Joseph Kosinski to Direct 'Twilight Zone' Film (Exclusive)".
33. (March 11, 2015). "'TRON: Legacy' Director Joseph Kosinski Will Return For 'TRON 3′".
34. Ford, Rebecca. (May 29, 2015). "Disney Not Moving Forward With 'Tron 3' (Exclusive)".
35. Kit, Borys. (March 2, 2015). "Joseph Kosinski in Talks to Direct Sony's 'Gran Turismo'".
36. Greer, Jordan. (February 11, 2018). "The Gran Turismo Movie Might Be Dead".
37. (June 14, 2022). "'Gran Turismo' Pic From Neill Blomkamp Gets Sony Release Date, New Details – Update".
38. D'Alessandro, Anthony. (July 28, 2023). "Sony Shakes Up Release Dates: 'Bad Boys 4' & 'Venom 3' Set; Strikes Push 'Ghostbusters' Sequel, 'Kraven The Hunter', 'Beyond The Spider-Verse' & More".
39. Kroll, Justin. (June 24, 2020). "'Twister' Reboot in the Works at Universal With Joseph Kosinski Eyed to Direct (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety Media.
40. Fleming, Mike Jr.. (October 17, 2022). "The Dish: 'Twisters' Forecast For Spring Start As Universal, Amblin Finalize Director For Sequel". Deadline.
41. Vlessing, Etan. (December 15, 2022). "Lee Isaac Chung in Talks to Direct 'Twisters' Sequel". The Hollywood Reporter.
42. "Twisters".
43. "Faculty listing at Columbia GSAP website.".
44. [http://ci.columbia.edu/ci/subjects/profiles/arch_profile0.html Beyond the Blob—Digital Technology in Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation] {{Webarchive. link. (September 27, 2009 , from Columbia Interactive.)
45. Tinoco, Armando. (August 12, 2022). "Saturn Awards Nominations: 'The Batman', 'Nightmare Alley', 'Spider-Man', 'Better Call Saul' Top List". [[Deadline Hollywood]].
46. Nike. (26 October 2006). "Les Jumelles".
47. "DOOM – Fight Like Hell Cinematic Trailer".
48. (May 12, 2023). "World premiere in Cannes: the new BMW Films production "The Calm", starring Pom Klementieff, Uma Thurman and the BMW i7 M70 xDrive". [[BMW]].