Kirk DeMicco

Journalism

After graduation in 1991 from the University of Southern California, where he double majored in economics and political science, he spent three years in Italy, where he worked as a journalist, interviewing individuals involved in the Italian movie industry for an Italian film-business magazine. After returning to the United States, he worked for the William Morris Agency in New York City, before relocating to the firm's office in Los Angeles in a transfer arranged by talent agent Lee Stollman.

Career

DeMicco's first script sale was called A Day in November which he sold to Warner Bros. and producer Arnold Kopelson for $1 million before signing to write Quest for Camelot. Later he wrote and co-produced Racing Stripes for director Frederik Du Chau. John Cleese and DeMicco co-wrote the film adaptation of the Roald Dahl's children classic The Twits. He also wrote Splitting Adam, a movie that was set up at United Artists. He then worked as a writer on Here Comes Peter Cottontail: The Movie and later worked on Casper's Scare School. While working at Warner Bros., he and Du Chau also wrote a script for a live-action–animated film based on the Hanna-Barbera character, Hong Kong Phooey, which they sold to Alcon Entertainment. He adapted the Jack Kirby comic New Gods, and collaborated with filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld on an adaptation of an Elmore Leonard novel. He has also done many production rewrites for Disney, Warner Bros., DreamWorks and Spyglass. In television, he is the creator and executive producer of the Discovery Channel documentary Halo: Freefall Warriors.

''Space Chimps''

In 2008, he wrote and directed the movie Space Chimps for John H. Williams and his company Vanguard Animation; the film is inspired by the first chimpanzee to go to space, Ham.

''The Croods''

In 2013, DeMicco co-wrote and co-directed DreamWorks Animation's The Croods with Chris Sanders, which they also both co-wrote the film's theme song Shine Your Way. DeMicco began writing the film with John Cleese in 2005. The Croods grossed over $582 million worldwide at the box office, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. It was also nominated for a Golden Globe. DeMicco and Sanders then worked on The Croods sequel for three and a half years, before its cancellation in late 2016, until it was revived a year later, where they were replaced by Joel Crawford.

''Vivo''

In December 2016, it was reported that DeMicco was directing Vivo for Sony Pictures Animation released on August 6, 2021. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote new songs for the musical animated feature. Lin-Manuel Miranda reported that Vivo has been 10 years in the making and that it's in amazing shape. And that and Quiara [Alegría Hudes], my cowriter on [In the] Heights, is working on the screenplay with Kirk [De Micco], our director." In May of 2021, it was reported that Netflix has licensed all of the film's global rights, sans China. The movie was written by DeMicco and Pulitzer Prize winner Quiara Alegría Hudes, who wrote the book for Miranda's Tony-winning Broadway musical In the Heights. Said Miranda, “Bringing Vivo to life has been an incredible artistic journey. I couldn’t ask for better creative partners than Kirk, Quiara, Alex and the entire team at Sony Animation. I’m so excited Vivo will have a home at Netflix, where kids of all ages will be able to enjoy the film’s songs and adventures again and again.”

''Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken''

In March 2023, DeMicco was announced as the director for the animated teen comedy film Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (replacing the film's original director Paul Tibbitt), which was released on June 30, 2023.

''Margie Claus''

In July 2025, DeMicco was announced as the director of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation's Margie Claus, scheduled to be released on November 5, 2027.

Filmography

• Quest for Camelot (1998) (screenwriter)
• Racing Stripes (2005) (story writer, co-producer)
• Here Comes Peter Cottontail: The Movie (2005) (writer)
• Casper's Scare School (2006) (writer)
• Space Chimps (2008) (director, writer)
• The Croods (2013) (director, writer)
• The Star (2017) (Creative consultant)
• The Croods: A New Age (2020) (story writer)
• Vivo (2021) (director, screenwriter)
• Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023) (director, additional screenplay material)
• Margie Claus (2027) (director)

Selected awards and nominations

References

References

1. Eischen, B.. (March 12, 2013). "Ramapo Grad Comes Back Home for Premiere of 'The Croods'". Wyckoff Patch.
2. Wassel, Bryan. [http://www.northjersey.com/arts_entertainment/movies/198600811_Wyckoff_native_talks_up_prehistoric_adventure.html "Wyckoff native talks up prehistoric adventure"] {{Webarchive. link. (2013-11-13 , ''Wyckoff Suburban News'', March 16, 2013. Accessed November 13, 2013. "On March 9, Kirk DeMicco returned to where it all began.'The Croods,' opening March 22.... The Wyckoff native and former Franklin Lakes resident said his passion for movies was born at a screening of "Star Wars" in the now-demolished movie theater on Route 4 that the AMC has replaced.")
3. McGinley, Devin. [http://wyckoff.patch.com/groups/arts-and-entertainment/p/wyckoff-native-driving-profits-in-hollywood "Wyckoff Native Driving Profits in Hollywood; Wyckoff native Kirk DeMicco's "The Croods" is reportedly responsible for a surge in profits at DreamWorks Animation."] {{Webarchive. link. (2013-11-13 , WyckoffPatch, August 1, 2013. Accessed November 13, 2013. "DeMicco, a former Wyckoff resident who attended Sicomac Elementary, Eisenhower Middle School and Ramapo High School, returned to Bergen County in 2012 for a prerelease screening of the film for friends and family.")
4. Engel, Allison. (July 1, 2008). "Cinematic Simians on a Space Safari". USC Dornsife.
5. Spelling, Ian. [http://www.201.net/issues/2008/07/features/Monkey%20Business.story "Monkey Business"] {{webarchive. link. (2009-06-11 , ''(201) Magazine'', July 2008, p. 70.)
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7. Brodesser, Claude. (February 4, 2003). "'Twits' pic pleases Cleese". Variety.
8. (2013). "Splitting Adam". [[The New York Times]].
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14. (January 27, 2014). "Oscars: 'Frozen' May Be the Clear Favorite, But 'The Croods' Is Not Going Down Without a Fight". The Hollywood Reporter.
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20. "His Dark Materials gave Lin-Manuel Miranda 'new perspective' on adapting Kingkiller Chronicle".
21. (26 April 2021). "Sony Animation's Lin-Manuel Miranda Musical Pic 'Vivo' Headed to Netflix".
22. (16 March 2023). "This summer, discover the hero just beneath the surface".
23. Grobar, Matt. (July 25, 2025). "'Oh, Mary's Cole Escola Joins Melissa McCarthy In Warner Bros. Pictures Animation's 'Margie Claus'".
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25. "The 86th Academy Awards {{pipe}} 2014". [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]].
26. "41st Annie Awards". [[ASIFA-Hollywood]].
27. Hammond, Pete. (December 16, 2013). "'American Hustle', '12 Years A Slave' Lead BFCA's Critics Choice Movie Awards Nominations". [[Deadline Hollywood.
28. "''The Croods''". [[Golden Globe Foundation]].
29. (December 7, 2021). "2021 People's Choice Awards: See the full list of winners".
30. "2021 Nominees". [[International Press Academy]].
31. Neglia, Matt. (December 12, 2021). "The 2021 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations". NextBestPicture.