Will Beallis an American screenwriter and formerLos Angeles Police Departmentdetective. He is best known for writing the scripts forGangster Squad(2013) and theDC Extended UniversefilmsAquaman(2018) andZack Snyder's Justice League(2021), and for developing the police TV seriesTraining DayandDeputy,which were canceled after a single season.
Will Beall | |
|---|---|
| Born | Walnut Creek, California,United States |
| Occupation | Screenwriter |
| Spouse | |
Career
editBeall launched his writing career in 2006 with the publication of his acclaimed first novelLA REX,after working for 10 years as a homicide detective and gang investigator with the Los Angeles Police Department. Beall adapted the book for Oscar-winning producerScott Rudinand the script was featured atopThe Black List,Hollywood's annual survey of the industry's favorite screenplays. Between 2009 and 2011, he was a story editor for theABCTV showCastle,writing several episodes exploring the show's overarching plotline of the hunt for Beckett's mother's killer. Beall wrote the feature filmGangster Squad,which was released in 2013 and starredSean Penn,Ryan GoslingandJosh Brolin.The film was based on formerLos Angeles Timeswriter and editor Paul Lieberman's book,Gangster Squad,a non-fiction account of what he calls "the battle for Los Angeles" that took place between the police and Mickey Cohen's crew in the mid-1940s.
Beall's script forJustice Leaguewas completed prior to production of Snyder'sBatman vs. Superman.In fact, the 'Knightmare' sequence fromBatman vs. Supermanwas inspired by Beall'sJustice Leaguescript. Much of the second act of Beall's originalJustice Leaguescript took place in a post-apocalyptic earth whereDarkseidhad manipulated Superman and then used the Kryptonian to conquer the world. The surviving members of the Justice League had to join forces with villains from the DC Universe in order to defeat Darkseid by sending Flash back in time to warn Batman prior to the invasion.[1]Many of these elements were at least partially restored in the "Snyder Cut,"resulting in Beall receiving story credit.
On the strength of hisJustice Leaguescript, Beall was hired to developAquamanas a feature. He wrote multiple drafts and ultimately received both screenplay and story credit for his work onAquaman,which grossed $1.149 billion worldwide.
Beall was also hired by Warner Bros. to write the screenplay for a reboot of theLethal Weaponfranchise. According toIGN,Beall is writing the script toThe Legend of Conan,the sequel toConan the Barbarian.[2]In an April 2022 article byDeadline Hollywood,Beall was announced to have written the screenplay forBeverly Hills Cop: Axel F.[3]
Beall also did uncredited production rewrites forNon-Stop,Edge of Tomorrow,andVenom.
Personal life
editBeall marriedCastleproducer and writerElizabeth Davison June 30, 2012 at Beltane Ranch in Sonoma Valley, California.[4]
While working in his Pacific Palisades office in 2019, Beall suffered a heart attack and was taken to hospital by ambulance. While in route, Beall's heart stopped but — after 13 rounds of defibrillation and continuous CPR — "he had a return of spontaneous circulation" soon after arriving at the hospital. Beall was placed into a medically induced coma, but made a full recovery. In April 2019, he and his wife attended a ceremony for theLos Angeles firefightersand paramedics that helped save his life.[5]
His last name is pronounced "bell."
Writing credits
editFilm
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Gangster Squad | Based on the book by Paul Lieberman |
| 2018 | Aquaman | Co-wrote withDavid Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick,Geoff Johns,andJames Wan Based onCharactersfromDC Comics |
| 2021 | Zack Snyder's Justice League | Story only Co-wrote withChris TerrioandZack Snyder Based on Characters from DC Comics |
| 2024 | Bad Boys: Ride or Die[6] | Co-wrote with Chris Bremner Based on Characters created byGeorge Gallo |
| Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F[7] | Co-wrote with Tom Gormican andKevin Etten Based on Characters created byDanilo BachandDaniel Petrie Jr. |
Television
| Year | Title | Writer | Executive Producer |
Creator | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–2011 | Castle | Yes | No | No | Also executive story editor and story editor 34 episodes |
| 2017 | Training Day | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2020 | Deputy | Yes | Yes | Yes |
References
edit- ^Gonzalez, Umberto (December 4, 2017)."The 'Justice League' That Might Have Been: We've Seen the Script (Exclusive)".The Wrap.RetrievedJune 6,2024.
- ^What's Happening With The Legend of Conan?,02/06/2015
- ^Kroll, Justin (April 8, 2022)."'Beverly Hills Cop 4': Mark Molloy To Direct Next Installment For Netflix ".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on April 8, 2022.RetrievedApril 13,2022.
- ^Hitched, Hatched, Hired - The Hollywood Reporter - Wedding of Elizabeth Davis & Will Beall
- ^"Dauntless LAFD Crew Lauded for Saving Life of Pacific Palisades Man | Los Angeles Fire Department".
- ^"Bad Boys: Ride or Die".Writers Guild of America West.Retrieved10 May2024.
- ^"Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley".Writers Guild of America West.March 27, 2023.RetrievedApril 21,2023.