Joe Carnahan

Joe Carnahan
Carnahan at theA-Teamfilm premiere
Born	Joseph Aaron Carnahan (1969-05-09)May 9, 1969 Michigan,United States
Alma mater	Sacramento State University
Occupation(s)	Film director,screenwriter,producer
Years active	1995–present
Spouses	Christy Leis Lisa Carnahan
Children	2
Relatives	Matthew Michael Carnahan(brother)

Joseph Aaron Carnahan(born May 9, 1969) is an Americanfilm director,screenwriter,producer andactorwhose films includeBlood, Guts, Bullets and Octane;Narc;Smokin' Aces;The A-Team;The Grey;andBoss Level.He also wrote and directed several episodes for theNBCtelevision seriesThe Blacklist.He is the brother of screenwriterMatthew Michael Carnahanand producer Leah Carnahan.

Early life

Carnahan was raised inMichiganandNorthern California.Carnahan graduated fromFairfield High Schoolin 1987, where he also played football.He attended college atSan Francisco State Universitybut later transferred toCalifornia State University, Sacramento,and earned hisB.A.in Filmography there.Carnahan eventually became employed in the Promotional Department ofSacramento'sKMAX-TV,producing short films and television spots.

Film career

In 1998, he won some cult and critical acclaim for his filmBlood, Guts, Bullets and Octanewhich premiered in September 1997 at the New York Independent Feature Film Market and later at the 1998Sundance Film Festival.

He directed the 2002 Detroit-set thrillerNarc,starringRay LiottaandJason Patric.FollowingNarc,he directed an entry in theBMW FilmstitledTickerstarringClive OwenandDon Cheadle.At one point he was solicited to directMission: Impossible III,produced byTom CruiseandPaula Wagner(who also executive producedNarc), however, he subsequently left the production due to conflicting views on the tone of the film. It was also announced in October 2005, Carnahan would be directing a film based on the life of convicted drug dealer Will Wright, but the project seems to be abandoned.

His next film,Smokin' Aces,was produced in 2006 and released in January 2007. He also co-wrote the screenplay ofPride and Glory,released in 2008, nearly a year behind schedule.

He was attached to direct an adaptation ofJames Ellroy's novelWhite JazzwithGeorge Clooneyproducing and starring, but Clooney later pulled out from the production and in 2009, Ellroy stated that all adaptations of the film were dead.

In 2007, Carnahan pennedRemarkable Fellowsfor Universal withJason Batemanset to star,but the film never went into production.

In 2010,Brian Bloomand Carnahan were then hired by Fox for the revamping of their long-gestatingA-Teamproject, based on the hit'80's television series.He also showed interest in directing film adaptations forGarth Ennis' graphic novelPreacherandDavid Michelinie'sTaskmaster.

In 2011, he directed the thrillerThe Grey,starringLiam Neeson.

Carnahan was one of the executive producers forNBC'sThe Blacklist,starringJames SpaderandMegan Boone,during its first season. He directed the pilot, and went on to co-write and direct the ninth episode, "Anslo Garrick". Carnahan also wrote the story for episode 16, "Mako Tanida".

He is currently writing the script for the film adaptation of theMark Millarcomic book seriesNemesiswith his brother Matthew and will be directing.He is also set to directMark Bowden's bookKilling Pablo.

Carnahan executive produced the NBC political thrillerState of Affairs,starringKatherine HeiglandAlfre Woodard,which premiered November 17, 2014. He directed and co-wrote the pilot.

In April 2022,Lionsgate Filmsrevealed that Carnahan will directShadow Force,starringKerry WashingtonandOmar Sy.

In June 2023, Carnahan is filming an adaptation of the non-fictional book,Not Without Hopeby Nick Schuyler and Jeré Longman, a survival thriller starringZachary LeviandJosh Duhamel.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Director	Writer	Producer	Notes
1995	Karate Raider	No	Yes	No
1998	Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane	Yes	Yes	Yes	Also editor
2002	Narc	Yes	Yes	No
2006	Smokin' Aces	Yes	Yes	No
2008	Pride and Glory	No	Yes	No
2010	The A-Team	Yes	Yes	No
2011	The Grey	Yes	Yes	Yes
2014	Stretch	Yes	Yes	Yes	Direct-to-video
2018	Death Wish	No	Yes	No
	El Chicano	No	Yes	Yes
2020	Bad Boys for Life	No	Yes	No
	Boss Level	Yes	Yes	Yes
2021	Copshop	Yes	Yes	Yes
TBA	Shadow Force	Yes	Yes	No	Post-production
	Not Without Hope	Yes	Yes	Yes	Post-production

Producer only

• The Fourth Kind(2009)
• Wheelman(2017)
• Point Blank(2019)

Associate producer

• The Devil Takes a Holiday(1996)

Executive producer

• Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball(2010) (Also story writer)
• Into the Ashes(2019)

Acting roles

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1998	Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane	Sid French
2010	The A-Team	Mike 'The Operator'	Credited as "Bo Anzo"
2018	El Chicano	Role: Federal #1
2020	Boss Level	Guy in diner	Uncredited

Short films

Year	Title	Director	Writer	Producer	Notes
1998	Taco Heaven	No	Yes	No
2000	Nail in My Coffin	No	No	No	Editor
2002	Ticker	Yes	Yes	No	Segment from theBMWshort film seriesThe Hire
2003	Boyz Up Unauthorized	No	No	Executive
2009	Susannah	No	No	Yes
2011	The Devil's Dosh	No	No	Executive

Television

Year	Title	Director	Producer	Writer	Notes
2006	Faceless	Yes	Yes	No	Unsold TV pilot
2013	Dino and Dash	No	Executive	No	Television film
	The Blacklist	Yes	No	Yes
2014	Those Who Kill	Yes	No	No
	State of Affairs	Yes	Yes	Yes

Frequent collaborators

Collaborator	Narc	Smokin' Aces	The A-Team	The Grey	Stretch	Boss Level	Copshop	Total
Roger Barton								2
Brian Bloom								2
James Badge Dale								2
Mauro Fiore								2
Frank Grillo								3
Christopher Michael Holley								2
Quinton Jackson								2
Ray Liotta								3
Liam Neeson								2
Chris Pine								2
Ridley Scott								2
Maury Sterling								2
Patrick Wilson								2

External links

• Joe CarnahanatIMDb
• Interview with Joe Carnahan at LeisureSuit.net