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Chris Terrio

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Chris Terrio
Born(1976-12-31)December 31, 1976(age 47)
New York City,New York,U.S.
Alma materHarvard University
University of Cambridge
USC School of Cinematic Arts
Occupations
Years active2000–present

Chris Terrio(born December 31, 1976) is an Americanscreenwriterandfilm director.He is best known for writing the screenplay for the 2012 filmArgo,for which he won theAcademy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.[1]Terrio also won theWriters Guild Awardfor Best Adapted Screenplay of 2012[2]and was nominated forGolden Globe Award for Best Screenplay,aBAFTA,and the 2013Los Angeles Film CriticsAward for Best Adapted Screenplay for this work.

Terrio wrote the screenplay forBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,the follow-up toZack Snyder'sMan of Steel,based on an earlier draft byDavid S. Goyer,and is credited as co-writer for the 2017 filmJustice League,alongsideJoss Whedonfor the theatrical cut andZack SnyderandWill Beallfor the2021 director's cutfor Warner Bros.[3]He completed another screenplay,A Foreigner,based on an article by the journalistDavid Grann.Terrio also co-wrote the script forStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalkerwith directorJ. J. Abrams.

Early life and education

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Terrio was raised in a Catholic family inStaten Island,and graduated fromSt. Joseph by the Sea High School.[4][5][6]He is ofItalian,Irish,[7]andAcadiandescent.[8]He graduated in 1997 fromHarvard University,where he studied English literature and German phenomenology, lived inAdams House,and participated in theHarvard Radcliffe Dramatic Cluband theHasty Pudding Theatricals.[9]

Terrio attendedUniversity of Cambridgefor hisMLitt,[10]but eventually decided to enroll in film school.[5]He received his master's degree from theUSC School of Cinematic Artsin 2002.[11]

Career

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Directing

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At age 26, Terrio directed the feature filmHeights(Sony Pictures Classics, 2005), which premiered at theSundance Film Festival.It follows a pivotal twenty-four hours in the interconnected lives of five New Yorkers. It starsGlenn Close,Elizabeth Banks,James MarsdenandJesse Bradford,and featuresIsabella Rossellini,George SegalandRufus Wainwrightin small roles. It was one of the final films produced byIsmail MerchantandRichard Hawley.The film won a "Best Independent Feature Film Casting" award from theCasting Society of America,USA in 2005.

In 2010, he directed the episode "I Look Like Frankenstein", which was Episode 8 in Season 3 ofDamagesonFX.

In 2002, he directed, wrote and produced a short film titledBook of Kings,which starredAasif Mandviamong others. It premiered at the first annualTribeca Film Festivalin 2002.[citation needed]

Screenwriting

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Terrio wrote the script forArgo,winning theAcademy Award for Best Adapted Screenplayfor the screenplay, and theWriters Guild of America Awardfor Best Adapted Screenplay. His screenplay was also nominated for Best Screenplay awards from theGolden Globesand theBAFTA Awards.For theArgoscreenplay, he also won Best Screenplay or Best Adapted Screenplay honors from theLos Angeles Film Critics Association Awards,theOnline Film Critics Society Awards,theAustin Film Critics Association,the Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards, theSan Diego Film Critics Society Awards,the Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards, the 2013University of Southern California(USC) Scripter Award, and the Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards. He loosely adapted the screenplay based on aWiredarticle by Joshuah Bearman titled "The Great Escape" and the memoir ofTony Mendez,The Master of Disguise,supplementing that material with extensive research of his own.

Terrio recalls the experience of writing a dialogue-intensive scene forArgo:

Scene 58--nine men sitting in a conference room talking through scenarios for cover stories to get Americans out of Iran--was difficult. There's nothing to cut to except the actors' faces. The tension has to come from the subtle shifts of power. CIA and State Department officials debate ideas, each worse than the last. I knew the crucial beat would come when our hero, Tony Mendez, speaks up. He couldn't seem disrespectful, yet he had to make his case. I settled on the idea that Mendez would throw a spitball into the conversation with a joke about giving the bicycle escapees Gatorade. The table would go silent. The attention of the room would shift to the court jester. I also had to determine whether Gatorade was on the market and a commonly recognized brand in December 1979. I celebrated when I found a magazine from the year before featuring a dehydrated athlete with aVillage Peoplemoustache: 'Gatorade: When You're Thirsty to Win.'[12]

Terrio also had previously written the screenplays for two films he directed: the feature filmHeights,which screened at theSundance Film Festival,and the award-winning short filmBook of Kings.

Terrio re-wroteDavid S. Goyer's script forWarner Bros.'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice(2016),[13]and also wrote the screenplay for the ensemble filmJustice League(2017).[14]On January 30, 2017, it was announced that Terrio had performed a re-write on Ben Affleck's script for an untitled Batman movie, which Affleck co-wrote with DCEU co-runner and producerGeoff Johns.[15]

Terrio has also been hired byParamount PicturesandIndian Paintbrushto write the script for the dramaA Murder Foretold,based on an article inThe New YorkerbyDavid Grannrelated to a number of high-profile murders in Guatemala.[16]Terrio hopes to direct his own screenplay.

Terrio has completed the adaptation ofHarlan Coben's novelTell No Onefor Warner Bros., withBen Affleckbeing attached to direct.[17]Guillaume Canethas already directed a French film in an independent adaptation of this novel.

In addition, Terrio wrote a screenplay for a film adaptation ofRichard II,which directorJames Ivoryintends to film in 3D.[18]

On September 12, 2017, it was announced that Terrio would be co-writing the script forStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalkerwith directorJ. J. Abrams.The film was released on December 20, 2019.[19][20]

On May 20, 2020, it was announced thatZack Snyder's Justice Leaguewill be released onHBO Maxin 2021. Terrio is credited with the screenplay and story.[21]

Other work

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Terrio has also edited the documentary shortFirst Out.

He worked on the Ivory–Merchant films (directed byJames Ivory)Le DivorceandThe Golden Bowl.He was also previously an assistant to Ivory.

Terrio also served as an assistant director on the short filmEquation,directed by Anuj Majumdar, and was also a grip on the short filmAwake,directed by Lori Lovoy-Goran. She won a DGA Student Film Award and aSXSWCompetition Award for her documentary short filmIn Between Days.

Filmography

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Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
2002 Book of Kings Yes Yes Yes Short film; also editor
2005 Heights Yes Additional No Directorial debut
2010 Damages Yes No No Television series (episode "I Look Like Frankenstein")
2012 Argo No Yes No Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
Nominated -BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
Nominated -Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay
2016 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice No Yes No
2017 Justice League No Yes Executive
2019 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker No Yes No Also voice cameo as "Aftab Ackbar"
2021 Zack Snyder's Justice League No Yes Executive Director's cut ofJustice League

Other credits

Year Title Role Notes
2000 The Golden Bowl Assistant toJames Ivory
2002 Equation Assistant director Short film
2003 Le Divorce Electronic press kit
2004 Awake Grip Short film
2006 First Out Editor (segment "Meet Joe Gay" ) Documentary

References

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  1. ^Pulver, Andrew (February 25, 2013)."Oscars 2013: Chris Terrio wins best adapted screenplay for Argo".The Guardian.RetrievedOctober 5,2014.
  2. ^Finke, Nikki (February 17, 2013)."WGA Awards Winners: 'Zero Dark Thirty's Mark Boal, 'Argo's Chris Terrio, 'Breaking Bad', 'Louie', 'Girls', 'Portlandia', 'Searching For Sugar Man's Malik Bendjelloul (Live)".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedOctober 5,2014.
  3. ^"Warner Bros. confirms Lex Luthor and a 'Wonder Woman' character for 'Justice League'".batman-news.December 22, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 2,2017.
  4. ^Staten Island native Chris Terrio wins the Oscar for "Argo" screenplayRetrieved January 6, 2021
  5. ^abBenson, Sheila (October 9, 2006)."Chris Terrio".Seattle Weekly.Archived fromthe originalon April 5, 2016.RetrievedOctober 5,2014.
  6. ^Fox, Michael."Heights Director Taps into Jewish Neuroses".interfaithfamily. Archived fromthe originalon October 6, 2014.RetrievedOctober 5,2014.
  7. ^"Affleck Responds to Why a Non-Latino (Him) Played Latino Hero in ARGO".Latino Rebels. December 11, 2012.RetrievedOctober 5,2014.
  8. ^movieAcadie Américaineby Monique LeBlanc, 2014
  9. ^Peterson, Susan (February 27, 1997)."New Scholarship Brings Harvard-Cambridge Total to Four".Harvard Gazette.Archived fromthe originalon April 18, 2016.RetrievedOctober 5,2014.
  10. ^Mapes, Marty (June 26, 2005)."Interview with Chris Terrio".Movie Habit.RetrievedOctober 5,2014.
  11. ^"Hot Sheet August 2012".USC Cinematic Arts. August 2012.RetrievedOctober 5,2014.
  12. ^Buchanan, Kyle (December 20, 2012)."The Toughest Scene I Wrote: Screenwriter Chris Terrio on Argo".Vulture.RetrievedOctober 5,2014.
  13. ^Siegel, Tatiana (December 18, 2013)."Batman-Superman Film Enlists 'Argo' Writer (Exclusive)".The Hollywood Reporter.
  14. ^Kroll, Justin (July 25, 2014)."Warners Eyes Chris Terrio for 'Justice League'".Variety.
  15. ^Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 31, 2017)."Ben Affleck Not Directing Batman".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedFebruary 1,2017.
  16. ^Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 13, 2011)."Chris Terrio To Write 'A Murder Foretold' For Paramount And Indian Paintbrush".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedOctober 5,2014.
  17. ^Fleming, Mike Jr. (June 15, 2011)."Ben Affleck To Turn French-Flavored Harlan Coben Novel 'Tell No One' Into Feature".RetrievedOctober 5,2014.
  18. ^McKittrick, Christopher (May 15, 2017)."James Ivory on Screenwriting".RetrievedMay 15,2017.
  19. ^Kroll, Justin (September 12, 2017)."J. J. Abrams to Replace Colin Trevorrow as Director of 'Star Wars: Episode IX'".RetrievedSeptember 12,2017.
  20. ^Kroll, Justin."'Star Wars: Episode IX' Release Date Moves to December 2019 ".Variety.RetrievedSeptember 12,2017.
  21. ^"HBO Max to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut".Warner Media.May 20, 2020.RetrievedMay 25,2020.
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