David McKenna
Born (1968-08-14) 14 August 1968 (age 55)
San Diego, California
OccupationScreenwriter, producer
LanguageEnglish

David McKenna is an American screenwriter and producer. He wrote the screenplays for American History X (1998), Blow (2001) and S.W.A.T. (2003). He is also a film professor at Columbia University and Barnard College.[1][2][3]

Career

McKenna wrote and sold American History X when he was 26. It drew from his upbringing around the punk music scene, as well as interviews with real skinheads. The film became the focus of a post-production dispute between director Tony Kaye and lead actor Edward Norton.[4] Made on a budget of $20 million, the film grossed $24 million at the worldwide box office.[5][6] He then wrote the screenplays for Blow, about American cocaine smuggler George Jung, and Get Carter, a remake of the 1971 film of the same name, starring Michael Caine. Also in 2001, his adaptation of the book Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge by Jim Schutze was released as Bully. The book and film were based on the 1993 murder of Bobby Kent. McKenna was unhappy with the finished film, and chose to be credited under the pseudonym Zachary Long.

He was also the creator and Executive Producer of NBC's E-Ring (2005–2006).[7][8][9] The show starred Benjamin Bratt as Major James Tisnewski, a former Delta Force operator and Dennis Hopper as Colonel Eli McNulty, as officers working in the E-ring of the Pentagon in the Special Operations Division (SOD) – planning and co-ordinating covert US special operations actions around the globe. The show struggled from the onset because it was up against ABC's Top 20 hit Lost, CBS's Top 30 hit Criminal Minds, FOX's Top 10 hit American Idol and the network's Top 30 hit Unan1mous. Although NBC gave it an earlier time slot which led to better ratings, the show was pulled from the lineup during the February sweeps and officially canceled at the NBC upfront on May 15.

McKenna also ventured into video games, writing the script for the 2006 open world action-adventure video game Scarface: The World Is Yours.[10] The game is not a direct adaptation of the 1983 film directed by Brian De Palma, but is instead a broad strokes sequel which changes the ending of the film.

Filmography

Film

Year Film Writer Producer Notes
1998 American History X Yes Yes Co-Producer
1999 Body Shots Yes No
2000 Get Carter Yes No
2001 Blow Yes No Co-Wrote screenplay with Nick Cassavetes
Bully Yes No Credited as Zachary Long
2003 S.W.A.T. Yes No Co-Wrote screenplay with David Ayer
2017 Cocaine Godmother Yes Yes Co-Wrote Screenplay with Molly McAlpine, executive producer
2020 Embattled Yes No
TBA Cabo Yes No [11][12]

Television

Year Title Writer Producer Creator Notes
2005-06 E-Ring Yes Yes Yes Co-creator, writer, executive producer

Video games

References

  1. ^ "Profile Of Screenwriter David McKenna". July 13, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  2. ^ "Take Five: Meet David McKenna, screenwriter and producer". stunewsnewport.com. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  3. ^ "AMERICAN HISTORY X screenwriter David McKenna on going from waiter to produced writer". www.youtube.com. December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  4. ^ McCarthy, Todd (October 22, 1998). "American History X". Variety. Archived from the original on April 23, 2010. Retrieved July 23, 2009. It is possible that some otherwise well-disposed critics may restrain their praise, even unwittingly, in knee-jerk sympathy with director Kaye, who disowns this cut and lost his bid to take his name off the picture.
  5. ^ "American History X (1998)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
  6. ^ "Remembering "American History X". Interview with Screenwriter David McKenna". forenseek.app. March 9, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  7. ^ https://www.palmbeachpost.com/article/20051117/ENTERTAINMENT/812039907 Archived March 27, 2019, at the Wayback Machine [bare URL]
  8. ^ "David McKenna '91".
  9. ^ "Scribe beats up BULLY".
  10. ^ Fruchter, Alexander. "Soundslam Interviews". Soundslam. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
  11. ^ Kroll, Justin (November 14, 2023). "Management Company The Cartel Makes Multiple Signings Across Various Platforms". Deadline. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  12. ^ "AFM: Concourse Sets Action Thriller 'Cabo' From 'American History X' Writer David McKenna, 'Eraser: Reborn' Director John Pogue (Exclusive)". www.hollywoodreporter.com. October 31, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023.

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