Richard Wenk | |
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Born | 1956 (age 67–68) Metuchen, New Jersey, U.S. |
Nationality | American |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1986–present |
Notable work |
Richard Wenk (born 1956) is an American film screenwriter and director best known for his work on The Expendables 2 (2012), The Equalizer film series (2014–2023), and The Magnificent Seven (2016).
Wenk was born in 1956 in Metuchen, New Jersey.[1][2] He graduated from Metuchen High School in 1974,[3] and from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts in 1979.[1]
Wenk worked as an assistant to director John Huston on the 1982 film Annie.[1] In 1984, he was recruited by New World Pictures producer Donald P. Borchers to write and direct the black comedy film Vamp (1986). Borchers had been impressed by Wenk's NYU thesis film, a musical vampire comedy short titled Dracula Bites the Big Apple.[1] In 1994, he directed the comedy film Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women.[4] In 1998, he wrote and directed the film Just the Ticket.[5] In 2002, he directed the slasher film Wishcraft.[6] In 2006, he wrote the script for Richard Donner's last film 16 Blocks.[7] In 2011, he wrote the action film The Mechanic.[8] By 2012, he wrote Simon West's ensemble action film The Expendables 2.[9] In October 2012, he was hired to write the script for the Masters of the Universe reboot.[10]
In 2014, he signed on to write the action film The Equalizer and its two sequels.[11][12] In 2016, he wrote the action films Countdown, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, and The Magnificent Seven.[13][14][15] In 2017, he was hired to write the script and story for Renegades.[16] In 2018, Wenk was hired to write the reboot of Universal Soldier.[17][18] In 2021, he wrote the action thriller film The Protégé.[9] In 2023, he wrote the action film Fast Charlie.[19] He was announced to be writing the upcoming films Lethal Finale and Kraven the Hunter.[20][21]
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes & ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1979 | Dracula Bites the Big Apple | Yes | No | [1] |
1982 | Annie | Assistant | No | [1] |
1986 | Vamp | Yes | Yes | [1] |
1994 | Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women | Yes | No | [4] |
1998 | Just the Ticket | Yes | Yes | Also actor[5] |
2002 | Wishcraft | Yes | No | [6] |
2006 | 16 Blocks | No | Yes | Also actor[7] |
2011 | The Mechanic | No | Yes | [8] |
2012 | The Expendables 2 | No | Yes | [9] |
2014 | The Equalizer | No | Yes | [11] |
2016 | Countdown | No | Yes | [13] |
The Magnificent Seven | No | Yes | [15] | |
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back | No | Yes | [14] | |
2017 | Renegades | No | Yes | [16] |
2018 | The Equalizer 2 | No | Yes | Also co-producer |
2021 | The Protégé | No | Yes | [9] |
2023 | The Equalizer 3 | No | Yes | Also co-producer |
Fast Charlie | No | Yes | ||
2024 | Kraven the Hunter | No | Yes | Post-production[22] |