Jake Kasdan
Birthdate: Oct 28, 1974
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, USA
Jake Kasdan (birthname: Jacob Kasdan) is a busy director/producer/writer in television and movies, making his feature debut with Castle Rock’s mystery comedy Zero Effect (1998), which Kasdan adapted from Arthur Conan Doyle’s first Sherlock Holmes story, A Scandal in Bohemia, and which co-starred Bill Pullman and Ben Stiller, premiered in the Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard competition, and released to poor box office by Columbia Pictures.
Kasdan was director only of the comedy Orange County (2002), written by Mike White, produced by Scott Rudin, co-starring Colin Hanks and Jack Black, and released by Paramount Pictures with solid box office results (over $43 million returns on $18 million costs).
Kasdan was the director/writer/producer of perhaps his most personal movie (about a writer battling creative wars in the TV industry), The TV Set (2006), with David Duchovny, Sigourney Weaver, Ioan Gruffudd, and Judy Greer, premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival and released to weak box office by THINKFilm. Kasdan was a director as well as co-writer and co-producer (with Judd Apatow) of the well-reviewed but commercially disappointing comedy For Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Releasing, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007), co-starring John C. Reilly, Tim Meadows, Jenna Fischer, and Kristen Wiig, and gaining a durable fan base despite only a $20.6 million gross (against $35 million costs).
Jake Kasdan returned to moviemaking and Columbia/Sony four later as director/executive producer of his most successful comedy to date, Bad Teacher (2011), co-starring Cameron Diaz (in the title role), Justin Timberlake, and Jason Segel, grossing $216 million on a $20 million budget. Kasdan was producer only the same year of director/writer/producer/co-star Jennifer Westfeldt’s rom-com, Friends with Kids (2011), with the ensemble of Adam Scott, Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Chris O’Dowd, Megan Fox and Edward Burns, and which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival but earned only $13 million for co-distributors Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions.
Kasdan was director and executive producer and reunited with star Cameron Diaz—and once again, Sony Pictures/Columbia Pictures--for the sex comedy, Sex Tape (2014), co-starring Jason Segel, Rob Corddry, Ellie Kemper and Rob Lowe, and earning a healthy return of over $126 million worldwide. Kasdan stayed in the Sony/Columbia fold and carried this success over to the Jumanji franchise, first as director and executive producer of the series' third entry, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017), grossing over $962 million globally, and immediately followed by Jumanji: The Next Level (2019), for which Kasdan was director/writer/producer with the regular company of actors—Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, and Nick Jonas—with new cast members Awkwafina, Alex Wolff, Danny Glover, and Danny DeVito, and grossing a solid $801.7 million.
Jake Kasdan returned to features after five years of producing and directing television to direct and produce the Santa-Is-Kidnapped action comedy, Red One (2024), reuniting with star Dwayne Johnson, and with Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, and J.K. Simmons, produced by Amazon MGM Studios and released by MGM.
Gallery
Personal Details
Jake Kasdan was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan by father and director/writer Lawrence Kasdan and mother and writer Meg Kasdan. Jake Kasdan has one younger brother, Jon (actor and writer). Kasdan is married to singer-songwriter Inara George; the couple has three children, including their eldest, Otis, and twins Lorelei and Beau. Kasdan’s height is 5’ 6”.
Filmography
director
Previous (2)
- 2024 |
- 2017 | Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
Four teenagers are sucked into a magical video game, and the only way they can escape is to work together to finish the game.
actor
Previous (15)
- 2023 | Untitled Jumanji: The Next Level sequel
- 2019 | It's the End of Liz as We Know It
- 2019 | Jumanji: The Next LevelasProducer(produced by)
Jumanji: The Next Level
In Jumanji: The Next Level, the gang is back but the game has changed. As they return to rescue one of their own, the players will have to brave parts unknown from arid deserts to snowy mountains, to escape the world's most danger...
- 2017 | John Henry and the Statesmen
- 2014 | Bad Teacher 2
- 2014 |
- 2013 | Man Made
- 2012 | Untitled Gene Stupnitsky/Lee Eisenberg Project
- 2011 | Bad Teacher
- 2011 | Friends with Kids
- 2007 | Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Storyas Producer
- 2006 | The TV Set
- 2002 | Orange County
- 1998 | Zero Effectas Producer
- 1972 | My Spy
Some Facts About Jake Kasdan
Music Life: Jake Kasdan is not only married to the lead singer and songwriter (Inara George) of the indie group The Bird and the Bee but has written eight songs for two of his directorial features: Zero Effect and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.
