Gareth Edwards (filmmaker)

Gareth Edwards was born to Welsh parents.^[1] Edwards wanted to direct his own films since childhood, stating that "Star Wars is definitely the reason that I wanted to become a filmmaker",^[2] having grown up in England loving and studying Steven Spielberg's films and learning to storyboard and do special effects since watching a documentary about the making of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom at age 10.^[3] He attended Higham Lane School, followed by college at North Warwickshire College of Technology and Art (now NWSLC), completing a BTEC National Diploma in Audio Visual Studies under lecturers such as Graham Bird. Edwards studied film and video at the Surrey Institute of Art & Design, University College in Farnham, graduating in 1996.^{[citation needed]} In 2012, he received an honorary Master of Arts from UCA. Edwards got his start in visual effects, creating digital effects for shows including Nova, Perfect Disaster and Heroes and Villains, for which he created 250 visual effects. In 2008, he entered the Sci-Fi-London 48-hour film challenge, for which a film had to be created start-to-finish in two days and within certain criteria. Edwards won the contest with his short film Factory Farmed and went on to write and direct Monsters, his first feature.^[4][5] Edwards created the visual effects for Monsters using off-the-shelf equipment. Besides the two main actors, the crew consisted of just five people.^[6]

The success of Monsters brought sufficient awareness in Hollywood to land first major projects. After the film's release, he had interviews with several studios, including Legendary Pictures.^[7] In January 2011,^[8] Edwards got his first major feature deal, to direct the 2014 Godzilla reboot from Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures.^[9][10]

Edwards directed Rogue One, the first Star Wars stand-alone film, written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy, based on a story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta, starring Felicity Jones, and released on 16 December 2016.^[11][12]

Three of his influences for filmmaking are George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino.^[13] In May 2016, Edwards exited Godzilla: King of the Monsters in an amicable split with the studio to work on smaller scale projects.^[14]

In February 2020, it was reported that Edwards was set to direct and write a film with the working titled True Love for New Regency, with Rogue One co-producer Kiri Hart serving as producer for the project. The film has since been renamed and released in 2023 as The Creator.^[15] The film stars John David Washington.^[16] It marked his second collaboration with Rogue One cinematographer Greig Fraser and his first collaboration with composer Hans Zimmer.^[17][18] It was released on 29 September 2023.^[19]

On 29 January 2024, Edwards was named as an honorary Freeman of the borough in his hometown of Nuneaton by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council during a civic awards ceremony at the Town Hall.^[20]

In February 2024, it was reported that Edwards was set to direct Jurassic World Rebirth for Universal Pictures scheduled for 2 July 2025.^[21] Edwards replaced David Leitch, who had left the project over creative differences with the studio.^[22]