Josh Olson
American screenwriter
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joshua R. Olson is an American screenwriter and podcaster, known for writing the 2005 film A History of Violence.
Josh Olson | |
|---|---|
Olson at the 2008 Screenwriting Expo | |
| Born | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupations | Podcast writer, Screenwriter |
Career
Olson wrote and directed the low budget horror film Infested in 2002.[1] He wrote the screenplay for the 2005 film A History of Violence.[2][3]. He was nominated for the British Academy Award,[4] the Writer's Guild Award[4] and the Academy Award.[5] In 2006, Olson collaborated with Harlan Ellison on an adaptation of the author's short story "The Discarded" for ABC's series Masters of Science Fiction.[3][6] He worked on Peter Jackson's film based on the Halo video game series, but the project was later cancelled.[7]
Olson wrote the first draft of the movie Jack Reacher, for Paramount Pictures.[8][9] Ultimately, the movie was written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie.[10][11]
Olson wrote two seasons of the audio drama, Bronzeville, which is produced by and stars Laurence Fishburne and Larenz Tate.[2] He is one of the hosts of the film interview podcast, "The Movies That Made Me", along with director Joe Dante.[12]
Olson co-hosts with Dave Anthony The West Wing Thing, a podcast rewatching and discussing episodes of The West Wing and its impact on politics.[13] In 2020, Olson started Rainy Day Podcasts with Mick Jagger, Steve Bing, and Victoria Pearman. The company has a "first look deal" with Warner Brothers, and will produce original narrative podcasts.[2]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | On the Border | Screenplay; television film |
| 1999 | Hitman's Run | Screenplay (uncredited) |
| 2001 | Instinct to Kill | Screenplay; television film |
| 2002 | Infested | Also director |
| 2005 | A History of Violence | Screenplay |
| 2007 | The Discarded | Episode of Masters of Science Fiction |
| 2008 | Batman: Gotham Knight | Anthology film segment: Have I Got a Story for You |
| 2024 | Trigger Warning | Screenplay[14] |