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David Koepp
David Koepp
David Koepp
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David Koepp (/kɛp/; born June 9, 1963) is an American screenwriter and director. He is the fourth highest-grossing screenwriters of all time in terms of U.S. box office receipts with a total gross of over $2.6 billion.[1] Koepp has achieved both critical and commercial success in a wide variety of genres.

Key Information

He gained prominence in the 1990s as one of New Hollywood's most sought-after screenwriters, known for his versatility in handling action, science fiction, thriller, and horror genres. Koepp holds the record for the highest-grossing films of all time as lead screenwriter for Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park (1993), a distinction he maintained for several years. His extensive and commercially successful filmography has established him as one of the most notable screenwriters in the history of cinema.[2]

Throughout his prolific career, Koepp has collaborated with acclaimed directors on numerous high-profile projects. His early work includes the screenplays for the neo-noir crime film Carlito's Way (1993), the inaugural installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise (1996), and the first big-screen adaptation of Spider-Man (2002). He continued his partnership with Spielberg, writing The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), War of the Worlds (2005), and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). In addition to original stories and adaptations, Koepp is known for his skill in developing compelling narratives within established franchises.[3][4]

Beyond screenwriting, Koepp has transitioned into directing feature films himself, including the supernatural thriller Stir of Echoes (1999), the Stephen King adaptation Secret Window (2004), the fantasy-comedy Ghost Town (2008), and the action-thriller Premium Rush (2012). He has also expanded his storytelling career into literature, publishing the thriller novels Cold Storage (2019) and Aurora (2022). Koepp continues to write for major films, including Jurassic World Rebirth (2025).[5]

Early life and education

[edit]

Koepp was born in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, as the youngest of four children to Margaret (Fairfield), a family therapist, and Donald Koepp, who owned a billboard company.[6][7][8][9] While attending Kettle Moraine High School in Wales, Wisconsin, he worked evenings and weekends at the McDonald's restaurant in Delafield.[citation needed]

Originally studying to become an actor, first at the University of Minnesota for one year and afterwards at the University of Wisconsin–Madison for two years, he enrolled in the film school of the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1984.[6][10][11] He graduated with a bachelor's degree in film from UCLA in 1990.[12]

Career

[edit]

1990s and 2000s

[edit]

As a writer, Koepp worked on blockbuster Hollywood films such as Jurassic Park with Steven Spielberg, Mission: Impossible with Brian De Palma and Spider-Man with Sam Raimi.

Koepp had a cameo appearance as the "Unlucky Bastard", a minor character devoured by a T. rex that roams San Diego in The Lost World: Jurassic Park, which he co-wrote and for which he was a second unit director. Although Koepp did not write Jurassic Park III, he did devise the film's basic storyline.[13][14] Koepp later declined an offer to write a script for the fourth film in the series, Jurassic World, as he felt he had nothing left to contribute to the series.[15]

Koepp was reportedly paid $4,000,000 for his Panic Room screenplay. He wrote the screenplay for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull for Spielberg and George Lucas and co-wrote and directed 2008's Ghost Town starring Ricky Gervais and Greg Kinnear.

Koepp's work as a director has not had quite the same box office success. His films include Secret Window, Stir of Echoes, and The Trigger Effect. Koepp has worked in television, creating the 2002 series Hack starring David Morse.

2010s

[edit]

In 2012, Koepp directed Premium Rush, which he co-wrote with John Kamps.[16] In an August 2011 lawsuit, Joe Quirk, the author of the 1998 novel The Ultimate Rush, accused Koepp and the makers of Premium Rush of copyright infringement.[17] On April 2, 2013, U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg dismissed this case, finding that the two works were not substantially similar.[18]

On February 17, 2013, Koepp received the WGA East's Ian McClellan Hunter Award for Career Achievement.[19]

On July 10, 2013, Lionsgate was reported to have acquired the comedic crime novel The Great Mortdecai Moustache Mystery, written by Kyril Bonfiglioli.[20] Koepp directed the film, titled Mortdecai, from a script by Eric Aronson;[21] Johnny Depp played the lead role of Charlie Mortdecai,[22] and the film also featured Gwyneth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor, and Paul Bettany.[23] Koepp adapted the Marcus Sakey novel Brilliance, which will star Will Smith and Noomi Rapace.[24]

On March 15, 2016, The Walt Disney Company announced a fifth installment of the Indiana Jones saga, with Koepp as its screenwriter and Spielberg directing again.[25][26] By June 2018, Koepp ultimately backed out of the project due to his commitment to You Should Have Left, a horror drama film Koepp wrote and directed.[27] Based on the novel of the same name by Daniel Kehlmann, You Should Have Left was released in 2020, and stars Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried.[28][29] The film was eventually released on June 30, 2023, however it was directed by James Mangold and written by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth.

On September 3, 2019, Koepp made his novel debut with the publication of Cold Storage, a science-fiction thriller.[30] A film adaptation was announced in May 2022 from Studiocanal, with Koepp writing the screenplay and Jonny Campbell directing; the cast consists of Liam Neeson, Joe Keery, Georgina Campbell, and Sosie Bacon.[31][32]

2020s

[edit]

On December 10, 2020, Amasia Entertainment and Universal Pictures announced Koepp had been tapped to write the script for a reboot of the Green Hornet franchise titled The Green Hornet and Kato.[33] On February 25, 2021, it was announced Koepp would write and co-produce the thriller Kimi, directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Zoë Kravitz.[34] The film was released on Max (then HBO Max) on February 10, 2022.[35]

Koepp's second novel Aurora was published on June 7, 2022, and a film adaptation of the book is in development for Netflix, with Koepp writing the script and Kathryn Bigelow directing.[36]

In December 2023, it was announced that Koepp had written the screenplay for the psychological thriller film Presence, which was directed by Soderbergh and premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.[37] On January 22, 2024, it was announced that Koepp would return to the Jurassic Park franchise by writing Jurassic World Rebirth, with Gareth Edwards directing and Spielberg serving as executive producer.[38][39] On April 17, 2024, it was confirmed that Koepp and Spielberg would work again on an original film about UFOs, which will be released in theatres by Universal Pictures on May 15, 2026.[40][41]

Personal life

[edit]

Koepp is married to Melissa Thomas, a writer, with whom he has two children.[42][43] He was previously married to artist Rosario Varela, with whom he has two children.[6][44]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1988 Apartment Zero No Yes Yes Co-wrote with Martin Donovan
1990 Bad Influence No Yes No
Why Me? No Yes No
I Come in Peace No Yes No
  • Credited as Leonard Maas Jr.
  • Co-wrote with Jonathan Tydor
1991 Toy Soldiers No Yes No Co-wrote with Daniel Petrie Jr.
1992 Death Becomes Her No Yes No Co-wrote with Martin Donovan
1993 Jurassic Park No Yes No Co-wrote with Michael Crichton
Carlito's Way No Yes No
1994 The Paper No Yes Co-producer Co-wrote with Stephen Koepp
The Shadow No Yes No
Suspicious Yes Yes No Short film
1996 Mission: Impossible No Yes No Co-wrote with Robert Towne and Steven Zaillian
The Trigger Effect Yes Yes No
1997 The Lost World: Jurassic Park No Yes No Also second unit director and cameo
1998 Snake Eyes No Yes No Co-wrote with Brian De Palma
1999 Stir of Echoes Yes Yes No
2002 Panic Room No Yes Yes
Spider-Man No Yes No
2004 Secret Window Yes Yes No
2005 War of the Worlds No Yes No Co-wrote with Josh Friedman
Zathura: A Space Adventure No Yes No Co-wrote with John Kamps
2008 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull No Yes No Co-wrote with George Lucas and Jeff Nathanson
Ghost Town Yes Yes No Co-wrote with John Kamps
2009 Angels & Demons No Yes No Co-wrote with Akiva Goldsman
2011 The Little Engine That Could No Yes No Co-wrote with John Kamps, Cliff Ruby and Elana Lesser
2012 Premium Rush Yes Yes No Co-wrote with John Kamps
2014 Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit No Yes No Co-wrote with Adam Cozad
2015 Mortdecai Yes No No
2016 Inferno No Yes No
2017 The Mummy No Yes No Co-wrote with Christopher McQuarrie and Dylan Kussman
2020 You Should Have Left Yes Yes No
2022 Kimi No Yes Yes
2023 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny No Yes No Co-wrote with Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth and James Mangold[45]
2024 Presence No Yes Executive
2025 Black Bag No Yes Executive
Jurassic World Rebirth No Yes No
2026 Untitled Steven Spielberg film † No Yes No Post-production
Cold Storage † No Yes Yes Based on his novel[46]

Television

[edit]
Year Title Director Writer Notes
2002 Hack No Yes Creator
2003 Suspense Yes No TV movie

Unproduced scripts

[edit]
Year Title Notes
1987 FatCity Upside Down
1990 Here and There
1997 Blackwater co-wrote with Brian De Palma
1998 Mr. Hughes
1999 The Sea-Wolf
2000 The Superconducting Supercollider of Sparkle Creek, Wisconsin co-wrote with John Kamps
2001 A Trip Uptown
2002 Amazing Spider-Man
2009 Billionaire's Vinegar[47] co-wrote with John Kamps
Article II[47]
Pirate Latitudes[48]
2011 Spy vs. Spy[49] co-wrote with John Kamps
The Thin Man[50]
2012 The Wind[51]
2014 Brilliance[52]
2015 The Themis Files[53]
2017 Bride of Frankenstein[54]
2018 Blackhawk[55]
2020 Green Hornet and Kato[56]
2022 Aurora[57][58] based on his novel

Bibliography

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

David Koepp

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
David Koepp (born June 9, 1963) is an American , , and renowned for crafting screenplays for major Hollywood blockbusters, including Jurassic Park (1993), Mission: Impossible (1996), and Spider-Man (2002). Born in , to a family therapist mother and a father who owned a billboard company, Koepp developed an early interest in storytelling during his youth in the Midwest. He initially studied theater at the before transferring to the (UCLA) School of Theater, Film, and Television, from which he graduated in 1990 with a degree in film. Koepp's screenwriting career launched in the late 1980s with his debut feature, co-writing and directing the thriller Apartment Zero (1988), marking the start of a prolific output that spans over 30 films across genres like action, horror, and science fiction. His breakthrough came with collaborations on high-profile projects, such as adapting Michael Crichton's novel for Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park, which he co-wrote and which became one of the highest-grossing films of all time, followed by its sequel The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997). Other landmark credits include the original Mission: Impossible for Brian De Palma, Carlito's Way (1993) for the same director, Panic Room (2002) directed by David Fincher, War of the Worlds (2005) for Spielberg, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). In addition to screenwriting, Koepp has directed several films, including the psychological thriller The Trigger Effect (1996), the supernatural horror Stir of Echoes (1999) starring , and the 2020 haunted-house story . His versatility extends to novels, with his debut Cold Storage (2019)—a bioterror thriller about a deadly —adapted into a film by Paramount, and his second book Aurora (2022), a climate-change suspense story. Now based in with his wife and children, Koepp continues to influence cinema through projects like Jurassic World Rebirth (2025), returning to the franchise he helped define. David Koepp was born on June 9, 1963, in . His mother was a family therapist, and his father, Donald Koepp, owned a company; he has an older brother, , who is a and entrepreneur. Koepp grew up in the Midwest and developed an early interest in through theater and during his youth. He attended Kettle Moraine High School in Wales, Wisconsin. Koepp initially studied theater at the University of Wisconsin before transferring to the (UCLA) School of Theater, Film, and Television. He graduated from UCLA in 1986 with a in .

Career

1990s

Koepp entered the field in the late 1980s, co-writing the for the Apartment Zero (1988), directed by and released in 1989, marking his debut. He followed this with a collaboration on Toy Soldiers (1991), a action thriller directed by Daniel Petrie Jr., where he shared writing credits with Petrie and . His first major studio credit came with (1992), a directed by , co-written with and starring , , and . These early works established Koepp's versatility in blending suspense, humor, and character-driven narratives. The mid-1990s brought Koepp's breakthrough with high-profile assignments from acclaimed directors. He co-wrote the screenplay for (1993), adapting Michael Crichton's novel in collaboration with Crichton himself, under Steven Spielberg's direction, transforming the story into a landmark blockbuster that explored themes of technological and prehistoric wonder. That same year, Koepp penned the adaptation of Edwin Torres's novels for (1993), a crime drama directed by , featuring as a reformed navigating New York's underworld. In 1994, Koepp teamed with his brother Stephen Koepp to write The Paper, a fast-paced comedy-drama directed by about the high-stakes world of , starring and . Koepp's momentum continued into the latter half of the decade with several action-oriented projects. He contributed to the story and screenplay for (1996), the big-screen adaptation of the classic TV series, directed by and starring as IMF agent , blending espionage intrigue with high-tension set pieces. Koepp then returned to the dinosaur saga for The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), writing the screenplay based on Crichton's sequel novel and directed again by Spielberg, which expanded the franchise's scope to a remote island teeming with raptors and T. rex. In 1998, he scripted Snake Eyes (1998) for De Palma, a conspiracy thriller set during a match in Atlantic City, starring as a corrupt unraveling a plot. Parallel to his writing career, Koepp made his directorial debut with (1996), which he also wrote, inspired by James Burke's ideas on societal fragility; the thriller follows a group of suburbanites, including , unraveling during a widespread blackout. His second directorial effort, (1999), adapted from Richard Matheson's 1958 novel and starring as a Chicago man plagued by visions after , merged with ghostly elements to deliver a taut thriller. By the end of the , Koepp had solidified his reputation as a go-to for high-concept thrillers, frequently collaborating with directors like Spielberg and De Palma on projects that combined intellectual premises with visceral excitement. His contributions to juggernauts, such as 's worldwide gross exceeding $1 billion and The Lost World: Jurassic Park's $618 million haul, underscored his commercial impact and ability to craft accessible yet ambitious narratives.

2000s

In the 2000s, David Koepp solidified his reputation as a versatile screenwriter by contributing to major franchises while exploring a range of genres from thrillers to family adventures. Building on his 1990s successes like , Koepp penned the screenplay for Sam Raimi's (2002), which introduced audiences to the web-slinging hero and grossed over $825 million worldwide, marking a pivotal entry in the superhero genre. He followed with uncredited revisions to (2004), helping refine the narrative of Peter Parker's internal conflicts and the villain , contributing to its critical acclaim and success of nearly $800 million. Koepp's work extended to the series with (2009), co-written with and directed by , adapting Dan Brown's novel about symbologist thwarting an plot in the Vatican, which grossed over $485 million worldwide. This culminated in and the Kingdom of the (2008), for which Koepp crafted the screenplay based on a story by and , blending with supernatural artifacts in a film that navigated studio expectations for high-stakes action while grossing over $780 million globally. Koepp also directed two films during the decade, showcasing his ability to helm intimate, character-driven stories amid blockbuster commitments. His Secret Window (2004), an adaptation of Stephen King's novella Secret Window, Secret Garden, starred as a unraveling amid accusations of , exploring themes of guilt and identity in a taut, isolated setting. Later, Koepp co-wrote and directed the Ghost Town (2008) with John Kamps, featuring as a dentist who gains the ability to see ghosts after a , blending humor with elements to deliver a heartfelt look at redemption and connection. Beyond franchises, Koepp's scripts highlighted his range across genres. He wrote and produced Panic Room (2002) for director David Fincher, a claustrophobic home-invasion thriller starring Jodie Foster that emphasized maternal protection and tension within confined spaces, receiving praise for its suspenseful pacing. In a lighter vein, Koepp adapted Chris Van Allsburg's children's book for Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005), directed by Jon Favreau, where two brothers' board game propels their home into space, fostering themes of sibling reconciliation through fantastical peril. Koepp's work also included Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds (2005), where he co-wrote the adaptation of H.G. Wells' novel, emphasizing a father's desperate survival against alien invasion and earning a Saturn Award nomination for Best Writing. Throughout the , Koepp balanced high-profile blockbusters with more personal projects, earning multiple nominations that underscored his industry standing, including a nomination for Best Dramatic Presentation for (2003) and a Saturn nomination for War of the Worlds (2006). His ability to infuse action and horror with emotional depth helped him navigate studio pressures, such as franchise constraints and revision processes, while maintaining a focus on relatable human stakes. This period laid the groundwork for his growing interest in producing and more independent endeavors in the following decade.

2010s

In the 2010s, David Koepp shifted greater emphasis toward directing, helming projects that allowed him to blend high-energy action with character-driven narratives, while continuing to pen screenplays for major franchises. His directorial work during this period highlighted a preference for contained environments that amplified tension without relying on expansive special effects. Koepp made his most notable directing return with Premium Rush (2012), an action thriller he co-wrote with John Kamps, featuring as a who must deliver an enigmatic envelope across while pursued by a corrupt police officer. The film unfolds over a single afternoon in a real-time structure, emphasizing urban chaos and moral dilemmas in a compact, location-specific thriller that Koepp described as a deliberate move toward "something contained, like Panic Room," to counter the sprawl of typical blockbusters. This approach reflected his growing critique of blockbuster fatigue, where endless sequels and spectacle overshadowed intimate storytelling, prompting him to prioritize efficient, propulsive narratives over franchise excess. In 2015, Koepp directed Mortdecai, a adapted from Kyril Bonfiglioli's novels and written by Eric Aronson, starring as the flamboyant art dealer Charlie Mortdecai, who pursues a forged concealing codes to lost . Though the film received mixed reviews for its eccentric tone, it showcased Koepp's experimentation with lighter, character-focused fare amid his action-heavy resume. As a , Koepp sustained his involvement in commercial tentpoles, building on the series with Inferno (2016), directing Ron Howard's adaptation of another novel, where Langdon awakens amnesiac in to unravel a billionaire's plague-inducing scheme aimed at curbing . Koepp's script streamlined the book's complexities into a fast-paced global chase, prioritizing visual puzzles and ethical quandaries. Koepp also co-wrote Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014) with Adam Cozad, rebooting Tom Clancy's CIA analyst character with Chris Pine as a young operative exposing a terrorist financial plot in Moscow and New York. The screenplay modernized the franchise by integrating contemporary cyber threats while honoring Clancy's procedural style. In 2017, he contributed to the screenplay for The Mummy, the Universal reboot directed by Alex Kurtzman, co-written with Christopher McQuarrie and Dylan Kussman, starring Tom Cruise as a soldier awakening an ancient curse in a blend of action, horror, and adventure. This project exemplified Koepp's role in revitalizing classic monsters for modern audiences through high-stakes, effects-driven narratives. Throughout the decade, Koepp took on producing responsibilities in project development, such as executive producing aspects of his directorial films and contributing to the oversight of franchise scripts, allowing him to balance blockbuster commitments like the Langdon series with more personal, artistic pursuits like . This duality enabled him to navigate Hollywood's commercial demands while exploring innovative thriller forms, often reflecting on the industry's reliance on spectacle as a source of creative exhaustion. Toward the end of the , Koepp pivoted to prose with his debut novel Cold Storage (2019), a sci-fi horror thriller published by , in which a lethal fungus-like bioweapon—discovered during the mission and stored in cryogenic isolation—escapes containment, forcing a disparate team of experts to prevent a global . Drawing from his expertise in and catastrophe, the book sold film rights to Paramount in a competitive ; the , directed by Jonny Campbell and starring and , is scheduled for theatrical release on February 6, 2026. This marked Koepp's expansion into while echoing themes of isolation and existential threat from his film work.

2020s

In the early 2020s, David Koepp returned to directing with , a he also wrote, starring as a former banker vacationing in a Welsh countryside home with his family, where forces begin to unravel their lives. The project, adapted from Daniel Kehlmann's 2017 novel, was produced by and released directly to video-on-demand platforms in June 2020 amid the , emphasizing isolation and familial tension through eerie architectural motifs and jump scares. Critics noted its atmospheric dread but mixed execution, with a 40% approval rating on , highlighting Koepp's signature blend of domestic unease and otherworldly horror. Koepp expanded into streaming thrillers with Kimi (2022), a script he penned and co-produced for director , featuring Zoë Kravitz as an agoraphobic tech analyst in pandemic-era who uncovers evidence of a via a voice assistant data stream, only to face corporate resistance. Released exclusively on Max, the film drew acclaim for its timely critique of surveillance technology and isolation, earning a 92% score and praise for Koepp's taut, bottle-episode structure that mirrors real-world anxieties. In interviews, Koepp reflected on how the script, originally conceived pre-pandemic, serendipitously captured post-COVID societal shifts toward and digital . Venturing into literature, Koepp published his second novel, Aurora (2022), a sci-fi thriller from HarperCollins depicting a massive solar storm that triggers a global blackout, forcing characters in —including a single mother and her son—to navigate survival amid . Building on the speculative tension of his debut Cold Storage (2019), the explores human resilience and moral dilemmas in a power-less world, receiving positive reviews for its character-driven pacing and plausible near-future premise, with users averaging a 3.8-star rating from over 12,000 reviews. Koepp reunited with Soderbergh for Presence (2024), a thriller centered on a suburban haunted by an unseen entity, told innovatively from the ghost's point-of-view perspective. The film, distributed by , had a wide release on January 17, 2025, starring and Chris Sullivan, grossed $11.1 million worldwide on a $2 million budget, and earned an 88% approval for its slow-burn tension and formal experimentation, with Koepp citing personal inspirations from ambiguous real-life hauntings in discussions with the director. Koepp also scripted Jurassic World Rebirth (2025), the sixth installment in the franchise he originated with Jurassic Park (1993), directed by Gareth Edwards and starring , , and in a standalone story set five years after Jurassic World Dominion. Released July 2, 2025, the film grossed approximately $886 million worldwide and received mixed reviews (50% on ), praised for recapturing the original's sense of wonder and peril amid critiques of franchise fatigue. In interviews, Koepp described adapting to industry evolutions like franchise reboots and streaming integration while navigating post-COVID production challenges such as delayed shoots and hybrid releases. These projects underscore Koepp's sustained influence across film, television-adjacent streaming, and , adapting to a landscape where blockbusters and intimate thrillers increasingly converge on digital platforms.

Personal life

Koepp is married to writer Melissa Thomas, with whom he has two children. He was previously married to artist Rosario Varela, with whom he has two children. He resides in .

Writing style and themes

David Koepp's style emphasizes visual storytelling and the principle of "," where actions and imagery drive the narrative forward. He favors concise, character-specific dialogue that advances the plot and reveals personality, ensuring every word serves a purpose. Koepp's writing process involves outlining with 3x5 note cards to break stories into manageable chunks within a , followed by 10- to 25-page treatments that include sample . He prioritizes writing full scripts over pitching ideas, noting that pitching skill does not always translate to effective writing. To combat , he maintains daily routines and experiments with writing from different character perspectives. Revisions focus on tightening clarity and enhancing for deeper resonance. His works often feature character-driven set pieces that blend high-stakes action with personal revelations, as in the suspenseful, confined-space thrillers like Panic Room (2002) and Snake Eyes (1998). Koepp draws from classic Hollywood influences, including horror films, Sherlock Holmes stories, and 1970s paranoia cinema such as Rosemary's Baby, incorporating noir elements like moral caution in endings. Recurring themes in Koepp's oeuvre include ordinary people confronting extraordinary threats, such as dinosaurs in Jurassic Park (1993), via a deadly in the Cold Storage (2019), and climate-induced suspense in Aurora (2023). He explores suspense, horror, and genres with subtextual irony and universal concerns like survival, , and human vulnerability. Unlike screenplays, his novels allow deeper access to characters' inner consciousness, including unconventional viewpoints like that of a .

Filmography

As Writer

David Koepp has written or co-written screenplays for numerous feature films, spanning genres from science fiction and action to thriller and comedy. His credits include several high-grossing blockbusters directed by prominent filmmakers.
YearTitleDirectorNotes
1988Apartment ZeroMartin DonovanPsychological thriller; Koepp's feature screenplay debut.
1990Bad InfluenceCurtis HansonErotic thriller.
1991Toy SoldiersDaniel Petrie Jr.Action film.
1992Death Becomes HerRobert ZemeckisFantasy comedy; grossed $149 million worldwide.
1993Jurassic ParkSteven SpielbergScience fiction adventure; grossed $1.1 billion worldwide, becoming one of the highest-grossing films of all time.
1993Carlito's WayBrian De PalmaCrime drama.
1994The PaperRon HowardComedy-drama.
1996Mission: ImpossibleBrian De PalmaAction spy film; grossed $457 million worldwide.
1997The Lost World: Jurassic ParkSteven SpielbergScience fiction adventure; grossed $618 million worldwide.
1998Snake EyesBrian De PalmaThriller.
1999Stir of EchoesDavid KoeppSupernatural horror; also directed by Koepp.
2002Big TroubleBarry SonnenfeldComedy.
2002Spider-ManSam RaimiSuperhero film; grossed $825 million worldwide, launching the modern superhero genre.
2002Panic RoomDavid FincherThriller.
2004Secret WindowDavid KoeppPsychological thriller; also directed by Koepp.
2005Zathura: A Space AdventureJon FavreauScience fiction adventure.
2005War of the WorldsSteven SpielbergScience fiction; grossed $603 million worldwide.
2008Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal SkullSteven SpielbergAdventure; grossed $786 million worldwide.
2008Ghost TownDavid KoeppComedy; also directed by Koepp.
2009Angels & DemonsRon HowardThriller; grossed $485 million worldwide.
2012Premium RushDavid KoeppAction thriller; also directed by Koepp.
2014Jack Ryan: Shadow RecruitKenneth BranaghAction thriller.
2015MortdecaiDavid KoeppComedy; also directed by Koepp.
2016InfernoRon HowardThriller; grossed $220 million worldwide.
2017The MummyAlex KurtzmanAction adventure; grossed $409 million worldwide.
2023Indiana Jones and the Dial of DestinyJames MangoldAdventure; grossed $384 million worldwide.
2024PresenceSteven SoderberghHorror thriller.
2025Jurassic World RebirthGareth EdwardsScience fiction adventure; grossed $868 million worldwide.
2025Black BagSteven SoderberghSpy thriller; grossed $44 million worldwide.

As Director

Koepp has directed eight feature films, often adapting his own s or original stories, with a focus on and elements.
YearTitleNotes
1996Thriller; Koepp's directorial debut.
1999Supernatural horror; by Koepp.
2004; by Koepp.
2008Ghost TownComedy; by Koepp and John Kamps.
2012Action thriller; by Koepp.
2015MortdecaiComedy; by Koepp.
2020Horror thriller; by Koepp.
2022KimiThriller; also producer.

As Producer

Koepp has served as a producer on select feature films, typically those he has written or directed. Notable credits include:
  • Panic Room (2002) – Producer; directed by David Fincher.
  • Kimi (2022) – Producer; directed by Steven Soderbergh.
  • Presence (2025) – Executive Producer; directed by Steven Soderbergh.
  • Black Bag (2025) – Executive Producer; directed by Steven Soderbergh.

Television

David Koepp's foray into television marked a brief but notable transition from his established film career in the early , where he explored serialized and formats. This period saw him taking on roles as creator, , and director, adapting his suspense-driven narrative style to episodic structures suitable for broadcast networks. Although his television output remained limited compared to his filmography, it demonstrated his versatility in crafting tension-filled plots for the small screen. Koepp created and served as executive producer for the crime drama series Hack, which aired on CBS from 2002 to 2004. The show followed a disgraced former police officer turned cab driver who operates as a vigilante in Philadelphia, blending elements of noir and procedural drama across two seasons and 40 episodes. Koepp wrote the pilot and several key episodes, contributing to the series' gritty exploration of corruption and redemption. In 2003, Koepp wrote and directed the pilot episode for , an intended anthology series hosted by . The self-contained thriller featured short, suspenseful stories designed for weekly rotation, though the project did not advance beyond the pilot due to network decisions. This unproduced series concept highlighted Koepp's interest in compact, twist-laden narratives akin to his film work. While Koepp's television contributions were concentrated in the early 2000s on traditional broadcast platforms, his later career shifted toward streaming services, though primarily through feature films rather than series or miniseries developments. No additional produced television projects have been credited to him in the or 2020s.

Unproduced scripts

David Koepp has several notable unproduced screenplays, spanning genres from superhero action to and horror remakes, many of which were developed for major studios but shelved due to creative shifts, studio decisions, or broader franchise changes. These projects often reflect Koepp's interest in high-concept thrillers and adaptations, with some scripts later influencing elements in his produced works. One early unproduced effort is Mr. Hughes (1998), a Koepp co-developed with director about the hoax autobiography of by . The script drew from Irving's real-life con, blending biography and crime elements, but it was abandoned amid scheduling conflicts and De Palma's focus on other films like Mission: Impossible (1996). Koepp has expressed fondness for the project, noting its potential as a character-driven tale of , and elements of its intricate plotting appear in his later work (2012). In the superhero genre, Koepp penned an unproduced draft for Amazing Spider-Man (2002), intended as a sequel to Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (2002), which Koepp also co-wrote. The script introduced as a love interest, featured Eddie Brock's early origins, and included a darker tone with Black Cat and villains, but it was reworked extensively by and others due to director Raimi's preferences for a more grounded narrative. Koepp released the draft publicly in 2020, highlighting how its multicharacter arcs prefigured the ensemble dynamics in later Marvel films like (2007). Koepp's adaptation of Michael Crichton's posthumously published novel Pirate Latitudes (2009) was set up at DreamWorks with Steven Spielberg producing and potentially directing. The script envisioned a swashbuckling adventure in 17th-century Jamaica involving pirates raiding a Spanish galleon, but the project stalled after Crichton's estate issues and Spielberg's pivot to other commitments like Lincoln (2012); no further development occurred despite initial buzz. This historical action concept echoed themes of high-stakes heists seen in Koepp's produced The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997). For Universal's short-lived Dark Universe, Koepp wrote the screenplay for a remake in the mid-2010s, directed by with eyed for the Bride. The story split between 1930s black-and-white sequences mirroring James Whale's 1935 original and modern-day scenes exploring the monster's isolation and revenge, but the project collapsed in 2017 following the commercial failure of The Mummy (2017), which derailed the . Koepp later reflected that the dual-timeline structure influenced his horror elements in (2020). In 2009, Koepp co-wrote Billionaire's Vinegar with John Kamps, adapting Benjamin Wallace's book about the scandalous auction of purported Thomas Jefferson-owned wine bottles proven to be fakes. Pitched as a tense true-crime thriller for , it attracted interest from actors like but was shelved due to rights complications and shifting studio priorities toward larger franchises. The script's focus on and elite deception parallels the cons in Koepp's . Koepp scripted Blackhawk (2018) for Warner Bros. and producer Steven Spielberg, adapting the DC Comics WWII-era aviation team into a period action film outside the DC Extended Universe to avoid connectivity issues. The ensemble story emphasized aerial dogfights and moral dilemmas in a standalone narrative, with the script completed by 2020, but it remains unproduced pending Warner Bros. Discovery's executive decisions post-2022 merger. Koepp has praised its "very good" quality, noting how its team dynamics informed his collaborative writing in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). More recently, Koepp was hired in 2020 to write for and Amasia Entertainment, rebooting the 1960s characters as a buddy-action duo fighting in a modern setting. With director attached by 2022, the project advanced to script stage but has not progressed to production as of November 2025 due to scheduling and franchise reevaluations following the 2011 film's underperformance. This script's emphasis on partnership and builds on Koepp's superhero experience from .

Bibliography

=== Novels ===
  • ''Cold Storage'' (2019). . ISBN [[Special:BookSources/978-0-06-291643-3|978-0-06-291643-3]].
  • ''Aurora'' (2022). Harper. ISBN [[Special:BookSources/978-0-06-291647-1|978-0-06-291647-1]].

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.
1993Other MediaJurassic Park (screenplay)Nominated
1994Best Dramatic PresentationJurassic ParkWon
1994Saturn AwardBest WritingJurassic Park (shared with )Won
1998Worst ScreenplayThe Lost World: Jurassic ParkNominated
2000Gérardmer Grand PrizeStir of EchoesWon
2003Best Dramatic Presentation – Long FormSpider-ManNominated
2006Saturn AwardBest WritingWar of the WorldsNominated
2013 Award for Career AchievementCareer achievementWon
2018Worst ScreenplayThe Mummy (shared with others)Nominated

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