David Leitch (born November 16, 1975) is an American filmmaker, actor, stunt performer and stunt coordinator who made his directorial debut on the 2014 action film John Wick with Chad Stahelski, though only Stahelski was credited. Leitch then directed the 2017 thriller film Atomic Blonde, starring Charlize Theron, and 2018's Deadpool 2, the sequel to the 2016 film. +more
Career
Leitch was a stunt double for Brad Pitt five times and two times for Jean-Claude Van Damme. Leitch and his crew won two awards for The Bourne Ultimatum at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. +more
He wrote and starred in Confessions of an Action Star, a parody of action films and the action film industry released in 2009.
Leitch and Chad Stahelski opened an action design production company called 87Eleven in 1997. In 2009, Stahelski and Leitch were second-unit directors and stunt co-ordinators on Ninja Assassin. +more
He moved on to direct films such as Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2 and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw with his wife and creative partner Kelly McCormick serving as a producer. In 2022, he also directed Brad Pitt in the action-thriller Bullet Train.
Upcoming projects
In January 2019, Leitch signed on to direct Undying Love, based on the limited comic book series by Tomm Coker and Daniel Freedman, for Studio 8. In September 2020, Leitch signed on to direct and produce stuntman drama The Fall Guy for Universal Pictures, with Drew Pearce writing the screenplay and Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt starring; the film, based on the 1980s television series of the same name, is scheduled for release on March 1, 2024.
Leitch was set to direct action thriller Fast & Loose for Netflix and STXfilms, with Will Smith set to star, but by March 2022 he had departed the project to focus instead on The Fall Guy.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Director | Producer | Notes |
| 2014 | John Wick | |
| 2017 | Atomic Blonde | |
| 2018 | Deadpool 2 | |
| 2019 | Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw | |
| 2022 | Bullet Train | |
| 2024 | The Fall Guy |
Short films
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Deadpool: No Good Deed | |
| 2019 | Snowbrawl | Shot on iPhone 11, sponsored by Apple Inc. +more |
Writer
Confessions of an Action Star (2005)
Producer
Nobody (2021) * Violent Night (2022)
Executive producer
Fetch (2007 short) * John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) * John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) * Kate (2021)
Second-unit director
In Hell (2003) * The Midnight Meat Train (2008) * Ninja Assassin (2009) * The King of Fighters (2010) * The Mechanic (2011) * Conan the Barbarian (2011) * In Time (2011) * Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013) * Parker (2013) * Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013) * The Wolverine (2013) * Escape Plan (2013) * Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) * Hitman: Agent 47 (2015) * Jurassic World (2015) * Captain America: Civil War (2016) * Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016)
Stuntwork
Actor
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | The Order | Det. Mike Moran | |
| 2002 | Nine Lives | Paul | |
| 2003 | In Hell | Paul | |
| 2005 | V for Vendetta | Convenience Store V | |
| 2005 | Confessions of an Action Star | Frank Sledge | |
| 2005 | The Dukes of Hazzard | Puncher | |
| 2007 | Fetch | John "Fetch" Fetcher | Short film |
| 2009 | Ninja Assassin | Europol Door Guard | |
| 2010 | The King of Fighters | Terry Bogard | |
| 2011 | The Mechanic | Sebastian | |
| 2012 | The Bourne Legacy | The Driver | |
| 2013 | Escape Plan | Ship Captain | |
| 2018 | Deadpool 2 | Cain Marko / Juggernaut Ground Church Mutant | Leitch provided motion-capture performance on-set, while Ryan Reynolds provided facial motion-capture and voice performances |
| 2019 | Hobbs & Shaw | Helicopter Pilot | Cameo |
| 2022 | Bullet Train | Jeff Zufelt | Cameo |
Important
Television credits
Stunts
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Sherman Oaks | Season 1 |
| 1996 | 7th Heaven | |
| 1997-2001 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | 18 episodes |
| 1998 | CHiPs '99 | TV movie |
| 1999 | The Practice | Episode: "Day in Court" |
| 1999 | +more | |
| 2000 | The President's Man | TV movie |
| 2001 | The Pretender 2001 | TV movie |
| 2001 | Scrubs | |
| 2006 | 2006 MTV Movie Awards | TV Special; Stunt double |
| 2006 | General Hospital | Episode 10967 |
Actor
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Martial Law | David Hasbro | Episodes "Diamond Fever", "Dead Ringers", "Funny Money" and "Trackdown" |
| 2000 | Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue | Brian | Episode "Up to the Challenge" |
| 2001 | Walker Texas Ranger | Floyd Jessop | Episode "Medieval Crimes" |
| 2003 | L. A. +more | Earnest Cop | TV movie |
| 2004 | Charmed | Innocent | Episode "There's Something About Leo" |
| 2019 | Songland | Himself | Episode "Aloe Blacc" |
Video games
| Year | Title | Credited as | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Tomorrow Never Dies | Stunts | Sony PlayStation release Developed by Black Ops Entertainment Co-published by Electronic Arts and MGM Interactive |
| 2000 | HBO Boxing | Stunt coordinator | Sony PlayStation release Developed by Acclaim Sports and Osiris Studios Published by Acclaim Entertainment |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Nominated work | Category | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | 300 | Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture | Nominated | |
| 2007 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | The Bourne Ultimatum | Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture | Won | |
| 2019 | Grammy Awards | Deadpool 2 | Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media | Nominated |
Living people
Place of birth missing (living people)
American male film actors
American film directors
American stunt performers
American male television actors
American parodists
Comedy film directors
Parody film directors
Action film directors
21st-century American male actors
People from Kohler, Wisconsin
Film producers from Wisconsin
Latest activity
