Richard Wenk

Early life

Wenk was born in 1956 in Metuchen, New Jersey. He graduated from Metuchen High School in 1974, and from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts in 1979.

Career

Wenk worked as an assistant to director John Huston on the 1982 film Annie. In 1984, he was recruited by New World Pictures producer Donald P. Borchers to write and direct the black comedy film Vamp (1986). Borchers had been impressed by Wenk's NYU thesis film, a musical vampire comedy short titled Dracula Bites the Big Apple. In 1994, he directed the comedy film Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women. In 1998, he wrote and directed the film Just the Ticket. In 2002, he directed the slasher film Wishcraft. In 2006, he wrote the script for Richard Donner's last film 16 Blocks. In 2011, he wrote the action film The Mechanic. By 2012, he wrote Simon West's ensemble action film The Expendables 2. In October 2012, he was hired to write the script for the Masters of the Universe reboot.

In 2014, he signed on to write the action film The Equalizer and its two sequels. In 2016, he wrote the action films Countdown, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, and The Magnificent Seven. In 2017, he was hired to write the script and story for Renegades. In 2018, Wenk was hired to write the reboot of Universal Soldier. In 2021, he wrote the action thriller film The Protégé. In 2023, he wrote the action film Fast Charlie. In 2024, he wrote the superhero film Kraven the Hunter and the upcoming cop action film Lethal Finale.

Filmography

Accolades

In 2014, for his work on The Equalizer, he was nominated at the

46th NAACP Image Awards for "Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture". In 2025, for his work on Kraven the Hunter, he was nominated at the 45th Golden Raspberry Awards for "Worst Screenplay".

References

• Richard Wenk, Vamping Out, Schwartz, David, The Washington Post, July 27, 1986, live, March 4, 2022, March 4, 2022
• Richard Wenk, British Film Institute, dead, April 28, 2019, March 4, 2022
• Metuchen 'welcomes back' alumni for Hall of Fame nominations, Tufaro, Greg, Courier News, July 26, 2015, live, September 25, 2020, March 4, 2022
• National Lampoon 1992-1998
• Just the Ticket, Entertainment Weekly, January 21, 2023, live
• Wishcraft, Eye for Film, 4 March 2022
• Travers, Peter, Peter Travers, 16 Blocks, Rolling Stone, Wenner Media, March 7, 2006, March 4, 2022
• Kay, Jeremy, Millennium sells US rights on The Mechanic to CBS Films, August 8, 2010, Screen Daily
• Sneider, Jeff, Wenk to pen 'Masters of the Universe', Variety, 2012-10-12, March 4, 2022
• Fleming, Mike, Antoine Fuqua Eyes 'Training Day' Re-Team With Denzel Washington In 'The Equalizer', Deadline Hollywood, March 4, 2022, March 21, 2013
• Sneider, Jeff, Sequel to Denzel Washington Thriller 'Equalizer' Moves Forward as Sony Brings Back Writer Richard Wenk, March 4, 2022, TheWrap, February 24, 2014
• WWE's Countdown Arrives in April, February 1, 2016, March 4, 2022, March 11, 2016, usurped
• Fleming, Mike Jr., Ed Zwick In Talks To Direct 'Jack Reacher' Sequel, March 4, 2022, Deadline Hollywood, May 19, 2015
• The Magnificent Seven Chris Pratt And Denzel Washington Character Vignettes, Jay, Jayson, ComicBook.com, September 3, 2016, March 4, 2022
• McNary, Dave, 'Into the Storm' Director Enlists in Navy SEAL Thriller 'The Lake' (EXCLUSIVE), March 4, 2022, Variety, September 30, 2014
• A Re-Imagining of 'Universal Soldier' Is In The Works With Richard Wenk Set To Write The Script (EXCLUSIVE), Discussingfilm.com, March 4, 2022
• The Equalizer Writer Is Rebooting Universal Soldier, Padraig Cotter, Screen Rant, October 11, 2018, March 4, 2022
• Gong Li to Star in Martin Campbell's Action-Thriller 'Ana' (EXCLUSIVE), Variety, Dave, McNary, Dave McNary, October 13, 2017, March 4, 2022
• Wiseman, Andreas, James Caan & , Deadpool, Star Morena Baccarin Join Pierce Brosnan In Philip Noyce's , Fast Charlie, , Filming Begins Next Week In New Orleans, March 31, 2022, Deadline Hollywood, April 10, 2022
• Kit, Borys, 2021-11-15, Mel Gibson to Direct 'Lethal Weapon 5', March 4, 2022, The Hollywood Reporter, en-US
• Exclusive: 'Kraven the Hunter' Movie Lands 'Equalizer' Writer Richard Wenk, Collider, August 2, 2018, March 4, 2022
• Annie (1982), AFI Catalog of Feature Films, December 13, 2024
• Muove, Eppur Si, SteveButts, Miller, Greg, Moreupdated, 2012-12-05, Best Action Movie - Best of 2012 Guide, 2024-02-22, IGN, en
• Home, 2024-02-17, Cinemascore, en-US
• Home, 2024-02-17, Cinemascore, en-US
• 2023-12-08, Fast Charlie , , Rotten Tomatoes, 2024-02-17, www.rottentomatoes.com, en
• Dick, Jeremy, March 20, 2022, Sony's Kraven the Hunter Movie Starts Filming, First Set Footage Revealed, live, March 20, 2022, March 20, 2022, MovieWeb
• February 7, 2015, NAACP Image Awards 2015: Full list of nominees and winners, October 6, 2024, Los Angeles Times
• Razzie Awards: 'Joker 2' Tops Nominations; 'Madame Web', 'Megalopolis', 'Reagan' Also Among Nominees, Nordyke, Kimberly, The Hollywood Reporter, January 21, 2025, January 22, 2025

External links