Remember me
, the distinguished writer and director who is currently being celebrated for the third installment of his Knives Out franchise, , has been tapped by the to receive its Director Award.
On Oct. 17, immediately following a 6:30 p.m. screening of Wake Up Dead Man at the Regal Edwards Big Newport cinema, Johnson will sit down with yours truly to record a live episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, during which he will discuss his life and career. At the conclusion of that conversation, the festival will present him with the award.
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“The Newport Beach Film Festival is thrilled to honor Rian Johnson for his brilliant work on Wake Up Dead Man,” Gregg Schwenk, NBFF’s CEO and executive director, said in a statement. “With his sharp storytelling and inventive direction, he has captivated audiences and reimagined the whodunit for a new generation. We are excited to celebrate his exceptional talent and the impact of his work.”
In addition to the Knives Out films, the first two installments of which — 2019’s Knives Out and 2022’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery — brought him best original screenplay Oscar nominations, Johnson is also well known for writing and directing 2005’s Brick, 2008’s The Brothers Bloom, 2012’s Looper and 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi. He also directed several episodes of the landmark TV drama series Breaking Bad, including its most celebrated, 2013’s “Ozymandias,” and he created and has written and directed several episodes of the TV comedy series Poker Face.
Past Awards Chatter episodes that were recorded live at the fest have included Adam Sandler, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Ronson, Ewan McGregor and Peter Sarsgaard.
The 26th edition of the Newport Beach Film Festival will take place Oct. 16-23, 2025.
Wake Up Dead Man will be released in select theaters on Nov. 26 and then on Netflix on Dec. 12.
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