Gregory Widen


Gregory Widen is an American screenwriter and film director. He is the creator of the Highlander film and television franchise, and the writer-director of the cult horror film The Prophecy.

Biography

A native of Laguna Beach, California, Gregory Widen holds a master's degree from UCLA and once worked full-time as a city firefighter.

Filmmaking

''Highlander''

While still an undergrad film student at UCLA, he sold his script for Highlander. The film stars Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery. Its tagline, "There can be only one" has gained pop culture infamy. The original movie became a cult classic, spawning five sequels and , tie-in novels and video games.

''Backdraft''

Widen worked as a firefighter for three years while still an undergraduate at UCLA. He witnessed a person being killed by an explosive backdraft, which became the basis for the screenplay he wrote for the movie Backdraft, directed by Ron Howard and starring Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, Donald Sutherland, Robert De Niro. Released in 1991, Backdraft received three Academy Award Nominations.
Backdraft was turned into a ride for Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Japan where it is still active.
A sequel began production in April, 2018.

''The Prophecy''

In 1995, Widen wrote and directed the supernatural thriller The Prophecy starring Christopher Walken, Virginia Madsen, Eric Stoltz, and Viggo Mortensen. The film spawned four sequels: The Prophecy II, ', ' and .

''Yasuke''

In 2017, original script was written by Gregory Widen for Lionsgate. Currently in Development.
"Lionsgate has commenced Highlander creator Gregory Widen to script Black Samurai, an action drama grounded in the historical tale of Yasuke, reputed to be the first black-skinned samurai to serve a warlord in Japan. Mike De Luca and Stephen L’Heureux are producing, and the film is a co-production between Solipsist Films and De Luca Productions."
"Yasuke was a samurai of black African origin who served under the Japanese warlord Oda Nobunaga in 1581 and 1582."

Television

Widen was the creator, writer and executive producer of the series Rescue 77 and wrote for Tales from the Crypt.

''Blood Makes Noise''

In 2013 he released his debut novel, Blood Makes Noise published by Thomas & Mercer. The book received critical praise, including a starred review from Publisher's Weekly and Booklist.

Filmography

''Backdraft''

Academy Awards, USA 1992

BAFTA Awards 1992

BMI Film & TV Awards 1992

MTV Movie + TV Awards 1992

''The Prophecy''

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA 1996