James Wan Wiki Biography
An Australian film director, producer and screen writer, James Wan was born on 27 February 1977, in Kuching, Malaysia, of Malaysian and Chinese descent. He is perhaps best known for directing the popular 2004 horror film “Saw”, and creating Billy the Puppet.
A successful filmmaker, how rich is James Wan? It has been reported that the amount of Wan’s net worth is over $50 million, his wealth having been accumulated during his directing and producing careers.
James Wan Net Worth $50 Million
Wan was raised in Perth, Western Australia. He studied at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology from where he graduated with his Bachelor of Arts degree. Before becoming successful in the mainstream film industry, Wan made his first feature film “Stygian”, which won “Best Guerrilla Film” at the 2000 Melbourne Underground Film Festival. While studying, he met Leigh Whannell and together they came up with an idea for a horror movie, for which they made a short version to showcase their script for a potential feature film. With a few stand-in actors and Whannell himself starring, they shot the film with virtually no budget. Producers at the US film company Evolution were impressed when seeing the film and they asked Wan and Whannell to make it into a full-length feature in order to produce it. After the full-length “Saw” had been released in 2004, it became a surprise record-breaking theatrical horror franchise earning over $103 million, and an incredible net worth for Wan. The movie was followed by six sequels, with Wan being the executive producer and partially the screen writer. The collection of “Saw” movies has been a great financial success grossing over $873 million, and improving James’ net worth considerably.
Wan went on to direct and produce several successful movies with the help of his collaborator and close friend Whannell. In 2007, he directed the horror “Dead Silence”, and an action drama “Death Sentence”. His next movie, the 2010 indie horror “Insidious” was an instant success iat the box office reception worldwide. In 2013, Wan directed “The Conjuring” with very positive critiques, and a sequel “Insidious: Chapter 2” the same year. The following year he produced another horror movie “Demonic”, while also serving as the producer on “Annabelle”, a spin-off from “The Conjuring”, grossing over $166 million. Wan then directed the seventh sequel of the “Fast and Furious” action franchise “Furious 7”, which was released in 2015. It became the most successful film in terms of box office revenues and critics reviews in the “Fast and Furious” franchise ,and has also added a lot to Wan’s net worth. Meanwhile, he agreed to direct “The Conjuring 2” sequel which will be released in June 2016. In addition to the movies, he also directed a trailer for the survival horror video game “Dead Space”.
Wan has had a number of unreleased projects as well as future projects to direct, including an adaption of the 1980’s television series “Macgyver”, and the remake of Disney’s “The Rocketeer”. It has also been announced that he will serve as a director for the film adaptation of the DC comic book “Aquaman”, and the producer for “Mortal Combat” reboot.
Wan resides in Los Angeles. As for his personal life, he reveals nothing to the public.
| Full Name | James Wan |
| Net Worth | $50 Million |
| Date Of Birth | February 26, 1977 |
| Place Of Birth | Kuching, Malaysia |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Profession | Film director, Film Producer, Screenwriter, Film Editor |
| Education | RMIT University |
| Nationality | Malaysia |
| Nicknames | Jimmy Wan |
| Facebook |
| Twitter |
| Instagram |
| IMDB |
| Awards | Pegasus Audience Award |
| Nominations | Fright Meter Awards |
| Movies | The Conjuring 2, Furious 7, Saw, The Conjuring, Aquaman, Lights Out, Annabelle, Insidious, Insidious: Chapter 2, Dead Silence, Death Sentence, Demonic, Insidious: Chapter 3, Saw III, Dream Home, Insidious: Chapter 4 |
| Trademark |
| 1 | Backwards tracking shot |
| 2 | Frequently works with Leigh Whannell |
| 3 | Ventriloquist dolls |
| Quote |
| 1 | Not many people realize this, but I’m a really squeamish guy. When I watch other horror films that are really over-the-top with their blood and guts, I cannot watch it. So if my threshold to something on-screen is at that level, you can imagine how my threshold is to all the pain and suffering that is happening in the real world. |
| 2 | We think craft is important, and the irony has always been that horror may be disregarded by critics, but often they are the best-made movies you’re going to find in terms of craft. You can’t scare people if they see the seams. |
| 3 | I can’t point anything specific out, but I’m a big David Lynch fan, he’s a big influence on Saw, and another director I truly admire as well, is an Italian, Dario Argento? These two guys have a big impact on us, Deep Red, Lost Highway. |
| 4 | When we handed in our first cut, the Sundance version, we were essentially told the film was too intense. Really? I’m going to be penalized for doing what I’m supposed to do as a director? I think they have a problem with the ‘tone’ as well. How do you cut ‘tone’? How do you censor ‘tone’? |
| 5 | [on ‘Saw’] That was part of my aesthetic that I was going for. I wanted to make the film really claustrophobic, and one way I was going to do that was, every time we go to a new location, I’m not going to set it up using an establishing shot. You don’t see a house, and then cut to the inside of the house. You cut to inside, to inside, to inside. |
| Fact |
| 1 | His overall deal at New Line includes an option to develop and produce modest budget science fiction, horror and comedy films via his Atomic Monster production company. |
| 2 | His father passed away when he was 14 years of age. |
| 3 | Member of the unofficial “Splat Pack,” a term coined by film historian Alan Jones in Total Film magazine for the modern wave of directors making brutally violent horror films. The other “Splat Pack” members are Alexandre Aja, Darren Lynn Bousman, Neil Marshall, Greg McLean, Eli Roth, Leigh Whannell & Rob Zombie. |
| 4 | Attended the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology along with close friend Leigh Whannell |
| 5 | Comes from Melbourne, Australia. |
| 6 | Met fellow collaborator and friend Leigh Whannell at film school in Australia. |
Producer
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| The Nun | 2018 | producer pre-production |
| Insidious: Chapter 4 | 2017 | producer post-production |
| Saw: Legacy | 2017 | executive producer completed |
| Annabelle 2 | 2017 | producer completed |
| Mortal Kombat | producer announced |
| MacGyver | 2016-2017 | TV Series executive producer – 18 episodes |
| Lights Out | 2016/II | producer |
| The Conjuring 2 | 2016 | producer |
| Insidious: Chapter 3 | 2015 | producer |
| Demonic | 2015 | producer |
| Annabelle | 2014/I | producer |
| Saw 3D: The Final Chapter | 2010 | executive producer |
| Saw VI | 2009 | executive producer |
| Saw V | 2008 | executive producer |
| Saw IV | 2007 | executive producer |
| Saw III | 2006 | executive producer |
| Saw II | 2005 | executive producer |
Writer
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| Aquaman | 2018 | story pre-production |
| The Nun | 2018 | pre-production |
| Saw: Legacy | 2017 | creator completed |
| SAW Heritage | 2016 | Short creator |
| The Conjuring 2 | 2016 | screenplay / story |
| Insidious: Chapter 2 | 2013 | story |
| Saw | 2009 | Video Game treatment by |
| Doggie Heaven | 2008 | Video short creator |
| Dead Silence | 2007 | story |
| Saw III | 2006 | story |
| The Scott Tibbs Documentary | 2006 | Video short characters |
| Saw Rebirth | 2005 | Short characters |
| Saw | 2004 | story |
| Stygian | 2000 | written by |
Director
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| Aquaman | 2018 | pre-production |
| MacGyver | 2016 | TV Series 1 episode |
| The Conjuring 2 | 2016 |
| Furious 7 | 2015 |
| Insidious: Chapter 2 | 2013 |
| The Conjuring | 2013 |
| Insidious | 2010/I |
| Doggie Heaven | 2008 | Video short |
| Death Sentence | 2007 |
| Dead Silence | 2007 |
| Saw | 2004 |
| Saw | 2003 | Short |
| Stygian | 2000 |
Editor
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| Insidious | 2010/I |
| Doggie Heaven | 2008 | Video short |
| Saw | 2003 | Short |
Actor
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| Insidious: Chapter 3 | 2015 | Theater Director |
| Kaylocks | 1999 | Short | Pizza Dude |
Sound Department
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| Hot and Cold | 2011 | Short sound editor |
Miscellaneous
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| Saw | 2003 | Short title sequence |
Thanks
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| Walking After You | 2016 | Short special thanks |
| Fender Bender | 2016 | thanks |
| Codename: The Dragon | 2015 | TV Movie the producers wish to thank |
| Pernicious | 2014 | the director wishes to thank |
| The Taking of Deborah Logan | 2014 | special thanks |
| Legend of the Red Reaper | 2013 | thanks |
| August | 2011/II | Short special thanks |
| Cell/Phone | 2011 | TV Series special thanks – 1 episode |
| Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel | 2011 | Documentary thanks |
| The Psycho Legacy | 2010 | Video documentary special thanks |
| 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams | 2010 | special thanks |
| Delivery | 2006 | Video special thanks |
Self
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
| Furious 7: Race Wars | 2015 | Video short | Himself |
| Furious 7: Snatch and Grab | 2015 | Video short | Himself |
| Furious 7: Talking Fast | 2015 | Video documentary short | Himself |
| Furious 7: Tower Jumps | 2015 | Video short | Himself |
| The Cars of Furious 7 | 2015 | Video short | Himself |
| Reel Junkie | 2014 | TV Series | Himself |
| Vivir de cine | 2013 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Hollywood Fast Lane | 2013 | TV Series | Himself – Interviewee |
| Cinema 3 | 2011 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Mo’Nique Show | 2011 | TV Series | Himself |
| This Week in Horror | 2011 | TV Series | Himself |
| Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! | 2008 | Documentary | Himself |
| Up Close with Carrie Keagan | 2007 | TV Series | Himself |
| 30 Even Scarier Movie Moments | 2006 | TV Mini-Series | Himself |
| Hitchcocked! | 2006 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| Hacking Away at ‘Saw’ | 2005 | Video documentary short | Himself |
| Días de cine | 2010-2016 | TV Series | Himself |
| Made in Hollywood | 2013-2016 | TV Series | Himself |
| Last Call with Carson Daly | 2016 | TV Series | Himself |
| Furious 7: Back to the Starting Line | 2015 | Video short | Himself |
| Furious 7: Flying Cars | 2015 | Video short | Himself |
| Furious 7: Inside the Fight | 2015 | Video short | Himself |
Won Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
| 2015 | Hollywood Blockbuster Award | Hollywood Film Awards | Furious Seven (2015) |
| 2015 | Hollywood Movie Award | Hollywood Film Awards | Furious Seven (2015) |
| 2014 | Chainsaw Award | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Wide-Release Film | The Conjuring (2013) |
| 2014 | Fangoria Horror Hall of Fame | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards |
| 2013 | Fright Meter Award | Fright Meter Awards | Best Director | The Conjuring (2013) |
| 2011 | Titra Film Award | Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival | Insidious (2010) |
| 2005 | Pegasus Audience Award | Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film (BIFFF) | Saw (2004) |
| 2005 | Special Jury Prize | Gérardmer Film Festival | Saw (2004) |
| 2005 | Youth Jury Grand Prize | Gérardmer Film Festival | Saw (2004) |
| 2004 | Audience Award | San Sebastián Horror and Fantasy Film Festival | Best Feature | Saw (2004) |
Nominated Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
| 2016 | Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgia Cinema | Georgia Film Critics Association (GFCA) | Furious Seven (2015) |
| 2014 | Chainsaw Award | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Wide-Release Film | Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) |
| 2013 | Fright Meter Award | Fright Meter Awards | Best Director | Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) |
| 2013 | Hollywood Movie Award | Hollywood Film Awards | The Conjuring (2013) |
| 2011 | Fright Meter Award | Fright Meter Awards | Best Director | Insidious (2010) |
| 2011 | Narcisse Award | Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival | Best Feature Film | Insidious (2010) |
| 2011 | Audience Award | SXSW Film Festival | Midnight Feature | Insidious (2010) |
| 2005 | International Fantasy Film Award | Fantasporto | Best Film | Saw (2004) |
