Gareth James Edwards was born on June 1, 1975, in the charming English town of Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Growing up, he developed a profound admiration for films, particularly the 1977 classic "Star Wars", which would later influence his own film career. Edwards cites George Lucas and Steven Spielberg as his biggest inspirations.
Edwards pursued a degree in BA (Hons) Film & Video at the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham, formerly the Surrey Institute of Art & Design, graduating in 1996. In 2012, he received an honorary Master of Arts from UCA, a testament to his dedication to the craft.
Edwards began his career in special visual effects, working on various projects that aired on renowned networks such as PBS, BBC, and the Discovery Channel. In 2008, he entered and won the Sci-Fi-London 48-hour film challenge, where he wrote and directed a full-length feature, "Monsters", within a remarkably short timeframe of just two days. Edwards took on a multifaceted role, not only directing but also creating the film's special effects using off-the-shelf equipment. The movie was shot in only three weeks, with a remarkably small crew consisting of just five people, including the two main actors, real-life couple Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able.
The success of "Monsters" led to Edwards receiving offers from major studios, including Warner Bros., who tapped him to direct an English-language reboot of the 1954 Japanese classic "Gojira". Produced by Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures, "Godzilla" began development in 2011 with Edwards at the helm, and was released on May 16, 2014, to mixed reviews and tremendous box office success, grossing $529 million worldwide against a $160 million budget.
Following the success of "Godzilla", producer Kathleen Kennedy tapped Edwards to helm a spin-off of "Star Wars" for Lucasfilm Limited. In 2015, it was revealed that Edwards' "Star Wars" spin-off, written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy, would be titled "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story", set for release on December 16, 2016. The film boasts an ensemble cast including Felicity Jones, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, and James Earl Jones among others.
