Lee Toland Krieger is a renowned American film director and screenwriter, best recognized for his work on films such as The Vicious Kind, Celeste and Jesse Forever, and The Age of Adaline.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Krieger developed a passion for filmmaking at the tender age of 13 when his neighbor, film producer Steve Perry, invited him to the set of the 1996 film Executive Decision. This experience sparked a lifelong fascination with the craft, and Krieger went on to intern for Perry during his high school years.
After graduating from the University of Southern California's School of Cinema and Television in 2005, Krieger founded his own production company, Autumn Entertainment, in 2004. His first project under this banner was December Ends, a feature film shot on a modest budget of US$75,000. The film premiered at the 2006 Method Fest, where it won the festival's Best Picture award.
Krieger's breakthrough came with the 2009 film The Vicious Kind, which he wrote and directed. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and earned him numerous accolades, including the Emerging Filmmaker Award at the Denver Film Festival and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Screenplay.
The success of The Vicious Kind led to Krieger being approached by producer Jennifer Todd to direct Celeste and Jesse Forever, based on a script written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack. The film premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and received widespread critical acclaim.
Following the success of Celeste and Jesse Forever, Krieger received offers to direct similar scripts, but he opted instead to focus on writing his own material for future projects. He has since directed numerous commercials and music videos for prominent clients such as Joseph Abboud, AG Jeans, Universal Music Group, and the Island Def Jam Music Group.
Krieger's subsequent projects include directing The Age of Adaline, starring Blake Lively and Michiel Huisman, which was released in 2015. He has also been involved in various other projects, including the acquisition of the script Vanish by Man Lionsgate and his subsequent attachment to rewrite and direct the film.
In addition, Krieger was set to direct The Divergent Series: Ascendant, the final film in The Divergent Series, but the project was ultimately put on hold due to Lionsgate's decision to release the final film as a TV movie. The project was later canceled due to a lack of interest from the cast and network executives.
Most recently, Krieger was announced to direct the first two episodes of the HBO Max series Green Lantern, set to premiere in the near future.
