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IMDbPro

Zak Penn

  • Writer
  • Producer
  • Actor
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Zak Penn at an event for Ready Player One (2018)
In 'Free Guy,' a bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, decides to become the hero of his own story...one he rewrites himself. Now in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way...before it is too late.
Play trailer2:25
Free Guy (2021)
5 Videos
12 Photos
Zak Penn's career began as a screenwriter when he sold his first script, Last Action Hero, at the age of twenty-three. Since then, Penn has become known for his work on numerous films based on Marvel comics, including X-Men 2 and X-Men: The Last Stand, The Incredible Hulk, and The Avengers. He has also dabbled in other genres, writing scripts for disparate films such as P.C.U., Behind Enemy Lines and Suspect Zero.

Penn's shift into independent cinema began when he collaborated with his idol, Werner Herzog, on the script for Rescue Dawn. Penn directed and co-starred with Herzog in Incident at Loch Ness, his award-winning "hoax" documentary about the legendary director's attempts to make a film about the equally legendary monster. The Grand, Penn's second completely improvised film, was his third film with Herzog, and featured an eclectic cast including Woody Harrelson, David Cross, Ray Romano, Cheryl Hines, Dennis Farina and Gabe Kaplan.

In addition, Penn co-wrote the original story for Antz and produced the animated film Osmosis Jones. His first foray into television was the critically acclaimed SyFy Channel original series "Alphas" starring David Strathairn. His most recent endeavor was video game documentary Atari: Game Over, which recently premiered on Xbox Live.
BornMarch 23, 1968
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornMarch 23, 1968
IMDbProStarmeter
See rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Awards

Photos12

Woody Harrelson, Cheryl Hines, and Zak Penn at an event for The Grand (2007)
Zak Penn
Zak Penn
Zak Penn at an event for Ready Player One (2018)
Steven Spielberg, Ben Mendelsohn, Zak Penn, Ernest Cline, Lena Waithe, Win Morisaki, Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, and Philip Zhao at an event for Ready Player One (2018)
Zak Penn, Aisha Tyler, and Ernest Cline at an event for Ready Player One LIVE at SXSW (2018)
Zak Penn, Aisha Tyler, and Ernest Cline at an event for Ready Player One LIVE at SXSW (2018)
Zak Penn at an event for Ready Player One LIVE at SXSW (2018)
Zak Penn, Aisha Tyler, and Ernest Cline at an event for Ready Player One LIVE at SXSW (2018)
Zak Penn and Ernest Cline at an event for Ready Player One LIVE at SXSW (2018)
Zak Penn

Known for

Steven Spielberg, Ben Mendelsohn, George Michael, Simon Pegg, Mark Rylance, Perdita Weeks, Kamara Benjamin Barnett, Mandy June Turpin, T.J. Miller, Lena Waithe, Stephen Mitchell, Neet Mohan, Win Morisaki, Elliot Barnes-Worrell, Kae Alexander, Sarah Sharman, Robert Gilbert, Raed Abbas, Letitia Wright, Tye Sheridan, Asan N'Jie, Hannah John-Kamen, Cara Theobold, Olivia Cooke, Alphonso Austin, Amy Clare Beales, Jane Leaney, Kathryn Wilder, and Philip Zhao in Ready Player One (2018)
Ready Player One
7.4
  • Writer
  • 2018
Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, and Chris Hemsworth in The Avengers (2012)
The Avengers
8.0
  • Writer
  • 2012
Edward Norton in The Incredible Hulk (2008)
The Incredible Hulk
6.6
  • Writer
  • 2008
Famke Janssen, Halle Berry, Alan Cumming, Anna Paquin, Ian McKellen, Shawn Ashmore, Hugh Jackman, and Aaron Stanford in X2: X-Men United (2003)
X2: X-Men United
7.4
  • Writer
  • 2003

Credits

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IMDbPro

Writer

  • The Karate Kid 2
    • In Development
  • ROM: Spaceknight
    • In Development
  • Beacon 23
    • In Production
  • Ryan Reynolds, Taika Waititi, Dwayne Johnson, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Lil Rel Howery, Jodie Comer, Owen Burke, and Joe Keery in Free Guy (2021)
    Free Guy
  • Evan Ferrante, Clinton Noble, Trey Gabehart, Emmanuel Mendes-Chumacerio, Chris R. Notarile, Heath Harper, Josh Rothman, Shannon McDermott, Oscar Alonso, Llenelle Gibson, Lindsey Bean, Collin Wheeler, and Tess Speranza in Jack Slater V (2020)
    Jack Slater V
  • Steven Spielberg, Ben Mendelsohn, George Michael, Simon Pegg, Mark Rylance, Perdita Weeks, Kamara Benjamin Barnett, Mandy June Turpin, T.J. Miller, Lena Waithe, Stephen Mitchell, Neet Mohan, Win Morisaki, Elliot Barnes-Worrell, Kae Alexander, Sarah Sharman, Robert Gilbert, Raed Abbas, Letitia Wright, Tye Sheridan, Asan N'Jie, Hannah John-Kamen, Cara Theobold, Olivia Cooke, Alphonso Austin, Amy Clare Beales, Jane Leaney, Kathryn Wilder, and Philip Zhao in Ready Player One (2018)
    Ready Player One
  • Lego Marvel's Avengers (2016)
    Lego Marvel's Avengers
    • (uncredited)
  • Avengers Assemble in the Playroom
    • (uncredited)
  • David Strathairn, Ryan Cartwright, Laura Mennell, Malik Yoba, Warren Christie, and Azita Ghanizada in Alphas (2011)
    Alphas
    • ...
  • Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, and Chris Hemsworth in The Avengers (2012)
    The Avengers
  • Edward Norton in The Incredible Hulk (2008)
    The Incredible Hulk
  • The Grand (2007)
    The Grand
  • Famke Janssen, Halle Berry, Kelsey Grammer, Anna Paquin, Patrick Stewart, Ben Foster, James Marsden, Hugh Jackman, and Elliot Page in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
    X-Men: The Last Stand
  • X-Men: The Official Game (2006)
    X-Men: The Official Game
  • Fantastic Four (2005)
    Fantastic Four
  • Jennifer Garner in Elektra (2005)
    Elektra
  • Suspect Zero (2004)
    Suspect Zero
  • Incident at Loch Ness (2004)
    Incident at Loch Ness

Producer

  • Beacon 23
    • (2019, showrunner)
    • In Production
  • David Strathairn, Ryan Cartwright, Laura Mennell, Malik Yoba, Warren Christie, and Azita Ghanizada in Alphas (2011)
    Alphas
  • The Grand (2007)
    The Grand
  • Ozzy & Drix (2002)
    Ozzy & Drix
  • Incident at Loch Ness (2004)
    Incident at Loch Ness
  • Bill Murray, David Hyde Pierce, and Chris Rock in Osmosis Jones (2001)
    Osmosis Jones
    • (produced by)

Actor

  • Jena Malone in Dakota (2012)
    Dakota
  • Bill Murray, David Hyde Pierce, and Chris Rock in Osmosis Jones (2001)
    Osmosis Jones
  • Chuck & Buck (2000)
    Chuck & Buck
  • Star Maps (1997)
    Star Maps
  • PCU (1994)
    PCU
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos5

New Trailer
Trailer 2:25
New Trailer
Highlights From Ready Player One LIVE at SXSW
Trailer 1:51
Highlights From Ready Player One LIVE at SXSW
"Dreamer" Trailer
Trailer 2:29
"Dreamer" Trailer
Tales from the Script
Trailer 2:23
Tales from the Script
'Ready Player One' Screenwriters Geek Out Over Working With Steven Spielberg
Video 5:03
'Ready Player One' Screenwriters Geek Out Over Working With Steven Spielberg

Personal details

Edit
    • March 23, 1968
    • New York, New York, USA
    • August 29, 1998 - present

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Graduated from Wesleyan University in 1990.
  • Quotes
    ...if you get a bunch of cynical people making a big-budget Hollywood movie, the irony is it doesn't work. [referring to his experience with 'The Last Action Hero']

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