Editing Christopher McQuarrie

{{Short description|American filmmaker (born 1968)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Christopher McQuarrie
| image              = Christopher McQuarrie at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival 05.jpg
| caption            = McQuarrie in 2025
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|10|25}}<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Christopher McQuarrie Biography |url=https://www.tribute.ca/people/biography/christopher-mcquarrie/19415/ |magazine=[[Tribute (magazine)|Tribute]] |access-date=July 22, 2023}}</ref>
| birth_place        = [[Princeton, New Jersey]], U.S.
| occupation         = {{hlist|Screenwriter|director|producer}}
| yearsactive        = 1993–present
| spouse             = Heather McQuarrie
| children           = 2
}}

'''Christopher McQuarrie''' (born October 25, 1968) is an American filmmaker. He received the [[BAFTA Award]], [[Independent Spirit Award]], and [[Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay]] for the neo-noir mystery film ''[[The Usual Suspects]]'' (1995). He made his directorial debut with the crime thriller film ''[[The Way of the Gun]]'' (2000). 

McQuarrie is a frequent collaborator with [[Tom Cruise]], having written and directed the action films ''[[Jack Reacher (film)|Jack Reacher]]'' (2012), as well as four installments of the [[Mission: Impossible (film series)|''Mission: Impossible'' film series]]: ''[[Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation|Rogue Nation]]'' (2015), ''[[Mission: Impossible – Fallout|Fallout]]'' (2018), ''[[Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One|Dead Reckoning]]'' (2023), and ''[[Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning|The Final Reckoning]]'' (2025), in addition to uncredited rewrites on ''[[Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol|Ghost Protocol]]'' (2011). He was also a part of the writing and/or producing team on the Cruise films ''[[Valkyrie (film)|Valkyrie]]'' (2008), ''[[Edge of Tomorrow]]'' (2014), ''[[Jack Reacher: Never Go Back]]'' (2016), ''[[The Mummy (2017 film)|The Mummy]]'' (2017), and ''[[Top Gun: Maverick]]'' (2022), the last of which received [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] nominations for [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]] and [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]].

==Early life==
McQuarrie was born in [[Princeton, New Jersey]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/514129%7C0/Christopher-Mcquarrie/|title=Christopher McQuarrie|publisher = [[Turner Classic Movies]]|access-date= July 14, 2015|quote=Birth Place: Princeton, New Jersey, USA|archive-date= July 14, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150714153511/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/514129%7C0/Christopher-Mcquarrie/|url-status=live}}</ref> After graduating from [[West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South]] in 1986,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wwpinfo.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=75&twindow=&mad=No&sdetail=2578&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1108&hn=wwpinfo&he=.com|title=More West Windsor Filmmaking Stars on the Horizon|last=Miller|first=Lynn|date=December 15, 2007 <!--as per original editor-->|work=West Windsor & Plainsboro News|access-date=December 15, 2007 <!--as per original editor-->|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080108131905/http://www.wwpinfo.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=75&twindow=&mad=No&sdetail=2578&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1108&hn=wwpinfo&he=.com|archive-date=January 8, 2008|url-status=dead|location=[[West Windsor, New Jersey]]|quote=Two West Windsor-Plainsboro High School graduates are following in the footsteps of two other filmmakers from West Windsor, Bryan Singer and Christopher McQuarrie. Singer, Class of 1984, and McQuarrie, Class of 1986, have recently joined together for the filming of 'Valkyrie'...}} Archived from the original on January 8, 2008.<!--original URL, which will not format properly on the live page, is: http://www.wwpinfo.com/default.asp? sourceid=&smenu=75&twindow=&mad=No&sdetail=2578&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1108&hn=wwpinfo&he=.com--> Note: Name was simply West Windsor-Plainsboro High School until [http://www.west-windsor-plainsboro.k12.nj.us/UserFiles/Servers/Server_3592819/File/District%20Landmarks%202009.pdf being renamed West Windosor-Plainsboro High School South in 1997].</ref> he worked as an assistant at [[Christ Church Grammar School]] in [[Perth, Western Australia]], recalling in 2013, “I was offered an Interim program ... I picked a place out of a hat and ended up at Christ Church Grammar School. I lived at the school and worked at the boarding school, though I did very little work".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://enewspaper2.thewest.com.au/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:LowLevelEntityToPrint_DEMO&Type=text/html&Locale=english-skin-custom&Path=WAN/2013/01/03&From=Archive&ID=Ar05203|work=[[The West Australian]]|date=January 3, 2013|page=52|title=Reaching for the Stars|first=Shannon|last=Harvey|access-date=July 14, 2015|archive-date=July 14, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714155423/http://enewspaper2.thewest.com.au/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib%3ALowLevelEntityToPrint_DEMO&Type=text%2Fhtml&Locale=english-skin-custom&Path=WAN%2F2013%2F01%2F03&From=Archive&ID=Ar05203|url-status=dead}}</ref> Fired after nine months, "I hitchhiked for three months, came home, knocked around for about a month and then immediately started working for this detective agency.... [It] was actually a glorified security-guard position. I think in the four years I worked there I did about six investigations."<ref name=cinetropolis>{{cite web|url=http://cinetropolis.net/christopher-mcquarrie-gets-verbal-on-the-usual-suspects/|title=Christopher McQuarrie Gets Verbal On The Usual Suspects|first=Tim|last=Pelan|date=March 12, 2014|access-date=July 14, 2015|archive-date=April 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402072704/http://cinetropolis.net/christopher-mcquarrie-gets-verbal-on-the-usual-suspects/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

McQuarrie worked for four years at a movie theater in [[New Jersey]] as a security guard. Because the theater was in a violent area, he was often tasked to stand at the back of the room and observe the audience as they were watching the film, ensuring no fights broke out. He described the experience as "[his] film school" and "the single most educational experience [he] ever had," stating that it helped him "develop an innate sense of how the audience is responding" to a film.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Swinson |first1=Brock |title='Rhythm Over Flare.' Christopher McQuarrie On Mission Impossible – Fallout |url=https://www.creativescreenwriting.com/rhythm-flare-christopher-mcquarrie-mission-impossible-fallout/ |work=Creative Screenwriting |access-date=May 10, 2025 |date=July 27, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-date=June 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240622152153/https://www.creativescreenwriting.com/rhythm-flare-christopher-mcquarrie-mission-impossible-fallout/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |publisher=[[Letterboxd]]|title=Mission: Impossible Director Christopher McQuarrie Recommends Movies from His Letterboxd Watchlist|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LLNcX_6N3o&t=269s|date=July 8, 2023|format=Video|via=[[YouTube]]|access-date=May 11, 2025|time=4:29|interviewer-first1=Brian|interviewer-last1=Forno}}</ref>

==Career==
===1993–2000: Early films and Oscar win===
McQuarrie's first feature film was the 1993 thriller ''[[Public Access (film)|Public Access]]'', directed by [[Bryan Singer]]. It won the Critics Award at the [[Deauville American Film Festival]] and shared the [[Sundance Film Festival]]'s Grand Jury Prize. It was not released theatrically in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|author=Stax|url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/378/378940p1.html|title=Featured Filmmaker: Bryan Singer|website=[[IGN]]|date=December 9, 2002|access-date=March 28, 2010}}</ref> On review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]], it received an approval rating of 58%.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/public_access|title=''Public Access''|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|date=January 28, 2003 |access-date=August 28, 2014}}</ref>

McQuarrie wrote ''[[The Usual Suspects]]'' (1995), for which he received Best Screenplay awards from the British and American Academy Awards, as well as from ''[[Premiere (magazine)|Premiere]]'' magazine, the Texas Board of Review, and the Chicago Critics, as well as the [[Edgar Awards|Edgar Award]] and [[Independent Spirit Awards|Independent Spirit Award]]. It was later included on the ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' list of the 1000 greatest films ever made, and the character Verbal Kint was included on [[American Film Institute|AFI's]] list of the [[AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains|100 greatest Heroes and Villains]] of all time. In 2006, the [[Writers Guild of America]] voted ''The Usual Suspects'' #35 on their list of 101 Greatest Screenplays. In his third collaboration with Singer, McQuarrie did an extensive rewrite on ''[[X-Men (film)|X-Men]]'', but ultimately removed his name from the project.<ref name="Wolverine">{{cite web|last=Reynolds|first=Simon|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a171426/mcquarrie-tapped-to-write-wolverine-2/|title=McQuarrie tapped to write ''Wolverine 2''|date=August 14, 2009|work=Digital Spy|access-date=April 10, 2019}}</ref>

In 2000, McQuarrie made his directorial debut with ''[[The Way of the Gun]]'', a modern-day [[Western (genre)|Western]], for which he also wrote the script. It starred [[Benicio del Toro]], [[Ryan Phillippe]], [[Taye Diggs]], and [[James Caan (actor)|James Caan]]. The film, budgeted at US$8.5 million,<ref name=mojo-wayofthegun /> received mixed reviews<ref>[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/way_of_the_gun ''The Way of the Gun'' critical reviews], rottentomatoes.com; accessed August 28, 2014.</ref> and grossed US$13 million worldwide.<ref name=mojo-wayofthegun>{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=wayofthegun.htm|title=''The Way of the Gun''|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=August 28, 2014}}</ref>

===2008–2013: Further writing, producing===
McQuarrie first met frequent collaborator [[Tom Cruise]], seeking simply to unload a screenplay in order to pay his debts and exit the film industry.<ref name="theinsidepitch">{{cite AV media |interviewer-last1=Lockhart |interviewer-first1=Chris |interviewer-last2=Santanam |interviewer-first2=Ramesh |people= |last=McQuarrie |first=Christopher |date=July 17, 2020 |title=THE INSIDE PITCH WITH CHRISTOPHER MCQUARRIE |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-x25qR6dsU |trans-title= |format=Video |work= |type=Podcast |language= |location= |publisher=theinsidepitch |access-date=May 10, 2025 |time=1:07:44}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hertz |first1=Barry |title=Meet Christopher McQuarrie, wingman to Tom Cruise’s death-defying maverick |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/article-meet-christopher-mcquarrie-wingman-to-tom-cruises-death-defying/ |access-date=April 7, 2025 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |date=July 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240809120428/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/article-meet-christopher-mcquarrie-wingman-to-tom-cruises-death-defying/ |archive-date=August 9, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> This screenplay, co-written with Nathan Alexander, later turned into ''[[Valkyrie (film)|Valkyrie]]'', which opened on December 25, 2008 and would also be the first film where McQuarrie served as a producer. The film is based on the real-life [[20 July plot|July 20, 1944 plot]] to assassinate [[Adolf Hitler]]. While researching the screenplay, the writers had access to members of the Stauffenberg family; consulted a book written by [[Fabian von Schlabrendorff]], a conspirator who survived;<ref name=suicidegirls>{{cite web|url=http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/Christopher+McQuarrie%3A+Valkyrie|title=Christopher McQuarrie: Valkyrie|publisher=[[SuicideGirls.com]]|date=December 24, 2008|access-date=December 24, 2008}}.</ref> and spoke with Hitler's surviving bodyguard.{{citation needed|date=July 2015}} The film, directed by Bryan Singer, received the [[BMI Film Music Award]] and the [[Bambi Award]] for Courage.<ref>{{cite web |title=Awards |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0985699/awards/ |website=IMDB |access-date=June 28, 2023}}</ref> McQuarrie initially only took a producing credit on the film for its associated pay increase. But, after a conversation with [[Paula Wagner]], whose increased commitments with [[United Artists]] left little time for creative collaboration with Cruise, he decided to fully involve himself in the film's production, as well as replace Wagner as Cruise's primary creative partner.<ref name="theinsidepitch"/>

In 2009, McQuarrie was hired to pen the script for the then-untitled ''[[The Wolverine (film)|The Wolverine]]''.<ref name="Wolverine2">{{cite web|last=Bishop|first=Jackson|url=https://collider.com/wolverine-sequel-uses-its-healing-factor-and-hires-christopher-mcquarrie/|title=''Wolverine'' Sequel Uses Its Healing Factor and Hires Christopher McQuarrie|date=August 13, 2009|work=Collider|access-date=April 10, 2019}}</ref> He also  co-wrote the 2010 film ''[[The Tourist (2010 film)|The Tourist]]'' with [[Julian Fellowes]], [[Jeffrey Nachmanoff]] and director [[Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck]]. It starred [[Johnny Depp]] and [[Angelina Jolie]] and grossed US$278 million worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=tourist.htm|title=''The Tourist''|website= [[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=August 28, 2014}}</ref> It received three [[Golden Globe Award]] nominations and several other awards, among them the Redbox Movie Award for the most rented drama of 2011.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/scandal-flops-expensive-private-life-steady-decline-johnny-depp/tourist-mocked-golden-globes/|title=Scandal, flops and a very expensive private life: charting the steady decline of Johnny Depp|date=May 25, 2017|work=The Telegraph|access-date=July 31, 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref> McQuarrie then provided uncredited rewrites on the 2011 action spy film ''[[Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol]]'' during the film's production.<ref name="GhostProtocol" />
[[File:Christopher McQuarrie (8237747500).jpg|thumb|McQuarrie at the ''Jack Reacher'' premiere]]
In 2011, McQuarrie directed his second feature, ''[[Jack Reacher (film)|Jack Reacher]]'', an adaptation of ''[[One Shot (novel)|One Shot]]'', the ninth in the series of 21 [[Jack Reacher]] novels by [[Lee Child]]. Filming began in the [[Pittsburgh metropolitan area]] on October 3, 2011, and continued through the end of January 2012. The movie was released in December 2012 by [[Paramount Pictures]].<ref>{{Cite news|first=Joshua|last=Falk|date=September 9, 2011|title=Tom Cruise movie 'One Shot' confirmed for Pittsburgh|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11252/1173378-100.stm|access-date=September 10, 2011|archive-date=September 26, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926085241/http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11252/1173378-100.stm|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2012, McQuarrie stepped in to rewrite the script for ''[[World War Z (film)|World War Z]]'' after [[Drew Goddard]] and [[Damon Lindelof]] left the film.<ref name="WWZ2">{{cite web|last=Newman|first=Nick|url=https://thefilmstage.com/news/drew-goddard-replaced-damon-lindelof-on-world-war-z-rewrites-christopher-mcquarrie-possibly-coming-aboard/|title=Drew Goddard Replaced Damon Lindelof on ''World War Z'' Rewrites; Christopher McQuarrie Possibly Coming Aboard|date=July 11, 2012|work=The Film Stage|access-date=April 10, 2019|archive-date=April 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411013142/https://thefilmstage.com/news/drew-goddard-replaced-damon-lindelof-on-world-war-z-rewrites-christopher-mcquarrie-possibly-coming-aboard/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="WWZ">{{cite web|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|url=https://deadline.com/2013/06/world-war-z-helmer-marc-forster-reflects-on-watching-his-zombie-movie-get-fed-through-the-gossip-woodchipper-526701/|title=''World War Z'' Helmer Marc Forster Reflects On Watching His Zombie Movie Get Fed Through The Gossip Woodchipper|date=June 21, 2013|work=Deadline|access-date=April 10, 2019}}</ref>

2013 saw the release of McQuarrie's fourth collaboration with Singer, ''[[Jack the Giant Slayer]]'', co-written by McQuarrie. Critical reviews were mixed, and it was a box office failure, grossing only US$198 million against an estimated US$240 million budget (excluding promotion).<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121026132705/http://www.boxoffice.com/statistics/movies/jack-the-giant-killer-2012 ''Jack the Giant Slayer'' box office receipts], boxoffice.com; accessed August 28, 2014.</ref><ref>[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/jack_the_giant_slayer ''Jack the Giant Slayer'' reviews], rottentomatoes.com; accessed August 28, 2014.</ref> McQuarrie co-wrote the 2014 science fiction action thriller ''[[Edge of Tomorrow]]'' with [[Jez Butterworth|Jez]] and [[John-Henry Butterworth]], based on the Japanese novel ''[[All You Need Is Kill]]''.

===2014–present: ''Mission: Impossible'' and more===
Tom Cruise had called McQuarrie "the uncredited hero" of ''MI: Ghost Protocol'' and told Paramount CEO in 2014 that he wanted McQuarrie as the director for ''[[Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fritz |first1=Ben |title=Tom Cruise’s Secret Weapon on ‘Mission: Impossible’ Is a Man He Calls McQ |url=https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/film/tom-cruise-christopher-mcquarrie-mission-impossible-0b39f1d3 |access-date=27 May 2025 |work=WSJ |date=23 May 2025}}</ref> It was McQuarrie's third feature as director and he co-wrote it with [[Drew Pearce]]. It received strong reviews, grossed over US$195 million at the North American box office, and won a Golden Tomato for Best Action-Adventure Movie of 2015.

[[File:Top Gun Maveric Global Premiere May 2022.jpg|thumb|McQuarrie, [[Kenneth R. Whitesell]], [[Tom Cruise]], [[Joseph Kosinski]], and [[Jerry Bruckheimer]] at the premiere of ''[[Top Gun: Maverick]]'' at [[Naval Air Station North Island]]]]
By October 2015, McQuarrie completed a rewrite of ''[[Rogue One: A Star Wars Story]]'' and spent two weeks "tightening up the story".<ref>{{cite web|last=Goldberg|first=Matt|url=https://collider.com/star-wars-rogue-one-script-christopher-mcquarrie/|title=''Star Wars: Rogue One'': Christopher McQuarrie Brought In to "Save" Script|date=January 18, 2016|work=Collider|access-date=April 10, 2019}}</ref> McQuarrie and screenwriter [[Dylan Kussman]] were commissioned by Tom Cruise to write a new script for ''[[The Mummy (2017 film)|The Mummy]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Setoodeh|first=Ramin|last2=Lang|first2=Brent|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/the-mummy-meltdown-tom-cruise-1202465742/|title=Inside ''The Mummy's'' Troubles: Tom Cruise Had Excessive Control (EXCLUSIVE)|date=June 14, 2017|work=Variety Magazine|access-date=April 10, 2019}}</ref>

In November 2015, McQuarrie confirmed he would return to write and direct the sixth ''Mission: Impossible'' film, his third directing collaboration with Tom Cruise.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pedersen|first=Erik|url=https://deadline.com/2015/11/christopher-mcquarrie-mission-impossible-6-director-writer-1201646710/|title=Christopher McQuarrie Accepts 'Mission: Impossible 6' Duties|date=November 30, 2015|access-date=April 11, 2023|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]}}</ref> The film, titled ''[[Mission: Impossible – Fallout]]'', was released in the United States on July 27, 2018. It received strong reviews from critics, and grossed over $791 million worldwide, becoming the franchise's highest-grossing title.<ref>{{cite web|title=''Mission: Impossible - Fallout'' (2018) |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt4912910/ |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=April 11, 2023}}</ref>

McQuarrie pitched a sequel to ''[[Man of Steel (film)|Man of Steel]]'' after working with Superman actor [[Henry Cavill]] on ''Fallout''  that would have tied into a [[Green Lantern]] movie McQuarrie also proposed, although Warner Bros. rejected both ideas. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Outlaw |first=Kofi |date=2019-07-05 |title=Christopher McQuarrie Explains His Interconnected Superman and Green Lantern Movies WB Rejected |url=https://comicbook.com/dc/news/christopher-mcquarrie-superman-man-steel-2-green-lantern-dceu-movies/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en-US}}</ref> McQuarrie and Cruise collaborated again on ''[[Top Gun: Maverick]]'', for which McQuarrie co-wrote the screenplay and produced the film.<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 31, 2018|last=Chitwood|first=Adam|title=Christopher McQuarrie Is Working on the 'Top Gun 2' Script|website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]] |url=https://collider.com/christopher-mcquarrie-top-gun-2/|access-date=May 31, 2022}}</ref>

Initially hesitant to return to the franchise,<ref>{{cite web|last=Chitwood|first=Adam|url=https://collider.com/mission-impossible-7-christopher-mcquarrie/|title=Christopher McQuarrie on Whether He'll Return to Direct ''Mission: Impossible 7''|date=August 6, 2018|work=Collider|access-date=January 23, 2019}}</ref> McQuarrie finalized a deal to write and direct ''[[Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One]]'' and ''[[Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning]]'' in January 2019. ''Dead Reckoning Part One'' was released on July 12, 2023, while ''The Final Reckoning'' was released on May 23, 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/tom-cruise-mission-impossible-movies-2021-2022-1203126749/|title=Tom Cruise 'Mission: Impossible' Movies Dated for Summers of 2021, 2022|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|first=Dave|last=McNary|date=February 1, 2019|access-date=February 1, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Kroll|first=Justin|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/christopher-mcquarrie-mission-impossible-films-back-to-back-1202986902/|title=Christopher McQuarrie Closes Deal to Direct Back-to-Back ''Mission: Impossible'' Films (EXCLUSIVE)|date=January 14, 2019|work=Variety|access-date=January 23, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=October 23, 2023|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|title='Mission: Impossible 8' Jumps To 2025; 'A Quiet Place: Day One' Goes To Summer In 2024 Theatrical Shake-Up Due To Actors Strike|url=https://deadline.com/2023/10/mission-impossible-dead-reckoning-part-2-quiet-place-day-one-actors-strike-1235580981/|access-date=November 6, 2023|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]}}</ref>  Ahead of the latter's release, McQuarrie was honored with a Director of the Year award at the 2025 [[CinemaCon]], which was presented to him by Tom Cruise.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fuster |first1=Jeremy |title=‘Mission: Impossible 8’: Tom Cruise Shows Off Stunts and Honors Christopher McQuarrie at CinemaCon |url=https://www.thewrap.com/mission-impossible-8-tom-cruise-shows-off-stunts-and-honors-christopher-mcquarrie-at-cinemacon/ |access-date=7 April 2025 |work=[[TheWrap]] |date=3 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250407144000/https://www.thewrap.com/mission-impossible-8-tom-cruise-shows-off-stunts-and-honors-christopher-mcquarrie-at-cinemacon/ |archive-date=7 April 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Upcoming projects===
In February 2011, McQuarrie was hired by [[Skydance Media]] to write and produce a feature film adaptation of the 1970s animated television series ''[[Star Blazers]]'' (itself an adaptation of anime ''[[Space Battleship Yamato]]'').<ref>{{cite web|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|title='True Grit' Co-Financier Skydance Targets 'Star Blazers' For Christopher McQuarrie|date=February 21, 2011|url=https://deadline.com/2011/02/true-grit-co-financier-skydance-targets-star-blazers-for-christopher-mcquarrie-107869/|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|access-date=May 31, 2022}}</ref> In 2013, he was selected to direct the project, with [[Zach Dean]] being hired to write a new draft of the script in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|title=Chris McQuarrie To Direct 'Star Blazers' From '70s Sci-Fi Anime Series For Skydance|date=October 30, 2013|url=https://deadline.com/2013/10/chris-mcquarrie-to-direct-starblazers-from-70s-sci-fi-anime-series-for-skydance-623274/|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|access-date=May 31, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|title=Skydance Sets Zach Dean To Ready 'Star Blazers' For Christopher McQuarrie|date=March 20, 2017|url=https://deadline.com/2017/03/zach-dean-star-blazers-christopher-mcquarrie-skydance-1202047252/|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|access-date=May 31, 2022}}</ref> McQuarrie has also signed on to direct thrillers ''Ice Station Zebra'', based on the [[Ice Station Zebra (novel)|1963 novel]] and its [[Ice Station Zebra|1968 film adaptation]], ''Three to Kill'', based on the novel by [[Jean-Patrick Manchette]], and ''The Chameleon'', based on a ''[[The New Yorker|New Yorker]]'' article by [[David Grann]] about [[Frédéric Bourdin]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Kit|first=Borys|date=May 6, 2013|title=Christopher McQuarrie to Write, Direct Remake of 'Ice Station Zebra' (Exclusive)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/christopher-mcquarrie-set-ice-station-451705/|access-date=August 5, 2022|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|title=Christopher McQuarrie To Helm Colin Firth In 'Three To Kill'|date=November 20, 2013|url=https://deadline.com/2013/11/christopher-mcquarrie-to-helm-colin-firth-in-three-to-kill-640458/|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|access-date=May 31, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|title=Christopher & Heather McQuarrie Team With Rachel & Terence Winter On David Grann's 'The Chameleon' For Netflix|date=July 26, 2017|url=https://deadline.com/2017/07/christopher-mcquarrie-terence-winter-the-chameleon-netflix-movie-heather-mcquarrie-rachel-winter-david-grann-1202136070/|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|access-date=May 31, 2022}}</ref>

In August 2022, McQuarrie announced on the ''Light the Fuse'' podcast that he was developing a new project with Tom Cruise, to be co-written by [[Erik Jendresen]], which he claimed would be "gnarlier" than the ''Mission: Impossible'' films and described as being "something we've talked about for a really long time. It's way outside of what you're used to seeing Tom do."<ref>{{cite web|date=August 3, 2022|last=Taylor|first=Drew|title=Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie Set Their Sights on 'Gnarlier' Movie After 'Mission: Impossible 8'|url=https://www.thewrap.com/tom-cruise-christopher-mcquarrie-new-movie-after-mission-impossible-8/|website=[[The Wrap]]|access-date=August 5, 2022}}</ref> A few days later, it was announced he and Cruise were also developing an original musical as a star vehicle for Cruise, as well as eyeing a potential project for Cruise to reprise the role of Les Grossman from ''[[Tropic Thunder]]'', though it was unknown if Grossman would receive his own film or be included in the other films.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=August 8, 2022|title=Tom Cruise & Christopher McQuarrie Plotting New Musical, Action Thriller & More Les Grossman While Speed Flying Through 'Mission: Impossible 8'|url=https://deadline.com/2022/08/tom-cruise-christopher-mcquarrie-new-musical-and-action-thriller-les-grossman-speed-flying-mission-impossible-8-top-gun-maverick-1235087363/|access-date=April 21, 2023|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]}}</ref>

Although the ''Reacher'' franchise has migrated to television, McQuarrie and Cruise are continuing to develop a ''Reacher''-like thriller film.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cotter |first1=Padraig |title=Could An R-Rated Jack Reacher Sequel With Tom Cruise Still Happen? |url=https://screenrant.com/could-an-r-rated-jack-reacher-sequel-with-tom-cruise-still-happen/ |website=ScreenRant |access-date=29 January 2023 |language=en |date=27 August 2022}}</ref>

==Personal life==
He is married to his producing partner Heather McQuarrie,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Andreeva |first1=Nellie |title=Christopher & Heather McQuarrie Ink TV Deal With Gaumont; Set Drama Series Based On ’36 Quai des Orfèvres’ Feature |url=https://deadline.com/2017/08/christopher-mcquarrie-heather-mcquarrie-ink-first-look-deal-with-gaumont-set-first-drama-project-36-quai-des-orfevres-tv-series-1202149479/ |access-date=May 20, 2025 |work=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]] |date=August 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101053751/https://deadline.com/2017/08/christopher-mcquarrie-heather-mcquarrie-ink-first-look-deal-with-gaumont-set-first-drama-project-36-quai-des-orfevres-tv-series-1202149479/ |archive-date=January 1, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> with whom he has two daughters.<ref>{{cite speech|last=McQuarrie |first=Christopher |title=Tom Cruise presents Christopher McQuarrie with #CinemaCon’s Director of the Year award |time=13:49 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq-pwNdUxJw |access-date=May 20, 2025 |event=[[CinemaCon]] 2025 |date=April 3, 2025 |via=[[YouTube]] |location=[[The Colosseum at Caesars Palace]]}}</ref> McQuarrie lives with [[congenital]] damage in his [[middle ear]], which requires him to wear [[hearing aids]].<ref>{{cite interview |last=McQuarrie |first=Christopher |type=Podcast |time=42:37 |title=509: Christopher McQuarrie On The Music Of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning |work=[[Soundtracking]] |interviewer-last1=Bowman |interviewer-first1=Edith |interviewer-link=Edith Bowman |via=[[Spotify]] |date=May 19, 2025 |url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/6fmXoJLZ0RbtQmWUWNHMgP?si=decb61fc68024763 |access-date=May 20, 2025}}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! style="width:65px;"| Director
! style="width:65px;"| Writer
! style="width:65px;"| Producer
|-
| 1993
| ''[[Public Access (film)|Public Access]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|-
| 1995
| ''[[The Usual Suspects]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|-
| 2000
| ''[[The Way of the Gun]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Valkyrie (film)|Valkyrie]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|-
| 2010
| ''[[The Tourist (2010 film)|The Tourist]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Jack Reacher (film)|Jack Reacher]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|-
| 2013
| ''[[Jack the Giant Slayer]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|-
| 2014
| ''[[Edge of Tomorrow]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|-
| 2015
| ''[[Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|-
| 2016
| ''[[Jack Reacher: Never Go Back]]''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|-
| 2017
| ''[[The Mummy (2017 film)|The Mummy]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|-
| 2018
| ''[[Mission: Impossible – Fallout]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|-
| 2022
| ''[[Top Gun: Maverick]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|-
| 2023
| ''[[Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|-
| 2025
| ''[[Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|}

'''Uncredited writing work'''
* ''[[Batman & Robin (film)|Batman & Robin]]'' (1997)<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 11, 2018 |title=Batman & Robin |url=https://montrealfilmjournal.com/batman-robin |website=Montreal Film Journal}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Christopher McQuarrie |url=https://www.screenwritersutopia.com/article/d16ad681 |date=July 2, 2003 |website=Screenwriter's Utopia}}</ref>
* ''[[X-Men (film)|X-Men]]'' (2000)<ref>{{cite news |first1=Ed |last1=Solomon |first2=Chris |last2=McQuarrie |first3=Tom |last3=DeSanto |first4=Bryan |last4=Singer |title=February 1999 X-Men script |work=Sci-Fi Scripts |date=February 24, 1999 |url=http://www.scifiscripts.com/scripts/xmenscript.txt |access-date=July 14, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Petrikin |url=https://variety.com/1999/biz/news/rice-gets-fox-promotion-1117490409/ |title=Rice gets Fox promotion |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=January 20, 1999 |access-date=July 14, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Siegel |first=Tatiana |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/bryan-singers-traumatic-x-men-set-movie-created-a-monster-1305081 |title=Bryan Singer's Traumatic ''X-Men'' Set: The Movie "Created a Monster" |date=July 31, 2020 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |access-date=July 14, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Wolverine" />
* ''[[Ghost Ship (2002 film)|Ghost Ship]]'' (2002)<ref>{{cite web|last=Linder|first=Brian|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/10/25/silver-zemeckis-sail-with-ghost-ship|title=Silver, Zemeckis Sail with Ghost Ship|website=[[IGN]]|date=October 25, 2001|access-date=September 29, 2024}}</ref>
* ''[[Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol]]'' (2011)<ref name="GhostProtocol">{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/writer-director-mcquarrie-is-an-over-reacher/184488481/ |title=Writer-director McQuarrie is an over-'Reacher' |last=Covert |first=Colin |date=December 24, 2012 |work=[[Star Tribune]] |location=Minneapolis, Minnesota |access-date=July 14, 2023 |archive-date=June 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170609045519/http://www.startribune.com/writer-director-mcquarrie-is-an-over-reacher/184488481/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
* ''[[World War Z (film)|World War Z]]'' (2013)<ref name="WWZ" /><ref name="WWZ2" />
* ''[[The Wolverine (film)|The Wolverine]]'' (2013)<ref>{{cite news|last=Kit|first=Borys|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/mcquarrie-pen-wolverine-sequel-87645/ |title=McQuarrie to pen 'Wolverine' sequel |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=August 13, 2009|access-date=July 14, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Wolverine" /><ref name="Wolverine2" />
* ''[[Rogue One]]'' (2016)<ref>{{cite web|last=Perez|first=Rodrigo|url=https://theplaylist.net/chris-weitz-mcquarrie-burns-rogue-one-star-wars-20180829/|title=Chris Weitz Says Christopher McQuarrie, Scott Z. Burns & More Wrote On ''Rogue One: A Star Wars Story''|date=August 29, 2018|work=The Playlist|access-date=July 14, 2023|archive-date=April 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414132526/https://theplaylist.net/chris-weitz-mcquarrie-burns-rogue-one-star-wars-20180829/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Television===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! style="width:65px;"| Writer
! style="width:65px;"| Executive<br>Producer
! Notes
|-
|1994
|''[[NYPD Blue]]''
|{{Partial|Story}}
|{{No}}
|Episode: "The Final Adjustment"
|-
|2010
|''[[Persons Unknown (TV series)|Persons Unknown]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|Creator and executive producer (13 episodes) / Writer (Episode: "Pilot")
|-
|2022
| ''[[Reacher (TV series)|Reacher]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| 8 episodes
|}

==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Award
! Year
! Category
! Title
! Result
|-
| [[Sundance Film Festival]]
| 1993
| [[Sundance Grand Jury Prize|Grand Jury Prize]]
| ''[[Public Access (film)|Public Access]]''
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Academy Awards]]
| rowspan="4" | [[68th Academy Awards|1995]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]]
| rowspan="4" | ''[[The Usual Suspects]]''
| {{won}}
|-
| [[BAFTA Awards]]
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Independent Spirit Awards]]
| [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Edgar Awards]]
| [[List of Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Motion Picture Screenplay winners|Best Motion Picture]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Hugo Award]]
| rowspan="2" | 2014
| [[Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation|Best Dramatic Presentation]]
| rowspan="2" | ''[[Edge of Tomorrow]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Saturn Awards]]
| [[Saturn Award for Best Writing|Best Writing]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Raspberry Awards]]
| [[38th Golden Raspberry Awards|2017]]
| [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay|Worst Screenplay]]
| ''[[The Mummy (2017 film)|The Mummy]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Saturn Awards]]
| [[45th Saturn Awards|2018]]
| [[Saturn Award for Best Writing|Best Writing]]
| ''[[Mission: Impossible – Fallout]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Writers Guild of America Awards]]
| rowspan="4" | [[75th Writers Guild of America Awards|2022]]
| [[Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]]
| rowspan="4" | ''[[Top Gun: Maverick]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Academy Awards]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]] 
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Satellite Awards]]
| [[Satellite Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Saturn Awards]]
| [[51st Saturn Awards|2024]]
| [[Saturn Award for Best Writing|Best Writing]]
| ''[[Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One]]''
| {{Nominated}}
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{Cite book |last=McQuarrie |first=Christopher |url=https://archive.org/details/usualsuspects0000mcqu |title=The Usual Suspects |publisher=Faber and Faber |year=2000 |isbn=9780571203253 |location=London |oclc=42659852 |url-access=registration}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0003160|Christopher McQuarrie}}

{{Christopher McQuarrie}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Christopher McQuarrie
|list =
{{AcademyAwardBestOriginalScreenplay 1981-2000}}
{{BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay 1983-1999}}
{{Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Screenplay}}
{{Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Screenplay}}
{{Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay}}
{{Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Motion Picture Screenplay}}}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McQuarrie, Christopher}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Skydance Media people]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century American screenwriters]]
[[Category:21st-century American male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American screenwriters]]
[[Category:American action film directors]]
[[Category:American male screenwriters]]
[[Category:American male television writers]]
[[Category:American television writers]]
[[Category:Best Original Screenplay Academy Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Original Screenplay BAFTA Award winners]]
[[Category:Edgar Award winners]]
[[Category:Film directors from New Jersey]]
[[Category:Film producers from New Jersey]]
[[Category:Writers from Princeton, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from New Jersey]]
[[Category:West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South alumni]]
[[Category:1968 births]]