Joel Schumacher

Directing Aug 29, 1939 Jun 22, 2020 (aged 81) New York City, New York, USA

Joel T. Schumacher (August 29, 1939 – June 22, 2020) was an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and costume designer. He was raised in New York City by his mother and suffered from substance abuse at a young age. He became a fashion designer after graduating from Parsons School of Design, but would continue suffering from substance abuse and high levels of debt until the early 1970s. He first entered film-making as a production and costume designer before gaining writing credits on Car Wash, Sparkle, and The Wiz.

He received little attention for his initial theatrically released films, The Incredible Shrinking Woman and D.C. Cab, but rose to prominence after directing St. Elmo's Fire (1985), The Lost Boys (1987), and The Client (1994). Schumacher was selected to replace Tim Burton as director of the Batman franchise and oversaw Batman Foreve (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997). After the Batman franchise Schumacher directed smaller-budgeted films, including Tigerland (2000) and Phone Booth (2002). He directed The Phantom of the Opera, which was released to mixed reviews in 2004. His final directorial work was for two episodes of House of Cards (2013).

19 Acting Credits

44 Crew Credits

Joel Schumacher

Acting

Side by Side

Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall

Heckler

BRATS

Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel

Everything Is Copy

The Batmobile

Halston

Riddle Me This: Why Is Batman Forever?

Welcome to Hollywood

Stupidity

Very Ralph

Radioman

What the Folk?... Behind the Scenes of 'Queer as Folk'

Coming Attractions: The History of the Movie Trailer

Bloodsucking Cinema

Making of Phone Booth

Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight

Holy the Sabbath

Crew

Batman Forever

Batman & Robin

Phone Booth

Falling Down

The Number 23

House of Cards

A Time to Kill

The Lost Boys

8MM

The Phantom of the Opera

Flatliners

The Client