William Howard Peter Wisher Jr. is an American screenwriter, known for his work with long-time friend James Cameron on the screenplays for The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day,[1][2] and his work with Caleb Carr on Exorcist: The Beginning and Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist.
William Wisher Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Screenwriter |
Career
editWisher has had roles behind and in front of the camera. In the first Terminator film, Wisher has a brief role as 1L19 (real name unknown), an LAPD police officer who is incapacitated next to his own police cruiser by the Terminator, who then steals his vehicle and briefly assumes his identity on the police radio band. He also has a cameo appearance in Terminator 2: Judgment Day; here he plays a man shopping with his girlfriend and takes pictures of Arnold Schwarzenegger's T-800 Terminator getting back on his feet after being thrown through a store window. He also plays news reporter Bill Tyler in Cameron's 1989 film The Abyss.
Wisher's other screenwriting work includes Judge Dredd, The 13th Warrior and both versions of The Exorcist prequel. He is an uncredited script doctor on two films in the Die Hard series, 1995's Die Hard with a Vengeance and 2007's Live Free or Die Hard (on which he also served as executive producer).[3]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Credit | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | The Terminator | Additional Dialogue | also co-wrote the novelization (ISBN 0-553-25317-4) |
| 1989 | Desperado: The Outlaw Wars | Teleplay | |
| 1991 | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | Written by | Co-Wrote screenplay with James Cameron |
| 1995 | Judge Dredd | Story, Screenplay | Co-wrote Story with Michael De Luca, Co-wrote Screenplay with Steven E. de Souza |
| 1999 | The 13th Warrior | Screenplay | Co-wrote screenplay with Warren Lewis |
| 2004 | Exorcist: The Beginning | Story | Co-wrote Story with Caleb Carr |
| 2005 | Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist | Written by | Co-written with Caleb Carr |
| 2007 | Live Free or Die Hard | Executive Producer | |
| 2016 | I.T. | Screenplay, Executive Producer | Co-wrote screenplay with Dan Kay[4] |
| TBA | The Englishman | Screenplay by | based on the 1997 novel "Once a Pilgrim: The True Story of One Man’s Courage Under Rebel Fire" by Will Scully[5][6] |
| Come Hell or High Water | Written by | [7][8] |
Uncredited revisions
- Pumpkinhead (1988)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)
- Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
- Broken Arrow (1996)
- Eraser (1996)[9]
- Mercury Rising (1998)
- Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
Unmade projects
edit- Airframe[10]
- Combat![11][12][13]
- Escape of The Pacific Clipper[14][15]
- Pilgrim[16][17]
- Rainbow Six[18]
- Superman[19][20]
Acting credits
edit| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | The Reunion | Unspecified Role | |
| 1978 | Xenogenesis | Raj | |
| 1984 | The Terminator | 1L19 (police officer) | Cameo Appearance |
| 1988 | Martini Ranch: Reach | Music video | |
| 1989 | The Abyss | Bill Tyler | |
| 1991 | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | Tourist/Photographer in Galleria Mall | Cameo Appearance |
References
edit- ^ "William Wisher Interview; Exclusive and Highly in-Depth Chat with the Legendary Screenwriter and Co-writer of 'Terminator 2'". v13.net. May 31, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
- ^ "William Wisher, Screenwriter". radiogabriel.com. April 29, 2019. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
- ^ "The Strange History of the die Hard Movies". December 2019.
- ^ "Pierce Brosnan thriller IT finds director". Digital Spy. August 27, 2014.
- ^ "Die Hard 5' Director John Moore on Board 'The Englishman' (EXCLUSIVE)". www.variety.com. August 8, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "John Moore Directing The Englishman". www.empireonline.com. August 8, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "John Moore Directing Come Hell Or High Water". www.empireonline.com. August 8, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "John Moore To Direct WWII Biopic 'Come Hell Or High Water'". Deadline Hollywood. October 29, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "Writers Bio".
- ^ "Confessions from the crypt". www.variety.com. January 9, 2001. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "For new battalion of studio pix, war is swell". www.variety.com. March 25, 1997. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "Combat!". www.scriptshadow.net. December 4, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "Combat Movie". www.jodavidsmeyer.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "Fox taps Wisher for 'Clipper'". www.variety.com. June 26, 2007. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "T2 Scribe Wisher Plans Escape". www.comingsoon.net. June 27, 2007. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "John Moore Spies A Pilgrim". www.empireonline.com. October 13, 2006. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "John Moore to Direct Pilgrim". www.movieweb.com. October 13, 2006. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "Par will show 'Remorse". www.variety.com. October 31, 2000. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "WB puts 'Superman' into the Wisher well". www.variety.com. June 30, 1999. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "Warners Pushing Ahead on Superman Lives". www.ign.com. June 22, 2000. Retrieved September 21, 2023.