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IMDbPro

Paul Greengrass

  • Director
  • Producer
  • Writer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Paul Greengrass at an event for Jason Bourne (2016)
Five Came Back
Play trailer2:10
Five Came Back (2017)
8 Videos
56 Photos
Paul Greengrass started his filmmaking career with a super 8 camera he found in his art room in secondary school. Those short movies were animation horror films he made using old dolls, artist dummies, and the general art room clutter.

After studying in Cambridge University he got into Granada Television School and spent the first ten years of his career roving global hot spots for the hard-hitting documentary series, World in Action. By this time he became very interested in the Northern Ireland conflict.

In 1989, he directed his first fiction movie, "Resurrected", that won an award in Berlin. He continued his career as a fiction filmmaker with a series of TV movies dealing with social and political issues: Open Fire (a police scandal about a policeman accused of murder), The One that got away (about a military operation during the first Gulf War).

His documentary style became more dynamic and intense with each movie. In 2002, Bloody Sunday achieved international acclamation and won the first prize in the Berlin Festival. After that he has continued his career in the United States with "The Bourne Supremacy" starring Matt Damon.
BornAugust 13, 1955
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornAugust 13, 1955
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 39 wins & 73 nominations total

    Photos56

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    Known for

    United 93 (2006)
    United 93
    7.6
    • Director
    • 2006
    Bloody Sunday (2002)
    Bloody Sunday
    7.6
    • Director
    • 2002
    Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel in News of the World (2020)
    News of the World
    6.8
    • Director(directed by)
    • 2020
    Matt Damon in The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
    The Bourne Ultimatum
    8.0
    • Director
    • 2007

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Director



    • The Lost Bus
      • Director
      • Completed
      • 2025
    • The Rage
      • Director
      • Pre-production
    • Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421
      • Director
      • Pre-production



    • Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel in News of the World (2020)
      News of the World
      6.8
      • Director (directed by)
      • 2020
    • 22 July (2018)
      22 July
      6.8
      • Director
      • 2018
    • Matt Damon in Jason Bourne (2016)
      Jason Bourne
      6.6
      • Director
      • 2016
    • Faysal Ahmed and Barkhad Abdirahman in Captain Phillips (2013)
      Captain Phillips
      7.8
      • Director
      • 2013
    • Matt Damon in Green Zone (2010)
      Green Zone
      6.8
      • Director (directed by)
      • 2010
    • Matt Damon in The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
      The Bourne Ultimatum
      8.0
      • Director
      • 2007
    • United 93 (2006)
      United 93
      7.6
      • Director
      • 2006
    • Matt Damon in The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
      The Bourne Supremacy
      7.7
      • Director
      • 2004
    • Bloody Sunday (2002)
      Bloody Sunday
      7.6
      • Director
      • 2002
    • Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Hugh Quarshie in The Murder of Stephen Lawrence (1999)
      The Murder of Stephen Lawrence
      7.1
      TV Movie
      • Director
      • 1999
    • The Theory of Flight (1998)
      The Theory of Flight
      6.5
      • Director
      • 1998
    • The Fix (1997)
      The Fix
      6.7
      TV Movie
      • Director
      • 1997
    • The One That Got Away (1996)
      The One That Got Away
      6.1
      TV Movie
      • Director
      • 1996
    • Jim Carter and Jessica Marshall-Gardiner in The Late Show (1988)
      The Late Show
      6.5
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 1995
    • Kavanagh QC (1995)
      Kavanagh QC
      7.7
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 1995

    Producer



    • The Rage
      • producer
      • Pre-production
    • Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421
      • producer
      • Pre-production



    • Steve Coogan, Hugh Quarshie, and Sharlene Whyte in Stephen (2021)
      Stephen
      7.4
      TV Mini Series
      • executive producer
      • 2021
    • 22 July (2018)
      22 July
      6.8
      • producer
      • 2018
    • Matt Damon in Jason Bourne (2016)
      Jason Bourne
      6.6
      • producer
      • 2016
    • Matt Damon in Green Zone (2010)
      Green Zone
      6.8
      • producer (produced by)
      • 2010
    • United 93 (2006)
      United 93
      7.6
      • producer (produced by)
      • 2006
    • Omagh (2004)
      Omagh
      7.2
      TV Movie
      • producer
      • 2004
    • Cutting Edge (1990)
      Cutting Edge
      6.7
      TV Series
      • producer
      • 1992
    • World in Action (1963)
      World in Action
      7.0
      TV Series
      • producer
      • 1984–1986

    Writer



    • The Lost Bus
      • screenplay by
      • Completed
      • 2025
    • The Rage
      • Writer
      • Pre-production



    • Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel in News of the World (2020)
      News of the World
      6.8
      • screenplay by
      • 2020
    • 22 July (2018)
      22 July
      6.8
      • written by
      • 2018
    • Matt Damon in Jason Bourne (2016)
      Jason Bourne
      6.6
      • written by
      • 2016
    • United 93 (2006)
      United 93
      7.6
      • written by
      • 2006
    • Omagh (2004)
      Omagh
      7.2
      TV Movie
      • Writer
      • 2004
    • Bloody Sunday (2002)
      Bloody Sunday
      7.6
      • written by
      • 2002
    • Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Hugh Quarshie in The Murder of Stephen Lawrence (1999)
      The Murder of Stephen Lawrence
      7.1
      TV Movie
      • written by
      • 1999
    • The Fix (1997)
      The Fix
      6.7
      TV Movie
      • Writer
      • 1997
    • The One That Got Away (1996)
      The One That Got Away
      6.1
      TV Movie
      • screenplay
      • 1996
    • Jim Carter and Jessica Marshall-Gardiner in The Late Show (1988)
      The Late Show
      6.5
      TV Series
      • adaptation
      • 1995
    • Kate Hardie in Open Fire (1994)
      Open Fire
      5.9
      TV Movie
      • Writer
      • 1994
    • Crime Story (1992)
      Crime Story
      6.5
      TV Series
      • writer
      • 1993

    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Videos8

    Green Zone: International Trailer #1
    Trailer 2:29
    Green Zone: International Trailer #1
    Green Zone: Trailer #1
    Trailer 2:11
    Green Zone: Trailer #1
    Green Zone: Trailer #1
    Trailer 2:11
    Green Zone: Trailer #1
    Five Came Back
    Trailer 2:10
    Five Came Back
    The Envelope Screening Series
    Featurette 3:52
    The Envelope Screening Series
    Green Zone: "Behind the Scenes"
    Featurette 2:50
    Green Zone: "Behind the Scenes"
    Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon on Green Zone
    Featurette 2:36
    Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon on Green Zone

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Height
      • 6′ (1.83 m)
    • Born
      • August 13, 1955
      • Cheam, Surrey, England, UK
    • Parents
        Joyce Greengrass
    • Relatives
      • Mark Greengrass(Sibling)
    • Other works
      Co-author (with Peter Wright) of "Spycatcher" (1987)
    • Publicity listings
      • 3 Interviews
      • 5 Articles

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Co-author of the infamous book "Spycatcher" (1987) which was banned by the British government in the mid-1980s for revealing insights into how the British Secret Service (MI5) operated.
    • Quotes
      [on his time with British current-affairs TV show 'World in Action'] A festival of puerile self-importance, intense paranoia, fiddled expenses and brilliant creativity.
    • Trademarks
        Usage of handheld cameras to create an aesthetic of realism.

    FAQ

    Powered by Alexa
    • How old is Paul Greengrass?
      69 years old
    • When was Paul Greengrass born?
      August 13, 1955
    • Where was Paul Greengrass born?
      Cheam, Surrey, England, UK
    • How tall is Paul Greengrass?
      6 feet 0 inches, or 1.83 meters
    • What is Paul Greengrass known for?
      Bloody Sunday, The Bourne Ultimatum, United 93, and News of the World

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