Roland Emmerich - Details

Director/executive producer Roland Emmerich directed and executive produced "Godzilla," which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin. They worked in the same capacities on the box office phenomenon "Independence Day." Emmerich helmed 1994's epic science-fiction adventure "StarGate," which he also co-wrote with Devlin, the film's producer. Emmerichs first American film was the 1992 action-adventure hit "Universal Soldier," starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. He also produced the thriller "The Thirteenth Floor."

Emmerich began his career in his native Germany. As a youth, he pursued painting and sculpting and, while in the director's program at film school in Munich, studied production design. His student film, "The Noah's Ark Principle," went on to open the 1984 Berlin Film Festival. The feature became a huge success and was sold to more than 20 countries.

Emmerich subsequently formed his own production company, Caitropolis Film Productions, and under its aegis produced "Making Contact (a.k.a. Joey)" a film that showcased the young filmmaker's vast knowledge of special effects; and "Ghost Chase," a comedy he co-wrote with Oliver Eberle. Emmerich went on to direct the futuristic action-adventure "Moon 44," which he co-wrote with Eberle and which starred Malcolm McDowell, Michael Pare, Lisa Eichhorn and Dean Devlin. During the filming of this 1989 film, Emmerich and actor Devlin found they enjoyed similar movies, and Devlin's writing ability impressed the director as much as his acting. Devlin subsequently gave up acting to write and produce movies with Emmerich under his Centropolis Films banner.