Paul Wernick

Paul Wernick is a Canadian screenwriter and producer. He is best known for writing the screenplays to Zombieland (2009), Deadpool (2016), Deadpool 2 (2018), and Deadpool 3 (2024) with his creative partner Rhett Reese.

Paul Wernick
Wernick at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con
NationalityCanadian
Occupation(s)Screenwriter, producer
SpouseRita Hsiao[1]
Children2

Career

Television

Wernick has produced several network reality shows, including CBS's Big Brother 2 and ABC's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here!. Wernick won three Emmy Awards for his work in news,[2] which included producing stints at KVOA, KOLD, KTVK, KSL and KCAL.

Big Brother 2 inspired Wernick and Rhett Reese, a screenwriter friend of his brother back from Phoenix, Arizona, where both attended high school to create their own take on reality television, The Joe Schmo Show.[3][4] Broadcast on Spike TV, the series drew the highest ratings for the channel.[5] The Joe Schmo Show was also named on numerous Best Of lists, including Time magazine's "Top 10 TV Shows of 2003" and Entertainment Weekly's "50 Best TV Shows Ever on DVD."[6][7]

In 2004, Reese and Wernick created and executive-produced Stuck on ODB, a comedy reality show starring Ol' Dirty Bastard (ODB) of the Wu Tang Clan for Spike TV. However, ODB died before the show ever aired.[8] A year later, Wernick and Reese followed up with Invasion Iowa, a high-concept, high-stakes comedy hybrid starring William Shatner. The show premiered on Spike on March 29, 2005.[9]

Film

Wernick and Reese's first feature collaboration was the 2009 film Zombieland, which they created and also executive-produced. The film was released by Sony Pictures on October 2, 2009, and became the highest-grossing zombie film at the time.[10]

Wernick and Reese followed Zombieland with Paramount Pictures' G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013),[11][12] starring Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum, and Bruce Willis. The sequel outperformed the original, grossing $375 million.[13]

In February 2012, it was announced Universal Studios had acquired Wernick and Reese's script for a feature film adaptation of Cowboy Ninja Viking.[14] In September 2012, their original science fiction spec screenplay Epsilon was sold to Sony Pictures, with plans to co-produce with Michael De Luca.[15] In April 2015, Wernick and Reese had optioned Thomas Oliver's book The Real Coke, The Real Story to produce a film about the failed launch of New Coke.[16]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Writer Executive
Producer		 Director
2009 Zombieland Yes Yes Ruben Fleischer
2013 G.I. Joe: Retaliation Yes No Jon M. Chu
2016 Deadpool Yes Yes Tim Miller
2017 Life Yes No Daniel Espinosa
2018 Deadpool 2 Yes Yes David Leitch
2019 6 Underground Yes Yes Michael Bay
Zombieland: Double Tap Yes Yes Ruben Fleischer
2022 Spiderhead Yes No Joseph Kosinski
2023 Ghosted Yes No Dexter Fletcher
2024 Deadpool 3 Yes No Shawn Levy

Television
Year Title Writer Producer Creator
2005 Invasion Iowa Yes No Yes
2003–2004, 2013 The Joe Schmo Show Yes Yes Yes
2019 Wayne Yes Executive No
2023 Twisted Metal Yes Yes Yes

References
  1. Fernandez, Jay A. (September 24, 2009). "Married scribes' pics to square off". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  2. Reifsteck, Greg (June 19, 2000). "Nine is KCAL's lucky number at L.A. Emmys". Variety. Archived from the original on September 19, 2021.
  3. Wojciechowski, Michele (October 31, 2016). "Writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick: From High School to Deadpool". Parade. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022.
  4. Gordon, Jason. "Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (DEADPOOL) | OnWriting". Writers Guild of America East (Interview). Archived from the original on August 5, 2022.
  5. Kissell, Rick (October 29, 2003). "'Joe' no schmo for Spike TV". Variety. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  6. "Top 10 Everything 2003". Time. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  7. "The 50 Best TV Shows Ever on DVD". Entertainment Weekly. No. 363. November 26, 2004.
  8. Barshad, Amos (March 29, 2013). "Q&A: G.I. Joe: Retaliation Writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick on Stuck on Dirty, Their Never-Aired Ol' Dirty Bastard Reality Show". Grantland (Interview). Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  9. Weintraub, Joanne (March 28, 2005). "Shatner miniseries goes boldly where no prank has gone before". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  10. "Weekend Report: Weekend Report: 'Wild Things' Roars, 'Citizen,' 'Activity' Thrill". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on February 11, 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  11. Weintraub, Steve (January 6, 2010). "Exclusive: G.I. JOE SEQUEL is Happening; Zombieland's Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick Writing G.I. JOE 2". Collider.com. Archived from the original on November 4, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2010.
  12. Seigel, Tatiana (January 11, 2009). "Par OKs 'G.I. Joe' sequel, dates 'Trek'". Variety. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2010.
  13. "G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on March 9, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  14. Fleming, Mike Jr. (February 28, 2012). "Universal And Marc Forster Team On 'Cowboy Ninja Viking'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  15. Kit, Borys (September 12, 2012). "'Zombieland' Writers Sell Sci-Fi Project 'Epsilon' to Sony (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  16. Fleming, Mike Jr. (April 27, 2015). "'Deadpool' Scribes Wernick & Reese Uncap Pic On Disastrous New Coke Launch". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
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