Boss Level

JOE CARNAHAN is an American Screenwriter and Director. He most recently wrote and directed ‘Boss Level’ starring Frank Grillo, Mel Gibson and Naomi Watts. Prior to that he produced ‘Wheelman’ and the upcoming “Point Blank’ for Netflix as well as the docu-series ‘FightWorld’ with his partner, Frank Grillo. In 2015, he wrote and directed the cult film ‘Stretch’ with Patrick Wilson, Chris Pine, Ed Helms, Jessica Alba, Ray Liotta and James Badge Dale. Prior to that, he wrote and directed the critically acclaimed, box office success ‘The Grey’ starring Liam Neeson. This brought the duo back together after they collaborated on the 2010 big screen version of the beloved TV show ‘The A-Team’. The popular 2007 cult film ‘Smokin’ Aces’ followed his critically acclaimed cop drama ‘Narc’ which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2002 and earned him a Best Director Independent Spirit Award nomination. His first feature film was ‘Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane’ for which he wrote, directed, and starred. The film was self-financed and debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 1998. 

On the television side, Carnahan helmed the pilot for the breakout NBC hit ‘The Blacklist’ and has served as both an Executive Producer and consultant for the show. His episode ‘Luther Braxton’ is the single highest rated show in series history with an estimated 30 million viewers. Carnahan also created the NBC drama ‘State of Affairs’ starring Katherine Heigl.

Prior to his involvement in television, Carnahan also wrote and directed the short internet film The Hire: Ticker, produced by Ridley Scott and starring Clive Owen, Don Cheadle, Ray Liotta, and F. Murray Abraham for BMW in 2002. Carnahan’s writing career includes screenplays for the remake of ‘Death Wish’ starring Bruce Willis, ‘Pride and Glory’, a police drama released by Warner Brothers starring Colin Farrell and Edward Norton, and the upcoming ‘Bad Boys 4 Life’ starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence from producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

Carnahan has been tapped to write an upcoming, untitled Mel Gibson action/comedy for STX studios and just finished producing the action-drama ‘El Chicano’ the first Latino Superhero, for WarParty and Briarcliff films.

He currently resides in Pasadena, CA.