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][3][4][5][6][7] and his work with Caleb Carr on Exorcist: The Beginning and Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist.

Career

Wisher 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).[8]

Filmography

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-written with James Cameron
1995 Judge Dredd Story, Screenplay Co-written story with Michael De Luca, co-written screenplay with Steven E. de Souza
1999 The 13th Warrior Screenplay Co-written with Warren Lewis
2004 Exorcist: The Beginning Story Co-written 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-written screenplay with Dan Kay[9]

Uncredited revisions

Unmade projects

Year Title and description Ref(s)
1990s Airframe, An adaption of the Michael Crichton novel of the same name that would've been directed by John McTiernan. [11][12]
Combat!, Based on the TV series of the same name, that Bruce Willis was in talks to star in, and was going to be produced for Paramount Pictures, with Walter Hill slated to direct. [13][14][15]
An unused draft of Judgment Night for Largo Entertainment. [16]
Superman Lives, based on the DC Comics installment in which the Man of Steel is killed by Brainiac and then comes back to life. [17][18][19]
A writing assignment for director Robert Zemeckis and ImageMovers at DreamWorks. [19]
2000s Rainbow Six, An adaption of the Tom Clancy novel. [20]
An untitled project about B-24 Liberation Bombers during World War II that James Cameron was interested in directing. [1][21][22][23]
Pilgrim aka The Englishman, An adaption of Will Scully's book "Once A Pilgrim: The True Story of One Man's Courage Under Rebel Fire". [24][25][26][27]
Escape of The Pacific Clipper, A fact-based adventure about a race to get a Boeing B-314 back from New Zealand after the Attack on Pearl Harbor. [28][29]
2010s Ice Road Truckers, An action feature based on the reality show of the same name. [30][31]
Come Hell or High Water aka Samar, Based on the experiences of Captain Ernest E. Evans during the Battle off Samar, Battle of Leyte Gulf. [4][32][33]
Pitfall, A television pilot. [3]
SAD Boys, A script about the Special Activities Division of the CIA. [3]
An untitled project that takes place in Vietnam during the Fall of Saigon. [1][3]

Acting credits

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

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Interview with screenwriter William Wisher (1-19-22)". www.youtube.com. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ a b c d "William Wisher, Screenwriter". radiogabriel.com. April 29, 2019. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Exclusive Interview With Legendary Terminator Writer William Wisher". www.theterminatorfans.com. May 3, 2016. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
  5. ^ "William Wisher Jr, Head Writer of Terminator 2: Screenwriter looks back on the action classic, out in a new 4K Blu-ray". www.undertheradarmag.com. December 26, 2017. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
  6. ^ "PTS Presents Writers Workshop with William Wisher". www.podcastingthemsoftly.com. March 25, 2016. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
  7. ^ "Episode 156: Screenwriter William Wisher Jr". www.writersbone.com. November 26, 2016. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
  8. ^ "The strange history of the Die Hard movies". December 2019.
  9. ^ "Pierce Brosnan thriller IT finds director". Digital Spy. August 27, 2014.
  10. ^ "Writers Bio".
  11. ^ "Dowd inks Disney deal". Variety. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  12. ^ "Confessions from the crypt". www.variety.com. January 9, 2001. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  13. ^ "For new battalion of studio pix, war is swell". www.variety.com. March 25, 1997. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  14. ^ "Combat!". www.scriptshadow.net. December 4, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  15. ^ "Combat Movie". www.jodavidsmeyer.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  16. ^ "Judgment night". www.copyrightencyclopedia.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  17. ^ Mike White. "Superman: Grounded". Cahiers du cinéma. Archived from the original on February 16, 2008. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  18. ^ "WB puts 'Superman' into the Wisher well". www.variety.com. June 30, 1999. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  19. ^ a b "Warners Pushing Ahead on Superman Lives". www.ign.com. June 22, 2000. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  20. ^ "Par will show 'Remorse". www.variety.com. October 31, 2000. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  21. ^ "Lightstorm Entertainment and James Cameron exploring a tale about the Flying Fortresses of WWII'". www.aintitcool.com. January 15, 2001. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  22. ^ "Is COFFIN.... THE COFFIN - Re: Titles Whispered About LightStorm and James Cameron". www.aintitcool.com. January 16, 2001. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  23. ^ "James Cameron, 3D Coolness, his future... and ALIEN franchise possibilities!!!". www.aintitcool.com. April 6, 2003. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  24. ^ "John Moore Spies A Pilgrim". www.empireonline.com. October 13, 2006. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  25. ^ "John Moore to Direct Pilgrim". www.movieweb.com. October 13, 2006. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  26. ^ "Die Hard 5' Director John Moore on Board 'The Englishman' (EXCLUSIVE)". www.variety.com. August 8, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  27. ^ "John Moore Directing The Englishman". www.empireonline.com. August 8, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  28. ^ "Fox taps Wisher for 'Clipper'". www.variety.com. June 26, 2007. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  29. ^ "T2 Scribe Wisher Plans Escape". www.comingsoon.net. June 27, 2007. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  30. ^ "Fox Planning 'Ice Road Truckers' As John Moore-Directed Feature". Deadline Hollywood. June 29, 2010. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
  31. ^ "John Moore Directing Tech Thriller I.T." www.empireonline.com. August 26, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
  32. ^ "John Moore Directing Come Hell Or High Water". www.empireonline.com. August 8, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  33. ^ "John Moore To Direct WWII Biopic 'Come Hell Or High Water'". Deadline Hollywood. October 29, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wisher
No tags for this post.