JULIEN MAGNAT Director/Writer
Julien is the writer of the original horror thriller spec FAMILIAR, which was pre-emptively bought by PARAMOUNT. Walter Hamada's 18hz Productions will produce through its output deal at the studio. The movie is slated to begin filming in late spring 2025.
Julien previously wrote and directed the Milla Jovovich thriller FACES IN THE CROWD. The indie movie, centered on a woman living with "face blindness" after witnessing a murder, was praised for its inventive premise and for Jovovich's strong performance.
Julien, a French-born director and screenwriter based in Los Angeles, first attracted international attention with his short film CHASTITY BLADE, which garnered him an Academy Award nomination in 2001 for Best Foreign Student Short and marked him as one of France’s rising talents.
His versatility as a writer has allowed him to pen for a gamut of genres and celebrated properties from comics to animation. His television credits include the Emmy-nominated THE GARFIELD SHOW, Marvel’s IRON MAN: ARMORED ADVENTURES, BEN 10, and many more.
In 2023, Julien was selected for Blumhouse and K-period Media’s inaugural Screamwriting Fellowship created in partnership with the Sundance Institute to help identify new voices in horror, with mentorship from industry icons like Ryan Murphy, Kevin Williamson and Damon Lindelof.
Julien is the head writer and co-creator of ERICA, TF1’s newest book-to-screen adaptation of Swedish author Camilla Läckberg's best-selling crime novels, which have sold over 35 million copies worldwide. Through its first three weeks on air, the hit series has amassed a devoted following thanks to its fresh spin on episodic crime-solving, and is continuing to impress, clocking in at 5 million total viewers per episode, making it the most-watched French broadcast prime time show in its time slot.
Magnat is a graduate of the French National Film School, La Fémis and the University of Reading, England. Julien also studied documentary filmmaking at the Australian Film Television & Radio School as part of his directorial training. He is a professional member of the Writer's Guild of America, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
Julien currently resides in West Hollywood in Jack Nicholson’s old bungalow that he shares with his cat, a yard full of coyotes and a collection of more horror movies that one person should probably watch in a lifetime.
Headshots by Patrick McPherson @interiorstate