Originally from Hawaii, Destin Daniel Cretton’s work seeks to find rawness in subtle moments, empathizing with his characters rather than judging them. This authenticity has allowed the scope of his work to run the gamut of scale from intimate character drama to action-packed superhero films.
Destin’s career has not been linear. While in college, he wrote the short film Short Term 12 based on his experiences working in a group home for troubled teenagers which later premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The screenplay adaptation went on to earn a prestigious Nicholl Fellowship before being adapted into a feature film. Critically well-received, the film has had a second life that’s been unprecedented in its influence, helping launch careers of esteemed actors Brie Larson, LaKeith Stanfield, Rami Malek, and Kaitlyn Dever.
In the following years, Destin wrote and directed The Glass Castle which starred Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson, and Naomi Watts. He also collaborated with Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, and Brie Larson, again, on Just Mercy, based on the NY Times best-selling memoir by civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson. The feature film premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival to critical acclaim.
Off the strength of his features, Destin was brought on to direct Marvel’s upcoming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the first Marvel film with a lead of Asian-descent. The film is set to be released in Fall 2021.
