James Wan, a Malaysia-born Australian film director, screenwriter, producer, and comic book writer, has made a significant impact in the horror genre. Born on February 26, 1977, Wan is best known for co-creating the "Saw" and "Insidious" franchises, as well as creating the "The Conjuring" universe.
Wan's journey in filmmaking began with the micro-budget film "Stygian" in 2000, followed by his professional feature directorial debut with "Saw" in 2004. The film's success launched a franchise that has grossed over $1 billion globally. However, Wan faced setbacks with the underperforming titles "Dead Silence" and "Death Sentence" in 2007.
Wan bounced back with the PG-13 supernatural horror-fantasy "Insidious" in 2010, which achieved commercial success. He went on to direct "Insidious: Part 2" in 2013 and produce further sequels in the series. In between his "Insidious" projects, Wan directed the critically acclaimed and commercially successful "The Conjuring" in 2013, which spawned a sprawling set of sequels and spin-offs known as The Conjuring Universe.
Wan served as the director of "The Conjuring 2" in 2016 and produced subsequent films in the franchise, including "Annabelle" in 2014 and "The Nun" in 2018. The Conjuring Universe is the second highest-grossing horror franchise, with a total gross of over $2 billion.
Outside of horror, Wan has also ventured into other genres. He directed "Furious 7" in 2015, the seventh installment in the "Fast & Furious" franchise, and the DC Extended Universe superhero film "Aquaman" in 2018. Both films grossed over $1 billion, making Wan the eighth director with two films to reach the milestone.
As of 2021, Wan is the 20th highest-grossing director of all time, with his films having grossed over $3.6 billion worldwide.
