Neal Moritz

Neal H. Moritz (born June 6, 1959) is an American film producer and founder of Original Film. He has produced over 70 major motion pictures which have grossed a total of over $12 billion worldwide as of 2021. He is best known for the ''Fast & Furious'' franchise, the '' Jump Street'' and the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' films, as well as the television series ''Prison Break'' and Emmy-nominated '' The Boys''. His early credits include '' I Know What You Did Last Summer'', ''Urban Legend'' and '' Cruel Intentions''.

Life

Neal H. Moritz was born in Los Angeles, California, to Milton Moritz and Barbara (''née'' Levin). His paternal grandfather, Joseph Moritz, owned movie theaters in Pittsburgh and was an early investor in American International Pictures (AIP). Milton Moritz was born in Pittsburgh and moved to California after falling ill with rheumatic fever at age eight, when his doctor suggested the family move to a better climate. He was head of marketing at AIP and was later CEO and president of the National Association of Theatre Owners of California/Nevada. Moritz is from a Jewish family.

Moritz grew up in Westwood and graduated from UCLA, where he participated in a Semester at Sea program. When he came back, he gave away several backpacks that were popular with Chinese students. He had so many requests for the backpacks that he and a friend began a company importing purses and bags from Taiwan. He sold the company to an investor, and returned to school. He earned a master's degree from the Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California's School of Cinema-Television in 1985. He is a member of the school's Alumni Development Council. As of 2021, Moritz has been married for 20 years and has two children, aged 19 and 16.

Career

Moritz has more than 70 films to his credit, including ''Juice'' starring Tupac Shakur, '' I Know What You Did Last Summer'', the first two films of the ''Urban Legend'' franchise, '' Cruel Intentions'', ''The Skulls'', the ''Fast & Furious'' franchise, '' Not Another Teen Movie'', the first two films of the '' XXX'' film series, being '' XXX'' and '' XXX: State of the Union'', '' ''S.W.A.T.'''', ''Evan Almighty'', ''I Am Legend'', '' Made of Honor'', ''Sweet Home Alabama'', ''Total Recall'' and the '' Jump Street'' films, being ''21 Jump Street'' and ''22 Jump Street''.

More recent credits include ''Sonic the Hedgehog'', ''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'', ''Spenser Confidential'', '' Bloodshot'', ''Escape Room'', '' Goosebumps'' and '' Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween''.

He has also produced the television series '' The Boys'', '' S.W.A.T.'', ''Preacher'', ''Happy'', ''Prison Break'', and '' The Big Break''.

In September 2017, Moritz and Original Film signed a first-look deal for Paramount Pictures that began on January 1, 2019, leaving his longtime home, Sony Pictures, after over 20 years. However, he still maintains his overall deal at Sony Pictures Television.  

In October 2018, Moritz filed a lawsuit against Universal Pictures in Los Angeles County Superior Court for breach of oral contract and committing promissory fraud after the distributor removed him as lead producer on ''Hobbs & Shaw''. On September 2, 2020, the California Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District filed a published opinion affirming the trial court's denial of Universal's motion to compel arbitration of Moritz's claims. On September 10, 2020, it was reported that the parties had reached an amicable settlement. Moritz went on to receive producer credit for the 2021 film '' F9'' and the 2023 film ''Fast X''.

Filmography

He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

Film

NBCUniversal

Sony Pictures

Paramount Global

Lionsgate

The Walt Disney Studios

Warner Bros Pictures

Other studios

Direct-to-video

* '' Cruel Intentions 2'' (2000)
* '' The Skulls II'' (2002) (Executive producer)
* '' The Skulls III'' (2004)
* ''Cruel Intentions 3'' (2004)
* '' Devour'' (2005)
* '' I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer'' (2006)
* '' S.W.A.T.: Firefight'' (2011)
* '' S.W.A.T.: Under Siege'' (2017)

Television

''All works, he was executive producer unless otherwise noted''

* ''Shasta McNasty'' (1999)
* ''Still Life'' (2003)
* '' Greg the Bunny'' (2002–04)
* ''Tru Calling'' (2003–05)
* '' Point Pleasant'' (2005–06)
* '' The Big C'' (2010–13)
* '' Save Me'' (2013)
* ''Prison Break'' (2005–17)
* '' Happy!'' (2017–19)
* '' The Boys'' (2019–present)
* '' Fast & Furious Spy Racers'' (2019–2021)
* ''Preacher'' (2016–19)
* '' S.W.A.T.'' (2017–25)
* '' I Know What You Did Last Summer'' (2021)
* '' The Boys Presents: Diabolical'' (2022)
* ''Gen V'' (2023–present)
* '' Goosebumps'' (2023–present)
* '' Knuckles'' (2024)
* '' Cruel Intentions'' (2024)
* '' Long Bright River'' (2025)
* '' S.W.A.T. Exiles'' (Upcoming)

Pilots
* ''Mr. Ed'' (2004)
* Untitled Dave Caplan pilot (2008)
* '' Cruel Intentions'' (2016)
* '' Roadside Picnic'' (2017)

TV movies
* '' Framed'' (1990)
* '' Blind Justice'' (1994)
* '' The Rat Pack'' (1998)
* ''Monster!'' (1999)
* '' Cabin by the Lake'' (2000)
* '' Hendrix'' (2000)
* ''Electra's Guy'' (2000)
* '' Class Warfare'' (2001)
* '' Return to Cabin by the Lake'' (2001)
* ''Shotgun Love Dolls'' (2001)
* ''The Pool at Maddy Breaker's'' (2003)
* ''Vegas Dick'' (2003)
* ''Not Another High School Show'' (2007)
* ''SIS'' (2008)
* '' Prison Break: The Final Break'' (2009)

Other credits

Acting roles

Special thanks
* '' My Trip to the Dark Side'' (2011)

References

External links

*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moritz, Neal H.
1959 births
20th-century American Jews
21st-century American Jews
American film production company founders
Businesspeople from Los Angeles
Film producers from Los Angeles
Jews from California
Living people
Sony Pictures Animation people
Television producers from California
USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni