MICHAEL DOUGHERTY

Michael Dougherty is a writer, director, and producer who has worked with some of the world’s most iconic characters, including the X-Men, Superman, Godzilla, and King Kong. Beginning his career as an animator for MTV and Nickelodeon, he then co-wrote the blockbusters X-Men 2 and Superman Returns before making his directorial debut with the Halloween horror comedy, Trick ‘r Treat. The film quickly became a modern holiday classic and has spawned a growing line of comic books, toys, apparel, and theme park attractions. Dougherty later co-wrote and directed Krampus, a horror comedy starring Toni Collette, Adam Scott, David Koechner, and Allison Tolman. Much like Trick ‘r Treat, Krampus has become a holiday classic with a long line of merchandise and theme park experiences. In 2019, Dougherty co-wrote and directed the blockbuster Godzilla: King of the Monsters starring Millie Bobby Brown, Vera Farmiga, and Ken Watanabe, and co-wrote the story for its sequel, Godzilla vs. Kong .In 2024, Dougherty became Executive Vice President of Entertainment at Colossal Biosciences, the groundbreaking biotech company founded by Professor George Church and Ben Lamm and dedicated to resurrecting extinct species including the woolly mammoth, dodo, Tasmanian tiger, and dire wolf, as well as cloning Tom Brady’s dog. Currently, Dougherty is writing 13 Dead End Drive for Artists Equity and Seven Bucks, and developing an animated horror series for Amazon.