Ed Solomon
Biography
Edward James Solomon (born September 15, 1960) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for writing the screenplays to Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989), Men in Black (1997), and Now You See Me (2013). Solomon grew up in suburban Boston until his family moved to California. He went to UCLA and majored in economics while beginning his career as a joke writer, stand-up comedian, and playwright. While still in college, he was a staff writer for Laverne & Shirley—making him (at the time) the youngest member of the Writers Guild of America. He then spent three years writing the cult Showtime TV series, It's Garry Shandling's Show, before venturing into feature films in the 1980s. He helped create and co-write the critically acclaimed comedies Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (with Chris Matheson). Solomon also worked on a number of hit franchise films, including Men in Black, Charlie's Angels, and then writing the Now You See Me films. Solomon worked on an early version of a Universal The Invisible Man remake with Johnny Depp. In March 2016 he completed production on Mosaic, a 12-hour long-form TV project for HBO in collaboration with director Steven Soderbergh. This production would mark the first in a series of collaborations with Soderbergh, including the neo-noir film No Sudden Move in 2021 and, more recently, the crime series Full Circle, which premiered July 13, 2023. He married Cynthia Cleese, daughter of Connie Booth and John Cleese, in 1995. They have two children and divorced in 2011. Solomon is Jewish. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ed Solomon, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For & Full Filmography11 Titles
Movie - 1989, 2h 15m • as Stupid Waiter
Two rock-'n-rolling teens, on the verge of failing their class, set out on a quest to make the ultimate school history report after being presented with a time machine.
Drama Series - 2018, 16 episodes • as Christmas Party Guest (uncredited)
Explore the psychological underpinnings of love and murder in a small mountain resort town while following popular children’s book author and illustrator Olivia Lake, whose literary success makes her a local celebrity in the tight-knit community.
Movie - 2020, 2h 15m • as Stupid Demon
Yet to fulfill their rock and roll destiny, the stakes are higher than ever for the now middle-aged Bill and Ted who set out on a new adventure when a visitor from the future warns them that only their song can save life as we know it.
Drama Series - 2014, 16 episodes • as Self
The series heads to the very frontiers of space and science to produce the definitive television history of science fiction, told through its impact on cinema, television and literature, with the help of filmmakers, writers, actors, and graphic artists. Each episode will explore one of the enduring themes of science fiction: time travel; the exploration of space; robots and artificial intelligence; and aliens.
Movie - 1991, 2h 15m • as "Stupid" Seance Member
Amiable slackers Bill and Ted are once again roped into a fantastical adventure when De Nomolos, a villain from the future, sends evil robot duplicates of the two lads to terminate and replace them. The robot doubles actually succeed in killing Bill and Ted, but the two are determined to escape the afterlife, challenging the Grim Reaper to a series of games in order to return to the land of the living.
Drama Series - 2018, 16 episodes • as Self
The story of legendary comedian Garry Shandling, featuring interviews from nearly four dozen friends, family and colleagues; four decades’ worth of television appearances; and a lifetime of personal journals, private letters and home audio and video footage.
Movie - 2010, 2h 15m • as Doctor #2
Barry Munday, a libido-driven wage slave who spends all his time either ogling, fantasizing about, or trying to pick up women, wakes up in hospital after a freak attack only to find that his testicles have been removed.
Movie - 1992, 2h 15m • as Destroyer #13
Emperor Spengo sees Marge Nelson and using a giant magnet, kidnaps her and her husband Dick, hoping to make Marge his before blowing up the Earth. The Emperor and other inhabitants of his planet are somewhat less than bright, and Dick begins reliving episodes of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers in order to rescue Marge, save the Earth, and restore the rightful emperor to the throne.
Movie - 1992, 2h 15m • as Jerk in Bar
Darly, a waitress with a past that's weighing her down, decides to drive to Alaska to try and come to terms with her unfortunate history. Along the way, she meets Marianne, an impulsive young woman leaving an abusive relationship. The two hit the road together and keep driving north, bonding over the hardships that they have endured and meeting a number of eccentric characters as they get closer to their destination.
Movie - 2007, 2h 15m • as Self
"Dreams on Spec" takes an intimate look at how far people will go - and how much they will sacrifice - for the chance to pursue their dreams. This feature-length documentary delves into the lives of three aspiring Hollywood screenwriters as they pour their hearts into their spec scripts, pitch their ideas to anyone who will listen, go to meetings, hold table reads, and work at low-level day-jobs - all in the hopes of one day seeing one of their beloved creations made into a movie. These poignant portraits are intercut with wisdom from a "Greek Chorus" of superstar Hollywood creative-types like James L. Brooks, Nora Ephron, Gary Ross, and Carrie Fisher to forge a funny and compelling look at inspiration, creativity, and solitude in the movie industry.
Movie - 2007, 2h 15m • as Himself
Ed Solomon, screenwriter for blockbusters such as Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and Men in Black, sits down for an in-depth interview about life in the Hollywood fast lane, from breaking into the business to having a script produced. Entertaining, informative and candid, Solomon reveals what the life of a working industry screenwriter is really like in both television and film.