Simon David Kinberg was born in Hammersmith, London, England, on the 2nd of August 1973, to American parents Monica Menell-Kinberg and Jud Kinberg, a New York City-born writer and producer. Despite his British birthplace, the trajectory of his life was set for the West Coast of the United States from the age of six, when his family relocated to Los Angeles, California. Raised in a Jewish household, Kinberg navigated the American education system with distinction, graduating from Brentwood High School before earning his undergraduate degree from Brown University, where he achieved Phi Beta Kappa honors and magna cum laude status. His academic excellence did not stop at the bachelor's level; in 2003, he secured a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University School of the Arts, a prestigious program that awarded him the Zaki Gordon Fellowship for Screenwriting. This early foundation in both the arts and the rigorous demands of academia would later inform his dual role as a creative visionary and a meticulous producer in the high-stakes world of modern cinema.
From Thesis To Blockbuster
The script that would eventually become Mr. & Mrs. Smith began its life as Kinberg's thesis project for film school, a humble beginning for a movie that would catapult him to the top of the industry. After finishing school, Kinberg moved to Hollywood, where his first screenwriting credit was a sequel to the hit action film XXX, titled XXX: State of the Union, released in 2005. His next major screenwriting venture was the aforementioned Mr. & Mrs. Smith, directed by Doug Liman and starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. The film was a massive commercial success, and Kinberg's script was so well-received that he even wrote the pilot episode for a television adaptation of the story for ABC. His connection to the film was so deep that he secured a cameo appearance as the banker who converses with John Smith at the dinner party, a subtle nod to his authorship of the original story. This early success established a pattern of Kinberg working with major directors like Steven Spielberg and Jerry Bruckheimer, and writing scripts for major studios including Disney, Sony, and DreamWorks.The Architect Of The X-Men Universe
Kinberg's career took a definitive turn when he co-wrote X-Men: The Last Stand in 2006, the third movie in the 20th Century Fox X-Men film series. The film drew its primary source material from the Dark Phoenix storyline, written by comic-book legend Chris Claremont, who was so impressed with Kinberg's work that he made Kinberg a character in the novelization of the film. This collaboration marked the beginning of a long and complex relationship with the X-Men franchise. Kinberg went on to write and produce Jumper in 2008, reuniting with director Doug Liman, and then wrote Sherlock Holmes in 2009, directed by Guy Ritchie. In April 2010, his production company, Genre Films, signed a first-look deal with 20th Century Fox, cementing his position as a key player in the studio's future. He produced X-Men: First Class in 2011 and wrote and produced This Means War in 2012, while also serving as co-screenwriter and executive producer for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. By 2013, he had produced Elysium, and the following year, he was the writer and producer of X-Men: Days of Future Past, a film that revitalized the franchise and set the stage for a decade of dominance.The Martian And The Dark Phoenix
In 2015, Kinberg produced The Martian, directed by Ridley Scott, a film that earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture and showcased his ability to handle serious, character-driven science fiction. That same year, he also produced the live-action version of Cinderella at Walt Disney Pictures and worked on Fantastic Four as writer and producer. His final film of 2015 was The Martian, which demonstrated his range beyond superhero films. The following year, Kinberg wrote and produced X-Men: Apocalypse, the next film in the X-Men franchise following X-Men: Days of Future Past. He produced 2016's Deadpool, 2017's Logan, 2018's Deadpool 2, and 2019's Dark Phoenix, the latter of which also served as his directorial debut. Dark Phoenix, however, received a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel, a stark contrast to the critical acclaim of his other works. Despite this, Kinberg continued to produce The New Mutants and Murder on the Orient Express, proving his versatility across genres.The Star Wars Connection
Kinberg's influence extended beyond the X-Men universe when The Hollywood Reporter initially reported that Lawrence Kasdan, writer of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and Kinberg would write and produce Episodes VIII and IX of the new Star Wars films. A week later, the publication stated that Kasdan and Kinberg would be working on future Star Wars projects, but not necessarily on Episodes VIII and IX. This ambiguity highlighted the complex nature of the Star Wars franchise and Kinberg's role within it. In 2019, he was announced as the writer and co-producer of a new trilogy of Star Wars films along with Kathleen Kennedy, a move that signaled his growing importance in the galaxy far, far away. His work on Star Wars Rebels and his creative consultant role on Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Rogue One further demonstrated his ability to navigate the expansive universe of the franchise. This connection to Star Wars, combined with his work on X-Men, positioned him as one of the most powerful figures in Hollywood, a status confirmed when The Hollywood Reporter named him the highest-paid screenwriter in Hollywood in 2016.Television And The Twilight Zone
Kinberg's reach extended into television, where he served as an executive producer on ABC's Designated Survivor starring Kiefer Sutherland, Legion created by Noah Hawley for FX, and The Gifted on Fox. He executive produced the third revival of the science fiction anthology series, The Twilight Zone, which premiered in 2019 on CBS All Access, now Paramount+. In this revival, he directed the episode Blurryman and wrote Nightmare at 30,000 Feet, showcasing his versatility as a creator beyond the big screen. His television work complemented his film career, allowing him to explore different genres and storytelling formats. In July 2019, it was announced that Kinberg and his production company Genre Films was leaving Fox after 20 years, marking the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter in his career. This transition reflected his growing influence and the changing landscape of the entertainment industry, where streaming services and new platforms were reshaping the way stories were told and consumed.Personal Life And Industry Recognition
Kinberg married Mali Heled in a Jewish ceremony on the 26th of July 2001. They have two sons, and the couple separated in 2014, subsequently divorcing in 2017. By the 4th of November 2019, Kinberg became engaged to writer Cleo Wade, and they have two daughters, born in 2020 and 2021. His personal life, while private, has been marked by significant changes and new beginnings. In terms of industry recognition, Kinberg received a lifetime achievement award from the Saturn Awards in 2016. He was named number 61 on the list of 100 most powerful people in Hollywood by The Hollywood Reporter in 2016. The same year, The Hollywood Reporter named Kinberg as the highest-paid screenwriter in Hollywood with a record for two X-Men scripts, and named him as one of the highest-paid producers in Hollywood with a record for Deadpool in their annual Hollywood Salaries issue. These accolades underscored his impact on the industry and his ability to deliver both critical and commercial success.Simon David Kinberg was born in Hammersmith, London, England, on the 2nd of August 1973, to American parents Monica Menell-Kinberg and Jud Kinberg, a New York City-born writer and producer. Despite his British birthplace, the trajectory of his life was set for the West Coast of the United States from the age of six, when his family relocated to Los Angeles, California. Raised in a Jewish household, Kinberg navigated the American education system with distinction, graduating from Brentwood High School before earning his undergraduate degree from Brown University, where he achieved Phi Beta Kappa honors and magna cum laude status. His academic excellence did not stop at the bachelor's level; in 2003, he secured a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University School of the Arts, a prestigious program that awarded him the Zaki Gordon Fellowship for Screenwriting. This early foundation in both the arts and the rigorous demands of academia would later inform his dual role as a creative visionary and a meticulous producer in the high-stakes world of modern cinema.
From Thesis To Blockbuster
The script that would eventually become Mr. & Mrs. Smith began its life as Kinberg's thesis project for film school, a humble beginning for a movie that would catapult him to the top of the industry. After finishing school, Kinberg moved to Hollywood, where his first screenwriting credit was a sequel to the hit action film XXX, titled XXX: State of the Union, released in 2005. His next major screenwriting venture was the aforementioned Mr. & Mrs. Smith, directed by Doug Liman and starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. The film was a massive commercial success, and Kinberg's script was so well-received that he even wrote the pilot episode for a television adaptation of the story for ABC. His connection to the film was so deep that he secured a cameo appearance as the banker who converses with John Smith at the dinner party, a subtle nod to his authorship of the original story. This early success established a pattern of Kinberg working with major directors like Steven Spielberg and Jerry Bruckheimer, and writing scripts for major studios including Disney, Sony, and DreamWorks.
The Architect Of The X-Men Universe
Kinberg's career took a definitive turn when he co-wrote X-Men: The Last Stand in 2006, the third movie in the 20th Century Fox X-Men film series. The film drew its primary source material from the Dark Phoenix storyline, written by comic-book legend Chris Claremont, who was so impressed with Kinberg's work that he made Kinberg a character in the novelization of the film. This collaboration marked the beginning of a long and complex relationship with the X-Men franchise. Kinberg went on to write and produce Jumper in 2008, reuniting with director Doug Liman, and then wrote Sherlock Holmes in 2009, directed by Guy Ritchie. In April 2010, his production company, Genre Films, signed a first-look deal with 20th Century Fox, cementing his position as a key player in the studio's future. He produced X-Men: First Class in 2011 and wrote and produced This Means War in 2012, while also serving as co-screenwriter and executive producer for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. By 2013, he had produced Elysium, and the following year, he was the writer and producer of X-Men: Days of Future Past, a film that revitalized the franchise and set the stage for a decade of dominance.
The Martian And The Dark Phoenix
In 2015, Kinberg produced The Martian, directed by Ridley Scott, a film that earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture and showcased his ability to handle serious, character-driven science fiction. That same year, he also produced the live-action version of Cinderella at Walt Disney Pictures and worked on Fantastic Four as writer and producer. His final film of 2015 was The Martian, which demonstrated his range beyond superhero films. The following year, Kinberg wrote and produced X-Men: Apocalypse, the next film in the X-Men franchise following X-Men: Days of Future Past. He produced 2016's Deadpool, 2017's Logan, 2018's Deadpool 2, and 2019's Dark Phoenix, the latter of which also served as his directorial debut. Dark Phoenix, however, received a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel, a stark contrast to the critical acclaim of his other works. Despite this, Kinberg continued to produce The New Mutants and Murder on the Orient Express, proving his versatility across genres.
The Star Wars Connection
Kinberg's influence extended beyond the X-Men universe when The Hollywood Reporter initially reported that Lawrence Kasdan, writer of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and Kinberg would write and produce Episodes VIII and IX of the new Star Wars films. A week later, the publication stated that Kasdan and Kinberg would be working on future Star Wars projects, but not necessarily on Episodes VIII and IX. This ambiguity highlighted the complex nature of the Star Wars franchise and Kinberg's role within it. In 2019, he was announced as the writer and co-producer of a new trilogy of Star Wars films along with Kathleen Kennedy, a move that signaled his growing importance in the galaxy far, far away. His work on Star Wars Rebels and his creative consultant role on Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Rogue One further demonstrated his ability to navigate the expansive universe of the franchise. This connection to Star Wars, combined with his work on X-Men, positioned him as one of the most powerful figures in Hollywood, a status confirmed when The Hollywood Reporter named him the highest-paid screenwriter in Hollywood in 2016.
Television And The Twilight Zone
Kinberg's reach extended into television, where he served as an executive producer on ABC's Designated Survivor starring Kiefer Sutherland, Legion created by Noah Hawley for FX, and The Gifted on Fox. He executive produced the third revival of the science fiction anthology series, The Twilight Zone, which premiered in 2019 on CBS All Access, now Paramount+. In this revival, he directed the episode Blurryman and wrote Nightmare at 30,000 Feet, showcasing his versatility as a creator beyond the big screen. His television work complemented his film career, allowing him to explore different genres and storytelling formats. In July 2019, it was announced that Kinberg and his production company Genre Films was leaving Fox after 20 years, marking the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter in his career. This transition reflected his growing influence and the changing landscape of the entertainment industry, where streaming services and new platforms were reshaping the way stories were told and consumed.
Personal Life And Industry Recognition
Kinberg married Mali Heled in a Jewish ceremony on the 26th of July 2001. They have two sons, and the couple separated in 2014, subsequently divorcing in 2017. By the 4th of November 2019, Kinberg became engaged to writer Cleo Wade, and they have two daughters, born in 2020 and 2021. His personal life, while private, has been marked by significant changes and new beginnings. In terms of industry recognition, Kinberg received a lifetime achievement award from the Saturn Awards in 2016. He was named number 61 on the list of 100 most powerful people in Hollywood by The Hollywood Reporter in 2016. The same year, The Hollywood Reporter named Kinberg as the highest-paid screenwriter in Hollywood with a record for two X-Men scripts, and named him as one of the highest-paid producers in Hollywood with a record for Deadpool in their annual Hollywood Salaries issue. These accolades underscored his impact on the industry and his ability to deliver both critical and commercial success.