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Roland Emmerich

Highest Rated: 68% Independence Day (1996)

Lowest Rated: 9% Stonewall (2015)

Birthday: Nov 10, 1955

Birthplace: Stuttgart, Germany

Though he was raised on a steady diet of independent-minded German filmmakers like Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Wim Wenders, director Roland Emmerich aspired early in his career to make blockbuster Hollywood movies. After making a name for himself by helming "The Noah's Ark Principle" (1981), the most expensive student film ever made in Germany, Emmerich crossed the Atlantic Ocean to make mainstream studio films. His first, "Universal Soldier" (1992), was an unexpected hit, which paved the way for him to direct his pet project, "Stargate" (1994). Along with writing and producing partner, Dean Devlin, Emmerich established himself as a resourceful sci-fi specialist who earned a reputation for meticulous preparation and remarkable cost-efficiency. Emmerich launched himself to the top of the Hollywood food chain with "Independence Day" (1996), a big, loud, sci-fi film that was long on computer-generated special effects but short on narrative and character development. Despite the campy, clichéd storyline and action sequences, the film made a name for the director. He went on to direct several big budget mega-disaster flicks like "Godzilla" (1998), "The Day After Tomorrow" (2004) and "10,000 B.C." (2008), all of which were panned by critics, lambasted by experts for lack of authenticity and gobbled up by audiences clamoring to see the destruction of the world through variously wild scenarios. By the time he directed "2012" (2009), Emmerich was by far one of the few directors capable of consistently making critically-derided movies that nonetheless made enormous amounts of money.

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Highest rated movies

68% 75% Independence Day Watchlist 62% 81% The Patriot Watchlist 54% 34% The Colony Watchlist
53% 73% Stargate
Watchlist
52% 62% White House Down
Watchlist
50% 84% The Magic Flute Watchlist
48% 33% Eight Legged Freaks
Watchlist
47% 53% Anonymous
Watchlist
45% 50% The Day After Tomorrow Watchlist 42% 92% Midway Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
50% 84% The Magic Flute Executive Producer,
Producer
$141.1K 2022
35% 70% Moonfall Director,
Screenwriter,
Producer
$19.0M 2022
54% 34% The Colony Executive Producer - 2021
42% 92% Midway Director,
Producer
$56.8M 2019
29% 30% Independence Day: Resurgence Director,
Screenwriter,
Producer
$103.1M 2016
9% 84% Stonewall Director,
Producer
$186.4K 2015
52% 62% White House Down Director $73.1M 2013
47% 53% Anonymous Director,
Producer
$4.5M 2011
No Score Yet 100% Shirley Adams Executive Producer - 2009
40% 47% 2012 Director,
Screenwriter,
Executive Producer
$166.1M 2009
10% 37% 10,000 B.C. Director,
Screenwriter,
Producer
$94.8M 2008
33% 74% Trade Producer $214.2K 2007
45% 50% The Day After Tomorrow Director,
Writer,
Producer
$186.7M 2004
48% 33% Eight Legged Freaks Executive Producer $17.3M 2002
62% 81% The Patriot Director,
Executive Producer
$113.3M 2000
28% 64% The Thirteenth Floor Producer $11.8M 1999
20% 28% Godzilla Director,
Writer,
Executive Producer
$136.1M 1998
68% 75% Independence Day Director,
Writer,
Executive Producer
$306.2M 1996
53% 73% Stargate Director,
Writer
$70.9M 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet The High Crusade Producer - 1994
34% 47% Universal Soldier Director $35.4M 1992
17% 31% Moon 44 Director,
Producer
- 1990
No Score Yet 26% Ghost Chase Director - 1988
No Score Yet 21% Making Contact Director,
Writer
- 1985
No Score Yet 7% The Noah's Ark Principle Director - 1984

TV

Credit
48% 66% Those About to Die Director 2024
83% 85% James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction Guest 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Visitor Executive Producer 1997-1998