Jason Reitman

Jason Reitman, born on October 19, 1977, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, grew up immersed in the film industry, with his father, Ivan Reitman, being a notable director. This early exposure, including time spent on sets like “Animal House” (1978) and “Ghostbusters,” provided him with an understanding of filmmaking as a practical craft. Despite initial hesitations about entering the movie business, Reitman pursued film studies at the University of Southern California after attending Skidmore College for pre-med. During his twenties, he focused on directing short films and commercials for brands such as Wal-Mart, Burger King, Nintendo, and BMW, rather than accepting early offers to direct large-scale commercial features. His early short films, including “Operation” (1998) which premiered at Sundance, allowed him to develop his distinct directorial style.

Reitman’s career transitioned to feature films in 2005 with “Thank You for Smoking,” an adaptation of Christopher Buckley’s novel, which achieved critical and commercial success, grossing over $39 million worldwide and earning two Golden Globe nominations. This was followed by “Juno” (2007), a film that garnered significant attention at the Toronto International Film Festival and earned Reitman an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. “Juno” became his most commercially successful film at the time, surpassing many of his father’s previous works since “Kindergarten Cop.” He continued to build on this success with “Up in the Air” (2009), starring George Clooney, which received widespread critical acclaim and multiple Academy Award nominations, including two for Reitman himself for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, the latter of which he won a Golden Globe and BAFTA award for. The film notably incorporated real-world individuals who had experienced job loss, adding a layer of authenticity to its themes. Reitman’s collaborations extended to screenwriter Diablo Cody on films like “Young Adult” (2011) and “Tully” (2018), and director Gil Kenan for projects such as “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (2021) and “Saturday Night” (2024).

In 2006, Reitman co-founded Hard C Productions with Daniel Dubiecki, aiming to produce “small subversive comedy that is independent but accessible.” This company produced films like “Jennifer’s Body” (2009). He later established Right of Way Films in 2009. His involvement in the “Ghostbusters” franchise continued with “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (2021), a direct continuation of his father’s original films, and he co-wrote and produced “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” (2024). Beyond feature films, Reitman has directed television episodes for “The Office” and the miniseries “Home Movie: The Princess Bride” (2020) for Quibi, the latter raising funds for World Central Kitchen. He also directs the monthly “Live Read” series, a live staged reading of film scripts at Film Independent at LACMA.