Joel Schumacher, the director of the psychological thriller The Number 23, is known for his versatility, his ability to move between film genres with popular success and critical acclaim.
The Number 23 marks Joel Schumacher’s 23rd film or TV directorial assignment.
He began his film career as a costume designer for such legendary directors as Woody Allen (Sleeper, Interiors) and Herbert Ross (The Last of Shiela), before making his own name as a screenwriter with Sparkle and Car Wash. After cutting his teeth directing two television movies, Joel made his feature film directorial debut on The Incredible Shrinking Woman in 1981.
Schumacher’s career took off with such iconic fare as St. Elmo’s Fire and The Lost Boys, followed by Cousins, Flatliners, Dying Young and Falling Down.
He then directed film versions of two best selling novels by John Grisham (The Client and A Time to Kill), as well as two installments of the blockbuster Batman film series, Batman Forever (which co-starred Jim Carrey as The Riddler) and Batman & Robin.
Most recently, he brought audiences the films 8MM, Flawless (which he also wrote), Tigerland, Phone Booth, Bad Company, and Veronica Guerin.
In 2004, he adapted Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical, The Phantom of the Opera, for the screen. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards and a Golden Globe for best musical-comedy.
Shumacher shot Town Creek, a horror film, on location in Bucharest, Romania.
