Todd Durham

Todd Durham is an American filmmaker, comedy writer, and novelist, known as the creator of the Hotel Transylvania film franchise for Columbia Pictures, which he based on his book of the same name. He became the sixth sole-creator of an animated movie franchise that went on to generate over $1 billion from theatrical and ancillary markets after only one sequel. Durham's works, including over forty screenplays and books, frequently combine fantasy storylines with character comedy.

Todd Durham
NationalityAmerican
OccupationFilmmaker, comedy writer, novelist
Notable work
Hotel Transylvania franchise (creator)
Hyperspace AKA Gremloids
Visions of Sugar-Plums
Mr. Smith Goes To Hell
WebsiteToddDurham.com

Early life

Durham studied comedy writing at USC under brothers Danny Simon, mentor of Woody Allen, and Neil Simon.[1][2]

Based on a half-hour 35mm film that he wrote and directed, a North Carolina movie studio signed Todd Durham to a three-picture feature deal.[3][4] Durham then wrote and directed a low-budget comedy film, Hyperspace, starring Chris Elliott and Paula Poundstone.[5] The film was the first appearance of the "intergalactic spacelord" Lord Buckethead, a persona used by several people to stand in British elections.[6] In 2017, Durham asserted his ownership of the character, and future incarnations have been authorised by him.[7]

Durham signed with Rick Jaffa, then agent at William Morris, and worked as an uncredited script doctor on comedy projects.[8][9] He wrote screenplays for comedy actors, directors, and producers, the National Lampoon film franchise, and Saturday Night Live alumni.[10][11][12] Durham ghostwrote celebrity autobiographies, and authored his first novel, Mr. Smith Goes To Hell, and its screenplay.[13]

Hotel Transylvania

During his years as studio script doctor, Durham created the Hotel Transylvania movie franchise, for which he outlined in a bible a series of seven animated feature films and their characters, as well as a television series, video games, merchandising, hotel chain, and theme park.[14][15] After authoring the book Hotel Transylvania, he took the package unsolicited to Columbia Pictures and set it up at Sony Pictures Animation, where he became the first of several screenwriters on the project.[1] In 2012, the first film, Hotel Transylvania, starring Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg, Kevin James, Fran Drescher, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon, David Spade, and Jon Lovitz, broke two box office records,[16] received a Golden Globe nomination,[17] and became one of the studio's highest-grossing animated films.[18] After its release in 2015 Hotel Transylvania 2, featuring Brooks, broke box office records set by the original[19][20] and became Sandler's biggest debut weekend.[21] With theatrical markets (worldwide box office) and ancillary markets (home media, cable, merchandising, books, video games, TV series, theme parks, etc.), franchise revenues have surpassed ten figures.[18][22][23][24]

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Work Result
2013 Golden Globe Awards Best Animated Feature Hotel Transylvania nominated


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References
  1. "Columbia Pictures Press Kit - Hotel Transylvania" (PDF).
  2. Bernstein, Adam (2005-07-28). "TV Comedy Writer Danny Simon Dies". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  3. "Change Of Pace". The Foothills View. April 29, 1983.
  4. "Space Comedy Coming From Shelby". The Charlotte Observer. June 22, 1984.
  5. "The Dixie DeMille". Gentleman's Quarterly. August 1986.
  6. "The real Lord Buckethead: the cult sci-fi film that inspired Theresa May's election rival". The Telegraph. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  7. editor, Jim Waterson Media (2019-05-26). "Double trouble: the fight to be the real Lord Buckethead". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-12-14.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  8. "Todd Durham signs with WMA as writer, director". Variety. August 28, 1987.
  9. "Hyperspace". The Los Angeles Times. April 22, 1990.
  10. "(front page) Zadan's Storyline unfolds with slate of major projects". The Hollywood Reporter. November 7, 1988.
  11. Lyons, Charles (1999-10-15). "Mouse, Keaton in talks for 'Strangers' project". Variety. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  12. "(front page) O'Donnell kids around in Nick, Dis pic projects". The Hollywood Reporter. July 8, 1999.
  13. "It's Hotter Than Ever... HELL. After years of neglect, Hades is making a comeback. But it's been remodeled a bit". The Los Angeles Times. January 9, 1994.
  14. "Hotel Transylvania". Sony Pictures Animation. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  15. "Hotel Transylvania". Facebook. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  16. "'Hotel Transylvania' Sets Box Office Records For September". Huffington Post. 2012-09-30. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  17. "Hotel Transylvania". www.goldenglobes.com. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  18. "The Numbers - Where Data and the Movie Business Meet". The Numbers. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  19. Mendelson, Scott. "Weekend Box Office: With $48.46M, 'Hotel Transylvania 2' Scores Adam Sandler's Biggest Debut Ever". Forbes. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  20. McClintock, Pamela. "'Hotel Transylvania 2' sets box office record". CNN. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  21. "Box office report: 'Hotel Transylvania 2' earns the biggest September opening ever". EW.com. 2015-09-27. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  22. ""hotel transylvania" merchandising". Google. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  23. "Sony Pictures Consumer Products Inc. and PlayFirst Join to Develop Mobile Game for Sony Pictures Animation's Upcoming 3D Animated Comedy, Hotel Transylvania" (Press release). Sony Pictures. July 10, 2012. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  24. "'Hotel Transylvania' TV Series Headed to Disney Channels Worldwide". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
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