Daniel Adams

Daniel Adams, a film director and writer, grew up in Boston and initially ventured into politics after college. He later directed commercials for a Boston advertising agency before co-writing (with Michael Mailer) and directing his first feature film in 1989, "A Fool and His Money," which starred Sandra Bullock, Jonathan Penner, George Plimpton, and Jerzy Kosinski, released through Trimark Pictures (now Lions Gate). He followed this with his second feature, the critically acclaimed "Primary Motive," for Twentieth Century Fox, featuring Judd Nelson, Justine Bateman, Richard Jordan, John Savage, and Sally Kirkland, produced by Don Carmody. His third feature, a sports comedy titled "The Mouse," which he also wrote and directed, starred Rip Torn and John Savage and was released through Strand Releasing, receiving positive reviews. 

Adams then wrote and directed "The Golden Boys," featuring David Carradine, Rip Torn, Bruce Dern, Charles Durning, and Mariel Hemingway, which had a successful release through Roadside Attractions and Lions Gate Films in 2009. 

His next film, "The Lightkeepers," released in 2010 through New Films Cinema, starred Richard Dreyfuss and Blythe Danner and received numerous awards, including Best Musical Score for a Comedy in 2010 from the Int’l Film Music Critics Association, Best Supporting Actor (Bruce Dern, Method Fest), and Best Film ("Golden Angel" award at the CAFF in Los Angeles). It was also selected as the closing night film at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, winning their Special Jury Award, and the opening night film at the Boulder International Film Festival. It also won second place for Best Film of the Year in AARP’s "Movies for Grown-ups" awards. Notably, Pinar Toprak's score for "The Lightkeepers" made that year's Oscar shortlist. 

In August 2018, Daniel Adams directed and co-wrote the satire "An L.A. Minute," starring Gabriel Byrne, Kiersey Clemons, and Bob Balaban. He also penned the original script for the feature film "Panama," featuring Mel Gibson and Cole Hauser. 

Adams then directed and co-wrote "The Walk," which stars Terrence Howard, Justin Chatwin, Malcolm McDowell, and Jeremy Piven. Released in theaters in June 2022, the film won over 50 international film festival awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director," and was chosen as the opening night film at both Dances with Films in Hollywood and the Boston International Film Festival, where it received the awards for "Best Picture" and "Best Screenplay." 

Most recently, Adams wrote and directed "The Panic," a drama set in New York City during the financial crisis of 1907, which follows the lives of historical figures J. Pierpont Morgan and Charles Barney. Starring Cary Elwes, Colm Meaney, Justin Chatwin and Malcolm McDowell. "The Panic" is set to be released theatrically in the fall of 2026 through The Avenue/Paramount.

Adams is currently developing the period action drama, "Out of the Fog" from a script he wrote. "Out of the Fog" will be produced by Zero Gravity, Mark Williams, Allie Loh and John Norton, and will be filmed in Ireland soon.