DANIEL ADAMS

Daniel Adams grew up in Boston and originally worked in politics after college, then directed commercials for a Boston advertising agency. He then co-wrote (w/Michael Mailer) and directed 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 then went on to write and direct his second feature, the critically acclaimed “Primary Motive,” for Twentieth Century Fox which starred Judd Nelson, Justine Bateman, Richard Jordan, John Savage, and Sally Kirkland, produced by Don Carmody. His third feature, which he also wrote and directed, a comedy entitled, “The Mouse,” starring Rip Torn and John Savage, released through Strand Releasing, also received positive reviews. “The Golden Boys,” which he wrote and directed, starring David Carradine, Rip Torn, Bruce Dern, Charles Durning and Mariel Hemingway, had a very successful release through Roadside Attractions and Lions Gate Films in 2009. His next film, which he wrote and directed, released in 2010 through New Films Cinema, was “The Lightkeepers” which starred Richard Dreyfuss and Blythe Danner. “The Lightkeepers” has been the recipient of many awards, including Best Musical Score for a Comedy in 2010 (Int’l Film Music Critics Assoc), Best Supporting Actor (Bruce Dern, Method Fest), and Best Film (“Golden Angel'' award at the CAFF in Los Angeles). It was chosen as the closing night film at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and opening night film at the Boulder International Film Festival, and won second place as best film of the year in AARP’s “Movies for Grown-ups” award. And Pinar Toprak's score for "The Lightkeepers" made that year's Oscar short list.

He directed and co-wrote (with legendary National Lampoon editor Larry “Ratso” Sloman) the satire, “An L.A. Minute” starring Gabriel Byrne, Kiersey Clemons, and Bob Balaban, which was released in theaters in August 2018. And he wrote the script for the feature film “Panama” starring Mel Gibson and Cole Hauser.

“The Walk” which he directed and co-wrote, starring Terrence Howard, Justin Chatwin, Malcolm McDowell, and Jeremy Piven, was released in theaters in June 2022, and 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. Boston awarded the film both “Best Picture” and “Best Screenplay.”

Adams then wrote and directed the film, “The Panic,” a drama set in New York City around the financial crisis of 1907 which follows the lives of real-life characters J. Pierpont Morgan and Charles Barney. It stars Cary Elwes, Colm Meaney, and Malcolm McDowell and is set to be released theatrically in the fall of 2026 through The Avenue/Paramount.