UTA Welcomes M3GAN Director Gerard Johnstone to the Team

United Talent Agency has signed director and filmmaker Gerard Johnstone, known for his work on the M3GAN franchise, for representation across all areas.
Johnstone, a New Zealand writer and director, gained widespread recognition with the release of the 2022 hit film M3GAN, produced by Atomic Monster and Blumhouse. The movie debuted with $30.4 million at the domestic box office, ultimately grossing over $95 million in the U.S. and around $180 million worldwide. The PG-13 horror film features Violet McGraw, Jenna Davis, and Allison Williams. Johnstone also wrote and directed the sequel, M3GAN 2.0, which has contributed to a combined franchise total exceeding $210 million.
The original M3GAN received a 93% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and proved to be highly profitable, clearing a net of $79 million after accounting for global ancillary revenues. The sequel has recently topped Netflix’s charts after previously holding the No. 1 position on Peacock for several months.
In his forthcoming projects, Johnstone will direct the live-action adaptation of Monster High, based on Mattel’s popular doll line. Collaborating with Universal Pictures and Akiva Goldsman’s Weed Road, the movie revolves around a fictional high school attended by the teenage offspring of classic monsters. Announcements regarding this project surfaced last June, and recently, Hannah Hafey and Kaitlin Smith were brought on board to pen the script.
Prior to his work in the M3GAN franchise, Johnstone wrote and directed the 2014 film Housebound, a haunted house comedy from New Zealand that marked his feature film debut. The film received critical acclaim, maintaining a 95% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Johnstone remains represented by Key Creatives and Davis Law Group after having previously been represented by CAA.