Simon Kinberg

Simon Kinberg co-wrote and produced last year's hit sci-fi thriller "Jumper," directed by Doug Liman. Kinberg also co-wrote "X-Men: The Last Stand," which had a record-breaking opening over the 2006 Memorial Day weekend. He previously wrote Lee Tamahori's "xXx: State of the Union" and Liman's "Mr. & Mrs. Smith."

Born in London and raised in Los Angeles, Kinberg studied film and literature at Brown University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, Magma Cum Laude in 1995. He went on to graduate from Columbia University's film school, where he received the school's highest screenwriting award, the Zaki Gordon Fellowship. While still in film school, he sold original pitches and wrote scripts for several studios, working with such filmmakers as Steven Spielberg, Jonathan Mostow, Stephen Sommers and McG.

His final thesis project for film school was the original screenplay "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." He pitched the concept to award-winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, who became both the project's producer and Kinberg's mentor. The film went into production in 2004, with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie starring under the direction of Doug Liman. Released in Summer 2005, the film ultimately grossed more than $475 million worldwide. In 2005, Kinberg was named New Power Screenwriter of the Year by Premiere Magazine and given Movieline's Breakthrough Award for Screenwriting.

Warner Bros.