Biography

After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Novel Writing from the University of Southern California under PEN/Faulkner winner T.C. Boyle, Michael Frost Beckner became writer's assistant to Academy Award winner Barry Levinson before launching his writing career in the 1990's with three multi-million-dollar script sales. Today, with dozens of screenplays and rewrites for major studios, and more than twenty pilots for commercial and cable networks, Beckner has, from his first film "Sniper" (currently in release with its 8TH franchise sequel), built a reputation for character-based espionage, military, and historical dramas and thrillers.

Beckner's "Texas, Lead and Gold" (1990), broke the record for the highest selling screenplay. He beat his own record a year later with "Cutthroat Island," and again a year after that with a live-action "Hunchback of Notre Dame" (Disney). At the same time, Beckner was making a name for himself with assignments and originals for major directors (John Hughes, Paul Verhoeven, Wolfgang Petersen), actors (Eddie Murphy, Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone, Geena Davis, Dennis Quaid), Academy Award producers (Mark Johnson, Doug Wick), and novelists (John Le Carre, Tom Clancy, Ken Follett). Produced films from this period include "Cutthroat Island" (Carolco Pictures), "Prince Valiant" (20th Century Fox) and "Deep Blue Sea" (uncredited/Warner Bros.).

In 1997, Beckner returned to the spec script market with "Spy Game" (Universal Pictures/Beacon Pictures). Teaming Robert Redford with Brad Pitt. Opening at #1 it went on to be a top-ten global success. That same year, Sydney Pollack approached Beckner to adapt the John Le Carre spy thriller "The Night Manager." This began a collaboration in film and television between the writer and the Academy Award-winning director that would last until Mr. Pollack's death.

"The Agency" (2000-2003), an original series Beckner created for CBS, re-teamed the writer/producer with director Wolfgang Petersen. "The Agency" posited a CIA confronting a "war on terror" sparked by a Bin-Laden/Al Qaeda attack on the West. The first series allowed to film at the CIA, Beckner's pilot became international news for predicting a 9/11-style attack four months before the event. The series would go on to predict three more international terrorist acts. Beckner has written/produced episodes ranging from "CSI: Las Vegas" to Discovery Channel docudramas, and the upcoming Civil War miniseries "Battle Hymn" (Jeff Sagansky, producing partner).

Beckner's European work includes the "The Forgotten Soldier" (from Guy Sajer's bestselling memoir/Paul Verhoeven); "The Plan" (from Alex Dryden's bestsellers Red to Black and Moscow Sting); "City of Lies" (ZDF/Wolfgang Petersen); and "The Sleepwalkers" (from Christopher Clark's award-winning history of WWI).

Presently, Beckner has created two cable dramas: "Kaleidoscope" (Amasia Entertainment), and "Escapade" (eOne). Beckner's latest feature film is "Terminal Island" (Middleton Media/David Oyelowo). He has recently completed "A Very Special Guest," biopic of America's greatest jewel thief; WWII spy novel Berlin Mesa; and the first three books of his Spy Game Trilogy: Muir's Gambit, Bishop's Endgame, and Aiken in Check (basis for pending series reboot).

Beckner has been a Sundance Film Festival featured panelist. As a commentator on American espionage, Beckner has appeared on CNN, Fox News, CBS News, TF1 in France, and was a featured guest on Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect (HBO).
- IMDb mini biography by: Michael F Beckner