Biography

Michaels recently wrapped his feature writing and directorial debut "The Third Parent". The movie stars Rob Lowe and Crispin Glover. The effort is being led by acclaimed indie producer Gary Michael Walters (Whiplash, Nightcrawler, Neon Demon, Drive). Bleecker Street will distribute the movie theatrically in the Spring of 2026. HanWay Films is handling the film's international roll-out.

Michaels also led the creative arm of a rising production company which has recently co-produced Ari Aster's film "Eddington" with A24. It stars Emma Stone, Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, and Austin Butler. The company also co-produced "Trap House" with Ridley Scott and Signature which stars Dave Bautista and Bobby Cannavale.

Over his career, Michaels has effectively packaged projects with Robin Williams, Cameron Diaz, Jeff Bridges, Whoopi Goldberg, Danny DeVito, Cathy Schulman, Rick Yorn, Michael Menchel, Pamela Abdy, David Lynch, Howard Rosenman, Stacey Sher, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, Sandy Stern, Ken Kwapis, and Tim Blake Nelson.

His produced projects include:

"Surveillance" directed by Jennifer Lynch, which stars Bill Pullman and Julia Ormond. David Lynch executive produced. The movie premiered to critical acclaim on the red carpet in the Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival. Magnolia Pictures (then under the direction of Neon's Tom Quinn) released the movie theatrically in North America. Warner Brothers and Wild Bunch handled the film's international release.

"Signs of Love" directed by Clarence Fuller, which stars siblings Hopper and Dylan Penn, Rosanna Arquette, and her daughter Zoë Bleu. The movie won the Rome Film Festival's prestigious Corbucci Award and was released domestically in theaters nationwide by Blue Fox Entertainment.

"Puppy Love" directed by Michael Maxxis, starring Hopper Penn, Paz de La Huerta, Michael Madsen, Rosanna Arquette, and Wayne Newton. It won Best Picture at the Oldenburg International Film Festival and is being released theatrically next year by Robert Schwartzman's Utopia. Butch Vig produced the accompanying soundtrack album.

Michaels' other produced projects include:

"The Giver" directed by Phillip Noyce starring Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep. Walden Media co-produced and the Weinstein Co. handled the movie's domestic and global release; "The Watsons Go to Birmingham". Walden Media again co-produced, as did CBS, Sony, and Hallmark; "Shelter Island" which starred Chris Penn, Stephen Baldwin, Patsy Kensit, and Ally Sheedy; and "Murder at the Cannes Film Festival" which starred French Stewart and Bo Derek. It was co-produced with Merv Griffin, E! Entertainment, and premiered on the Showtime Network.

His development slate includes:

"Pacific Sector" premium television series. Michael Seitzman ("The Rainmaker") is set as showrunner; "Taxi Dog" written by James V. Hart (Coppola's "Dracula", Spielberg's "Hook"). It was originally set at Warner Brothers with the late Robin Williams attached to star and Ted Field's Radar Pictures co-producing, "The Marx Brothers" written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karasczewski (Ed Wood, Man on the Moon). It's set at Universal Pictures with Stacey Sher and Danny Devito co-producing; "Fenwick's Suit" written by John August ("Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "Big Fish"). Howard Rosenman co-produces and the movie is set at Fox 2000; "Dry Fire". It's set up at HBO with the late Penny Marshall's company Parkway; "Sleepless Beauty" written by Larry Wilson (Beetlejuice, The Addams Family). It's set up at Warner Brothers; and lastly "The Guardian Angels" which is set at MGM with the late director John Avildsen ("Karate Kid", "Rocky").

Michaels penned "M" which has inspired several high-profile actors to passionately join the project. Those thespians have included Woody Harrelson, Anjelica Huston, Ryan Gosling, Giovanni Ribisi, Juno Temple, Tim Roth, Katie Holmes, Jason Lee, Dave Matthews, Alanis Morissette, Lili Taylor, and Jim Broadbent. Jory Weitz ("Napoleon Dynamite", "Nacho LIbre") is producing while Butch Vig (Foo Fighters, Green Day, Nirvana) handles the soundtrack.

As a philanthropist, Michaels continues to mentor the exceptional pool of young filmmakers emerging from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. He continues to curate art-driven charitable events which directly benefit the David Lynch Foundation, and also serves as co-chair with musician/producer Butch Vig for the Industry Advisory Group of Joey's Song, which is an annual benefit concert whose proceeds are used in the research to find cures for rare and intractable epilepsies found in children and their families who experience these traumatic difficulties.
- IMDb mini biography by: Enfant Terrible Cinema