S. Craig Zahler

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Steven Craig Zahler (born January 23, 1973) is an American filmmaker, novelist, and composer from Miami, Florida. He studied film at New York University and started out as a cinematographer before focusing on screenwriting and directing. He writes and composes the music for his own films.

Directing and writing
- Bone Tomahawk (2015): Zahler’s first feature as writer-director. The horror western stars Kurt Russell and was released in theaters and on video on demand. It earned strong praise, with a 90% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and favorable notes from outlets like The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, and Variety. It won Best Picture and Best Director at Sitges.
- Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017): Zahler’s second film as writer-director and co-composer, starring Vince Vaughn. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival and received high critical marks (Rotten Tomatoes around 92%). It appeared on several year-end lists and was added to the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection.
- Dragged Across Concrete (2018): Zahler’s third feature as writer-director and co-composer, featuring Mel Gibson and Vaughn. It premiered at Venice in 2018 and was released in the United States in 2019.

Other work and projects
- He has written scripts for various projects and has been involved in numerous development efforts, including works that were top contenders on industry lists and at major studios.
- In 2024, it was announced that Zahler would write and direct The Bookie & the Bruiser, with Vince Vaughn and Adrien Brody set to star; by 2025, Theo James had replaced Brody.
- Zahler’s films have often been noted for their brutal violence and dark humor, and he has spoken about focusing on art rather than politics.

Novels and other writing
- Zahler is also an accomplished novelist. His noir western A Congregation of Jackals was nominated for The Spur Award and The Peacemaker Award. Other novels include Corpus Chrome, Mean Business on North Ganson Street, and more, many of which received starred reviews.
- He has written for other media as well, including horror screenplays like Asylum Blackout (also known as The Incident at Sans Asylum).

Music and other arts
- As a musician, Zahler performs under the stage name Czar and collaborates in metal projects such as Realmbuilder and Charnel Valley. He has released music with these bands and contributed to soundtracks under his real name, including work as a composer for his films.

Personal notes
- Zahler was raised Jewish but identifies as an atheist. He has said he is not driven by politics and prefers focusing on his art. He is not married.

In short, S. Craig Zahler is a multidisciplinary creator known for his intense, genre-blending films, his novels, and his music, with a career spanning directing, writing, and composing across multiple media.