View source for Alexandre Aja



{{Infobox person
| name          = Alexandre Aja
| image         = Alexandre Aja (17493159043) (cropped).jpg 
| alt           = 
| caption       = Aja in 2015
| birth_name    = Alexandre Jouan-Arcady
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1978|8|7|df=y}}
| birth_place   = Paris, France
| occupation    = {{hlist|Film director|film producer|screenwriter}}
| years_active  = 1997{{ndash}}present
| known_for     = 
| notable_works = ''[[Haute Tension]]'', ''[[The Hills Have Eyes (2006 film)|The Hills Have Eyes]]'', ''[[Mirrors (2008 film)|Mirrors]]'', ''[[Piranha 3D]]'', ''[[Oxygen (2021 film)|Oxygen]]''
| father        = [[Alexandre Arcady]]
| relatives     = [[Diane Kurys]] (stepmother)<br/>[[Sacha Sperling]] (half-brother)
}}

'''Alexandre Jouan-Arcady''', known professionally as '''Alexandre Aja''' ({{IPA|fr|alɛksɑ̃dʁ aʒa|lang}}; born 7 August 1978), is a French filmmaker best known for his work in the [[horror film|horror]] genre. He rose to international stardom for his 2003 horror film ''[[High Tension|Haute Tension]]'' (known as ''High Tension'' in the US and ''Switchblade Romance'' in the UK). He has also directed the films ''[[The Hills Have Eyes (2006 film)|The Hills Have Eyes]]'' (2006), ''[[Mirrors (2008 film)|Mirrors]]'' (2008), ''[[Piranha 3D]]'' (2010), ''[[Horns (film)|Horns]]'' (2013) and  ''[[Crawl (2019 film)|Crawl]]'' (2019).

==Personal life==
Aja's pseudonymous surname is formed from the initial letter of each of the three parts of his real name. He was born in Paris, France, and is the son of Jewish French ''[[pied-noir]]'' director [[Alexandre Arcady]] and French cinema critic Marie-Jo Jouan. 

==Career==
Aja acted at a very young age in minor roles in his father's films such as ''{{Interlanguage link|Le Grand Carnaval|fr}}'', and the two ''{{Interlanguage link|Le Grand Pardon|fr}}'' films.

He made his directorial debut at the age of eighteen with the short film ''Over the Rainbow'', which received a [[Cannes Film Festival]] [[Golden Palm Award]] nomination for best short film. In 1999 he directed ''Furia'', a film based on [[Julio Cortázar]]'s short story ''Graffiti''. From ''Furia'' and his next features, he frequently works with [[Grégory Levasseur]] as writers such as in ''[[The Hills Have Eyes (2006 film)|The Hills Have Eyes]]'', ''[[Mirrors (2008 film)|Mirrors]]'', ''[[P2 (film)|P2]]'', and ''[[Piranha 3D]]''. Levasseur also made his works as production designer too.

[[File:Alexandreaja.jpg|thumb|right|Aja in January 2011]]
Aja directed ''[[High Tension|Haute Tension]]'', which released in 2003 in France and in 2005 in the US, and placed Aja on the map of the [[horror movie]] genre. The French slasher, though sticking to horror conventions, pushed the envelope of gore and tension. The film is an unauthorized reinterpretation of the novel "[[Intensity (novel)|Intensity]]", by [[Dean Koontz]]. Favouring make-up effects over computer-generated imagery, the film quickly found respect among horror fans. It was released in the US as ''High Tension'', after some editing. The film was nominated for the grand prize at the [[Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival]], and earned Aja awards for Best Direction and Best Fantasy Film at the [[Sitges Film Festival]].

After seeing ''High Tension'', American director [[Wes Craven]] asked Aja to come up with a concept for the remake of his 1977 film ''[[The Hills Have Eyes (1977 film)|The Hills Have Eyes]]''. Craven subsequently asked Aja to direct the movie, which was released with an R rating in the US after extensive editing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/36830/piranha-3d-new-title-treatment-and-updated-website|title=Piranha 3D New Title Treatment and Updated Website|date=28 August 2012 }}</ref>{{failed verification|date=May 2015}}

His next project was a horror film entitled ''[[Mirrors (2008 film)|Mirrors]]'', about a mysterious mirror that brings out the worst aspects of people whenever they look at themselves in it. The film is a remake of the [[K-Horror]] film ''[[Into the Mirror]]''. Aja directed ''[[Piranha 3D]]'', a horror movie about prehistoric piranhas in Arizona.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ditzian |first=Eric |date=30 March 2010 |title='Piranha 3-D' Director Talks Nudity, Blood And The Future Of 3-D |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1635103/piranha-3-d-director-talks-nudity-blood-and-the-future-of-3-d/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518232150/http://www.mtv.com/news/1635103/piranha-3-d-director-talks-nudity-blood-and-the-future-of-3-d/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 May 2015 |work=MTV News}}</ref> It is a remake of the 1978 film ''[[Piranha (1978 film)|Piranha]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/19651 |title=Alex Aja Defends Post 3-D 'Piranha', Talks Blood and Guts |date=31 March 2010 |website=Bloody Disgusting}}</ref>

Because Aja was working on ''Mirrors'', he did not direct ''[[The Hills Have Eyes 2]]'', which was released on 10 March 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/18563|title=25 of the Decade's Most Influential Figures in Horror|date=January 2010 }}</ref>{{failed verification|date=May 2015}}

In 2004, Aja was named by ''Variety'' on the Ten Directors to Watch list. He is a member of the so-called [[Splat Pack]], a term coined by film historian [[Alan Jones (film critic)|Alan Jones]] in ''Total Film'' magazine for a new wave of directors making brutally violent horror films. The other Splat Pack members are [[Darren Lynn Bousman]], [[Neil Marshall]], [[Greg McLean (filmmaker)|Greg McLean]], [[Eli Roth]], [[James Wan]], [[Leigh Whannell]], and [[Rob Zombie]].

Aja has been associated with the [[New French Extremity]] film movement.

Aja produced [[Maniac (2012 film)|a remake]] of the 1980 horror slasher ''[[Maniac (1980 film)|Maniac]]'', starring [[Elijah Wood]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |date=4 November 2011 |title=Elijah Wood Finds Killer Role In 'Maniac' |url=https://deadline.com/2011/11/elijah-wood-finds-killer-role-in-maniac-191167/ |website=Deadline}}</ref> The film was released in 2012. In 2013, he directed the dark fantasy thriller ''[[Horns (film)|Horns]]'', starring [[Daniel Radcliffe]], [[Juno Temple]], [[Joe Anderson (actor)|Joe Anderson]], [[James Remar]], [[Kelli Garner]] and [[Max Minghella]]. He also produced the 2014 horror film ''[[The Pyramid (film)|The Pyramid]]'' directed by [[Grégory Levasseur]] and starring [[Ashley Hinshaw]], [[Denis O'Hare]], and [[James Buckley (actor)|James Buckley]]. Aja produced and directed the 2016 psychological thriller film ''[[The 9th Life of Louis Drax]]'', which is based on a novel by [[Liz Jensen]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/images/3330011/preview-15-first-look-alex-ajas-9th-life-louis-drax/ |title=The 9th Life Of Louis Drax |date=29 January 2015 |website=Bloody Disgusting}}</ref>

Aja is set to direct a live action adaptation of the manga series ''[[Cobra (manga)|Space Adventure Cobra]]'',<ref>{{cite news |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |date=18 August 2010 |title=Alex Aja Goes from 'Piranha 3D' to 'Cobra: Space Pirate' |url=https://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=28702 |website=Deadline}}</ref> and the ''[[Mice and Mystics]]'' film for [[DreamWorks Animation]].<ref>{{cite news|last=McNary|first=Dave|title=DreamWorks Animation to Develop 'Mice and Mystics' Movie (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/dreamworks-animation-mice-and-mystics-movie-1202992375/|date=24 October 2018|work=Variety|access-date=24 February 2022}}</ref> In 2019, Alexandre Aja directed his highest grossing and best-reviewed film yet, ''[[Crawl (2019 film)|Crawl]].''

On February 6, 2026, it was that Aja will direct the sequel to the action horror film ''[[Under Paris]]'' for [[Netflix]].<ref>[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/under-paris-2-netflix-alexandre-aja-1236497240/ Alexandre Aja to Direct Sequel to Shark Thriller 'Under Paris’’ (Exclusive)]</ref>

On February 13, 2026, it was announced that Aja will co-write the horror film adaptation of ''[[Dead by Daylight#Film adaptation|Dead by Daylight]]'' with [[David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick]] for [[Blumhouse Productions]], [[Atomic Monster]] and [[Behaviour Interactive]].<ref>[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/dead-by-daylight-movie-adaptation-writers-1236505104/ 'Dead By Daylight' Movie Adaptation Lands 'The Conjuring,' 'Crawl' Combo as Writers (Exclusive)]</ref><ref>[https://collider.com/blumhouse-dead-by-daylight-video-game-adaptation-the-conjuring-under-paris-writers-david-leslie-johnston-mcgoldrick-alexandre-aja/ Blumhouse's Adaptation of Gaming's Most Popular Horror Franchise Conjures Up the Perfect Writers]</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! Year
! Title 
!width=65| Director
!width=65| Producer 
!width=65| Writer
! Notes 
! {{abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}}
|-
|1999
|''[[Furia (film)|Furia]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| 
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinema.encyclopedie.films.bifi.fr/index.php?pk=69284&_ga=2.14577015.1702351849.1514345860-1121824231.1514089972|website=Bifi.fr|title=Furia (1999) Alexandre Aja|access-date=26 December 2017|language=fr}}</ref>
|-
|2002
|''{{Interlanguage link|Entre chiens et loups|fr|3=Entre chiens et loups (film)}}''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| Also second assistant director
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinema.encyclopedie.films.bifi.fr/index.php?pk=80771&_ga=2.45076452.1702351849.1514345860-1121824231.1514089972|website=Bifi.fr|title=Entre chiens et loups (2001) Alexandre Arcady|access-date=26 December 2017|language=fr}}</ref>
|-
|2003
|''[[High Tension]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| 
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinema.encyclopedie.films.bifi.fr/index.php?pk=85567&_ga=2.43878757.1702351849.1514345860-1121824231.1514089972|website=Bifi.fr|title=Haute tension (1999) Alexandre Aja|access-date=26 December 2017|language=fr}}</ref>
|-
|2006
|{{sort|Hills Have Eyes|''[[The Hills Have Eyes (2006 film)|The Hills Have Eyes]]''}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| 
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinema.encyclopedie.films.bifi.fr/index.php?pk=99365&_ga=2.91515354.1702351849.1514345860-1121824231.1514089972|website=Bifi.fr|title=The Hills Have Eyes (2005) Alexandre Aja|access-date=26 December 2017|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/63867?cxt=filmography|publisher=[[American Film Institute]]|title=The Hills Have Eyes|access-date=26 December 2017}}</ref>
|-
|2007
|''[[P2 (film)|P2]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| Also story author
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/64418?cxt=filmography|publisher=American Film Institute|title=P2|access-date=26 December 2017}}</ref>
|-
|2008
|''[[Mirrors (2008 film)|Mirrors]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| 
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/64703?cxt=filmography|publisher=American Film Institute|title=Mirrors|access-date=26 December 2017}}</ref>
|-
|2010
|''[[Piranha 3D]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| 
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/66570?cxt=filmography|publisher=American Film Institute|title=Piranha 3D|access-date=26 December 2017}}</ref>
|-
|2012
|''[[Maniac (2012 film)|Maniac]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| 
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2012/film/markets-festivals/maniac-1117947653/|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|title=Maniac|last=Nelson|first=Rob|date=26 May 2012|access-date=27 December 2017}}</ref>
|-
|2013
|''[[Horns (film)|Horns]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| 
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/70671?cxt=filmography|publisher=American Film Institute|title=Horns|access-date=26 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/tiff-2013-vanguard-horns-daniel-radcliffe/|title=TIFF 2013 Vanguard Line-Up Announced; Includes Alexandre Aja's HORNS Starring Daniel Radcliffe|first=Matt|last=Goldberg|date=30 July 2013|publisher=collider.com|access-date=31 July 2013}}</ref>
|-
|2014
|''[[The Pyramid (film)|The Pyramid]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| 
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="ThePyramids2014">{{cite web | url = https://deadline.com/2014/12/hunger-games-box-office-no-1-third-weekend-in-a-row-slow-business-1201308869/ | title = Majors Take A Holiday From New Wide Releases – Weekend Box Office Preview | author = Anthony D'Alessandro | publisher = [[Deadline Hollywood]] | date = 4 December 2014 | access-date = 5 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinema.encyclopedie.films.bifi.fr/index.php?pk=126833&_ga=2.91194714.1702351849.1514345860-1121824231.1514089972|publisher=Bifi.fr|title=The Pyramid|access-date=27 December 2017|language=fr}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan=2|2016
|{{sort|Other Side of the Door|''[[The Other Side of the Door (2016 film)|The Other Side of the Door]]''}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| 
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinema.encyclopedie.films.bifi.fr/index.php?pk=131783&_ga=2.52314217.1702351849.1514345860-1121824231.1514089972|publisher=Bifi.fr|title=The Other Side of the Door |access-date=27 December 2017|language=fr}}</ref>
|-
|{{sort|9th Life of Louis Drax|''[[The 9th Life of Louis Drax]]''}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| 
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/the-9th-life-of-louis-drax-review-1201848783/|work=Variety|title=The 9th Life of Louis Drax |date=2 September 2016 |access-date=27 December 2017}}</ref>
|-
|2019
|''[[Crawl (2019 film)|Crawl]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| 
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/alexandre-aja-sam-raimi-team-paramount-horror-thriller-crawl-1107001|title=Alexandre Aja, Sam Raimi Team for Paramount Horror Thriller 'Crawl' (Exclusive)|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|first=Borys|last=Kit|date=1 May 2018|access-date=21 August 2018}}</ref>
|-
|2021
|''[[Oxygen (2021 film)|Oxygen]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| 
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/07/o2-netflix-alexandre-aja-melanie-laurent-1202992758/|title=Netflix Boards Alexandre Aja-Directed Thriller 'O2'; Mélanie Laurent To Star|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Nancy|last=Tartaglione|date=23 July 2020|access-date=23 July 2020}}</ref>
|-
|2023
|''[[Night of the Hunted (2023 film)|Night of the Hunted]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/night-hunted-trailer-previews-shudder-213052212.html|title=Night of the Hunted Trailer Previews New Shudder Horror Movie|website=Yahoo entertainment|first=Anthony|last=Nash|date=27 September 2023|access-date=6 November 2023}}</ref>
|-
|2024
| ''[[Never Let Go (2024 film)|Never Let Go]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|first=Andreas|last=Wiseman|title=Halle Berry To Star In Thriller 'Mother Land' For Lionsgate, 'Stranger Things' Outfit 21 Laps & Director Alexandre Aja — Cannes Market Hot Pic|url=https://deadline.com/2022/05/halle-berry-stranger-things-arrival-producer-mother-land-lionsgate-cannes-1235019878/|date=May 9, 2022|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=February 3, 2023}}</ref>
|-
|}

'''Other credits'''
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! Year
! Title 
! Role 
! {{abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}}
|-
|2004
|''[[Mariage mixte]]''
| Second unit director
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinema.encyclopedie.films.bifi.fr/index.php?pk=90884&_ga=2.91515354.1702351849.1514345860-1121824231.1514089972|website=Bifi.fr|title=Mariage mixte |access-date=26 December 2017|language=fr}}</ref>
|-
|2005
|''[[Marock]]''
| Artistic advisor, technical advisor
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinema.encyclopedie.films.bifi.fr/index.php?pk=85567&_ga=2.43878757.1702351849.1514345860-1121824231.1514089972|website=Bifi.fr|title=Haute tension (1999) Alexandre Aja|access-date=26 December 2017|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/films/marock|publisher=[[Cannes Film Festival]]|title=Marock|access-date=26 December 2017|language=fr}}</ref>
|-
|2013 
|''[[Rock the Casbah (2013 film)|Rock the Casbah]]''
| Associate producer
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinema.encyclopedie.films.bifi.fr/index.php?pk=120744&_ga=2.10257781.1702351849.1514345860-1121824231.1514089972|publisher=Bifi.fr|title=Rock the casbah|access-date=27 December 2017}}</ref>
|-
|2016
|''[[Fury of the Demon|La Rage du démon]]''
| Himself
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinema.encyclopedie.films.bifi.fr/index.php?pk=134843&_ga=2.52314217.1702351849.1514345860-1121824231.1514089972|publisher=Bifi.fr|title=La Rage du démon (2016) |access-date=27 December 2017|language=fr}}</ref>
|-
|2017
|''[[47 Meters Down]]''
|Executive producer
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>[https://variety.com/2015/artisans/production/shark-themed-film-is-first-feature-set-to-shoot-in-lantica-pinewood-indomina-studios-new-water-tank-1201542135/ Shark Film '47 Meters Down' Ready to Break in Tanks at Pinewood DR Studios]</ref>
|}

==See also==
* [[Furia (album)|''Furia'' (album)]]
* [[Alexandre Aja's unrealized projects]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|14960}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060321180740/http://www.foxsearchlight.com/filmmakers/aja/ Alexandre Aja on Fox Searchlight]
*[http://www.eatmybrains.com/showfeature.php?id=43 Eat My Brains! interview with Alexandre Aja]
*[http://sci-fi-online.com/2006_Interviews/06-06-26_AlexandreAja.htm Alexandre Aja interview] on sci-fi-online.com

{{Alexandre Aja}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Aja, Alexandre}}
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:French horror film directors]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Film directors from Paris]]
[[Category:French film producers]]
[[Category:French male screenwriters]]
[[Category:French screenwriters]]
[[Category:21st-century French Jews]]
[[Category:Jewish French film people]]

{{Wikipedia attribution|original_title=Alexandre Aja|access_date=2026-02-24}}