# Dean Devlin
**Dean Devlin** (born 1962) is an American screenwriter, producer, director, and former actor who co-created the films *Universal Soldier* (1992), *[Stargate](https://www.edgepedia.org/stargate-film)* (1994), *[Independence Day](https://www.edgepedia.org/independence-day-1996-film)* (1996), and *Godzilla* (1998) with the German director [Roland Emmerich](https://www.edgepedia.org/roland-emmerich), and who later founded the independent studio Electric Entertainment, behind the television series *Leverage*, *The Librarians*, and *The Ark*.[1](https://www.electricentertainment.com/dean-devlin) • [2](https://www.electricentertainment.com/news-content/2024/5/22/electric-entertainments-dean-devlin-to-be-honoured-at-series-nostrum)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1962, New York City, New York, USA[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002041/) |
| Signature films | Writer and producer of *Stargate* (1994), *Independence Day* (1996), and *Godzilla* (1998), which collectively grossed more than $1.4 billion worldwide[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002041/) • [4](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/261377-Dean-Devlin?cp=1&cxt=Producer&pos=4&sid=8cda6def-3f5e-4956-8733-b3cea74e1e1a&sr=5.3192224e-7) |
| First produced screenplay | *Universal Soldier* (1992), among the first United States films of director Roland Emmerich[2](https://www.electricentertainment.com/news-content/2024/5/22/electric-entertainments-dean-devlin-to-be-honoured-at-series-nostrum) |
| Company | Founded Electric Entertainment in May 2001; chairman and CEO[1](https://www.electricentertainment.com/dean-devlin) |
| Television | Executive producer of five seasons of *Leverage* (TNT, 2008–2012); creator of *The Ark* (2023) and *The Librarians: The Next Chapter* (2025)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002041/) • [1](https://www.electricentertainment.com/dean-devlin) |
| Directing | Feature directorial debut with *Geostorm* (2017), followed by *Bad Samaritan* (2018)[2](https://www.electricentertainment.com/news-content/2024/5/22/electric-entertainments-dean-devlin-to-be-honoured-at-series-nostrum) |
## Early life and acting
Devlin was born in New York City in 1962 into a film family: his father was the writer-producer Don Devlin, whose papers include a letter from an MCA Universal executive confirming that Don Devlin discovered [Steven Spielberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-spielberg), and his mother was the actress Pilar Seurat.[5](https://www.electricentertainment.com/news-content/2025/10/10/how-star-trek-and-star-wars-fandom-inspired-dean-devlin-to-become-a-billion-dollar-producer) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002041/) In interviews he has said that his show-business start came not from his parents' professions but from a job as [Al Pacino](https://www.edgepedia.org/al-pacino)'s chauffeur, which led into production work.[6](https://www.thewrap.com/dean-devlin-my-hollywood-breakthrough-18742/) The American Film Institute Catalog lists him as an actor in *My Bodyguard* (1980), *The Wild Life* (1984), *City Limits* (1985), *Real Genius* (1985), and *Martians Go Home* (1990), and credits him as production assistant on *My Bodyguard*.[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/261377-Dean-Devlin?cp=1&cxt=Producer&pos=4&sid=8cda6def-3f5e-4956-8733-b3cea74e1e1a&sr=5.3192224e-7)
A formative experience he describes is watching *Star Wars* on opening day in 1977, when, at fourteen, he rode his bike from the [San Fernando Valley](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-fernando-valley) to [Grauman's Chinese Theatre](https://www.edgepedia.org/graumans-chinese-theatre) and was ninth in line; he has said the influence of that film's effects-driven adventure storytelling runs through his work from *Stargate* onward.[5](https://www.electricentertainment.com/news-content/2025/10/10/how-star-trek-and-star-wars-fandom-inspired-dean-devlin-to-become-a-billion-dollar-producer)
## The Emmerich partnership
**Moving behind the camera.** After writing his first produced feature, *Universal Soldier* (1992), Devlin decided he could not let other people produce his work, having observed that studios care more about who the director and the stars are than who the producer is.[7](https://screenplay.com/pages/screenwriting-chat-dean-devlin) With Emmerich he then co-wrote and produced Stargate (1994), *Independence Day* (1996), and *[Godzilla](https://www.edgepedia.org/godzilla-1998-film)* (1998), the run of science-fiction spectacles for which he is best known.[2](https://www.electricentertainment.com/news-content/2024/5/22/electric-entertainments-dean-devlin-to-be-honoured-at-series-nostrum)
*Independence Day* became a defining commercial hit. It was the fastest film to reach $100 million at the box office, and Devlin has described how, with nine studios bidding on the script, he and Emmerich negotiated for control of the marketing, including a 30-second teaser on Super Bowl Sunday in January 1996 showing the White House being destroyed, a campaign that began six months before release at a time when few films marketed that early.[8](https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/independence-day-at-30-roland-emmerich-and-dean-devlin-talk-blowing-up-the-white-house-and-crafting-a-true-sci-fi-classic-interview) In connection with *Stargate*, Devlin also created what one early company profile calls the first movie marketing website, credited with part of that film's opening-weekend success, and he later commissioned online games tied to *Independence Day* and *Godzilla* and developed the web destination mothership.com.[9](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.filmtrackonline.com/mongrelmedia/starcm_vault_root/images%2Ffiles%2F87%2F874bcda2-c9bc-48bd-a4bf-e88c71a7b47b.pdf)
*Godzilla* (1998) went the other way. When it missed Sony's projections for its opening weekend, the film was treated as a failure, even though its final gross more than tripled the $130 million spent to produce it; industry press and word of mouth helped establish *Godzilla* as a lasting black mark on the Devlin and Emmerich record.[10](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dean-devlin/) After the film, Sony did not renew its multi-year deal with Centropolis, the partners' company, and Devlin formed his own production slate in 2001.[10](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dean-devlin/) • [20](https://www.tcm.com/articles/153076/the-patriot) Between the two companies, Devlin produced Emmerich's Mel Gibson period drama *The Patriot* (2000), which received three Academy Award nominations and earned Gibson a People's Choice Award for Best Actor.[1](https://www.electricentertainment.com/dean-devlin)
After the original film, MGM retained the rights to the *Stargate* property, and the television franchise, beginning with *Stargate SG-1* in 1997, was produced without Emmerich and Devlin's involvement.[11](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/dean-devlin-stargate-reboot-let-us-finish-telling-161510630.html) Decades later, a new *Stargate* series developed with Devlin and Emmerich attached was canceled at Amazon MGM before airing.[12](https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/new-stargate-show-cancelled-at-amazon-mgm) Devlin and Emmerich also shared a writing credit on *Independence Day* and later told [Jeff Goldblum](https://www.edgepedia.org/jeff-goldblum) there was a part for him in the 2016 sequel, in which Devlin served as producer and screenwriter.[13](https://time.com/3475167/jeff-goldblum-independence-day-sequel/) • [14](https://www.fandango.com/people/dean-devlin-171236/film-credits)
## Electric Entertainment
In May 2001 Devlin founded Electric Entertainment in Los Angeles with partners Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan-Wilson, an independent, full-service production, sales, and distribution company that also houses Electric Post, a digital effects and postproduction facility.[1](https://www.electricentertainment.com/dean-devlin) • [15](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55dc9f4ae4b0f1735c5897e8/t/6718349566c1a254bc425b32/1729639573472/ElectricNOW%2Boriginals%2Brelease.pdf) The company marked its 24th anniversary in 2025. Devlin has said that every Electric project going forward, with the exceptions of *Independence Day: Resurgence* (2016) and his own *Geostorm* (2017), has been owned by the company, a model that required scaling down from the roughly $100 million budgets of his Centropolis projects.[16](https://www.electricentertainment.com/news-content/2025/10/10/dean-devlins-electric-entertainment-celebrates-25-years-of-success-with-the-ark-the-librarians-leverage-and-an-unexpected-business-model)
Electric's slate is built around television franchises. Devlin executive-produced five seasons of the TNT series *Leverage* (2008–2012) and made his directorial debut on its pilot, continuing to direct episodes; he later served as executive producer, writer, and director on the reboot *Leverage: Redemption*, whose third season premiered on Amazon Prime Video in April 2025.[6](https://www.thewrap.com/dean-devlin-my-hollywood-breakthrough-18742/) • [1](https://www.electricentertainment.com/dean-devlin) He also produced three *The Librarian* television movies for TNT starring [Noah Wyle](https://www.edgepedia.org/noah-wyle), which led to four seasons of the series *The Librarians* with Wyle, Rebecca Romijn, and [John Larroquette](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-larroquette), and a spin-off, *The Librarians: The Next Chapter*, which premiered in May 2025 on TNT.[1](https://www.electricentertainment.com/dean-devlin) Other Electric series include *The Outpost*, which aired its fourth season on [The CW](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-cw) in July 2021, *Almost Paradise* (2020–2023), which Devlin created and co-showran and which he describes as the first American series set in the Philippines, and the space series *The Ark*, which premiered in February 2023 on Syfy with Devlin as creator, writer, executive producer, and co-showrunner.[1](https://www.electricentertainment.com/dean-devlin) • [17](https://www.tvgrapevine.com/celebrity-spotlight-dean-devlin/)
The company also runs ElectricNOW, a free streaming app and FAST channel available on numerous platforms, carrying Electric's library and, from late 2025, original series made for the platform: the adult animated *Sloane and the Cosmic Schlep* and the single-camera comedy *The Poly Couple*.[1](https://www.electricentertainment.com/dean-devlin) • [18](https://tvbrittanyf.com/2026/06/09/dean-devlin-electricnow-interview/) • [19](https://senalnews.com/en/interviews/dean-devlin-cable-tv-in-the-united-states-is-not-dead)
## Directing and later film work
Devlin moved into feature directing with the disaster film *Geostorm* (2017), starring [Gerard Butler](https://www.edgepedia.org/gerard-butler), followed by *Bad Samaritan* (2018) with [David Tennant](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-tennant) and [Robert Sheehan](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-sheehan), released on 2,000 screens through Electric's own distribution arm.[2](https://www.electricentertainment.com/news-content/2024/5/22/electric-entertainments-dean-devlin-to-be-honoured-at-series-nostrum) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002041/) His other producing credits include *Eight Legged Freaks* (2002), *Cellular* (2004), and *Flyboys* (2006).[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/261377-Dean-Devlin?cp=1&cxt=Producer&pos=4&sid=8cda6def-3f5e-4956-8733-b3cea74e1e1a&sr=5.3192224e-7) In 2005 he executive produced, along with Bryan Singer, the Emmy-winning Syfy miniseries *The Triangle*.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002041/)
Among the honors attached to his work, Devlin received the first International Series Nostrum Creator Award at the Spanish festival Series Nostrum in June 2024.[2](https://www.electricentertainment.com/news-content/2024/5/22/electric-entertainments-dean-devlin-to-be-honoured-at-series-nostrum)
## References
1. [Dean Devlin — Electric Entertainment](https://www.electricentertainment.com/dean-devlin)
2. [Electric Entertainment's Dean Devlin to be honoured at Series Nostrum, Electric Entertainment (2024)](https://www.electricentertainment.com/news-content/2024/5/22/electric-entertainments-dean-devlin-to-be-honoured-at-series-nostrum)
3. [Dean Devlin — IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002041/)
4. [Dean Devlin — AFI Catalog of Feature Films](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/261377-Dean-Devlin?cp=1&cxt=Producer&pos=4&sid=8cda6def-3f5e-4956-8733-b3cea74e1e1a&sr=5.3192224e-7)
5. [How 'Star Trek' and 'Star Wars' Fandom Inspired Dean Devlin to Become a Billion Dollar Producer, Electric Entertainment (2025)](https://www.electricentertainment.com/news-content/2025/10/10/how-star-trek-and-star-wars-fandom-inspired-dean-devlin-to-become-a-billion-dollar-producer)
6. [Dean Devlin: My Hollywood Breakthrough, TheWrap (2010)](https://www.thewrap.com/dean-devlin-my-hollywood-breakthrough-18742/)
7. [Screenwriting Chat: Dean Devlin, Screenplay.com](https://screenplay.com/pages/screenwriting-chat-dean-devlin)
8. ['Independence Day' at 30: Roland Emmerich & Dean Devlin interview, Space.com](https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/independence-day-at-30-roland-emmerich-and-dean-devlin-talk-blowing-up-the-white-house-and-crafting-a-true-sci-fi-classic-interview)
9. [Company history profile, Electric Entertainment-era promotional document (Filmtrack)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.filmtrackonline.com/mongrelmedia/starcm_vault_root/images%2Ffiles%2F87%2F874bcda2-c9bc-48bd-a4bf-e88c71a7b47b.pdf)
10. [Dean Devlin — Writer, Producer, Director, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dean-devlin/)
11. [Dean Devlin on 'Stargate' Reboot: 'It's to Let Us Finish Telling Our Story', Yahoo Entertainment](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/dean-devlin-stargate-reboot-let-us-finish-telling-161510630.html)
12. [New 'Stargate' show cancelled at Amazon MGM, Space.com](https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/new-stargate-show-cancelled-at-amazon-mgm)
13. [Jeff Goldblum on Independence Day Sequel: 'It's Brewing', TIME](https://time.com/3475167/jeff-goldblum-independence-day-sequel/)
14. [Dean Devlin Filmography, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/dean-devlin-171236/film-credits)
15. [About Electric Entertainment, ElectricNOW originals press release](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55dc9f4ae4b0f1735c5897e8/t/6718349566c1a254bc425b32/1729639573472/ElectricNOW%2Boriginals%2Brelease.pdf)
16. [Dean Devlin's Electric Entertainment Celebrates 25 Years of Success, Electric Entertainment (2025)](https://www.electricentertainment.com/news-content/2025/10/10/dean-devlins-electric-entertainment-celebrates-25-years-of-success-with-the-ark-the-librarians-leverage-and-an-unexpected-business-model)
17. [Celebrity Spotlight: Dean Devlin, TV Grapevine](https://www.tvgrapevine.com/celebrity-spotlight-dean-devlin/)
18. [Dean Devlin takes ElectricNOW to another exciting level with original series, TVBrittanyF.com (2026)](https://tvbrittanyf.com/2026/06/09/dean-devlin-electricnow-interview/)
19. [Dean Devlin: "Cable TV in the United States is not dead", Señal News (2025)](https://senalnews.com/en/interviews/dean-devlin-cable-tv-in-the-united-states-is-not-dead)
20. [The Patriot](https://www.tcm.com/articles/153076/the-patriot)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Directors, producers, and screenwriters › Film producers › American and Canadian film producers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license