# Peter Craig
**Peter Craig** (born 1969) is an American screenwriter, producer, and novelist from Los Angeles, California, known for writing *The Town*, *The Hunger Games: Mockingjay* Parts 1 and 2, *Bad Boys for Life*, *The Batman*, and *Top Gun: Maverick*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185976/) His films have generated over four billion dollars at the global box office, and *Top Gun: Maverick* earned him Oscar and Writers Guild Award nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay.[2](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep646-peter-craig-writer-dope-thief-the-batman-gladiator-ii/id1292130289?i=1000713817872) He is the son of the actress [Sally Field](https://www.edgepedia.org/sally-field).[3](https://www.money-into-light.com/2016/09/an-interview-with-peter-craig-part-1-of.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1969, Los Angeles, California[4](https://www.fandango.com/people/peter-craig-936110/film-credits) |
| Novels | *The Martini Shot* (1998), *Hot Plastic* (2004), *Blood Father* (2005)[3](https://www.money-into-light.com/2016/09/an-interview-with-peter-craig-part-1-of.html) |
| Breakthrough | Co-writer of *The Town* (2010), adapted from Chuck Hogan's novel *Prince of Thieves*; the script reached the Black List[5](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/24-frames/story/2010-09-17/peter-craig-goes-to-town) |
| Major franchise credits | *Mockingjay* Parts 1 and 2 (2014–2015), *Bad Boys for Life* (2020), *The Batman* (2022), *Top Gun: Maverick* (2022), *Gladiator II* (2024)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185976/) |
| Awards | Oscar and WGA nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay (*Top Gun: Maverick*); Emmy winner as producer of *Remarkably Bright Creatures* (Outstanding Movie, 78th Emmy Awards)[2](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep646-peter-craig-writer-dope-thief-the-batman-gladiator-ii/id1292130289?i=1000713817872) • [6](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/peter-craig) |
| Television | Created, directed, and showran the Apple TV+ series *Dope Thief* (2025)[2](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep646-peter-craig-writer-dope-thief-the-batman-gladiator-ii/id1292130289?i=1000713817872) |
| Box office | His films have generated over four billion dollars globally[2](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep646-peter-craig-writer-dope-thief-the-batman-gladiator-ii/id1292130289?i=1000713817872) |
## Early life and novels
Craig grew up around film sets. As a child he appeared in the [Burt Reynolds](https://www.edgepedia.org/burt-reynolds) film *Hooper* (1978), credited as Pete, which also starred his mother, Sally Field; he later played Mig in *Satisfaction* (1988).[3](https://www.money-into-light.com/2016/09/an-interview-with-peter-craig-part-1-of.html) • [7](https://www.metacritic.com/person/peter-craig/) In interviews he has cited Martin Scorsese's *Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore* (1974), [Terrence Malick](https://www.edgepedia.org/terrence-malick)'s *[Badlands](https://www.edgepedia.org/badlands-film)* (1973), and the youth film *Over the Edge* (1979) as formative viewing.[3](https://www.money-into-light.com/2016/09/an-interview-with-peter-craig-part-1-of.html)
He first pursued fiction. He published three novels, *The Martini Shot* (1998), *Hot Plastic* (2004), and *Blood Father* (2005), all exploring the relationships between fathers and their offspring, and has said he could not make a living as a novelist at the pace the work required.[3](https://www.money-into-light.com/2016/09/an-interview-with-peter-craig-part-1-of.html) A Los Angeles Times profile of *Blood Father* described him at 35 as bringing "a surgeon's eye for detail" to a landscape of drug criminals and strained family ties.[8](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-mar-27-ca-craig27-story.html) In independent film, his feature script *Green* was selected for Film Independent's Fast Track Program and the Sundance Institute's Screenwriter's Lab.[9](https://www.filmindependent.org/talent/peter-craig/)
## Screenwriting career
**The Town.** Craig began developing a script from Chuck Hogan's novel *Prince of Thieves* years before [Ben Affleck](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-affleck) joined the project in 2008, at one point with [Adrian Lyne](https://www.edgepedia.org/adrian-lyne) attached to direct. His screenplay landed on the Black List, the industry's annual list of well-liked unproduced scripts, and he continued refining it with Affleck into the 2010 film, sharing screenplay credit with Affleck and Aaron Stockard.[5](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/24-frames/story/2010-09-17/peter-craig-goes-to-town) • [10](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-sep-12-la-ca-sneaks-must-see-town-20100912-story.html) Craig has said that in adapting Hogan's novel, the interwoven relationships took precedence for him over the heist mechanics.[11](https://emanuellevy.com/interviews/town-the-interview-with-ben-affleck-director-star-co-writer-9/)
**Franchise work.** *The Town* led to assignments on the two-part *Hunger Games: Mockingjay* finale (2014–2015), *12 Strong* (2018), *Hunter Killer* (2018), *Bad Boys for Life* (2020), and *The Unforgivable* (2021).[3](https://www.money-into-light.com/2016/09/an-interview-with-peter-craig-part-1-of.html) • [7](https://www.metacritic.com/person/peter-craig/) He adapted his own novel *Blood Father* with Andrea Berloff into the 2016 [Mel Gibson](https://www.edgepedia.org/mel-gibson) thriller, on which he also served as producer.[3](https://www.money-into-light.com/2016/09/an-interview-with-peter-craig-part-1-of.html) • [4](https://www.fandango.com/people/peter-craig-936110/film-credits)
**The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick.** Craig co-wrote *[The Batman](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-batman-film)* (2022) with director [Matt Reeves](https://www.edgepedia.org/matt-reeves), working on the script from 2017; the film earned a Metascore of 72.[12](https://time.com/6151836/batman-matt-reeves/) • [7](https://www.metacritic.com/person/peter-craig/) On *Top Gun: Maverick* (2022), he and Justin Marks share the story-by credit; screenwriters Peter Craig and Justin Marks wrote several earlier drafts that were not ultimately used, with the final screenplay credited to Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, and [Christopher McQuarrie](https://www.edgepedia.org/christopher-mcquarrie).[13](https://www.creativescreenwriting.com/cswcms/structurally-its-a-sports-movie-eric-warren-singer-on-top-gun-maverick/) The finished film nonetheless earned Craig Oscar and WGA nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay.[2](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep646-peter-craig-writer-dope-thief-the-batman-gladiator-ii/id1292130289?i=1000713817872) On *Gladiator II* (2024), he worked on the story while David Scarpa did more of the writing.[14](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/peter-craig-explains-co-writing-231424737.html)
## Television and producing
Craig created, directed, and was the showrunner for the Apple TV+ series *[Dope Thief](https://www.edgepedia.org/dope-thief)* (2025), about longtime friends who pose as DEA agents to rob a country house and unintentionally expose a major narcotics corridor on the Eastern seaboard.[2](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep646-peter-craig-writer-dope-thief-the-batman-gladiator-ii/id1292130289?i=1000713817872) With Bryan Unkeless he runs the production company Night Owl (also credited as Night Owl Stories), which produced the Netflix film *Remarkably Bright Creatures* (2026), an adaptation of [Shelby Van Pelt](https://www.edgepedia.org/shelby-van-pelt)'s novel starring Sally Field; the film won the Emmy for Outstanding Movie at the 78th [Emmy Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/emmy-awards) with Craig as producer.[6](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/peter-craig) • [15](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185976/news/)
## Recent developments
Mattson Tomlin is set to replace Craig as co-screenwriter on *The Batman – Part II* (2026).[15](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185976/news/) Movie Insider lists him as attached as screenwriter to projects in development including *Cowboy Bebop*, *The Birds*, *S.T.A.G.S.*, *Line of Fire*, and *Fathers and Guns*, and as director of *Wild Four O'Clocks*.[16](https://www.movieinsider.com/p13146/peter-craig)
## References
1. [Peter Craig, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185976/)
2. [Ep646 – Peter Craig, Writer 'Dope Thief,' 'The Batman' & 'Gladiator II', Creative Principles (Apple Podcasts)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep646-peter-craig-writer-dope-thief-the-batman-gladiator-ii/id1292130289?i=1000713817872)
3. [An Interview with Peter Craig (Part 1 of 2), Money Into Light](https://www.money-into-light.com/2016/09/an-interview-with-peter-craig-part-1-of.html)
4. [Peter Craig Filmography, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/peter-craig-936110/film-credits)
5. [Peter Craig goes to town, Los Angeles Times (2010)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/24-frames/story/2010-09-17/peter-craig-goes-to-town)
6. [Peter Craig, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/peter-craig)
7. [Peter Craig, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/peter-craig/)
8. [The ties that bend, Los Angeles Times (2005)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-mar-27-ca-craig27-story.html)
9. [Peter Craig, Film Independent Talent Guide](https://www.filmindependent.org/talent/peter-craig/)
10. ['The Town': The job is more than staging a heist, Los Angeles Times (2010)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-sep-12-la-ca-sneaks-must-see-town-20100912-story.html)
11. [The Town: Interview with Ben Affleck, Emanuel Levy](https://emanuellevy.com/interviews/town-the-interview-with-ben-affleck-director-star-co-writer-9/)
12. [The New Batman Is Deeply Unsettling. The Director Says That's the Point, TIME](https://time.com/6151836/batman-matt-reeves/)
13. ["Structurally, It's A Sports Movie" Eric Warren Singer On 'Top Gun: Maverick', Creative Screenwriting](https://www.creativescreenwriting.com/cswcms/structurally-its-a-sports-movie-eric-warren-singer-on-top-gun-maverick/)
14. [Peter Craig Explains How Co-Writing 'The Town' and 'The Batman' Paved the Way to 'Dope Thief', Yahoo Entertainment](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/peter-craig-explains-co-writing-231424737.html)
15. [Peter Craig – News, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185976/news/)
16. [Peter Craig Film Credits, Movie Insider](https://www.movieinsider.com/p13146/peter-craig)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Directors, producers, and screenwriters › Screenwriters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; 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