Known For
Directing
Known Credits
7
Gender
Male
Birthday
November 30, 1943 (82 years old)
Place of Birth
Ottawa, Illinois, USA
Terrence Malick (born November 30, 1943) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. In a career spanning over five decades, Malick has directed nine feature films. He is known for his singular style that combines loose narrative and editing structure with spiritual themes.
Malick made his feature film debut with Badlands (1973), a crime drama loosely inspired by the Starkweather-Fugate murders. He followed it with Days of Heaven (1978), a lyrical period drama about migrant laborers in the Texas Panhandle, which earned widespread acclaim for its cinematography. After this success, Malick took a two-decade hiatus from filmmaking before returning with The Thin Red Line (1998), an ensemble war epic set during the Battle of Guadalcanal, based on the novel of the same name by James Jones. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score and Best Sound.
He continued with The New World (2005), a meditative historical drama depicting the story of Pocahontes and the founding of Jamestown. Malick achieved critical prominence with The Tree of Life (2011), an ambitious family drama that won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and is frequently cited as one of the greatest films of the 21st century. This was followed by a series of more experimental, impressionistic works including To the Wonder (2012), Knight of Cups (2015), and Song to Song (2017), which explored themes of love, faith, and modern alienation through fragmented narrative and visual storytelling. Malick also directed the large-scale documentary Voyage of Time (2016), a cosmic history of the universe released in both IMAX and feature-length versions. He later returned to historical drama with A Hidden Life (2019), about Austrian conscientious objector Franz Jägerstätter during World War II.
In addition to his feature films, Malick has directed several high-profile commercials, including Mon Guerlain - Notes of a Woman (2017), a short film-style spot for Google Pixel 3 (2018), a nature-focused Ford commercial (2021) and a brand film for Louis Vuitton's USA campaign (2022).
| 2025 | I’m Glad You’re Dead Now...Thanks | |
| 2022 | A Cooler Climate...Thanks | |
| 2018 | Thy Kingdom Come...Thanks | |
| 2007 | Gone Baby Gone...Thanks | |
| 2001 | The Grey Zone...Thanks | |
| 1997 | Good Will Hunting...Thanks | |
| 1971 | Drive, He Said...Additional Writing |
| 2024 | All Illusions Must Be Broken...Executive Producer | |
| 2023 | Evolver...Executive Producer | |
| 2021 | The Book Of Vision...Executive Producer | |
| 2021 | Awaken...Executive Producer | |
| 2019 | Everybody’s Everything...Executive Producer | |
| 2017 | The Spearhead Effect...Executive Producer | |
| 2016 | The Vessel...Executive Producer | |
| 2016 | Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry...Executive Producer | |
| 2015 | Almost Holy...Executive Producer | |
| 2015 | The Seventh Fire...Executive Producer | |
| 2014 | The Better Angels...Producer | |
| 2013 | Red Wing...Executive Producer | |
| 2007 | The Unforeseen...Executive Producer | |
| 2006 | Amazing Grace...Producer | |
| 2004 | Undertow...Producer | |
| 2004 | The Beautiful Country...Producer | |
| 2000 | Happy Times...Executive Producer | |
| 1999 | Endurance...Producer | |
| 1974 | Badlands...Producer | |
| Halo of Stars...Executive Producer |
| 2022 | Towards a Dream in the USA...Director | |
| 2021 | Leading the Electric Revolution and Sustainability...Director | |
| 2019 | A Hidden Life...Director | |
| 2018 | Filmed on Pixel 3...Director | |
| 2018 | Together...Director | |
| 2017 | Song to Song...Director | |
| 2017 | Voyage of Time: Life's Journey...Director | |
| 2017 | Mon Guerlain: Notes of a Woman...Director | |
| 2016 | Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience...Director | |
| 2015 | Knight of Cups...Director | |
| 2013 | To the Wonder...Director | |
| 2011 | The Tree of Life...Director | |
| 2005 | The New World...Director | |
| 1998 | The Thin Red Line...Director | |
| 1978 | Days of Heaven...Director | |
| 1974 | Badlands...Director | |
| 1969 | Lanton Mills...Director | |
| The Way of the Wind...Director |
| 2019 | A Hidden Life...Writer | |
| 2017 | Song to Song...Writer | |
| 2017 | Voyage of Time: Life's Journey...Writer | |
| 2016 | Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience...Writer | |
| 2015 | Knight of Cups...Writer | |
| 2013 | To the Wonder...Writer | |
| 2011 | The Tree of Life...Writer | |
| 2008 | Che: Part Two...Screenplay | |
| 2005 | The New World...Screenplay | |
| 2004 | Undertow...Story | |
| 2004 | The Beautiful Country...Story | |
| 2002 | Bear's Kiss...Story | |
| 1998 | The Thin Red Line...Screenplay | |
| 1978 | Days of Heaven...Writer | |
| 1974 | The Dion Brothers...Writer | |
| 1974 | Badlands...Writer | |
| 1972 | Deadhead Miles...Screenplay | |
| 1972 | Pocket Money...Screenplay | |
| 1969 | Lanton Mills...Writer | |
| The Way of the Wind...Writer |
| 1969 | Lanton Mills...Music |
| 2022 | Ennioas Self (voice) | |
| 2002 | Rosy-Fingered Dawn: A Film on Terrence Malickas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1992 | HBO First Lookas Self | |
| 1978 | Days of Heavenas Mill Worker (uncredited) | |
| 1974 | Badlandsas Caller at Rich Man's House (uncredited) | |
| 1972 | Pocket Moneyas Worksman (uncredited) | |
| 1969 | Lanton Millsas Tilman |