Joseph Aaron "Joe" Carnahan (born May 9, 1969) is an American independent film director, screenwriter, producer and actor best known for his films Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane, Narc, Smokin' Aces and The A-Team. He is the brother of screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan.

Early life

Raised in Michigan and Northern California, Carnahan became employed in the promotional department of Sacramento's KMAX-TV, producing short films and television spots.

Movie career

In 1998 he won some cult and critical acclaim for his film Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane which premiered in September 1997 at the New York's Independent Feature Film Market and later at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival.

He directed the 2002 Detroit set thriller Narc, starring Ray Liotta and Jason Patric. At one point he was solicited to direct Mission: Impossible III, produced by Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner (who also executive produced Narc), however he subsequently left the production due to conflicting views on the tone of the film. It was also announced in October 2005 Carnahan would be directing a film based on the life of convicted drug dealer Will Wright, but the project seems to be abandoned.

His next film, Smokin' Aces, was produced in 2006 and released in January 2007. He also co-wrote the screenplay of Pride and Glory, released in 2008 nearly a year behind schedule.

He is also attached to direct an adaptation of James Ellroy's novel White Jazz with George Clooney producing and starring, but Clooney later pulled out from the production. He was also set to direct Mark Bowden's book Killing Pablo, but there is no set release date for the film. Most recently, Carnahan penned Remarkable Fellows for Universal and is writing the action science fiction piece Cobalt with good friend and actor Brian Bloom. Both Bloom and Carnahan were then hired by Fox for the revamping of their long-gestating A-Team project, based on the hit '80's television series. Carnahan directed the film. He is also slated to direct the thriller The Grey, starring Bradley Cooper and Liam Neeson. It will direct the film adaption of the Garth Ennis graphic novel Preacher.

Filmography

Director

• Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane (1998)
• Narc (2002)
• Smokin' Aces (2007)
• The A-Team (2010)
• The Grey (2012)
• Killing Pablo (TBA)
• White Jazz (TBA)

Screenwriter

• Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane (1998)
• Narc (2002)
• Smokin' Aces (2007)
• Pride and Glory (2008) - With Gavin O'Connor
• Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball (2009) - Story Only
• The A-Team (2010) - With Brian Bloom and Skip Woods
• The Grey (2012) - With Ian McKenzie Jeffers
• Bunny Lake Is Missing (TBA)
• White Jazz (TBA)
• Killing Pablo (TBA)

Producer

• Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane (1998)
• The Fourth Kind (2009)
• The Grey (2012)

Actor

• Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane (1998) - Sid French
• The A-Team (2010) - Mexican Hospital Liaison (Uncredited)

Short films

• The Hire: Ticker (2002)