SAM ESMAIL is an award-winning writer, director and producer known for his bold visual style and masterful command of psychological storytelling.

Upcoming, Esmail brings his signature tension to PANIC CAREFULLY, a paranoid thriller from Warner Bros. Pictures, which he wrote and directed. The film stars Julia Roberts, Elizabeth Olsen, Eddie Redmayne and Brian Tyree Henry.

Esmail most recently wrote, directed and produced the feature LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND for Netflix, adapted from Rumaan Alam’s acclaimed novel. The apocalyptic drama stars Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke and Myha’la Herrold, and premiered to critical acclaim as one of the platform’s most-watched films upon release.

He previously created and directed the groundbreaking USA Network series MR. ROBOT, starring Rami Malek, which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin and won the “Audience Award for the Best Episodic.” The cultural phenomenon received a Golden Globe for “Best Television Series—Drama,” a Peabody Award, a Critics Choice Television Award for “Best Drama Series,” the Television Critics Association Award for “Outstanding New Program,” and a Writers Guild of America Award for “Television: New Series,” over its four-season run.

Following MR. ROBOT, Esmail directed and executive produced the first season of Amazon Prime Video’s HOMECOMING, starring Julia Roberts, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. He went on to executive produce Starz’s GASLIT, a political thriller centered on the untold stories of the Watergate scandal and starring Roberts alongside Sean Penn, earning four Critics Choice nominations and a Golden Globe nomination.

Under his production banner Esmail Corp and its television deal with Universal Content Productions, he has also produced acclaimed series including Peacock’s ANGELYNE, starring Emmy Rossum, BRIARPATCH and THE RESORT.

A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and the American Film Institute’s directing program, Esmail first appeared on the industry’s radar with his original screenplay SEQUELS, REMAKES & ADAPTATIONS, which landed on the Black List, followed by NORM THE MOVIE. His feature directorial debut, COMET, starring Emmy Rossum and Justin Long, was released through IFC Films.

Esmail is based in Los Angeles and New York City.

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