John Patton Ford

Actor, Writer, Director

Birthdate: December 30, 1981 (44 Years Old)

Birthplace: Sumter, South Carolina, USA

John Patton Ford is a director/writer who began his filmmaking career as a director of commercials and a music video director, as well as the short film Patrol (2010). Ford made his feature debut as director/writer of the dynamic and acclaimed crime drama/comedy, Emily the Criminal (2022), starring Aubrey Plaza (who was also a producer), Theo Rossi, Megalyn Echikunwoke and Gina Gershon, premiering at the Sundance Film Festival and released by Roadside Attractions/Vertical Entertainment (North America)/Universal Pictures (International).

Ford delivered his second feature as director/writer with his black comedy-thriller, How to Make a Killing (2026), a loose adaptation of the Alec Guinness-starring British classic, Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)--which in turn was an adaptation of Roy Horniman’s 1907 novel, Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal--starring Glen Powell, Margaret Qualley, Jessica Henwick, Bill Camp, Zach Woods, Topher Grace, Ed Harris and Raff Law, produced in France and the U.K. and shot in South Africa by Blueprint Pictures and released wide by A24 (U.S.)/StudioCanal (U.K.)

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Personal Life
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Facts

Personal life

John Patton Ford was born and raised in Sumter, South Carolina, by his parents. Ford attended and graduated from the University of South Carolina and then attended the directing fellowship program at the American Film Institute, from which he graduated with a Master of Fine Arts.

Known For

Emily the Criminal

(2022)

Huntington

(2025)

Untitled John Patton Ford Netflix Film

(1970)

Emily the Criminal

(1970)

John Patton Ford Movies

Director

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Previous (2)

2026 |
How to Make a Killing
How to Make a Killing
2026
Comedy, Drama, Thriller
Disowned at birth by his obscenely wealthy family, a blue-collar stop at nothing to reclaim his inheritance, no matter how many relatives stand in his way.
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2022 |
Emily the Criminal
Emily the Criminal
2022
Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Down on her luck and saddled with debt, Emily gets involved in a credit card scam that pulls her into the criminal underworld of Los Angeles, ultimately leading to deadly consequences.
More Info Watch Now

Writer

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Previous (1)

2022 |
Emily the Criminal
Emily the Criminal
2022
Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Down on her luck and saddled with debt, Emily gets involved in a credit card scam that pulls her into the criminal underworld of Los Angeles, ultimately leading to deadly consequences.
More Info Watch Now

Facts About John Patton Ford

Black Lister: John Patton Ford struggled for several years to sell his screenplays, but won an entry on the coveted annual Black List of best unproduced screenplays in 2014 for his script, then titled Rothchild, which was later sold and set with co-stars Shia LaBeouf and Mel Gibson with director Jon S. Baird. Though this project was halted, it was revived in 2023 with Ford as director under the working title Huntington, and finally titled How to Make a Killing. Influences: Ford has noted that his filmmaking influences are Michael Mann and Jacques Audiard.

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