Ed Solomon
The screenwriter who brought the Men in Black to the big screen.
Edward James Solomon is an American filmmaker best known for writing the screenplay for Men in Black (1997). Born September 15, 1960, he is also known for creating the Bill & Ted franchise with Chris Matheson. Before tackling sci-fi comedies like Men in Black, Solomon honed his craft as a staff writer for Laverne & Shirley while still in college, becoming the youngest member of the Writers Guild of America at that time. He later spent three years writing the cult Showtime series It's Garry Shandling's Show before moving into feature films.
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Edward James Solomon
- Born
- 15 September 1960
- Birthplace
- Saratoga, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- Screenwriter
- director
- producer
- Children
- 2
Lore & Background
Solomon wrote the screenplay for Men in Black, released in 1997. This project added to a career that included co-writing Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991) with Chris Matheson. His work on Men in Black established him as a key writer for hit franchise films, which also include Charlie's Angels and the Now You See Me series. In March 2016, he completed production on Mosaic, a 12-hour long-form TV project for HBO made in collaboration with director Steven Soderbergh. This marked the start of further collaborations with Soderbergh, including the neo-noir film No Sudden Move in 2021 and the crime series Full Circle, which premiered July 13, 2023.
Reader's Guide
Solomon is Jewish and was married from 1995 to 2011 to Cynthia Cleese, the daughter of Connie Booth and John Cleese. They have two children together. Professionally, he continues to be an active industry professional, having collaborated with Steven Soderbergh on multiple projects following Mosaic in 2016. His filmography spans decades, starting with television writing in his youth and expanding into major franchise screenplays like Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020), which he also co-wrote with Matheson.
Did You Know?
- He majored in Economics at UCLA before launching his career as a joke writer and comedian.
- Solomon worked on an early version of a Universal The Invisible Man remake intended to star Johnny Depp.
More in People & Notable Figures
Elsewhere in Men in Black
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