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Ruben Samuel FleischerΒ (/ΛflaΙͺΚΙr/; born October 31, 1974) is an American film director, film producer, television producer, music video director, and commercial director who lives inΒ Montclair, New Jersey. He is best known as the director ofΒ ZombielandΒ (2009), his first feature film, and its sequel, Zombieland: Double Tap(2019). He has also directed the filmsΒ 30 Minutes or Less,Β Gangster Squad,Β Uncharted, and 2018'sΒ Venom, which features theΒ same Marvel ComicsΒ character. Before the features, he directed television commercials for brands likeΒ Cisco,Β Eurostar,Β ESPN, andΒ Burger King and music videos for artists such asΒ M.I.A.,Β Electric Six,Β DJ FormatΒ andΒ Gold Chains.
Fleischer was born and raised in Washington, D.C, the son of Karen Lee (nΓ©e Samuel) and David Elliot Fleischer, a physician at theΒ Mayo ClinicΒ in Arizona and a professor of medicine.Β His brother, Lucas, works in new media. His father was born to aΒ JewishΒ family, while his motherΒ converted to Judaism. Fleischer was raised inΒ Reform Judaism.
After graduating with a history major fromΒ Wesleyan University, Fleischer moved toΒ San Francisco, where he worked as a freelance HTML programmer, unsure what he wanted to do with his life.
Taking the advice of close friendΒ Mike WhiteΒ (also a Wesleyan graduate), Fleischer worked as a PA in the writers' office ofΒ Dawson's Creek. He eventually turned to directing and worked his way through the industry, tackling music videos and television commercials before landing his first feature film,Β Zombieland, in 2009. His second feature,Β 30 Minutes or Less, opened in theaters on August 12, 2011.
Fleischer directedΒ Gangster Squad, a 2013 action thriller film based on the special tactical group created by theΒ LAPDΒ to combat theΒ Los Angeles crime family.Β He next directedΒ Venom, a film aboutΒ the Marvel ComicsΒ characterΒ Eddie Brock, starringΒ Tom Hardy; it was released on October 5, 2018.
In 2019, he directedΒ Zombieland: Double Tap, reuniting the four original leads.Β In February 2020, he was hired to directΒ Uncharted, based on the video game seriesΒ of the same name. In September 2022, he was hired to directΒ Now You See Me 3.
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