John Hyams is an American screenwriter, director and cinematographer, best known for his involvement in the Universal Soldier series, for which he has directed two installments. Hyams is the son of director Peter Hyams.

Career

Hyams graduated from Syracuse University School of Visual and Performing Arts, becoming a noted painter and sculptor exhibiting and selling work in New York and Los Angeles. He became known in Hollywood in 1997 after writing, producing, and directing the critically acclaimed One Dog Day. The film debuted at the Taos Talking Picture Film Festival. After that, Hyams directed several documentaries, most notably The Smashing Machine, which follows the life of fighter Mark Kerr. Hyams also directed several episodes of ABC Television's NYPD Blue.

In 2009, Hyams took over the Universal Soldier franchise, directing the film Regeneration, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren. It was shot mostly in Bulgaria on a budget of $9 million. Then, in 2012, he wrote and produced a sequel called Day of Reckoning, which also featured Van Damme and Lundgren. It was shot in 3D with a budget of $8 million.

Over the course of 2014 and 2015, Hyams directed several episodes of the horror series Z Nation, including the pilot. Hyams has also directed for numerous other TV series, including Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, and Chucky, and acted as showrunner for the Z Nation spin-off Black Summer. In 2018 he returned to feature work with the independent comedy-drama All Square, starring Michael Kelly. In 2020 he directed the thriller Alone, and in 2022 the Kevin Williamson-scripted, Blumhouse-produced horror film Sick.[citation needed]

Filmography

Feature films

TitleYearCredited asNotes
DirectorProducerWriterEditor
One Dog Day1997YesYesYesNo
The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr2002YesCo-NoYesDocumentary
Rank2006YesYesNoYesDocumentary
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt2009NoAssociateNoNo
Universal Soldier: Regeneration2009YesNoNoYes
Dragon Eyes2012YesNoNoYes
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning2012YesNoYesYes
Skin Trade2014NoNoUncreditedNo
All Square2018YesNoNoNo
Alone2020YesNoNoYes
Sick2022YesNoNoNo
The Shepherd2026YesNoNoNo

Short films

TitleYearCredited asNotes
DirectorProducerWriterEditor
Fight Day2003YesNoNoYesFeaturette
Cowtown: Bull Riding Sessions2006YesYesNoNoFeaturette
The Razzle Dazzle2009YesCo-NoNo
The Ignorant Bliss of Sun and Moon2010YesNoNoYesAlso cinematographer and sound editor
Days of Reckoning: The Making of Universal Soldier 42013NoYesNoNoFeaturette

Television

The numbers in directing and writing credits refer to the number of episodes.

TitleYearCredited asNetworkNotes
CreatorDirectorProducerWriterExecutive producer
NYPD Blue2003–2005NoYes (4)YesNoNoABCProducer (season 12)
Blind Justice2005NoYes (1)NoNoNo
Z Nation2014–2017NoYes (9)Co-Yes (5)Co-SyfyCo-producer (season 1; 8 episodes) Co-executive producer (season 2; 13 episodes)
The Originals2016–2017NoYes (3)NoNoNoThe CW
12 Deadly Days2016NoYes (1)NoNoNoYouTube RedAnthology series
Chicago P.D.2017–2025NoYes (7 episodes)NoNoNoNBC
Chicago Fire2017NoYes (1)NoNoNo
Legacies2019NoYes (1)NoNoNoThe CW
Black Summer2019–2021YesYes (9)NoYes (5)YesNetflixAlso showrunner
Roswell, New Mexico2022NoYes (1)NoNoNoThe CW
Chucky2022–2023NoYes (3)NoNoNoSyfy USA Network
Teacup2024NoYes (2)NoNoNoPeacock
The Rookie2025NoYes (1)NoNoNoABC
The Recruit2025NoYes (1)NoNoNoNetflix

External links