{{Short description|British filmmaker}} {{EngvarB|date=September 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox person | image = James-Bobin Alice Through the Looking Glass premiere.jpg | name = James Bobin | caption = Bobin in 2016 | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = [[Film director]], screenwriter, producer | years_active = 1998–present | father = [[David Bobin]] | family = [[Joanna Bobin]] (sister) | spouse = [[Francesca Beauman]] | website = | children = 3 }} '''James Bobin''' is a British filmmaker. He worked as a director and writer on ''[[Da Ali G Show]]'' and helped create the characters of [[Ali G]], [[Borat Sagdiyev|Borat]] and [[Brüno Gehard|Brüno]]. With [[Bret McKenzie]] and [[Jemaine Clement]], he co-created ''[[Flight of the Conchords (TV series)|Flight of the Conchords]]''. He directed the feature films ''[[The Muppets (2011 film)|The Muppets]]'' (2011), ''[[Muppets Most Wanted]]'' (2014), and ''[[Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016 film)|Alice Through the Looking Glass]]'' (2016) from [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], and ''[[Dora and the Lost City of Gold]]'' (2019) from [[Paramount Pictures]] and [[Nickelodeon Movies]].
==Career== Bobin worked as a director and writer on ''[[The 11 O'Clock Show]]'' and ''[[Da Ali G Show]]'', and helped create the characters of [[Ali G]], [[Borat]] and [[Brüno Gehard|Brüno]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hbo.com/flight-of-the-conchords|title=Flight of the Conchords|publisher=HBO|access-date=26 January 2019|archive-date=23 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123052338/https://www.hbo.com/flight-of-the-conchords|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2003 and 2004, he directed and co-wrote all of the 12 episodes of ''[[Ali G in da USAiii]]'' for [[HBO]].
With [[Bret McKenzie]] and [[Jemaine Clement]], he co-created, wrote and directed ''[[Flight of the Conchords (TV series)|Flight of the Conchords]]'', also for HBO. Bobin had previously seen Clement and McKenzie perform and signed on to co-create the show.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Marc Allan – Fasten Your Seat Belts for Flight of the Conchords<!-- Bot generated title --> |url=http://marc-allan.com/633199505751718750.asp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012100222/http://marc-allan.com/633199505751718750.asp |archive-date=12 October 2007 |access-date=26 December 2007 |website=marc-allan.com}}</ref> In 2011, he signed a deal with HBO.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Weisman|first=Jon|date=2011-09-08|title=Bobin inks first-look deal with HBO|url=https://variety.com/2011/tv/news/bobin-inks-first-look-deal-with-hbo-1118042373/|access-date=2020-11-26|website=Variety|archive-date=5 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205103219/https://variety.com/2011/tv/news/bobin-inks-first-look-deal-with-hbo-1118042373/|url-status=live}}</ref>
His feature film directorial debut, ''[[The Muppets (2011 film)|The Muppets]]'', a musical-comedy film written by [[Jason Segel]] and [[Nicholas Stoller]], was released in 2011 and became a critical and commercial hit and won an Oscar for Best Original Song. The film earned him his second [[BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer|BAFTA nomination]] at the [[66th British Academy Film Awards]]. He wrote (with [[Nicholas Stoller]]) and directed a follow-up, ''[[Muppets Most Wanted]]'', which was released in 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vulture.com/2012/03/new-muppet-movie-in-the-works-but-without-jason-segel.html|title=New Muppets Movie Going Ahead, But Without Jason Segel As a Writer|first=Claude|last=Brodesser-Akner|date=1 March 2012|publisher=Vulture|access-date=18 January 2013|archive-date=2 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302173400/http://www.vulture.com/2012/03/new-muppet-movie-in-the-works-but-without-jason-segel.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Bobin next directed the sequel ''[[Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016 film)|Alice Through the Looking Glass]]'' (2016). In February 2016, it was announced that he would direct a ''[[Jump Street (franchise)|Jump Street]]–[[Men in Black (film series)|Men in Black]]'' [[Crossover (fiction)|crossover]] film;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/663387-23-jump-street-men-in-black|title=The 23 Jump Street Men in Black Crossover is Happening|date=4 March 2016|website=ComingSoon.net|access-date=26 January 2019|archive-date=26 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190126221200/https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/663387-23-jump-street-men-in-black|url-status=live}}</ref> however, plans for the movie fell through.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/21-jump-street-men-in-black-crossover-is-dead/|title='21 Jump Street' and 'Men in Black' Crossover is Dead|date=12 January 2019|publisher=/Film|access-date=26 January 2019|archive-date=27 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190127034945/https://www.slashfilm.com/21-jump-street-men-in-black-crossover-is-dead/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2011, he signed a first-look deal with HBO.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Weisman|first=Jon|date=2011-09-08|title=Bobin inks first-look deal with HBO|url=https://variety.com/2011/tv/news/bobin-inks-first-look-deal-with-hbo-1118042373/|access-date=2021-04-19|website=Variety|archive-date=5 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205103219/https://variety.com/2011/tv/news/bobin-inks-first-look-deal-with-hbo-1118042373/|url-status=live}}</ref>
His most recent film, ''[[Dora and the Lost City of Gold]]'', is a live-action adaptation of TV series ''[[Dora the Explorer (TV series)|Dora the Explorer]]'' with [[Isabela Moner]] as the title character. The film was theatrically released in the United States on 9 August 2019, by [[Paramount Pictures]]. In 2020, it was announced that Bobin was in talks to direct a remake of ''[[Clue (film)|Clue]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hipes |first=Patrick |date=10 February 2020 |title=James Bobin in Talks To Direct 'Clue' Movie at 20th Century |url=https://deadline.com/2020/02/james-bobin-clue-movie-ryan-reynolds-1202856873/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200211172055/https://deadline.com/2020/02/james-bobin-clue-movie-ryan-reynolds-1202856873/ |archive-date=11 February 2020 |access-date=31 July 2020 |publisher=[[Deadline Hollywood]]}}</ref> In October 2021, it was announced that Bobin would direct and executive produce an adaptation of ''[[Percy Jackson & the Olympians]]'' for [[Disney+]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-24 |title=Back from LA and into the Deep! {{!}} Rick Riordan |url=https://rickriordan.com/2021/10/back-from-la-and-into-the-deep/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302041751/https://rickriordan.com/2021/10/back-from-la-and-into-the-deep/ |archive-date=2 March 2022 |access-date=2022-01-25 |website=rickriordan.com}}</ref>
==Awards and nominations== Bobin received his first BAFTA nomination ([[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|British Academy of Film and Television Award]]) for Best Comedy Series in 2000 for his work on ''The 11 O'Clock Show''. He also won an award from the [[Royal Television Society]], as well as a Silver Rose from the Montreux Television Festival. He won a [[Writers Guild of America Award]] in 2007.
Bobin was nominated for Outstanding Writing and Directing Emmys for ''Da Ali G Show'' in 2003, and again in 2005. In 2008 and 2009, he was nominated for Outstanding Writing, Directing, and Original Music for ''Flight of the Conchords'', and in 2009, also received an Outstanding Comedy Series nomination for his work as executive producer.
In 2011, Bobin's first feature film, ''The Muppets'', won an Oscar for [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]] for the song "[[Man or Muppet]]" written by [[Bret McKenzie]]. Bobin himself was nominated for the [[BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer]].
{| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Award ! Category ! Work ! Result ! {{Abbr|Ref.|References}} |- | 2013 | [[BAFTA Awards]] | [[BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer|Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer]] | ''The Muppets'' | {{Nominated}} | style="text-align:center;" |<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-20955363|title=Bafta Film Awards 2013: The winners|publisher=BBC|date=10 February 2013|access-date=19 November 2023}}</ref> |- | 2020 | [[Imagen Awards]] | Best Director – Feature Film | ''Dora and the Lost City of Gold'' | {{Won}} | style="text-align:center;" |<ref>{{cite web |last=Lewis |first=Hilary |date=24 September 2020 |title=Dora and the Lost City of Gold' Tops Imagen Awards |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/dora-and-the-lost-city-of-gold-tops-imagen-awards-4066780/ |access-date=19 November 2023 |work=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> |- | 2024 | [[Directors Guild of America Awards]] | [[Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Children's Programs|Outstanding Directing – Children's Programs]] | rowspan="2" | ''Percy Jackson and the Olympians'' <small>(for "I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher")</small> | {{nom}} | style="text-align:center;" |<ref>{{cite web|last=Verhoeven|first=Beatrice|title=''Succession'' Leads Directors Guild TV Nominations |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/dga-awards-tv-documentary-nominations-nominees-list-1235782461/ |access-date=17 January 2024|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=9 January 2024}}</ref> |- | 2025 | [[Children's and Family Emmy Awards]] | Outstanding Directing for a Single Camera Live Action Series | {{won}}{{efn|Tied with Alex Ranken for ''A Real Bug's Life''}} | style="text-align:center;" |<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Hilary|title=Children's and Family Emmy Awards: 'Percy Jackson,' 'Sesame Street' Universe, 'Orion and the Dark' Among Top Winners|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/2025-childrens-and-family-emmy-awards-winners-list-1236164512/|date=March 15, 2025|access-date=March 18, 2025|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> |}
==Reality TV== Bobin appeared as himself in one episode of a British documentary series ''Modern Times.''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Modern Times – 'flatmates'<!-- Bot generated title --> |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IB8KaJ2d64 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929054409/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IB8KaJ2d64 |archive-date=29 September 2020 |access-date=28 July 2020 |website=youtube.com}}</ref> He was one part of a household in search of a flatmate.
==Filmography== '''Short film''' * ''[[Spyz]]'' (2003)
'''Feature film''' * ''[[The Muppets (2011 film)|The Muppets]]'' (2011) * ''[[Muppets Most Wanted]]'' (2014) (Also writer) * ''[[Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016 film)|Alice Through the Looking Glass]]'' (2016) * ''[[Dora and the Lost City of Gold]]'' (2019)
'''Television''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! width=65 | Director ! width=65 | Writer ! width=65 | Producer |- | 1998 | ''[[The 11 O'Clock Show]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes|Associate}} |- | 2000 (UK)<br>2003–2004 (US) | ''[[Da Ali G Show]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} |- | 2004 | ''[[Comedy Lab]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |- | 2007–2009 | ''[[Flight of the Conchords (TV series)|Flight of the Conchords]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes|Executive}} |- | 2011 | ''[[Enlightened (TV series)|Enlightened]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} |- | 2021 | ''[[The Mysterious Benedict Society (TV series)|The Mysterious Benedict Society]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes|Executive}} |- | 2023–present | ''[[Percy Jackson and the Olympians (TV series)|Percy Jackson and the Olympians]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes|Executive}} |}
==Personal life== In 2005, Bobin married [[Francesca Beauman]],<ref name="Slater">{{Cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/england/london-travel/how-to-be-a-modern-woman-jczs798bg2v|last=Slater |first=Lydia |date=18 August 2007 |title=How to be a Modern Woman |access-date=21 April 2025 |work=[[The Times]]}}</ref> with whom he has three children. They live in [[Bath, Somerset]].
== Notes == {{Notelist}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|90386|James Bobin}} * [http://www.hbo.com/conchords/cast/james_bobin.html Biography on HBO.com] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080322235300/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/439095/James-Bobin New York Times bio]
{{James Bobin}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bobin, James}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:British comedy film directors]] [[Category:British fantasy film directors]] [[Category:British film directors]] [[Category:British television directors]] [[Category:Children's and Family Emmy Award winners]] [[Category:People educated at The Portsmouth Grammar School]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]