{{short description|American writer and television producer|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2014}} {{Infobox person |name = Jeff Davis |image = Jeff Davis by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg |caption = Davis at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1975|6|13}} |birth_place = Milford, Connecticut, U.S. | notable_works = ''Criminal Minds''<br>''Teen Wolf'' |occupation = Writer, television producer |years_active = 2003–present }} '''Jeff Davis''' (born June 13, 1975) is an American writer and television producer best known for creating ''Criminal Minds'' and the ''Teen Wolf'' 2010s TV series and 2023 movie reboot.
==Early life== Davis was born in Milford, Connecticut. He graduated from Vassar College with a degree in film and he then went on to receive a master's degree in screenwriting from the University of Southern California. Davis worked as a script reader, editorial assistant, writer for computer software manuals and computer support specialist in Los Angeles while struggling to sell his own writing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/johnathan-cardillo/entrepreneurs-jeff-davis-_b_6789488.html|title=Entrepreneurs: Jeff Davis, Creator of Criminal Minds & MTV's Teen Wolf|last=Cardillo|first=Johnathan|date=2015-03-04|website=Huffington Post|language=en-US|access-date=2017-05-23}}</ref>
==Career== In 2003, Davis sold a script to CBS Television that eventually became the hit series ''Criminal Minds''. He served as co-executive producer during the first season of the show.<ref>[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i27f167feba4ef287539d76d8b0419f72 Four join MTV's 'Teen Wolf' gang] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091224100226/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i27f167feba4ef287539d76d8b0419f72 |date=December 24, 2009 }}</ref> It was produced by CBS Studios and 20th Television (previously through ABC Signature until 2025).
In 2011, Davis began talks with MTV about a reboot of the Michael J. Fox '80s comedy ''Teen Wolf''. He says he jumped at the project due to his love of the horror genre. He notes among his influences writers Stephen King and Thomas Harris. Davis has also stated that he is a fan of ''The X-Files'', ''Cheers'', and ''Moonlighting''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://teenwolf.tumblr.com/post/56726487388/you-wrote-amazing-love-story-between-scott-and-allison |title=Never Love A Wild Thing |publisher=Teenwolf.tumblr.com |date=July 28, 2013 |access-date=October 31, 2013}}</ref><ref name="bricker1">{{cite web|url=http://eonline.com/news/338932/teen-wolf-boss-talks-stiles-and-derek-s-popularity-shipping-and-more|title=Teen Wolf Boss Talks Stiles and Derek's Popularity, Shipping and More|last=Bricker|first=Tierney|publisher=E! Online|date=August 17, 2012|access-date=December 15, 2012}}</ref> As executive producer, head writer and show creator, Jeff Davis was the creative force behind ''Teen Wolf''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Moore |first=Debi |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/34964/casting-update-and-more-plot-details-mtvs-teen-wolf-series |title=Casting Update and More Plot Details on MTV's Teen Wolf Series |publisher=Dreadcentral.com |date=December 14, 2009 |access-date=October 31, 2013}}</ref>
After the second season of ''Teen Wolf'' ended, Davis split his time between Los Angeles and Atlanta, Georgia, where he filmed the show. Davis sold a series adaption of the Swedish horror film ''Let the Right One In'', for the U.S. television channel A&E.<ref>{{cite web|last=Miska|first=Brad|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3336377/let-right-one-in-becomes-ae-series/ |title="Let the Right One In" Becomes A&E Series |publisher=Bloody-Disgusting.com |date=March 17, 2015 |access-date=March 17, 2015}}</ref> The script was then ordered to pilot at TNT.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/let-the-right-one-in-tnt-pilot-1201846600/|title=TNT Orders 'Let the Right One In' Vampire Pilot from 'Teen Wolf' Creator|last=Wagmeister|first=Elizabeth|date=2016-08-29|work=Variety|access-date=2017-05-23|language=en-US}}</ref> The pilot was shot in Vancouver, but ultimately, TNT decided not to proceed with a series.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2017/04/tnt-let-the-right-one-in-pilot-dead-shopped-1202069970/|title=TNT Not Proceeding With 'Let The Right One In' Pilot, Vampire Drama Shopped|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|date=2017-04-14|work=Deadline|access-date=2017-05-23|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2021, he signed a deal with MTV Entertainment Studios through his First Cause production company.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Otterson|first=Joe|date=2021-09-24|title='Teen Wolf' Revival Movie Set at Paramount Plus as Creator Jeff Davis Inks MTV Entertainment Studios Overall Deal (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/teen-wolf-revival-movie-paramount-plus-jeff-davis-overall-deal-1235073403/|access-date=2021-09-25|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref>
==Personal life== Davis is openly gay.<ref>{{cite interview |subject=Jeff Davis |date=July 2, 2014 |title=Dog Days of Summer: ''Teen Wolf'' Showrunner Jeff Davis Talks Season 4 |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/savas-abadsidis/dog-days-of-summer_b_5548541.html |work=The Huffington Post |interviewer=Savas Abadsidis |access-date=July 2, 2015 }}</ref> Davis is also a fan of Batman, to the point of even naming characters from his hit TV show ''Teen Wolf'' after characters in Batman.<ref>{{cite web |title=NEVER LOVE A WILD THING |url=https://teenwolf.tumblr.com/post/56727086116/was-talia-hale-named-after-talia-al-ghul |website=Teenwolf.tumblr.com |access-date=September 13, 2022}}</ref>
==Filmography== {|class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Writer ! Executive<br>Producer ! Notes |- |2005-2007 |''Criminal Minds'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |Creator<br>Writer (3 episodes) (2005)<br>Exec. Producer (2005–2007) |- |2011–2017 |''Teen Wolf'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |Creator<br>Writer (41 episodes) |- |2011 |''Teen Wolf: Search for a Cure'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |Web Series<br>Also Director |- |2012 |''Teen Wolf: The Hunt'' |{{no}} |{{yes}} |Online game |- |2015 |''Let the Right One In'' |{{yes}} |{{no}} |Unsold TV pilot |- |rowspan=2|2023 |''Teen Wolf: The Movie'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |Paramount+ Original Movie |- |''Wolf Pack'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |Creator<br>Writer (2 episodes)<br> Director (1 episode) |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|id=1471491|name=Jeff Davis}}
{{Criminal Minds}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Jeff}} Category:1975 births Category:Living people Category:Television writers from California Category:American male television writers Category:American gay writers Category:LGBTQ television producers Category:American LGBTQ screenwriters Category:LGBTQ people from Connecticut Category:People from Milford, Connecticut Category:American showrunners Category:Television producers from California Category:USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni Category:Vassar College alumni Category:Writers from Atlanta Category:Writers from Los Angeles Category:Screenwriters from Connecticut Category:Screenwriters from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Television producers from Connecticut