David Koepp is an American screenwriter and film director, born on June 9, 1963, in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. He studied theater initially at the University of Wisconsin before transferring to UCLA, where he graduated from the film school in 1986. Koepp is renowned for writing some of the most successful and influential Hollywood blockbusters, notably *Jurassic Park* (1993), *Mission: Impossible* (1996), *Spider-Man* (2002), and *Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull* (2008). His screenplays have collectively grossed over $2.6 billion in the U.S., making him one of the top-grossing screenwriters in American cinema history. Beyond blockbusters, Koepp's writing spans diverse genres including thrillers, comedies, and suspense dramas. Notable films he wrote include *Carlito’s Way* (1993), *Panic Room* (2002), *War of the Worlds* (2005), *The Lost World: Jurassic Park* (1997), and *Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit* (2014). He also contributed to recent major franchise films such as *Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny* (2023) and *Jurassic World Rebirth* (2025). As a director, Koepp has helmed seven feature films, many of which he also wrote, including *Stir of Echoes* (1999), *Secret Window* (2004), *Ghost Town* (2008), *Premium Rush* (2012), and *You Should Have Left* (2020). His directorial work often leans towards dark, suspenseful narratives. In addition to filmmaking, Koepp is a novelist, having published his debut novel *Cold Storage* in 2019 and *Aurora* in 2022. He lives in New York City with his wife and children. Koepp remains an active and influential figure in contemporary American cinema, with new projects continuing to contribute to major film franchises[1][2][4][5][6].