---
name: "David Ayer"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/david-ayer"
fi1m_id: "david-ayer"
imdb_id: "nm0043742"
tmdb_id: 19769
wikidata_id: "Q1091339"
roles: ["Director","Writer","Producer"]
born: "18 January 1968"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 7
average_fi1m_score: 55
average_as: "director"
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-10-22T02:07:26.633238+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# David Ayer

## Identity

David Ayer

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/david-ayer
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** david-ayer
- **IMDb ID:** nm0043742
- **TMDB ID:** 19769
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1091339
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Ayer, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1091339, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0043742/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/19769

Director and writer. Born 18 January 1968 in Champaign, Illinois, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Director, Writer, Producer
- **Born:** 18 January 1968, Champaign, Illinois, USA
- **Active:** 2001–present
- **Also known as:** دیوید آیر
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 7: 5 directing, 2 writing
- **Frequently works with:** [Bill Block](https://film.one/person/bill-block.md), [Brad Pitt](https://film.one/person/brad-pitt.md), [Jason Statham](https://film.one/person/jason-statham.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 55, as director, over 5 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 76 (2), 2010s 54 (2), 2020s 56 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 55 to 54 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 0 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 2 under 60
- **Genres:** Action 4, Adventure 3, Thriller 3, Crime 2, Drama 1, Fantasy 1
- **Screen time:** 10 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $1,344m across 5 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Ayer, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1091339, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0043742/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/19769

## Coming up

- *John Doe* (2028-01-14), Director

## Streaming the US now

- **The Roku Channel:** [*Training Day*](https://film.one/film/training-day.md) (80)
- **Netflix:** [*The Fast and the Furious*](https://film.one/film/the-fast-and-the-furious.md) (72)
- **Apple TV:** [*A Working Man*](https://film.one/film/a-working-man.md) (41)
- **HBO Max:** [*Suicide Squad*](https://film.one/film/suicide-squad.md) (41)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on David Ayer

> David Ayer is a capable action director whose films work best when he gives men doing dangerous jobs time to talk. We rate that patient attention more highly than the blunt violence that can take over.

In *The Beekeeper* (2024), Jason Statham wears a canvas jacket and cap and barely moves his face. David Ayer lets him stand still long enough for the pose to become funny. We laughed at that immobility, because the director gives an expressionless man time to look faintly absurd. It is a small piece of comic timing in a revenge thriller that is otherwise clean, brutal and disappointingly dim.

His earlier work gave conversation more room. His screenplay for *Training Day* (2001) established his reputation for Los Angeles police stories, before his directing debut with *Harsh Times* (2005). In *End of Watch* (2012), which he wrote and directed, the talk between two men in a patrol car made the film. We prefer the attention he pays to those conversations to the repeated explanations of hives in *The Beekeeper*. There is more to these men than their ability to hurt somebody.

*Fury* (2014) carried his research-led attention to detail into a Second World War tank crew drama. Then came *Suicide Squad* (2016) and *Bright* (2017), before the later action films, including *A Working Man* (2025). Those changes of setting have not removed his central interest in police, criminals and men whose methods deserve closer inspection.

The practical strengths remain apparent in *The Beekeeper*. Editor Geoffrey O’Brien keeps the fights legible, letting us see who is hitting whom and with what. Ayer stages the action with clear geography and an emphatic interest in the sound of breaking bones. It is coarse, but at least the force of a blow is not lost in the cutting.

The weakness is what fills the gaps. Raver-Lampman and Bobby Naderi trade hangover jokes that barely get a scene moving, while David Sardy and Jared Michael Fry’s low electronic score supplies more energy than the dialogue. Ayer can make room for Statham’s dry physical humour, yet he leaves the supporting players with little worth saying. That makes *The Beekeeper* a qualified choice even for an action evening. Start with *End of Watch*, where the men are worth listening to.

## Biography

David Ayer is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. He was born on 18 January 1968 in Champaign, Illinois, and grew up in Bloomington, Minnesota, and Bethesda, Maryland. After moving to Los Angeles as a teenager, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served as a submariner.

Ayer wrote the screenplay for *Training Day* (2001). He made his directorial debut with *Harsh Times* (2005) and went on to write and direct *End of Watch* (2012). His other directing credits include *Fury* (2014), *Suicide Squad* (2016), *Bright* (2017), *The Tax Collector* (2020) and *The Beekeeper* (2024).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (7)

### Directed (5) — the average rests on these

- *Heart of the Beast* (2026), Fi1m 66, Director, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/heart-of-the-beast.md)
- *A Working Man* (2025), Fi1m 41, Screenplay, Director, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/a-working-man.md)
- *The Beekeeper* (2024), Fi1m 60, Director, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-beekeeper.md)
- *Suicide Squad* (2016), Fi1m 41, Director, Writer — [page](https://film.one/film/suicide-squad.md)
- *Fury* (2014), Fi1m 67, Director, Producer, Writer — [page](https://film.one/film/fury-2014.md)

### Wrote (2)

- *The Fast and the Furious* (2001), Fi1m 72, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/the-fast-and-the-furious.md)
- *Training Day* (2001), Fi1m 80, as First Russian Hitman (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/training-day.md)

## Complete filmography (28)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *John Doe* (2028), Director
- *Heart of the Beast* (2026), Director, Producer — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/heart-of-the-beast.md)
- *A Working Man* (2025), Director, Producer, Screenplay — Fi1m 41, [page](https://film.one/film/a-working-man.md)
- *Bosco* (2024), Executive Producer
- *The Beekeeper* (2024), Director, Producer — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/the-beekeeper.md)
- *Snorkeling* (2023), Executive Producer
- *The Suicide Squad* (2021), Thanks
- *The Tax Collector* (2020), Director, Screenplay
- *Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)* (2020), Executive Producer
- *Deputy* (2020), series, Executive Producer, Director
- *Ready for War* (2019), Executive Producer
- *Bright* (2017), Director, Writer, Producer
- *Training Day* (2017), series, Screenplay
- *Suicide Squad* (2016), Writer, Director — Fi1m 41, [page](https://film.one/film/suicide-squad.md)
- *DC Films Presents Dawn of the Justice League* (2016), Actor
- *Fury* (2014), Director, Writer, Producer — Fi1m 67, [page](https://film.one/film/fury-2014.md)
- *Sabotage* (2014), Director, Writer, Producer
- *End of Watch* (2012), Producer, Director, Writer
- *Street Kings* (2008), as NLR member in County Jail (uncredited) · Director
- *Harsh Times* (2005), Director, Producer, Writer
- *The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing* (2004), Production Consultant
- *S.W.A.T.* (2003), Screenplay
- *Dark Blue* (2002), Screenplay
- *Training Day* (2001), as First Russian Hitman (uncredited) · Screenplay, Co-Producer, Stunts — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/training-day.md)
- *The Fast and the Furious* (2001), Screenplay — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/the-fast-and-the-furious.md)
- *U-571* (2000), Screenplay
- *Six Years*, Writer, Producer, Director
- *The Dirty Dozen*, Screenplay, Producer, Director

## Gallery

- ![David Ayer](https://film.one/media/person/12199/gallery-959215cbe78a.jpg) David Ayer — DoD News Features, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/David_Ayer_2014.jpg/1280px-David_Ayer_2014.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![ブライト ジャパン・プレミア レッドカーペット デヴィッド・エアー (2017)](https://film.one/media/person/12199/gallery-4b85d64f0c12.jpg) ブライト ジャパン・プレミア レッドカーペット デヴィッド・エアー (2017) — Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Bright_Japan_Premiere_Red_Carpet-_David_Ayer_%2839493200572%29.jpg/1280px-Bright_Japan_Premiere_Red_Carpet-_David_Ayer_%2839493200572%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![David Ayer, Patty Jenkins, Zack Snyder, Rick Famuyiwa, James Wan and Ben Affleck speaking at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California](https://film.one/media/person/12199/gallery-776609660594.jpg) David Ayer, Patty Jenkins, Zack Snyder, Rick Famuyiwa, James Wan and Ben Affleck speaking at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California — Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/DC_Extended_Universe_directors_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg/1280px-DC_Extended_Universe_directors_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![David Ayer, Edgar Ramirez, Lucy Fry and Eric Newman speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Bright", at the San Diego Convention Center in ](https://film.one/media/person/12199/gallery-3f9eb5d15f47.jpg) David Ayer, Edgar Ramirez, Lucy Fry and Eric Newman speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Bright", at the San Diego Convention Center in  — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/82/David_Ayer%2C_Edgar_Ramirez%2C_Lucy_Fry_%26_Eric_Newman_%2835302128694%29.jpg/1280px-David_Ayer%2C_Edgar_Ramirez%2C_Lucy_Fry_%26_Eric_Newman_%2835302128694%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![David Ayer](https://film.one/media/person/12199/gallery-839ca2b5e21f.jpg) David Ayer — Image via TMDB
- ![David Ayer](https://film.one/media/person/12199/gallery-510f235f4004.jpg) David Ayer — Image via TMDB
- ![David Ayer](https://film.one/media/person/12199/gallery-f6e1609c8270.jpg) David Ayer — Image via TMDB
- ![David Ayer, Noomi Rapace, Joel Edgerton, Will Smith, Edgar Ramirez and Lucy Fry speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Bright", at the San](https://film.one/media/person/12199/gallery-0a9a08aab6c5.jpg) David Ayer, Noomi Rapace, Joel Edgerton, Will Smith, Edgar Ramirez and Lucy Fry speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Bright", at the San — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/David_Ayer%2C_Noomi_Rapace%2C_Joel_Edgerton%2C_Will_Smith%2C_Edgar_Ramirez_%26_Lucy_Fry_%2835335177313%29.jpg/1280px-David_Ayer%2C_Noomi_Rapace%2C_Joel_Edgerton%2C_Will_Smith%2C_Edgar_Ramirez_%26_Lucy_Fry_%2835335177313%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![David Ayer, Noomi Rapace, Joel Edgerton and Will Smith speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Bright", at the San Diego Convention Center ](https://film.one/media/person/12199/gallery-c5ffb5f4042f.jpg) David Ayer, Noomi Rapace, Joel Edgerton and Will Smith speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Bright", at the San Diego Convention Center  — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/David_Ayer%2C_Noomi_Rapace%2C_Joel_Edgerton_%26_Will_Smith_%2835335130053%29.jpg/1280px-David_Ayer%2C_Noomi_Rapace%2C_Joel_Edgerton_%26_Will_Smith_%2835335130053%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![David Ayer](https://film.one/media/person/12199/gallery-e7aac59d02a2.jpg) David Ayer — Image via TMDB
- ![David Ayer](https://film.one/media/person/12199/gallery-dd9d19e51da3.jpg) David Ayer — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/david-ayer