David Gleeson's career in the North Sea oil industry preceded his venture into filmmaking, where he wrote and directed another short film, 'Hunted', before making his feature debut with 'Cowboys & Angels'. This youth comedy/drama, set in his native Limerick, Ireland, was released in cinemas by Buena Vista International and won eight international film awards, including Best Screenplay at Newport Beach and two Gold Medal Awards at Giffoni.
The New York Times praised the film, stating it offers a fresh mix of open-minded intelligence and a heartfelt point of view, while The Chicago Tribune noted it is meatier than most films offered to young adults. 'Cowboys & Angels' was a critical and commercial success, cementing Gleeson's reputation as a talented filmmaker.
Gleeson's next film, the crime drama 'The Front Line', was released in 2006 through Buena Vista International. The film, which he also wrote and directed, tells the story of a Congolese refugee in Dublin and was praised by Variety for its blend of crime drama and geopolitical think piece. The Sunday Independent commended Gleeson for delivering a terrific film that reminds us what big screens were made for.
In 2008, Gleeson sold his time travel sci-fi spec screenplay 'The End of History' to Sony Pictures and Original Film, and followed this up with several more spec sales and commissions to studios including Focus Features, 20th Century Fox, Mattel Films, and Paramount Pictures.
Gleeson began principle photography on his third film as writer and director, 'Don't Go', in July 2017, starring Stephen Dorff and Melissa George. The film was released in the US through IFC Films on October 28, 2018.
In May 2019, Fox Searchlight Pictures released 'Tolkien', a Chernin Entertainment production based on Gleeson's original screenplay about the legendary author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, J. R. R. Tolkien.
Currently, Gleeson is writing 'The Grimm Legacy', the first in a potential franchise, for Walt Disney Films based on the books by Polly Shulman.
