Justin Merz embarked on a prolific career as a feature writer, marked by a notable accomplishment when he co-authored the screenplay "Topsiders" with Jonathan Rosenbloom, which was acquired by DreamWorks in a high-stakes bidding war involving four major studios. This success paved the way for his next project, an animated feature film adaptation of the beloved children's book "The Boxcar Children", released in 2014, boasting an impressive voice cast including Martin Sheen, J.K. Simmons, Joey King, and McKenzie Foy.
Merz's subsequent endeavors included penning the original screenplay "Rose Red", which was picked up by Walt Disney Pictures in March 2016. His script, "Dorothy and Alice", garnered significant attention in October 2017, as Netflix acquired it in a competitive situation, with numerous producers vying for the rights due to its franchise potential. Notably, "Dorothy and Alice" was featured on both the 2017 Hitlist and Blacklist, a testament to its acclaim.
In 2019, Merz began adapting Erica O'Rourke's novel "Dissonance" for Strait Up Films and EMA. When not working on his various projects, Justin resides in Los Angeles with his wife, daughter, cat, and dog.
