Federico Javier Álvarez Mattos (Spanish: [ˈfeðe]; born February 9, 1978) is an Uruguayan filmmaker based in the United States. He is best known for directing the horror films Evil Dead (2013), Don't Breathe (2016), and Alien: Romulus (2024).
Fede Álvarez | |
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 Álvarez in 2013 | |
| Born | Federico Javier Álvarez Mattos February 9, 1978 Montevideo, Uruguay |
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| Years active | 2001–present |
Early life
Álvarez was born in Montevideo, Uruguay.[citation needed]
Career
In 2009, Álvarez released his short film Ataque de Pánico! on YouTube. Before premiering online, the film screened on October 31, 2009, at the Buenos Aires Rojo Sangre film festival. A few weeks later, Álvarez made a deal with Ghost House Pictures to direct a $30–$40 million sci-fi film. His first project with Ghost House ended up being the direction and co-writing of the Evil Dead remake. After the release of Evil Dead, Álvarez stated that he had "had the temptation to do big franchises", but instead directed and co-wrote the relatively low budget horror film Don't Breathe (2016), which received positive reviews. Álvarez later revealed that during this period he was approached by Marvel Studios to direct an unspecified movie; however, he declined, feeling he would have little creative control over it. In 2017, Álvarez teamed up with Good Universe to set up their own production company, Bad Hombre.
Álvarez directed The Girl in the Spider's Web, a reboot of the English-language The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, based on the novel of the same name. The film featured an entirely new cast compared to the 2011 film, and it was released on November 9, 2018. In April 2019, Álvarez, alongside Doug Liman, directed reshoots for the 2021 film Chaos Walking, which added an additional $15 million to the film's budget.
In 2021, Álvarez directed all nine episodes of Calls for Apple TV+, a primarily audio-based series with animated visual components. He also co-wrote and co-produced Don't Breathe 2, which was released on August 13, 2021, directed by Rodo Sayagues. In 2024, he wrote and directed Alien: Romulus. Later that year, he presented the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards. Fede is writing the script for the sequel to Alien: Romulus but is stepping down as director but will remain as a producer.
Unrealized projects
Álvarez was attached to direct a live-action adaptation of the video game Dante's Inferno for Universal Pictures in September 2013, however no further updates have been provided since the announcement. In May 2016, Álvarez was attached to direct an adaptation of Monsterpocalypse for Warner Bros. In October 2016, Álvarez was brought on to direct an adaptation of Incognito for Sony Pictures, based on a script by Daniel Casey. Álvarez was considered to replace Ben Affleck as director for The Batman.
On April 13, 2017, Álvarez was confirmed to direct and co-write a spin-off to Labyrinth with Nicole Perlman and Jay Basu. However, in April 2020, Álvarez announced that he had stepped down as director.
Personal life
He is the son of Uruguayan journalist, writer, and professor Luciano Álvarez. He lives in Los Angeles.
He is a fan of Peñarol and has included symbols of the club in films such as Alien: Romulus.
Filmography
Feature films
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Evil Dead | Yes | Yes | No | Also writer of the song "Baby, Little Baby" |
| 2016 | Don't Breathe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Also viola soloist in soundtrack |
| 2018 | The Girl in the Spider's Web | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 2021 | Don't Breathe 2 | No | Yes | Yes | |
| 2022 | Texas Chainsaw Massacre | No | Story | Yes | |
| 2024 | Alien: Romulus | Yes | Yes | Executive |
Television
| Year | Title | Creator | Director | Writer | Executive Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | From Dusk till Dawn: The Series | No | Yes | No | No | Episode: "La Conquista" |
| 2021 | Calls | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 episodes; Writer (7 episodes) Voice role as Jesus (1 episodes) |
Short films
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Editor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Los Pocillos | Yes | No | No | Yes | |
| 2003 | El Último Alevare | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | |
| 2005 | El Cojonudo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2009 | Ataque de pánico! | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Also visual effects supervisor & animator |
Other credits
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | La peste | Composer | Short film |
| 2020 | My Heart Goes Boom! | Thanks | |
| 2021 | Chaos Walking | Director of reshoots |