Jesse V Johnson

Director Bio
Jesse V Johnson's current release THIEVES HIGHWAY (Jan 2026) starring Aaron Eckhart, is on the January 2026 New York Times Top 5 What to watch list. From Collider Magazine: Thieves Highway is not only now available on Hulu, but it has shot to the number one spot on the streamer’s top 10 list. The 83-Minute Western has quietly become Hulu's Biggest Hit!
His previous film with Eckhart: CHIEF OF STATION (2024), also starring Olga Kurylenko and Alex Pettyfer was #2 on HULU (Aug 2024) and outperformed on all platforms. It is currently streaming around the world after a successful US theatrical run.
Johnson had his major TV directing debut with RISE OF THE MERLIN: THE PENDRAGON CYCLE (Jan 2026), where he helmed multiple large scale battle sequences and key emotional scenes, directing the emotionally impactful Episode 3 and the action packed finale Episode 7.
His films are often hard-edged and feature imaginative and visceral action but also career-highlight performances from actors, his films are character driven and known to contain complex and emotional performances.
Johnson’s standout film came in 2019, entitled – AVENGEMENT (2019) The British crime thriller starring Scott Adkins and showcased some of the best fight scenes of the last decade. The film cemented Johnson as a writer & director to watch out for and put Adkins on the map as a solid leading man. As of 2024, it continues to gain popularity thanks to its residency on Netflix.
His Debt Collectors films: THE DEBT COLLECTOR (2018) & DEBT COLLECTORS (2020) starring Scott Adkins and Louis Mandylor have generated an enormous “cult-like” following and continue to grow in popularity.
Johnson is also highly respected for his critically well received "female-centric" thrillers: the epic period-piece BOUDICA (2023), starring Olga Kurylenko, and the WWII thriller, HELL HATH NO FURY (2021), Starring Nina Bergman
Johnson has been a prominent figure in the stunt world since the 1990 blockbuster, TOTAL RECALL. He has performed stunts on movies like WAR OF THE WORLDS, TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES, and AVATAR.
His feature debut as writer & director came with the gritty actioner, THE PACKAGE (2012), Starring “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Dolph Lundgren.
He has gone on to direct movies with some of the world’s most prominent action stars, including Antonio Banderas, Aaron Eckhart, John Malkovich, Thomas Jane, Scott Adkins, Dolph Lundgren, Olga Kurylenko and WWE superstar, Steve Austin.

Johnson is a US passport holder, a UK passport holder and possesses a Canary Islands Residency (Spain).